Congratulations to BEVA member Samantha Downes for receiving an award for her achievements in reducing antibiotic use.
The critical work of Welsh vets and farmers to help combat antimicrobial resistance in animals and the environment has been recognised with a new set of awards.
The awards were made by the pioneering programme, Arwain DGC Defnydd Gwrthficrobaidd Cyfrifol / Responsible Antimicrobial Use) which works to help vets, farmers and horse owners to address the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by reducing the need to use antibiotics - through training, applying new technology, data gathering, and improving understanding.
Arwain DGC works in partnership with key *Welsh agricultural stakeholders, vets, and academic institutions, to encourage and demonstrate ways to reduce the need to use antibiotics and the risk of AMR developing.
Presented by Richard Irvine, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, the awards celebrate the achievements of livestock vets, equine vets, and livestock farmers in raising awareness of reducing the need to use antibiotics and taking steps to achieve a reduction.
Dr Irvine paid tribute to the work being done across Wales to meet the challenges of AMR and reduce the need to use antibiotics.
He said: “A big congratulations to all of the winners and nominees of these awards. Farmers and vets have an important responsibility to ensure antibiotics are used appropriately and to combat antimicrobial resistance. I am very pleased to see and hear about the good work taking place across Wales in doing this.
“We know there are further challenges, but we continue to make strong progress, and by carrying on working together we can reach our goals.
“So thank you to the teams of people, be that in veterinary practices, universities, farms and stables, wherever you are working, your efforts and dedication are hugely appreciated.”
Samantha Downes, Downes Veterinary Services, Aberystwyth, received the equine vet award. Samantha’s nomination included a testimonial from an equine client who said, “I had a horse with a strange abscess last year, and Sam suggested swabs instead of the usual antibiotics. Two days later, we found out my horse was in foal. If we had gone ahead with the antibiotics and not the swab as Sam suggested, I’m not sure my beautiful filly would still be here.”
Other award winners included Guy Tomlinson, Daleside Vets, Wrexham as well as farmers Darrell Hopkins and T.D and N Roberts.
Arwain DGC programme manager, Dewi Hughes, said, “We have had the privilege of working with enthusiastic, innovative and inspiring vets, farmers and horse owners through Arwain DGC work, and we are so pleased to give recognition to some of them.
Based on the exceptionally high standard of nominations for these awards, many deserve recognition for leading changes on their farms or in their practice and in demonstrating excellence in antimicrobial stewardship, and we very much look forward to continuing working with them.”
To help equine veterinary practices develop practice policies for responsible use of antibiotics we have created the ProtectME toolkit.