The MacVet Podcast

In this episode of The MacVet Podcast, Fiona MacGillivray chats with Rupert Shepherd about his experiences working as a dairy vet, at home (UK) and abroad, having practised in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and New Zealand. Rupert shares thoughtful reflections on communication across cultures, the realities of working with very large dairy herds, and the importance of curiosity, consistency and people develo...

In this episode, Fiona chats to guest Steph Rogers - founder of The Social Farmhouse and co-founder of The Ag Edit - about the evolving role of social media in agricultural communications. Steph shares how rural brands can move beyond treating social media as a noticeboard, why authentic storytelling matters, and how in-person community-building is helping agricultural marketers feel less isolated...

In this episode of The MacVet Podcast, Fiona speaks with veterinary communication expert Roeland Wessels about what makes veterinary care truly meaningful: not just clinical skill, but connection, trust and the ability to communicate well with the people behind the animals.  Some key take home messages: Communication is a core clinical skill: why listening, asking better questions and understandin...

In this episode of The MacVet Podcast, Fiona welcomes back Sarah Tomlinson, Lead Veterinary Science Expert with AHDB, for a wide-ranging conversation about bovine TB, farmer support, veterinary communication and the importance of sharing science and evidence in ways that are practical, accessible and compassionate. Sarah reflects on changes at home and at work since appeaaring in Season 1; in her...

In this episode, Fiona chats with Donal Murphy, Deputy CEO and Head of International and Regulatory Affairs at the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH). NOAH is the trade organisation representing the UK animal health industry, and in this conversation, Donal shares a detailed look at how veterinary medicines are developed, regulated, monitored, and supplied. Donal, who spent his early career w...

We've all heard of the common saying 'practise makes perfect'. In this episode, clinical vet James Farrell explains how he likes to relate perseverance in developing skills in small animal practice to the experience of replacing a prolapsed uterus in a recently calved cow! Now a managing clinical director at Woodcroft Vets, a companion animal practice in Greater Manchester, James share...

In this episode of The MacVet Podcast, Fiona speaks with Lucy Williamson, a vet who moved careers to become a registered human nutritionist. Lucy is passionate about helping others learn about the links between nutrition and our whole body health and wellbeing. She is the author of Soil to Gut , a book full of practical guidance that teaches readers about about the vital connections between food,...

In this episode of the MacVet podcast, Fiona speaks with Andrew Jones, an independent dairy and beef nutrition advisor based in the southwest of England. During the conversation, Andrew reflects on his dairy farming experiences in the UK and Australia, where tick control could be very challenging! We learn how his passion for genetics evolved, reaching a pinnacle with the champion cow he bred, the...

In this episode of The MacVet Podcast, Fiona is joined by Teresa Wheatley, Executive Director at FitPro, for a thoughtful conversation about key skills that will help you become a great communicator, whether you're working in the fitness industry, veterinary practice, farming or agriculture. Drawing on more than 35 years in the fitness industry, as well as her experience as an educator, presenter...

Julia Wadeson recently established her consultancy business, which aims to 'build better businesses, one calf at a time'. She strives to deliver a professional service, which includes meticulous attention to her branded clothing and appearance. In this episode, Julia explains that effective consultancy relies on mutual trust, curiosity and understanding the farm's specific challenges b...

In this episode of The MacVet Podcast, Fiona speaks with Dr Millie Preece, also known as “Dr Cheese”, about her journey to become an artisan cheesemaker, dairy scientist and entrepreneur. Millie shares how hands-on experience with a local cheesemaker sparked her fascination with the science and creativity of cheese, leading to research into how cheese affects emotion, a PhD on reduced-fat cheese,...

In this episode, I’m joined by exercise physiologist Marcelle Malan as we discuss current trends in health and fitness alongside how to effectively communicate their relevance and context with clients. We begin with why behaviour change is rarely just about logic, and why people often need a meaningful or emotional reason to stick with difficult habits. Marcelle shares her view that different peop...

