On-farm usage of preventative vaccines has trebled in the past 10 years, according to global market research specialist GFK.

THE use of preventative medicines on farms has increased by 25% in the last 12 months and by 64% in the last five years, those attending the Animal and Plant Health Association conference were told.

SALES of animal health products have increased 5% in the past year against a static market for the previous two years, the Animal and Plant Health Association (APHA) conference was told in Killenard, Co Laois, yesterday.

THE European Union licensing system for veterinary medicines is time-consuming, inefficient and costly and needs to be completely overhauled, according to the representative body for the European animal health industry.

MANY of the 243,500 animal deaths on farms last year could have been prevented, the Animal and Plant Health Association annual conference was told in Portlaoise yesterday.