Cattle Quarterly Spring 2024

Cattle SPRING EDITION 2024 Quarterly Cattle Health Schemes, what does success look like? The essential read for BCVA members CATTLE CASE Weight Loss in Limousin MEDICINES Ready, Get Set, Go REPRODUCTION Your Next Step

Contents 3 4 8 16 18 22 24 26 BCVA News From your association Cattle Case Weight Loss in Limousin by James Adams Cattle Health Schemes Liz Cresswell asks what does success look like? Get Set … Rachel Hayton on the Medicine Hub Lunch ‘N’ Learn CPD for a busy life CATTLE QUARTERLY Cattle Quarterly is published by the British Cattle Veterinary Association, The Glenmore Centre, 17 Jessop Ct, Quedgeley, Gloucester GL2 2AP. This magazine is a member-only benefit. Parties interested in receiving Cattle Quarterly should email [email protected]. Tel: 01452 725735 Email: [email protected] Web: www.bcva.org.uk EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR – Alice Miller MANAGING EDITOR – Kay Colquhoun PRODUCTION EDITOR – Aimee Hyett MEMBERSHIP & CPD - Elsbeth Matthews OFFICE MANAGEMENT - Dee Little PRODUCTION BCVA Headquarters, The Glenmore Centre PRINTER – Taylor Brothers Bristol Ltd No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Views expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Editor or the British Cattle Veterinary Association. BCVA is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its publications wherever possible and Cattle Quarterly is printed on paper made from sustainable resources and can be recycled. When you have finished with this edition please recycle it. Members can access the online archive of Cattle Quarterly at www.bcva.org.uk. FROM THE EDITOR Starting Out Georgia Owen on being a vet student Diploma in Bovine Reproduction Your next step in bovine reproduction? 2 CATTLE QUARTERLY Editorial Thank you for opening our latest edition of Cattle Quarterly. Finding time to do anything else other than ‘just-about’ balance long working days with family life can sometimes feel challenging, so, we appreciate you grabbing a moment to enjoy our jam-packed Spring edition! We are really pleased to be able to continue with our Nuffield Scholars feature, and hope you enjoy hearing from Liz Cresswell, who contributes to the main feature, talking about her project on cattle health schemes and the central role they play. As we continue to face worrying outbreaks, talking about disease control couldn’t be more relevant. We have also been lucky enough to talk to the inspiring, vet student, Georgia Owen. Georgia is a selfless advocate and support for those studying at vet school and she continues to help others with her study tips and by talking about education equality. From vet school to postgraduate qualifications, we have it all covered in this edition! And, it has been great to hear from Professor Rob Smith, who oversees the Diploma in Bovine Reproduction (DBR) at The University of Liverpool. A postgraduate degree may not be for everyone but for those with an interest this should help inform your decision, either way it is worth a read, as it may even change your mind and inspire you to consider such a career move! With education in mind and if you are still planning your 2024 CPD calendar, why not consider one of BCVA’s new courses? Our Education Group have worked on producing the new “Lunch ‘n’ Learn” series, which includes six, half-hour sessions starting at the end of April and running until the beginning of June. And, if the thought of all this learning wasn’t enough don’t forget to look out for our member notices, about our annual congress. The BCVA planning committee are currently in the process of going through all of the submitted applications and are getting excited about putting together another great programme. But, for now, save the date, and we hope to see you at the Celtic Manor, 17-19th October. With best wishes Alice [email protected] CPD Diary What’s on this year

CATTLE QUARTERLY 3 ASSOCIATION NEWS Your Congress Keynotes The Congress team are currently finalising the programme and creating an event packed with a diverse programme. Thank you to everyone who submitted papers – this was an exceptional year in terms of both quality and quantity. We are delighted to announce that we are bringing two brilliant keynote speakers to Celtic Manor. Minette Batters is a British farmer, best known to us all as President of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales from 2018-2024. In her time with the NFU she has represented the farming sector at a time of significant change and will share with us her experience of being a champion for British agriculture and working with government to help steer the sector through some of its biggest challenges. Alexander John Trees – best known in the veterinary profession as ‘Sandy’, is now officially known as Baron Trees of the Ross in Peth and Kinross, since his introduction to the House of Lords in 2012 – only the second veterinary surgeon, after Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior, to become a Peer. Lord Trees graduated from Edinburgh as a vet in 1969 and enjoyed a varied, international career in practice and academia, completing a PhD on bovine babesiosis and becoming a Professor of Veterinary Parasitology. He was Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Liverpool from 2001-2008. COWS Lungworm Survey 2024 The Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) group has launched a survey for vets to find out more about lungworm and its treatment across the UK. Through the survey, COWS hopes to learn more about when outbreaks of lungworm are occurring, what class of stock is most affected, what clinical signs are seen and how well they respond to treatment. This will help COWS track lungworm cases throughout the 2024 grazing season. The survey can be accessed at https://uk.surveymonkey. com/r/lungworms and can also be found on the COWS website in the News section. Bluetongue At the time of going to press there were 126 bluetongue cases in England on 73 premises in four counties. Bluetongue is a notifiable disease so if you suspect it you must report it immediately by calling the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301. In Wales, contact 0300 303 8268. In Scotland, contact your local Field Services Office. BCVA has representation on the Ruminant Health and Welfare Group, offering helpful, regularly updated information on the website - ruminanthw.org.uk/bluetongue-virus/ - where you can also access recordings of the webinars, covering Bluetongue and Schmallenberg. It is worth noting that recommendations relating to BTV-3 testing, licensing and moving of animals in the temporary control zones (TCZs) are subject to change depending on if we are in a vector low or vector high period. So, it is essential to check the status of these actions online rather than on any printed material which may go out of date given the continuously changing situation. BCVA members will receive their priority booking notice when registration for Early Bird opens. Until then – save the date – 17- 19 October, and get ready for a warm Welsh welcome at Celtic Manor.

