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The disease priority list is used by the group to develop and implement proposals for tackling animal disease and welfare issues in Wales. The diseases are split by, Beef, Dairy and Sheep. The group has decided to build on the work of 2011/12 and to continue to prioritise:

The Group will also continue to be the main stakeholder forum in Wales considering the implications to animal health & welfare of strategic issues such as;

• Wales Animal Health & Welfare Strategy Post 2014
• Rural Development Plan for Wales 2014-20
• EU Animal Health Law

Current examples of the Group’s work include the development of a strategy on the eradication of sheep scab in Wales. The Group has also agreed to set up a sub group to consider proposals for a control program for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) being developed by the Cattle Health and Welfare Group.
The Group are also keen to promote the importance of good biosecurity and have agreed this as a cross cutting priority to be embedded into all of their work moving forwards. 

Chair of the Group, Peredur Hughes said:

“As a Group, we have a challenging time ahead as we continue our work on these very important priorities. Partnership working across the Group as well as with Welsh Government will be key to helping us achieve our shared objective to improve the health and welfare of kept animals in Wales.”

Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, Christianne Glossop said:

“I am pleased that the group has decided to continue to prioritise these diseases and to build on the work already done to tackle them. Theses are particularly unpleasant diseases which cause animals a lot of suffering.”

The AHWS Steering Group was established in November 2004 to oversee the implementation of the AHWS in Wales. The group has 21 members who represent the industry in Wales; the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales is also a member of the group.

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