The SRUC Podcast

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is one of the most important diseases in terms of production losses and animal welfare. Disease dynamics are complex involving pathogens and the environment. In this podcast Alison Braddock, Marketing and Business Development Manager, asks Megan Fergusson, VIO (Veterinary Investigation Officer), about how vets can help their clients tackle this disease on the farm....

Lacey Ward, Website Officer at SRUC speaks with Damson Ellen (Central Co-President) and Jeroen van Herk (Student Community Coordinator) at the SRUC Students’ Association, or SRUCSA, about how to give you - whether you’re an SRUC student, potential student, alumni, staff, researcher, or simply an interested community member, a better idea of what the SRUC Students’ Association is, why it’s such an...

Guests:    Dr Ana Vuin is a research fellow who has worked around the world in the areas of rural communities and population migration.   Alexa Green is an early career researcher interested how we can create transformational changes in our society to ensure a sustainable way of living for people and the planet.  Claire Donaldson has been a lecturer in tourism at SRUC for the last d...

In this podcast for vets in practice, Alison Braddock, Marketing & Business Development Manager for Vet Services, asks Colin Mason, Veterinary Investigation Officer & Centre Manager about Clostridial disease. This podcast focuses on Blackleg and Blacks disease - two more common presentations at this time of year. The podcast covers causes, risk factors and prevention. Read our blog on Blac...

Sean Cameron is SRUC's very first dedicated Student Communications Officer, and in this podcast he is in conversation with William Ancell, Digital Manager at SRUC. Sean joins us with not only a wealth of experience working in education but also a grand plan for how to improve student communication. In this podcast Sean talks about: His background The challenges facing SRUC in terms of student comm...

This bitesize podcast is part of the "On the Hoof" series from our Veterinary Services division. Alison Braddock, Marketing and Business Development Manager speaks with Heather Stevenson Veterinary Investigation Officer (VIO) Dumfries about liver fluke risk in 2023. As we approach what would have traditionally been peak liver fluke season (autumn-winter), 2023 has been a very strange year weather-...

Our On the Hoof series of podcasts on veterinary matters continues! Alison Braddock, Marketing and Business Development Manager asks Colin Mason, Centre Manager and Veterinary Investigation Officer, some key questions around investigating milk drop in Dairy herds. It is truly multifactorial with causes including infectious disease, nutrition, management or a combination of all three. With the adva...

Recruitment is a hot topic in the dairy industry right now, and this conversation features an interesting panel discussing the options open to recruiters, job seekers and those looking to upskill in the sector. In this episode, William Ancell, Digital Manger, hosts a panel featuring: Mary Thomson, Vice Principal for Skills and Lifelong Learning, SRUC Lynne Somerville, Skills Lead, Digital Dairy Ch...

SRUC Podcast Show Notes: Hemp: the super crop episode from the Rural Policy Centre   Guests:    Professor Vijay Kumar Thakur who heads up SRUC's Biorefining and Advanced Materials Research Centre. Click this link to find out more information on the IGS and Cambond project - looking into the use of hemp for insulation applications to replace traditional stainless steel or other mater...

This podcast is a special edition for GB calf week. Listen in to discover just a sample of the current dairy-bred calf research happening in Scotland. There are some fantastic projects on the go at the moment involving collaborations between SRUC, University of Glasgow and vets in private practice. In this episode Alison Braddock chats with Colin Mason and David Bell from SRUC, Katie Denholm from...

Join us for a lively panel discussion on the future of agricultural policy in Scotland chaired by agriculture communications specialist Claire Taylor. It features SRUC's Steven Thomson, John Kerr of the Scottish Government, independent agricultural economist Andrew Moxey, former NFU Scotland President Nigel Miller and Jonnie Hall, who is head of policy at NFU Scotland. The panel conversation and a...

Alison Braddock, Marketing and Business Development Manager is joined by Fiona Crowden, Veterinary Investigation Officer who talks about the importance of controlling infectious lameness in the sheep flock. Fiona explains the five point plan to help combat scald, footrot and CODD. This podcast complements the CPD webinar ‘Infectious lameness in sheep – an update for the busy practitioner’ which is...