CATTLE CASE 4 CATTLE QUARTERLY A Case of Weight Loss in Limousin Farm vet and BCVA Board member, James Adams, shares his investigations into significant weight loss in a small population of a Limousin herd A client called to ask why four of his Limousin cattle, 18 months of age, were losing weight so rapidly. The matter was perplexing because these were four cattle, in a group of 40 of mixed ages, with another nine cattle being of the same age as the affected but showing no clinical signs. It was agreed that the client would drop a pooled faecal sample off from the four affected animals and a faecal egg count was done to rule out a high worm burden or evidence of fluke eggs that could be treated. There was no recent history of any endoparasiticide being given to treat the beasts, but it was emphasised to the client that animals of this age were unlikely to be affected so significantly by a parasite burden, particularly in the hot dry June that the southwest was experiencing. Due to the rapid weight loss seen in the animals a client visit was offered but the dry conditions, combined with the farmer’s primary job as a contractor, meant that there were other immediate demands on their time. The faecal egg count came back with no evidence of excessive parasites, so a visit was advised. A coccidia count of 1300epg was not thought to be significant, and I decided not to seek speciation of the oocysts. A week later the client agreed to a visit on the basis that one of the animals had died. It was agreed that a postmortem would be done on the first animal before the sick animals were examined so any further testing could be done with the postmortem result in mind. First, a thorough history had to be taken and this sent us all in the wrong direction. Background The four animals had been born on the farm but were the progeny of four pedigree heifers that had been bought from a nearby farm whilst in-calve. The four heifers were added to the existing herd, none of whom had ever shown signs consistent with those being shown by the sick animals being investigated. The heifers (now cows) had all calved again since, with no problems. The sick animals had spent the first eight months of their lives with the main herd, and then had been grazed with the other cattle born. There were no routine vaccinations given to the herd, no trace elements boluses given, and parasite control over the past year consisted of Closamectin 4 in 1 given. There were no routine health checks on the cattle, and no testing of the youngstock to check for BVD, IBR or Leptospirosis had taken place. No cattle had been bought on to the farm since the dams of the affected animals. The thought at this moment was that the animals were PIs and had been infected with BVD in-utero. This hypothesis was only strengthened by investigating the history of the vendors which found the farm to have a previous history of BVD infection. On questioning the farmer there were no other clinical signs of active BVD infection in the herd, although as the cattle are not pregnancy scanned it wasn’t possible to assess fertility markers. Johne’s was the second disease on our list of differentials, although to have been showing clinical sign from 15/16 months of age would have been rare. No other animals in the herd were showing signs of Johne’s and as the cows were calved in a pen altogether, it would have been surprising for just the four animals born to the bought-in cattle to be affected. Postmortem, farm visit and tests A postmortem of the dead animal was done and found no clear cause of death. The abomasum and liver showed no signs of chronic parasite damage. The liver appeared to be normal in size. There was no excessive fluid in the peritoneal cavity which would be consistent with a low blood protein level. The intestines did not appear to be inflamed or thickened in any parts. The kidneys appeared normal to the eye. There was no evidence of historic episodes of pneumonia. There was no internal fat of note. A sample of liver was taken for trace element testing. Liver, kidney and ileum samples were taken and fixed.

CATTLE QUARTERLY 5 CATTLE CASE I was then taken to observe the diseased animals. On the way to the field I was able to observe the rest of the herd. The animals appeared to be in good health, with no scouring or weight loss seen. Most adult cattle were BCS 3-4/5 and no changes to the skin or coat colours was seen. On examination the sick beasts were BCS 1-1.5/5. There was profuse and smelly scour, with undigested grain in it. In a bid to ‘fatten’ these animals up they had been put on a grain heavy diet and this likely case of sub-acute acidosis was likely to be in part responsible for the scour, the smell and the weight loss. No other abnormalities were found on the clinical examination. Bloods were taken and tested for BVD antigen ELISA and Johne’s antibody ELISA from the 3 remaining animals. One change of note was that the client had spotted that another animal of the same age, but not born to a bought in animal, had started to scour a little so was being fed on the high grain diet (which only seemed to promote a waterier scour and hasten weight loss). No treatments were given at this time apart from advising that the cattle be fed hay, or another long fibre diet, to correct any imbalances in the rumen. Results The BVD and Johne’s results both came back as negative for all animals tested. Although the Johne’s antibody test does not have 100% sensitivity it was decided not to send a faecal sample off for a faecal culture and PCR. The liver copper result from the dead animal came back as 92.9 umol/kg DM (ref range: 1405- 5619) so a diagnosis of copper deficiency was made. Further samples provided by APHA were taken from the currently sick animals because the post-mortem sample was thought to be representative of the group, given the same history. Bloods were not taken from the cattle to test for copper as the liver sample was thought to give the more complete answer. Copper is an essential trace element for animals needed for body, bone and wool growth, pigmentation, healthy nerve fibres and white blood cell function. The severity of signs associated with copper deficiency in cattle depends upon the rate and stage of development at which it occurs. In growing calves, loss of hair colour (due to a lack of melanin production), growth retardation and changes in the metatarsal conformation are the earliest signs of a deficiency, followed by diarrhoea and then anaemia. The relationship between copper deficiency and infertility is mostly anecdotal and not wholly substantiated by research.

