EpiC Training in Poltava Focuses on Animal Health Management
On June 23–24, a practical training session for pig and cattle producers was held in Poltava as part of the Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project. Supported by the U.S. Department of State, the initiative is being carried out with the involvement of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders (AUPB).
The Poltava session continued the work started during the first stage of the program. After focusing earlier on updated veterinary legislation and responsible antibiotic use, participants moved on to more farm-level tasks. They analyzed their previous assignments, reviewed how disease treatment and prevention are organized at their own operations, and worked on practical improvements to animal health management systems.
The expert sessions addressed several core areas of farm-level veterinary management, including antibiotic records and traceability, veterinary documentation, disease prevention, biosecurity measures and vaccination programs. The discussion focused on how stronger preventive systems can help farms lower their reliance on antimicrobial treatments.
The training also included a strong hands-on component. Participants worked in groups on simulated disease outbreak situations, prepared farm response plans and developed antibiotic stewardship approaches.
The proposed actions were then reviewed and discussed with the trainers, allowing participants to compare their decisions with expert recommendations. The Poltava training became another step in the nationwide EpiC program, which brings together livestock producers, local community representatives and specialists from the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection. The program is focused on introducing modern animal health management practices and promoting the responsible use of antibiotics.
In Ukraine, the EpiC project supports the strengthening of public and animal health systems, laboratory capacity and institutional resilience. It also aims to improve coordination between national and regional authorities in line with international standards and cross-sectoral principles.