In this episode, Eoin Ryan shares his journey from a rural upbringing in Tipperary to his role as assistant professor at University College Dublin. He discusses the cyclical nature of farming, the challenges of retaining young vets in practice, and his involvement in teaching, clinical work, and research —highlighting the Sound Cow Innovation Programme (SCIP), which aims to improve cow mobility in...

In this episode, you're invited to step into the world of the Wild Cattle of Chillingham with animal scientist and author Stephen Hall! Stephen discusses the genetic and behavioural characteristics of the Chillingham cattle, a herd that has been in existence since the 1700s and lives with minimal human interference in the stunning county of Northumberland, England. Enjoy personal stories from...

In this episode, Fiona chats with vet, scientist and entrepreneur Rodrigo Bicalho. Rodrigo shares his journey from growing up on a ranch in Brazil to running a cutting-edge animal health company in Texas. He talks about why good communication matters so much in his work, the challenges of getting new ideas out to farmers, and how stress affects dairy cows (and what we can do about it). Rodrigo als...

After extolling the virtues of the cow's physiology, vet and herd manager Nial O'Boyle returns to talk about the cow's role in human progress and civilisation. Sharing stories that focus on the links between humans and cows, throughout the ages, Nial highlights common themes such as kinship, loyalty, betrayal and wealth. Then to emphasise just how integrated bovine products are in our...

I think of milk in terms of its similarity to crude oil, so you could say my business is like running a milk refinery. Dairy farmer and entrepreneur Jimmy Dickinsons returns to share more stories about how he built his business, this time expanding more on dairy product technology. Jimmy talks about his long career marked by innovation and perseverance. He recounts experimenting with freezing tech...

Communication should be brief but comprehensive. Indeed, beef farmer Andrew Loftus suggests we should all start life with a quota of words, and once that quota is reached, it's time to shuffle off this mortal coil! Andrew currently chairs the Beef and Lamb Net Zero Roadmap Group, an industry led group providing thought leadership on sustainable UK beef and lamb production. In this and in his v...

Based in the beautiful county of Ayrshire, Graeme Warnock is a marketing professional with a diverse background working in agriculture, music and hospitality industries. In this episode, he discusses his journey into marketing, highlighting the importance of creating a need, want, or desire for a brand, product, or service. Graeme also shares his personal challenges with dyslexia and how it has sh...

Jimmy Dickinson is the owner of Longley Farm, an iconic Yorkshire-based dairy business. Their award-winning fresh dairy produce has been a staple in my diet for many decades, with their cottage cheese my number one choice. Having completed an engineering degree and MBA, Jimmy returned to the farm in 1983. He soon spotted an opportunity to set up an export business selling frozen cream to Japan, pu...

Lorna Burdge runs Waterhayne Farms in Devon with her husband, helped out by their three children. She is on a mission to share her farming story, to help bridge the gap between consumers and food producers. She regularly speaks in person at local schools and keeps children engaged through Farmer Time, an online platform that offers video calls between farmers and classrooms. Lorna also loves to sh...

Completing a marathon is a significant challenge for most people, so imagine what it must be like to complete a couple of marathons every day for around 10 months. This is the challenge that the modern dairy cow has mastered, with a truly impressive metabolic response. Dairy vet and herd manager Nial O'Boyle has for some time been fascinated by the metabolic capacity of the dairy cow, which led hi...

Returning to the show for a third episode is our favourite exercise physiologist, Marcelle Malan! Marcelle works in private practice in Melbourne, Australia, helping clients understand how to engage with exercise to promote resilience and maintain physical and cognitive function well into older age.  In this episode, Marcelle brings us up to date on the most effective types of exercise for women g...

How would you like to have better interactions with others, less conflict at work, and to feel more confident in what you say? Becoming an assertive communicator could help! Gill Hasson has spent the past 30 years helping people improve their communication skills and realise their potential. She is a teacher, tutor, lecturer, speaker and has written close to 40 books. In this episode, we discuss:...

Two years since the podcast launched, we're catching up with our first guest from the world of fitness, Matt Gleed. Matt has worked in the fitness industry for nearly 25 years, providing a range of services from individual personal training, through to representing global fitness brands such as TRX and Matrix Fitness as an education specialist working with other personal trainers. Matt has a k...