See Your Case Here The aim of Cattle Case is to present clinical scenarios which are encountered in farm practice, and we especially welcome submissions from our members, especially those working in farm practice. You might take a problem orientated approach to a challenging diagnosis, present a treatment or surgical dilemma, or focus on one aspect of a complicated case. If you have a case that you think will make a good article then please email [email protected] for the guidelines. Disclaimer BCVA is printing this case study in Cattle Quarterly with the author to demonstrate an example of a particular case or cases as seen in practice. It is not a statement of BCVA policy or guidance on diagnosis or treatment. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by BCVA. Readers are advised to follow the principles of evidence based veterinary medicine and use their clinical judgement on how best to manage cases under their care. 6 CATTLE QUARTERLY CATTLE CASE In ruminants, copper metabolism occurs in the rumen where we see the three-way interaction between copper, molybdenum and sulphur occurs. Inorganic and organic sulphur compounds are metabolised by microbes in the rumen, producing sulphide. Sulphur and molybdenum react to form thiomolybdates. Both of these compounds bind strongly to copper to form copper thiomolybdates, which is insoluble and therefore not absorbed from the intestines. If there is no copper to copper thiomolybdates, these will enter the bloodstream via the rumen or small intestine unbound, and thus bind to copper in biological compounds. The non-competitive interaction leads to a much lower level of intestinal absorption of copper than in non-ruminant species and pre-ruminant calves (who absorb up to 70% of dietary copper). This means that despite ingesting adequate in the diet, an animal still be deficient if that diet also contained a high number of copper antagoists Copper deficiency can be difficult to diagnose due to homeostatic control mechanisms which maintain plasma copper concentrations at a steady state by drawing on liver reserves. Deficiency must be marked before liver stores are reduced and blood concentrations fall. The definitive diagnosis can only be obtained by a positive response to trace element supplementation in a group of animals when compared to a control group managed in the same conditions. This was not possible in this case, so all affected animals were supplemented with copper boluses. The change in their condition was seen within 2 weeks, with the animals’ diarrhoea stopping (probably aided by the transition to a fibrous diet). They started to gain weight. Follow-up At the client’s 6-month TB test, other ‘healthy’ animals were blood tested for copper in order to diagnose any subclinical disease. The results showed these ‘healthy’ animals to be low in copper. No investigation was done as to the reason for the low copper and due to a lack of clinical signs no supplementation has been given. The animals are now housed and fed on silage with some hard feed; the client was reminded that grain is low in trace elements and is not a sufficient way to supplement copper. Animals grazed on pasture often struggle with copper deficiency as ingestion of soil reduces copper absorption. Learning points from this case after discussion with other vets in the practice were … • Can copper deficiency alone be responsible for the death of animals? The answer appears to be ‘yes’. • Why did only these animals show such severe clinical signs? Is there a genetic component to this disease? Regarding a heritable component to the disease, I could find no evidence regarding Limousin being pre-disposed to copper deficiency, but copper metabolism is a heritable characteristic. Du et al (1996) found that Jerseys are more prone to copper toxicity due to higher liver concentration of copper. Grings et al (1999) reported that Hereford-sired heifers have lower plasma concentrations than Piedmontesesired heifers, and further reading found unreferenced comments that both Simmental and Charolais cattle need more copper in their diet than Augus cattle. These all indicate that sire breed effects plasma copper concentrations, so it may be worth bleeding a few of each breed when checking for deficiency in a herd References Grings, E.E., Staigmiller, R.B., Short, R.E., Bellows, R.A., MacNeil, M.D. (1999) Effects of stair-step nutrition and trace mineral supplementation on attainment of puberty in beef heifers of three sire breeds. Journal of Animal Science, Volume 77, Issue 4, April 1999, Pages 810–815. Du, Z., Hemken, R.W., Harmon, R.J. (1996) Copper Metabolism of Holstein and Jersey Cows and Heifers Fed Diets High in Cupric Sulfate or Copper Proteinate. Journal of Dairy Science, Vol 79(10), p 1873-1880.

inject herd health EASY TO ADMINISTER TRACE MINERALS TO MAXIMISE MARGINAL GAINS FOR IMMUNITY FOR FERTILITY FOR PREGNANCY When speed of delivery of trace minerals is essential to support high demand periods, like pregnancy or responding to infection; MultiminTM bypasses the rumen and is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream making the key trace minerals Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium available when your patient needs them1 . Strategic use of MultiminTM can support herd health and productivity through boosting immunity2 , reducing incidence of diseases such as mastitis and endometritis3 , improving fertility4 and giving maiden heifers and transition cows a helping hand when trace mineral reserves become rapidly depleted5 . Help your farmers to boost their herds’ performance with MultiminTM, the INJECTABLE trace mineral supplement MULTIMINTM solution for injection for cattle contains selenium, copper, manganese and zinc. POM-V Further information available from the product SPC or from: Virbac Ltd, Woolpit Business Park, Windmill Avenue, Woolpit, Bury St. Edmunds, Suff olk, IP30 9UP. Tel: 01359 243243 E: [email protected] W: https://uk.virbac.com Use medicines responsibly www.noah.co.uk/responsible 30 Zn 29 Cu 25 Mn 34 Se FOR CALVES 1. Pogge, D, Richter, E, Drewnoski ME, Hansen SL. Mineral concentrations of plasma and liver following injection with a trace mineral complex diff er among Angus and Simmental cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 90, 2692–2698 (2012). 2. Arthington J, Havenga L (2012) Eff ect of injectable trace minerals on the humoral immune response to multivalent vaccine administration in beef calves. J. Anim. Sci. 90, 1966-1971. 3. Machado VS, Bicalho MLS, Pereira RV, Caixeta LS, Knauer WA, Gilbert R, Bicalho R. Eff ect of an injectable trace mineral supplement containing selenium, copper, zinc and manganese on the health and production of lactating Holstein cows. Vet J.2013 Aug;197(2):451-6. 4. L.R Mundell, J.R. Jaeger, J.W. Waggoner, J.S. Stevenson, D.M. Grieger, L.A. Pacheco, J.W.Bolte, N.A. Aubel, G.J. Eckerle, M.J Macek, S.M. Ensley, L.J. Havenga, K.C. Olsen (2012) Eff ects of prepartum and postpartum injections of trace minerals on performance of beef cows and calves grazing native range. The Professional Animal Scientist 28, 82-88. 5. Piccinini R, Binda E, Belotti M, Casirani G, Zecconi A. The evaluation of non-specifi c immune status of heifers in fi eld conditions during the periparturient period. Vet. Res. 35 2004; 539-550. DOI: 10.1051/vetres:2004030 For Dairy and Beef Cattle

8 CATTLE QUARTERLY NUFFIELD SCHOLAR Cattle Health Schemes, What Does Success Look Like? Liz Cresswell shares her findings from her Nuffield scholarship that explored the approaches taken around the world to positively impact the future of cattle health to prevent, control and eradicate disease After studying Veterinary Medicine and undertaking a farm animal internship at the University of Nottingham Liz Cresswell worked in farm practice in both the UK and Australia. She now works as a technical advisor in industry, is on the BVA Policy Committee, and lives on a dairy farm in Oxfordshire, where her husband is the herd manager. The topic of Liz’s Nuffield scholarship was cattle health schemes and how they can play a role in improving the welfare, sustainability, and productivity of the UK herd. In exploring the prioritisation of disease control in different nations, her scholarship took her to Scotland, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway. Liz published her report this Spring, and she shares that experience and new understanding here. Q: The question your Nuffield Scholarship sought to answer was ‘how can the industry work together to ensure that cattle health schemes are successful?’ – what was some of the background to you choosing that question? A: It really started when I was working as a vet in Australia – I was the practice lead for the Johne’s Beef Assurance Scheme (JBAS), and I had a lot of farmers who were very concerned about what ‘status’ their herd was and how they could improve. But when I looked into their herds it was clear that they had other disease problems, in particular BVD, which seemed to be causing much bigger issues in their herds. It made me wonder why we prioritise disease control in the way we do and whether there were ways in which we can improve our approach. I also saw that we have a lot of cattle health schemes (CHSs) in the UK, but I was still seeing these diseases causing problems, and I was frustrated because I knew that we had the science, skills and schemes to get these diseases under control, and yet

