CattleCast

In this episode of CattleCast, host Zoe Shepherd sits down with Paul Jeavons and Dominic Boulton from the Game Farmers' Association, who reveal how their sector achieved over 90% antibiotic usage recording, entirely through voluntary adoption. Joined by BCVA Medicines Lead Nicky Bowden, they explore practical approaches to antibiotic stewardship in game bird rearing and offer guidance for farm vet...

Zoe Shepherd meets Georgina Lamb, Senior Partnerships Manager of the Farming Community Network. Together they explore the work this charity does to support farmers and families – aiming to meet people before the point of crisis. They talk about the kind of calls they get to their helpline, and their FarmWell website - FarmWell.org.uk – providing information to support farmers’ health, wellbeing an...

Our new CattleCast presenter, Zoe Shepherd, is joined by Joe Henry and Laura Chesters to talk about Bluetongue – and how vets can engage their farm clients in constructive conversations on this important issue. Joe has worked predominantly as a sheep and beef vet in Northumberland for 25 years. He works for Black Sheep Farm Health and has been President of the Sheep Veterinary Society. Laura...

BCVA offers grants to enable research that might not receive funding from other sources; the broad criteria indicates that it should be of direct relevance to cattle vets in the UK. BCVA also aims to use this funding to support our members, who otherwise might not have the opportunity to be involved in research. Up to £5000 is available to share between one or more projects. Kat Hart and James Ada...

Vets Claire Grigson and Katie Ford talk to Kat Hart about meeting life’s personal and professional challenges. They tell us about how their careers in the veterinary profession, combined with personal struggles, led them to combining all these experiences to develop Vet Empowered, a coaching programme offering one-to-one and group support. A great introduction to ways we can all consider how to bu...

Laura Donovan, from Nantwich Farm Vets, talks to Kat Hart about the incoming veterinary attestations. With signs now being displayed at markets, it is more likely that farm vets are going to be asked about this by their clients. Laura outlines a realistic approach to the definition of ‘regular visits’ – how these fits in with accreditation schemes, and how to communicate that to the veterinary tea...

Vet Record Editor in Chief, Suzanne Jarvis, talks to Kat Hart about working with BVA publications since 1998 and the changes in the profession that she’s covered in her various editorial roles. She tells us about the impact of online publishing, being editorially independent of BVA, the role of the advisory group, connecting the profession, and inspiring healthy debates. Music Fireflies and Stardu...

Each July we open nominations for BCVA Board positions, and here we talk to some of those new members who joined us in 2022. Rose Jackson, James Adams, Amy Cox, and Lara Robinson tell Kat Hart about what made them want to be a part of the association. They talk about the opportunity to learn, grow their connections, shape the organisation and influence the future of the profession. Common concerns...

In this episode Kat Hart talks to vet George Brownlee, CEO of Farm Vet Systems Ltd and VetIMPRESS. He outlines how his love of working with farmers and his own desire to have more information and data as a farm vet to inform clinical decision making, led to the development of the business. A truly inspiring talk about how the vet profession and those working on farm not only bring value but can al...

An important and informative CattleCast where Kat Hart talks to Renzo Di Florio, a farm vet with a special interest in infectious diseases who transferred from practice to industry in 2022 to work with Ceva. He tells us about the diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment of Q Fever, also known as coxiellosis, a highly contagious bacterial disease that primarily effects cattle, sheep and goats. Join them...

Kat Hart talks to David Black, Tom Warboys, Megan Williamson, and Lisa Morgans about the new Vet Sustain/Vet Salus course that is helping our profession become sustainability leaders in UK agriculture. The conversation explores how improving animal health and welfare – the day-to-day activities we’ve all been doing as farm vets for our entire careers – these are all sustainability endeavours. And...

Nicole Baldry, Dairy Veterinary Technical Advisor with MSD Animal Health, talks to Kat Hart about Salmonella. We explore the seen and hidden clinical signs, prevalence rates (higher than you might imagine!), the impact on a herd, and how to prevent an outbreak.   Music Fireflies and Stardust by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3758-fireflies-and-stardust License:...

