Extension of free carcase collection areas in England for diagnostic post mortem examinations
APHA has reviewed the contracts for the provision of post mortem examination (PME) services from non-APHA surveillance partners. This has resulted in more areas of England being eligible for free carcase collection from 3 January 2017.
These changes will mean that more farmers will benefit from the carcase collection services where a veterinarian has recommended a post mortem should be carried out for disease surveillance purposes.
Scanning surveillance PME services in England are currently provided through a mixture of APHA’s own Veterinary Investigation Centres (VIC) and a number of external partners – the University of Bristol, the Royal Veterinary College, the University of Surrey, and the Scottish Agricultural College. PMEs have also been provided through the use of fallen stock sites in some areas of England, but the use of fallen stock sites that are under contract to APHA will cease.
Within the catchment area of these PME facilities, usually around an hour’s drive time from the centre, farmers are asked to transport carcases for post mortem by their own means. However, outside of these catchment areas exists a network of carcase collection contractors who can collect and transport livestock carcases for investigation. Whilst there is a charge for the post mortem service, carcase collection is provided free of charge to farmers, although only where a post mortem is required – the services are not provided for the purposes of general carcase disposal.
Carcase collection contractors will deliver carcases to a Veterinary Investigation Centre or external partner PME site to carry out the post mortem – the map shows the PME and carcase collection services that will operate in England and Wales from 3 January 2017 for scanning surveillance. There are no changes to the services in Wales.
You can find your nearest post mortem examination centre and the map on the pme postcode search tool.
Published: 30 December 2016