CATTLE QUARTERLY 9 NUFFIELD SCHOLAR we still weren’t getting there – it made me wonder why not and what could be done to improve this picture. Ultimately the project evolved to look more at the underlying key ingredients for success when implementing health and disease strategies, rather than looking into the details of the schemes themselves. I had started a PhD a couple of years previously and thought I would end up going down an academic route with my career, but I got frustrated by feeling so far removed from the practical applications of clinical practice. Leaving the PhD after 11 months was a really difficult decision, and although it was the right one and I left on good terms, it left me wondering which way to turn next in my career. I undertook the VGSD Group Career Coaching course, which I cannot recommend highly enough for people who need some help to identify their next steps, and I ended up finding my current role in industry, which I really enjoy. I had been doing the job for about 18 months and was feeling good in the role, and started looking at what my next opportunity might be. I knew a little bit about Nuffield and I thought it would give me an opportunity to carry out a bigger, more practically applied project whilst giving me an opportunity to broaden my horizons and do some travelling. I went along to some of the initial briefing meetings before approaching my manager with the idea, along with a suggested plan of how it might work alongside my role. He was really supportive of the idea and I’m really grateful that he saw the benefits of supporting me in the process. Q: Your scholarship took you to a lot of locations. What were the comparisons and differences that struck you? A: I decided that before I went looking at CHSs in other parts of the world, I wanted to understand the picture in the UK a bit better first. I visited Scotland to speak to some really progressive beef farmers about CHSs, as I knew they were integral to how they ran their businesses. Some of the people I visited had also previously carried out Nuffield scholarships in similar fields of animal health – it turns out although some progress has been made, a nlot of the bigger issues around implementing health schemes are the same now as they were then! But it had enabled them to really finetune their approach to animal health and disease control on their own

10 CATTLE QUARTERLY NUFFIELD SCHOLAR farms. I also visited SRUC and Moredun, not only to hear from the experts in CHSs and animal health innovation, but also to get some recommendations and contacts for the rest of my travels! I knew that a lot of my travels would be based in Europe, as there has been a lot of success with implementing cattle health schemes and achieving disease eradication in some of these countries, particularly in Scandinavia and the Netherlands. There are so many interesting examples to choose from, but I needed to be practical about the logistics, so I got myself an interrail pass which was a slightly cheaper and more sustainable way of travelling too. One of the aspects of CHSs I wanted to explore was ‘topdown vs bottom-up’, and which worked better. So, I decided to go right to the top! I contacted the World Organisation for Animal Health and asked to visit their headquarters in Paris to explore how they implement health strategies on a global scale. It was a fascinating conversation and what really struck me was that the underlying ingredients for success that they mentioned are similar at all levels when it comes to preventing and controlling livestock disease. For example, good collaboration and partnerships, having a framework which identifies the clear aims of the scheme, and taking an agile and flexible approach where required by individual situations. These principles are applicable to the control of many different diseases, whether you’re talking at an international, national, regional or even really local level, down to individual vet practices and farms. One of the exciting things about Nuffield is that opportunities arise which you would never have previously considered, and you’re encouraged to ‘go with the flow’ when they do, as it often leads to the best experiences. Visiting Zimbabwe was one such example for me – it certainly wasn’t a country that was high on my agenda when I started out looking at CHSs, but I was invited to join a group of 18 scholars who were visiting the country as part of a group trip. I jumped at the opportunity, and I’ll always be grateful that I did – it totally changed my outlook on animal health (amongst other aspects of life – you don’t do an intensive dive into the agriculture, history and culture of a country like Zimbabwe and come out the same on the other side!). I had thought that my topic was too broad, but I came out of the Zimbabwe trip realising that cattle health schemes are just a drop in the ocean when it comes to animal health. One of the interesting things I found with the Zimbabwean farms was that there were some really great examples of high herd health – there isn’t much in the way of coordinated national disease control programmes, which means that farmers had taken responsibility for the health and disease status on their own farms. They had some of the tightest biosecurity measures of any farms in the world that I visited, and they were strict on the timing and execution of their vaccination programmes. It’s something that I saw wherever I went – if the basics of animal health are right, then disease becomes much easier to control. Reducing stress – and in particular stocking density, having the right animals for the system, and getting nutrition right are really fundamental basics on which to build the health of a herd and business, and I think it’s difficult to be successful with CHSs if these basics aren’t in place first. Q: Did you have some assumptions about aspects of the study at the start that were either confirmed or countered as your study progressed? Were there any surprises – and how did you define ‘success’? A: I think I went quite naively into the project, looking to find a ‘holy grail’ of CHSs, and find something that really worked and bring it back to apply in the UK. But of course, if that existed we’d all be doing it! It’s helped me to understand the problems more – and that when it comes to preventative animal health there are so many multifactorial issues, problems and potential solutions. It spans veterinary medicine of course, but also economics and politics and geography and psychology and far more… I think it’s important to realise that ‘one size’ doesn’t ‘fit all’, and that

