APHA Pig Sample Laboratory Tests for International Trade Surveillance

Laboratory test records detail the volume and type of diagnostic assays performed on pig samples by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) under international trade surveillance contracts. The dataset covers multiple years, including 2009, 2013, and 2014, with fields for year, species class, species, test code, test description, and number of tests. These figures provide a quantitative basis for monitoring animal health compliance and disease prevalence in the context of global pork trade.

Use Cases

• Tracking annual testing volumes for specific pathogens based on the 'Test code' and 'Number of tests' fields.
• Analyzing trends in surveillance focus over time using the 'Year' and 'Test description' columns.
• Auditing laboratory activity funded by international trade contracts using the 'Species' and 'Species class' identifiers.

Strengths

• Provides multi-year coverage, with data explicitly stated for 2009, 2013, and 2014.
• Contains specific, structured fields for test codes and descriptions, enabling precise categorization.
• Originates from an official government laboratory (APHA), suggesting authoritative data collection.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row counts, file sizes, and specific licenses are missing from all source descriptions.
• The dataset's last update date is unknown, raising questions about its current relevance.
• Data is limited to pig samples and does not cover other livestock species.

Provenance

Source

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) testing laboratories, United Kingdom.

Collection Method

Tests undertaken on pig samples paid for by international trade surveillance contracts.

Time Range

2009-2014