Ele Brown, head of the TB policy team at Defra, outlines the ongoing impact of the government’s bTB eradication strategy – where there have been improvements and the status of the worst hit Edge Areas. She shows appreciation for the work of the private farm vet and talks to BCVA’s Kat Hart – a cattle vet and farmer – about the role of BCG vaccination as the cull strategy starts to wind down. https...

BCVA’s Kat Hart talks to Jayne Buxton, author of a new book called The Great Plant-Based Con to explore some of the claims being made in the ongoing conversation about plant-based diets and how the debate around health and the environment is being informed.  Music Fireflies and Stardust by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3758-fireflies-and-stardust License: http://cr...

Lisa Morgans, is Head of Livestock at Innovation for Agriculture, an independent knowledge exchange charity, based in the UK. She talks to Kat Hart about moving from mixed to farm practice because of the unique vet-farmer relationships, and how that resulted in a PhD that has in turn inspired a career to help agricultural researchers, businesses, landowners, and farmers to develop the knowledge an...

What are the challenges for today’s farm vet and how do we nurture positive relationships with our colleagues and clients? Former BVA President, James Russell, talks to Kat Hart about how graduating from the RVC in 2002, having been a part of the student cohort called on to help with the challenges of Foot and Mouth, informed his understanding of the relationship between vets and farmers. Having p...

Kat Hart talks to Rachel Hayton about how QuarterPro offers farm vets an entry level approach to managing mastitis and the ability to create tailored strategies for their clients. She outlines the AHDB free tools and resources that are available and how the BCVA training helps farm vets get the most from QuarterPro (online CPD, just £10 for members, £55 for non-members). Rachel also illustrates th...

Sally Wilson, Kat Hart, talk frankly about being a farm vet and planning for a family – what it means for you, your family, your practice, and your clients. We hear how planning, pragmatism and thoughtful consideration can make all the difference.  Music Fireflies and Stardust by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3758-fireflies-and-stardust License: http://creativecomm...

Lizzie Lockett, CEO of RCVS, talks to Kat Hart about growing up on a farm with an ambition to be a vet, and then changing her mind while seeing practice after seeing the emotionally challenging reality. A career in journalism and PR led her to a comms role at the RCVS, and back into a profession she has huge admiration for. She gives us an understanding of the role of the Royal College as a ‘compa...

A great interview with BCVA President, Elizabeth Berry, who talks to Kat Hart about her incredibly varied career. Hear about her love of surgery, her passion for high welfare standards, working for change, how an injury led to a desk job and another side of veterinary life and a PhD in bovine mastitis.  Music Fireflies and Stardust by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/...

verbal and non-verbal – Kat Hart talks to Fiona MacGillivray, Director of communications consultancy MacVet Ltd. Having worked as a vet in mixed practice she has seen how understanding communication can lead to more meaningful connections and less frustration. She shares her expertise and says everyone can learn techniques that can lead to genuine engagement with colleagues and clients.  Musi...

Kat Hart talks to George Oikonomou, Professor of cattle health and welfare at Liverpool. George shares his lameness expertise and details about his latest genetics research. Lameness costs the UK dairy industry £250 million a year as over half of UK cattle are affected, so George shows us why prevention and treatment is crucial for so many reasons – and how farm vet engagement is key.  Music...

Emily Gascoigne is in practice with Synergy, having completed an internship there after graduating from Cambridge in 2012. She talks to Kat Hart about farmer training and the value of it as part of the role of the private farm vet. Discover how we don’t need to be a walking encyclopaedia on any given subject – just sharing the knowledge we have in creative ways will develop client relationships, a...

Kat Hart talks to Sarah Tomlinson and Bridget Taylor about new opportunities for farm vets to feel empowered and how they can engage their clients to better manage bTB. Through CHECS TB Entry Level Membership and the associated BCVA training course, everyone can get a clearer view of the potential risk pathways that give us back control – engaging our clients and fine tuni...

Ongoing education is an inevitable part of vet life and it can be fulfilling as well as career developing. Kat Hart talks to three other BCVA Board members about some of the options for structured CPD available to farm vets. Rebecca Cavill talks about taking on a Cert AVP after three years of graduation and what impact it has on work and life. Sally Wilson describes s...