CATTLE QUARTERLY 11 NUFFIELD SCHOLAR ‘success’ depends on who you are and what your priorities are. We should try and understand what success means for different stakeholders to maximise success as much as possible, but it will be disease and situation specific. I had this conversation with the Chief Veterinary Officer of New Zealand – we talked about how Mycoplasma bovis eradication was very successful in NZ, but it cost the industry $350 million, and in the process some farmers lost everything. The scheme was highly successful in eradicating the disease but I’m sure the farmers who had their herds culled wouldn’t have considered the whole process a success from their perspective. I really don’t think it’s possible to define success in a single way – but I do think it’s possible to identify at the start what is being set out to be achieved, and achieving those aims can be considered ‘success’. Q: We often talk about the importance of the relationship between farm vet and their farm client when it comes to encouraging compliance and developing a greater understanding of disease control – controlling the controllable. How did that relate to your experience and in relation to whether schemes were voluntary or mandatory? A: I came across several topics that I think I could have gone down a rabbit hole with and done a whole other Nuffield on – and the vet-farmer relationship was one of them! The issues that we face with vet retention in the UK are by no means unique, and something I came across in a lot of places that I travelled to. In NZ I spent time with some vets in a rural practice who were very integrated into their communities and you could see how they really knew their customers and had built relationships with them – it helped them with disease control because they understood the ‘bigger picture’ of what was going on with the farmers and in their lives and businesses, and understand those non-animal health factors which so often impact the ability to do things about animal health. But it’s easy to look at that with rose-tinted glasses and think that a better sense of community would be the solution. I can also see that having your community as your customers brings its own conflicts of interest, which could make it hard to make progress, complicate difficult decisions or see that changes need to be made over time. And veterinary practices in NZ still face recruitment and retention issues – the NZ government has launched a Voluntary Bonding Scheme whereby new graduates receive funding to help pay off their student loads in return for committing to working in rural areas for five years after graduating. As well as ‘seeing practice’ with vets from all over the world, I also spent some time with veterinary consultants, which helped me to approach the question of what we’re trying to achieve with CHSs. Mandated schemes have the difficult task of trying to bring all eligible farms along with them, to bring them up to a standard and to use a balance of carrot and stick approaches to try and get as many people as possible to comply. Often veterinary practitioners are involved, whether by signing off paperwork for audits or TB testing. They often require blunt tools which don’t lend themselves to a flexible, personalised approach which can so often help when tackling difficult animal health issues - although arguably a good vet-farmer relationship can help with the delivery. TBAS is a great example of this, where the vet is specifically trained to play a valuable role in advising on additional voluntary measures which help to bring TB under control over and above the mandatory TB control measures which may not be enough in themselves to control the issue for some farms. A big take home message from the consultants I visited was that they have a different target audience and are therefore more likely to be able to achieve very high levels of success but usually with a much smaller customer base, so they will be able to raise the highest level of industry standards, but not always implement improved animal health across the wider board (although arguably several of them were doing this indirectly by being key opinion leaders in their field). They might have been brought in to consult on specific problem, or because a proactive farmer wants to take a different approach to their veterinary provision, but ultimately they could be agile and innovative with how they approached the problems because the farmer really wanted the vet to be there for a specific reason. In this situation voluntary CHSs become much easier to implement; one consultant I spoke to said that generally he would consider having endemic diseases such as BVD, Johne’s Disease and IBR under control through CHSs as baseline expectation before he would consider working with a herd. He made the distinction between being ‘disease-free’ and having ‘good livestock health’, and he made a point to focus on the latter. Q: On a similar note – but in terms of the ‘social licence’ attached to farming and its health and welfare responsibilities as seen by the consumer – how do you think CHSs can inform that relationship and the conversation about farming in the UK? A: CHSs play a really important role in driving up animal health standards, and not only achieving disease-free statuses but also being able to demonstrate that we have achieved them. The public are increasingly aware of the health, welfare and sustainability implications of ruminant production, and CHSs provide a ‘stamp’ of health status, which helps with communicating a standard to people who ask for it. We know that up to 20% of livestock protein is lost to disease (WOAH), and therefore improving animal health and reducing disease plays a huge role in the social licence of livestock farming.

NUFFIELD SCHOLAR 12 CATTLE QUARTERLY A: Fragmentation is one of the biggest challenges for animal health in the UK livestock industry. Each of the devolved nations have their own priorities and strengths and challenges, and within those we also have a large number of different animal health organisations, processors, distributors and producers. We have an incredibly complex animal health picture here. It creates a healthy, competitive market but it a makes a cohesive approach towards preventative livestock health a nightmare! In more consolidated, vertically integrated markets such as pigs and poultry it is much easier to control disease and implement uniform regulations and control measures, but the market may not be as diverse as the UK. I don’t think consolidation of the cattle industry in the UK is likely to happen quickly, or even at all, so a different approach is needed to ensure consistency and a cohesive approach. The approach of BCVA in calling for coordination is really important, as is participation in different groups such as the Ruminant Health and Welfare group (RHWG) which bring together different groups from the devolved nations to share work and cross-collaborate. Creating partnerships is essential in maintaining those open lines of communication and whilst this is something that is done reasonably well in the UK, there is always room for improvement. A coordinated approach is much more achievable in countries which have an ‘all-in-one’ database, which draws together all the available information about individual animals in an industry. I had database envy when I visited Denmark, the Netherlands and Ireland! Here they have tools which draw together different inputs on animal health and management to create a comprehensive database with which to monitor and respond to health and welfare challenges. I attended a routine fertility visit with a vet in Denmark, Having said that, CHSs are usually only specific to a certain disease or condition, and therefore I have reservations about using them to label herds as ‘high herd health’ in isolation, without looking at the wider health and welfare picture of a herd – for example, a herd can be BVD-free but that doesn’t say anything about other health aspects of the herd. Health and welfare should be considered as a whole, using outcomes-focused targets rather than single diseases/conditions. An example would be milk contracts which can have some demanding audit requirements which need to be met in order to obtain the contract and subsequent higher milk prices but do set apart particularly high health and welfare herds. Participation in specific disease CHSs are often included as part of these contracts. Although consumers may not understand the ins and outs of the contracts, there is scope to include CHSs as part of the health and welfare standards which can be incorporated into product labelling. In the Netherlands a simple, three star ‘Beter Leven’ label has been introduced to give customers an idea of the health and welfare standards of the animals producing the products they are purchasing. So I think CHSs play a role in improving disease status of herds, which in turn improve animal health and welfare as a whole – and they are an important part of the wider narrative for farming’s social licence. Q: Often, when responding to consultations in the devolved nations, BCVA calls for a coordinated approach – because we know disease doesn’t recognise or respect ‘borders’ – what are the challenges and opportunities for CHSs when we consider the requirements in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

