From 5th to 10th November, professionals specializing in veterinary diagnostics travelled to Spain as HIPRA’s guests in order to learn about the national programme to combat, control and eradicate Aujeszky’s disease which has been successfully implemented over the last few years and the milk monitoring programme that is carried out routinely on all farms.

The group was initially welcomed by Luis-José Romero González, Head of the Epidemiology Section in the General Subdirectorate for Animal Hygiene, Health and Traceability of MAPAMA (The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment).

The Royal Decrees and the basics of the programme were reviewed in the Ministry’s offices, focusing on the importance of vaccination and serological management for the success of eradication.

Following the technical programme, the group was given an introduction to the implementation of the Royal Decree in Catalonia by Vicens Enrique-Tarancón and Elena Novell, Director and Technical Director respectively of the official laboratory in Catalonia (GSP).

In addition, they were offered a visit to a high-tech swine farm. The veterinarians responsible shared with the group their relationship with the programme and their responsibilities on the farms.

They then visited ALLIC (Interprofessional Dairy Laboratory of Catalonia) where Anna Jubert, Director of the centre, demonstrated the milk monitoring programmes in force in the region.

The programme ended at HIPRA’s headquarters with a visit to the new R&D facilities and the Biological Production Plant, and with a technical session during which HIPRA experts shared their experiences with CIVTEST diagnostic kits, with solutions developed by the company. 

With this initiative, HIPRA demonstrates the success of the Aujeszky’s eradication programme in Spain and its commitment to the milk programme designed to improve the production of the dairy industry.