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This blog post was published under the 2015-2024 Conservative Administration

https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2022/03/24/animal-health-and-welfare-grants-your-chance-to-suggest-items/

Animal Health and Welfare Grants: your chance to suggest items

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to improve animal health and welfare, Ways to get involved

Through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, we’re offering financial incentives to support farmers who want to improve the health and welfare of their animals.

One of the ways we’re doing this is through Animal Health and Welfare Grants. These grants will fund the purchase of equipment, technology and infrastructure.

Smaller grants for items valued from around £50 to £10,000 will be available, as well as larger grants for bespoke infrastructure investments.

We want our grant options to support health and welfare aspects that are applicable to most farms. We also want to make sure we provide grants suitable for all types of farmers that cover the latest innovations, so we hope you will take the time to contribute your suggestions

We’ve created sector specific questionnaires so you can share your ideas. It will take 10-15 minutes to complete.

Pigs

Sheep

Dairy cattle

Beef cattle

Meat chicken

Laying hens 

Suggestions will then be assessed and finalised with stakeholders. 

Let us know your thoughts by Thursday 31 March.

Some ideas include:

  • better housing for your cattle to deliver improvements in lameness, cow comfort and calf mortality
  • providing foraging items and ramps for your laying hens to improve feather cover 
  • installing environmental and behavioural monitoring equipment in your broiler sheds
  • improving sheep handling equipment and weigh scales
  • introducing further biosecurity measures on your pig unit

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5 comments

  1. Comment by Andrew Griffin posted on

    Fans and variable speed control box. We installed 2 robotic milkers 2 years ago and keep the milking cows housed, On hot summer days the cows suffer from heat stress,this stress starts at as low as 22oc. The impacts of heat stress are massive we suffered milk yield drop of 4 liters per head, reduced dry matter intake and fertility went from 75% conception at 1st service down to 25% conception at 1st service. As well as the cows panting, sweating and standing to long to try and keep cool, this also caused more feet problems. It took several months for the cows recover from heat stress last year. This is an animal health and welfare problem,

    Reply
    • Replies to Andrew Griffin>

      Comment by AHW Pathway Team posted on

      Thank you for your suggestions of equipment that could improve the health and welfare of cattle on farm Andrew. These have been passed onto our grants policy team for consideration now that the suggestions questionnaire has closed.

      With thanks, The AHW Pathway Team

      Reply
  2. Comment by William F Mason posted on

    Extension & upgrading livestock water supply facilities

    Reply
    • Replies to William F Mason>

      Comment by AHW Pathway Team posted on

      Thank you for your suggestions to improve animal health and welfare on farm William; these have also been passed onto our grants policy team for inclusion in the items considered.

      With thanks, The AHW Pathway Team

      Reply
  3. Comment by Jeffrey Harris posted on

    I understand the deadline for suggestions has passed, but if you are still considering ideas, I would like to suggest grants for covering dairy cattle yards, cubicle passageways and parlour floors in rubber matting to help prevent lameness. And grants towards the construction of cattle underpasses to improve access to grazing without having to cross busy roads

    Reply

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