Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
APHD Division,
Vaea
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+685 21052,
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aphd-info@maf.gov.ws
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Mon - Fri:
9:00am - 5:00pm
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This division consists of 7 main sections
“Undertake research and development for the provision of advice and animal health services to improve livestock production for subsistence and commercial producers”
“To provide expert animal healthcare and treatment, ensure wholesome meat & meat products fit for human consumption, develop import risk analysis for all animal cases as well as certification for exports”
“To facilitate development of technologies for the improvement of local livestock industries”
“Provide administrative and general support services for Animal Production and Health Division”
The Animal Health & Regulatory Section of the Animal Production & Health Division (APHD, also known as the Livestock Divi-sion) is responsible for the provision of qual-ity veterinary services to farmers and their livestock, as well as the regulation and devel-opment of the meat industry.
Our team of experienced paraveterinarians and veterinarians is ready to respond to any health concern regarding your livestock. All you need to do is call our team on 21052 (Upolu) or 51050 (Savaii) and request assis-tance.
Our hygienic slaughter and meat inspection team are also available should you have a cattlebeast you wish to slaughter for sale to the shops. They use the Mobile Slaughter Unit to make sure your animal is slaughtered humanely and hygienically. This initiative is part of a move towards compliance with the Slaughter and Meat Supply Act 2015, and will be complemented by retailer and farmer training and workshops.
Cattle muster program which includes ear tagging, castration, drenching, de-horning, health checks, formulate record keeping systems and Pasture production assessment. (Farmers to provide ear tags and drench at own expense)
Movement of livestock from one farm location to another. For Inter-island transfers, terms and conditions applies.
When it comes to farming, incorporating good animal welfare practices isn’t just about caring for the
animals’ wellbeing; it can actually be a cost-effective way of improving a business. Depending on the
implementation, it can help improve productivity, reduce costs and prevent losses, helping farmers
to provide a secure food supply and income for themselves, their families and the community.
Good animal welfare practices lead to healthy and happy animals, and a healthy and happy animal
produces more eggs/offspring as well as milk and meat, which to a farmer equates to financial
income. Good health management reduces disease risks to other animals and humans, reducing
animal losses. Likewise, good animal handling improves growth rates, while maintaining high
standards of transport and slaughter can have many direct economic and market benefits.
Using the case study of beef production in Columbia, this article shows that rather than being a drain
on potential profits, being animal welfare conscious can actually be beneficial to both farmers and
their animals.