World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)

Location

The World Organisation for Animal Health, commonly referred to as WOAH, is headquartered in Paris, France. Despite its Parisian base, WOAH operates on a global scale, working with numerous countries to monitor and report on animal health conditions.

Important Events

WOAH recently recognized Russia as free from foot-and-mouth disease, a status that significantly enhances Russia's ability to export dairy and other animal products internationally. Additionally, WOAH regularly publishes reports on outbreaks of zoonotic diseases that may impact the dairy industry, including African horse sickness, sheep and goat pox, lumpy skin disease, Newcastle disease, and highly pathogenic avian influenza. These reports are vital for managing international trade restrictions and ensuring the safety of dairy products across borders.

WOAH has also noted new cases of bluetongue, a viral disease affecting cattle and sheep, with recent outbreaks identified in Romania and Italy.

Company Plans

WOAH is dedicated to enhancing its global surveillance and reporting systems to effectively manage and mitigate risks associated with animal health. These efforts are aimed at supporting the dairy industry in accessing and maintaining global markets by ensuring safe production and trade practices. Furthermore, WOAH sets standards, such as those by OMSA, that provide guidelines for animal welfare during transport. These guidelines include maximum travel times, load density, and transporter training, and are being adopted by several countries in Latin America, reflecting WOAH's influence on international animal welfare practices.

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