Laboratory Testing - Supply of Brucellosis Bulk Milk Testing Services

Tender description

The Scottish Government’s Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate, Animal Health and Welfare Division wishes to establish a contract with an appropriately qualified and experienced contractor to carry out laboratory testing for Brucellosis on samples of milk supplied to them by primary milk purchasers and producer retailers of milk in accordance with legislative requirements. Lot 1: This specification sets out the requirements for the processing and testing of milk samples taken from bulk milk tanks for evidence of brucella abortus infection. The current surveillance programme for Brucellosis is necessary to align with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, referred to as the Animal Health Regulation (AHR). Brucellosis has been eradicated from the indigenous national herd, but there remains an on-going threat of the disease re-entering GB through imported stock and therefore this testing continues to be a vital component of our Brucellosis surveillance. Regulation (EU) 2017/625 requires the operation of a Quality Assurance programme to be performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law and animal health and welfare rules. Brucellosis is a highly contagious disease of livestock and is characterised by abortions or reproductive failure in cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans through drinking unpasteurised milk from infected animals. It is currently the statutory responsibility of each primary milk purchaser and producer retailers of milk to collect and submit samples to a laboratory approved for testing. Approved laboratory status is granted by Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Ministers are hereinafter called the “Authority” and the approved laboratory the “Contractor.” The requirements for Brucellosis milk testing in Scotland are set out in the Brucellosis (Scotland) Order 2009 (as amended)