New program to support small herd owners in supporting the health of their animals by providing better access to veterinary consultants.
By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com
If you or someone you know is the owner of a small pig herd, you know the costs of ensuring regular health checks can be prohibitive.
To help small herd owners, the Ontario Pig Health Check-up Program will provide funding to support veterinary consultations for small scale pig herd owners. Within the terms of this project, a small-scale pig owner is someone who produces less than 1,000 market hogs a year or owns less than 50 sows or owns pet pigs.
The program will reimburse Ontario licensed, practicing veterinarians for completing animal health consultations with small scale pig owners.
The consultations can be in-person or via telemedicine as prescribed by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario Professional Practice Standard for Telemedicine. Treatment costs, up to a maximum cap based on the number of pigs, will also be reimbursed.
This will include, but is not limited to, diagnostic costs, medication or vaccination, injury treatment, or medical intervention. Good animal health practices are key tools to prevent the introduction, development and spread of transmissible animal diseases.
The Ontario Pig Health Check-up Program will run until October 31, 2022. To learn more about the program, visit the website www.ontariopighealth.ca.