CATTLE QUARTERLY 13 NUFFIELD SCHOLAR and by the time we were back at his desk at lunchtime all the information and the result of every check that had been done on that animal had been entered into the programme. I could look back and see the disease testing results and vaccination history of every animal throughout it’s lifetime. Having standardised data in one place which can be accessed by relevant parties can really help in ensuring a cohesive approach to animal health. Whilst we might be far from having a single point of animal health data in the UK, improving communication and interoperability between the systems that we do have would be a progressive step in ensuring that when schemes are implemented, they can be assessed, and progress measured in a more standardised way. My travels have made me realise that we’re in a privileged position to have CHSs in the way we do in the UK. We have the resources, technology and expertise to not only achieve good animal health and disease statuses but also to demonstrate that we’ve achieved them. We should be really proud of our CHSs, our industry and the health and disease status of our animals. Having said that, we can’t rest on our laurels and there will always be new challenges – we’ve seen this in a short space of time over recent months with the challenges of BTV-8. Another space to watch is BVD control - our voluntary BVD schemes have brought us a long way and provided leverage to implement mandatory control. I’m excited to see the eradication of this disease from the UK and am confident that if landlocked countries in Europe can get this done then we can too! Q: Can you give us an outline of the key take home messages you’d like your farm vet colleagues to take away from your findings? A: My Nuffield farming tour has led me to experience a vast array of different livestock production systems. It has evolved from exploring cattle health schemes to exploring the underpinning factors for good animal health, reminding me that for all the silver bullets that appear to exist in the market - nutritional supplements, genetics, machines, and strategies – we must not forget the essentials; without getting the basics right we cannot have good animal health. Whilst the aim of CHSs is usually to prevent, control or eradicate cattle disease, there are a variety of reasons for participation in such schemes. The ‘bigger picture’ of financial, environmental, commercial, and social cost-benefits for key stakeholders need to be identified and understood to understand what ‘success’ looks like from different perspectives. Cattle health schemes should not be used to provide a stamp of ‘high herd health’ in isolation but should be part of overall herd management with good basics of nutrition, breeding, environmental management and preventative animal health at the core. A holistic approach to getting the basics right is required for good animal health. Cattle health schemes provide necessary frameworks to demonstrate adherence to standards but are only part of the picture. Frameworks must clearly define the aims, milestones, and responsibilities of the CHS. These should be reviewed regularly and with flexibility and preparedness to adapt, particularly as the scheme progresses and with different stages of disease control and eradication. Collaboration and communication across all stakeholder levels can help to achieve the aims of CHSs and provide an opportunity to demonstrate transparency and trust both within and outside the cattle industry. Industry fragmentation and regulatory burdens, including duplication of data collection, are barriers to CHS participation and achieving success. Processes should be streamlined to prevent additional regulatory burden on farmers. Data and technology have a role to play here, and cattle health schemes should evolve to incorporate new technologies as they become increasingly commonplace in cattle health monitoring and decision-making.

Applications open for Nuffield Farming Scholarships A Nuffield Farming Scholarship is the opportunity of a lifetime, offering promising people the chance to learn from industry experts across the world about a topic they are passionate about. Scholars will have the opportunity to travel internationally to research their chosen topic, speaking to farmers, academics, industry experts and leaders along the way. After travelling, Scholars summarise their findings as a written report and video and share their experiences at the Nuffield Farming Conference. It is a transformative experience for the individual, while also creating unique insights and learnings for an ever-changing industry. Applications for 2025 Scholarships are now open to those aged 25-45 years-old working within the farming, food, horticulture, rural and other land-based industries. A clear passion for their chosen study topic is essential, as well as a willingness to learn and develop. While applicants should not necessarily hold positions of leadership, they should display a desire to make a difference in their industry. Scholarships are generously funded by sponsors of the Trust, and all Scholars receive a bursary to fund Scholarship travel and subsistence. Online application information evenings are planned for those interested in applying, and support from the Nuffield Farming Team will also be available throughout the application process. For more details, please contact [email protected]. Prospective applicants can find out more about Nuffield Farming Scholarships and start their applications at https://www. nuffieldscholar.org/scholarships/how-apply. Applications will close on 31 July 2024. 14 CATTLE QUARTERLY NUFFIELD SCHOLAR Q: A question we ask everyone who has done a Nuffield scholarship – what has been the impact of your Nuffield scholarship on your career? How has it changed, encouraged, motivated, informed you as a farm vet? A: It is difficult to summarise the whole Nuffield experience concisely and to predict where it might lead. I am full of inspiration, ideas and challenges which continue to reframe my thinking both professionally and personally. The experiences I have had are already being incorporated into my daily work with vets and farmers, developing frameworks for preventative disease control which I hope will contribute towards continuing to improve the UK livestock health picture for the better. Nuffield has helped me to ‘find my voice’ in the industry and have the confidence to speak out with a broader understanding of the bigger picture; something I’ve been able to put into practice with my recent appointment to the BVA Policy Committee. Having been fortunate to travel to both developed and developing countries I have come to understand that the issues surrounding livestock health are much bigger and more complicated and political than I had ever considered – we are in a privileged position to be able to implement cattle health schemes in the UK and should continue to strive to raise standards of animal health. I am more convinced than ever that good animal health is a solution to many of the challenges faced by agriculture and society. I would encourage anybody who is considering applying for a Nuffield scholarship to attend one of the potential scholar briefing events, and reach out to current and past scholars to talk about their experiences. I’m really happy to chat to anybody who is considering it. The application process involved a paper application and an interview that promised to be ‘of memorable depth and intensity’ – which it lived up to! There’s often not a ‘good’ time to undertake such a big project, but in my view the benefits far outweigh the extra time and effort that is required. Nuffield becomes about much more than your topic alone - it opens your eyes to different areas of agriculture, different perspectives and the wider issues. There is a global network of inspiring people doing innovative and exciting work, many of whom will become friends for life. I’m extremely grateful for the generous support I have received from my sponsors, the Central Region Farmers Trust, as well as my friends, family and colleagues who have held the fort while I’ve been away and encouraged me along this fantastic and sometimes challenging journey!

Available 24/7, 365 Confi dential, non-judgmental listening service Contact via phone* or email For mental health and wellbeing Team of experienced professionals Referrals made through Vetlife Helpline Emergency fi nancial assistance and monthly grants Professional benefi ts advice Access to free CPD 0303 040 2551 Vetlife 24/7 Helpline Vetlifecharity @VetlifeUK @VetlifeUK Find out more about the independent and confi dential help that Vetlife provides to everyone in the veterinary community at www.vetlife.org.uk Anonymous email via website www.vetlife.org.uk Vetlife is a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee, Company No. 153010 at 7 Mansfi eld Street, London W1G 9NQ, Charity Registration No. 224776 * Normal landline rate applies.

