About Us

What we do and how we do it

Farm Health Online is a collaboration between Duchy College Rural Business School, Animal Welfare Approved and A Greener World.

Farm Health Online is a knowledge hub providing comprehensive information on sustainable approaches to enhancing the health and welfare of farmed livestock. We have achieved this by converting existing scientific knowledge into accessible and practical advice and information for farmers so as to aid the decision making process and to enable proactive animal health and welfare planning. The website contains information on many disease management and health and welfare issues for a range of species, as well as answering key contemporary veterinary questions.

Our core principles and practices can be viewed by clicking on the blue box at the top right of each page.

Farm Health Online would like to acknowledge the contributors and reviewers to the website which includes Anna Heaton, Dr Peter Plate MRCVS, Dr Wendy Weirich, Gibson David Shingleton MRCVS, Alex Thomsett MRCVS, Josephine Child MRCVS, and Dr Gian Lorenzo D’Alterio FRCVS, whose help and expertise has been instrumental to the development of this site.

We would welcome your feedback on the website, as well as any questions or suggestions you may have. You can email us here.

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OUR SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK PRINCIPLES:

  • Livestock should be land-based and integrated with farm cropping enterprises
  • Animals should be provided with conditions that enable them to exhibit natural behaviours
  • Dependency on veterinary medicines should be reduced without jeopardising the well-being of animals

OUR SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK PRACTICES:

outdoor access

Animals having outdoor access, shade, shelter, lighting and sufficient space for them to undertake free movement and to exhibit natural behaviors.

Breed

Using breeds and strains well-suited and adapted to the prevailing conditions.

Health Plan

Implementing herd and flock planning based on sound ecological practices and epidemiological knowledge.

biosecurity

Undertaking good practice with regard to biosecurity.

closed herds

Maintaining animals in closed herds and flocks and at stocking rates that enables free-movement, reduces risks of disease spread and minimises environmental damage.

forage and grazing

Forage and grazing being the main source of nutrients for ruminants, and continuously available to non-ruminants.

production practices

Avoiding the use of mutilations as standard production practices.

Antibiotics

Improved understanding and responsible usage of veterinary medicines.