The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is supporting a new farm health consultancy.

K-Mac Agricultural Animal Consultancy was set up in January by vet Kythe Mackenzie, who previously worked at the Milan Veterinary Practice.

She will now visit farms and advise on preventative medicine, disease control and bio-security.

The department says the issue of bio-security was brought into sharp relief during the recent foot and mouth disease outbreaks.

Jason Roberts reports (text, below, from attached audio file):

Kythe says she will be visiting farms to advise on issues such as perimeter fencing, loading and unloading facilities and general hygiene.

DAFF says it will support the venture by providing grants to farmers to screen livestock for disease and for annual monitoring.

Subject to Tynwald approval, the department says it could also help farmers with some of the costs of fencing their land.

Agriculture Minister Phil Gawne says improving the general health of animals provides many benefits, including making farms more profitable.