MEDICINES been sharing data for some years. Of course, decision-makers acknowledge how challenging data gathering in the ruminant sector is, reflecting the vastly different and variable structure of enterprise sizes and types. That said, maintaining and building on the good progress made with 2022 data being shared in 2023 is important for the sector’s credibility. Targets for gathering 2023 data uploaded in 2024 will double, making it even more important to work closely with farmers and the supply chain to increase the number of datasets on Medicine Hub. To lead or follow? Carrot or stick? Voluntary or mandatory? Never an easy topic to grapple with. UK farmers (or possibly the UK population in general) are notoriously wary of legislation forcing them to take action, but how well do we do when it’s voluntary only? For the ruminant sector gathering antibiotic data on a voluntary basis is a huge challenge, more so than in other sectors, when you consider the fragmented and disparate nature of the sector. Comparing data availability and accuracy on a fully computerised dairy herd with KPIs for as many measurable metrics as possible to an upland extensive sheep farm will get you nowhere. Nevertheless, compelling both types of farmer to share data in this current voluntary phase may provoke many similar questions. And, based on feedback from vets, farmers and industry alike, the AHDB team behind Medicine Hub has been working on a number of key areas including improving the user experience; no-one enjoys grappling with an unwieldy system. Also there has been important work done getting conversations moving with practice and farm management software providers; when demand from users reaches a tipping point, the interaction between these businesses and Medicine Hub will become more common reducing, if not paving the way to eliminating the need to double report. Ready, get set, go Now is the time to gear up for sharing data with Medicine Hub - urges Rachel Hayton, Senior Clinician and Research Lead at Synergy Farm Health Towards the end of 2023, RUMA (Responsible Use of Medicine in Agriculture) Targets Task Force published its annual report (1st November 2023) which sets out to paint a picture of health and welfare on UK farms relating to the impact on antibiotic use. For the first time, data from the ruminant sector was included via Medicine Hub marking an important step in providing evidence of the high standards of medicine use on UK dairy, beef and sheep farms. And considering that data is gathered and shared on a voluntary basis currently, it is especially significant that the targets of 2000 data sets for each of dairy, beef and sheep were exceeded with 7,500 datasets gathered. EU rule changes mean that member countries must provide information on antibiotic use in cattle from 2023 and sheep from 2026. Different systems exist in each country and although we are now outside the EU, the aspiration is for the UK to keep up the rate and pace of recording, albeit on a voluntary basis. This was only possible through the collaboration of vets, processors, data collection and integration companies, commercial consultancies, and regional initiatives such as Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers, whose collective contribution is gratefully acknowledged. Moving through 2024, initiatives in Scotland and Northern Ireland are gaining traction and progress towards gathering equivalent data is anticipated. Meanwhile assurance schemes, notably Red Tractor, are also starting to incorporate data sharing, initially a recommendation, in their standards, which will convert to a requirement at some point in the future. Vital evidence Demonstrating UK farmers’ responsible approach to antibiotic stewardship is crucial for the ruminant sector at home and abroad. The information is important in evidencing the perceived low use of antibiotics in the ruminant sectors in conversations with retailers and the wider supply chain, including around exports. The ruminant sector is still catching up with others, such as pig, gamebird, fish and poultry sectors, all of whom have 16 CATTLE QUARTERLY

How does data get on to Medicine Hub? • Farmers can enter their data directly onto the Hub. • Farmers can ask their vets or other agent to do it on their behalf. • Where data are already being collected by the supply chain, for example milk processors, this existing information can be uploaded by these bulk data holders with the permission of the farmer. Frequently asked questions What should farmers do? Talk to their vet and ask them to register their account and request full access permission – the farmer will then receive a notification in which they are asked to give consent for the vet to act on their behalf and to upload their data. How is data protected on Medicine Hub? The farmer always owns the data and controls who can and cannot have access to it. Medicine Hub will only report aggregate and/or anonymised data, unless the farmer specifically gives permissions to other third parties, typically their vets, to view their individual enterprise data. Will Medicine Hub become part of farm assurance? The supply chain is increasingly looking towards farm assurance as a potential way to collate a national dataset. In ruminants, the Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers group, which also runs the Welsh farm assurance scheme (FAWL), introduced mandatory upload of antibiotic data to its central recording system from summer 2022. It is likely that other assurance schemes will follow suit. MEDICINES Vets at the forefront Again? We often hear that vets are at the forefront, but when it comes to gathering and sharing farmers’ antibiotic data, it holds true. Vets are the custodians of the information and, through working relationships with clients, will frequently find themselves starting and managing a client’s Medicine Hub account. It will be the case that this is probably more common for beef and sheep enterprises as bulk data holders working with milk purchasers can upload bulk anonymised farm level data currently, ahead of the move to identified farm level data down the line. That said, there will be some data coming from bulk data holders for sheep and beef farmers, but these are less established than in the dairy sector. But vets will very much be at the forefront of registering clients and uploading data for the foreseeable future. What next? You may or may not be familiar with Medicine Hub and how it works, maybe you have clients uploading their own data already, or maybe you are at the beginning of your Medicine Hub journey. Familiarising yourself with the site and how data can be uploaded as well as how accounts can be registered could be sensible ahead of any farm assurance recommendations coming in. AHDB will be running a series of short, live webinars from May onwards (available on demand afterwards for those who can’t make it) and there is already a range of guides available. Being up-to-speed with answering client’s questions will lead to better, more productive conversations and there is a guide with the most commonly asked questions and clear, concise responses on the site. The AHDB bureau is always on hand to help with questions on email: [email protected] or call 02477 719 414. References • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8987214/ • Department of Health and Social Care. UK 20-year vision for antimicrobial resistance. HM Government, 2019 CATTLE QUARTERLY 17

VETERINARY PEOPLE 18 CATTLE QUARTERLY Walk This Way – Navigating a Veterinary Career Georgia Owen is a fourth-year vet med student at The Royal Veterinary College, and a Bio Veterinary Sciences graduate. She has been President of FAVS, a regular steward at BCVA Congress, is a Student Ambassador for IMV Imaging, and is the founder of The Vet Student Network and Author of the ‘The Ultimate Guide to Vet School’ eBook. She tells us why she is so keen to encourage more young people from a variety of backgrounds into the profession