This is episode 3 of our series on bee keeping. Now that we are almost into summer, swarming is a hot topic for bee keepers and we’re going to make sure you have the right advice so you don’t get stung by it, if you pardon the pun. Join William Ancell, Digital Manager at SRUC, and Lorraine Johnston, SRUC's Bee advisory Officer, as they form a hivemind (sorry) and look at the top questions around s...

Alison Braddock, SRUC's Marketing and Business Development Manager for Veterinary Services is joined by Katrina Henderson , Veterinary Investigation Officer and Lorna MacPherson, Senior Consultant to chat about nutrition and health planning for dairy beef calves. This podcast also looks at the management of dairy beef calves to prevent common problems. This podcast accompanies the CPD bitesize web...

This podcast discusses a knowledge network started by researchers at SRUC which focuses on supporting rural women entrepreneurs who are leading low-carbon transitions in Arctic areas.

Interested in large animal veterinary science? This is a slightly niche (but no less important) departure for the SRUC podcast. Our Veterinary Investigation Officers Katrina Henderson and Iain McCormick recently completed a project looking at the mortality of young beef cattle. Katrina joins host Alison Braddock to chat about the project which specifically looked at the top ten causes of calf deat...

Lorna Pate from SRUC's Rural Policy Centre speaks with Stuart Martin from the Digital Dairy Chain . Tune in to learn more about the origins and future aims of this project.

There is a reason why the apprenticeship has endured through the ages - it is an essential gateway to countless trades, and a formative experience for many professionals. The modern apprenticeship scheme is a critical feature of the contemporary vocational landscape and a proven path for young people to learn a trade that will set them up for life in their chosen industry. Join a panel of experts...

Join John Scholefield and Anne Seaton for an introduction to SRUC veterinary services and the role they play as part of SRUC. From supporting farmers and veterinary practices to tackling infectious disease, the work is varied and never dull. The team covers disease surveillance for the Scottish Government, so this involves doing post-mortem examinations and laboratory testing to diagnose disease a...

This is the second episode of our beekeeping series. Lorraine Johnston, SRUC’s Bee Advisory Officer gives advice on beekeeping in the spring now that we're in March – there is a lot to be aware of if you keep bees. The podcast covers what changes for the bees are happening as they head into spring, what beekeepers can do to help bees survive the spring, what to do on that crucial first inspection...

Jillian Gordon has a fascinating and original story to tell. She left school with hardly any qualifications, and she struggled due to her dyslexia (and lack of support for it). She got a place on an HNC with SRUC, and discovered a passion for agriculture and animals. She also started receiving support for the first time for her dyslexia from SRUC. Jillian is now on track to complete her PhD and ha...

SRUC's Rural Policy Centre delves into the world of crofting and common grazings with Janette Sutherland and Siobhan Macdonald of SAC Consulting. For more information, check out the policy spotlight on ' Common Grazings in the Age of Conditionality '. To register for an upcoming CPG on Crofting meeting, visit the Scottish Parliament website . To speak with an SAC consultant about your croft, check...

Join Lorraine Johnston, SRUC's Bee Advisory Officer and William Ancell, Digital Manager as they chat about the challenges of beekeeping over winter. If you keep bees yourself, this episode is packed full of tips to make sure your bees are protected from the elements, how to shield them from common diseases and pests, and what products can come in handy to keep them healthy at a critical time.

If there is one thing we love at SRUC it is an exciting, innovative project - and this one is a cracker. Turning methane emissions and by-products from farming beef cattle into everything from a power source to beef with a lower carbon footprint. Not to mention using this system to potentially power a versatile vertical farm - and all while ensuring excellent animal welfare standards & humane...

The Rural Exchange provides an exciting new platform for people living and working across Scotland’s rural and island communities to have their voices heard in both research and policy-making. Jane Atterton, Senior Lecturer at SRUC and Project Leader offers insight into the Rural Exchange in this short introductory podcast. Visit the dedicated website to learn more about the Rural Exchange.