VETERINARY PEOPLE CATTLE QUARTERLY 19 Q: Tell us a little about your own journey to vet school. A: My journey to vet school has been anything but conventional! I knew from a very young age that veterinary medicine was something I was keen on pursuing, but I had no idea how to go about getting a place at university or what was required to become a veterinarian. I wasn’t a particularly gifted child academically, I never won any awards or got straight A’s, which meant that when I mentioned to careers counsellors or teachers at school about going to university to become a vet, I was often met with quite a bit of resistance. I speak quite openly online about my journey to vet school, and the adversities I’ve faced along the way. It hasn’t been easy, and at times it has felt like getting into vet school was an impossible task, but with a bit of perseverance and a lot of patience, anything is possible. When I first started vet school, I had no clue which area I would end up gravitating towards, but I was keen on getting involved with as much as possible early on in my degree. The main reason I wanted to become a vet was due to my own experiences with my family pets, so naturally I expected companion animals to be at the forefront of my mind. It wasn’t until I went on my farm placements, particularly an amazing lambing placement I had up in North Yorkshire, that I realised that a career in farm animal practice was an option for me. When you haven’t grown up in a farming environment, the idea of stepping foot on farm feels completely alien and quite intimidating. Especially as a vet student, you almost feel an invisible pressure to already be competent at things that you’ve only ever read about in books! I’ve had really good farm placements (and some shocking ones) but I have learnt so much about the industry through the generosity of farmers who are willing to share their years of experience with you over a cup of tea or during the early morning milking shift. It’s been an amazing experience to not only learn about large animal husbandry but see first-hand where our food comes from in the UK and all the steps involved in the production chain. Q: You’re very active on social media and that has developed into becoming a content producer – tell us about how this started, and what opportunities has it led to? A: Social media has been such a big part of my life, and most of my generation’s life, that deciding to make content about life as a vet student felt like a very natural thing to do. I was apprehensive at first to start posting content online, mainly because of what I imagined people would think of me, but you soon realise that everyone is so focused on living their life that what you are doing is not even on their radar! The ‘online’ side of the veterinary industry in the UK is quite small in comparison to other sectors and there aren’t tonnes of huge creators in the space which means that gaining traction online can be quite difficult. If you take the numbers of likes and followers out of the equation, I think being a part of an online community is an amazing tool to network with other industry professionals, make friends and generally just have a bit of fun and get creative! Running several social media accounts alongside studying at university has been a challenge, naturally there are times where you are so exhausted studying for upcoming exams that the thought of making content doesn’t even enter your mind. I think that it’s important to be realistic with your expectations of how much content you can make as a full-time student, and to always make your studies the top priority. I certainly don’t regret taking the leap and dipping my toes into the content creation world as it has led to some incredible opportunities. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing companies and meet such inspirational people that are so passionate about what they do in the industry. I have been able to attend events and make content in exchange for free tickets, which is amazing for a student!

The Ultimate Guide to Vet School The Ultimate Guide to Vet School eBook offers aspiring vets a companion for navigating the path to vet school and can be a useful tool for established vets when talking to young people, perhaps at school open days or when asked for advice. For the last two years, The Vet Student Network has been empowering students from across the UK in their applications to the coveted spots in UK veterinary schools. What The Ultimate Guide to Vet School contains: • Work Experience Wisdom: Learn the art of applying for and maximizing your work experience to stand out in the vet school admissions process. • Crafting the Perfect Personal Statement: Nail your personal statement with our expert guidance, ensuring you showcase your passion and dedication. • Interview Excellence: Ace your vet school interviews with valuable insights and tips! • Seamless Transition to Vet School: Navigate the exciting move to vet school smoothly, with practical advice on what to expect and how to thrive. • Study Hacks & Exam Mastery: Uncover proven study strategies and exam techniques tailored specifically for vet school success. • Placements Decoded: Demystify the process of securing placements at vet school, gaining valuable hands-on experience. There are also additional tips, tricks, and insider knowledge to support aspiring vets on their vet school journey. The Ultimate Guide to Vet School is now available for instant download. Visit www. thevetstudentnetwork.myshopify.com for more information. VETERINARY PEOPLE Q: Why did you want to start the Ultimate Guide to Vet School? Who is it for and do you think it is a good tool for vets to use when asked to go into their local schools for careers talks? A: After having such a non-linear route to vet school myself, for example missing my A level grades and doing another degree before applying to vet school, I really wanted to find a way of helping students that may be in a similar position to me. At school, I received little-to-no support when it came to figuring out what I needed to apply to vet school which was super stressful at the time. It wasn’t until I moved to a private college that I received the support I needed with my application and began to realise my potential. The complete lack of support for students at state-schools when it comes to applying for a veterinary medicine degree led me to create my mentorship platform ‘The Vet Student Network’. The platform offers free, tailored mentorship sessions to stateschool students who were also struggling with their application to vet school. After running my mentorship programme for around two years, I knew I wanted to help more people than I physically had time to mentor during university, so that’s when ‘The Ultimate Guide to Vet School’ eBook came about. Since releasing the guide, I have been inundated with responses from students who tell me how helpful it has been in their application to vet school and how much my content has inspired them. I think it’s a fantastic resource to distribute at careers talks because of the personal touches in the guide. I’m honest in sharing my own journey to vet school and its real advice from someone who has been through it first-hand. Q: You will soon graduate? What kind of career do you want to pursue? How do you and your fellow students see the choice between farm and companion animal careers? What do you think can be done to encourage more vet students to consider farm? A: After graduation, I am really excited to enter clinical practice and I think that will be my main focus for at least the first year or two. I think that having a more ‘mixed portfolio’ is perfect for vets, we are all highly driven people and it’s a fantastic way to flex other parts of your brain that you wouldn’t necessarily do in standard practice life. I enjoy mentoring students so much, and it really is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done so far so I’m looking at ways I can integrate this into my professional life. When it comes to choosing between a career in farm or companion animal practice, I think my heart will always be drawn towards farm life. I don’t think anyone’s career is linear anymore, and sometimes decisions are made that take you on a different route, which is just part of life! I think for students making the decision for themselves, it really comes down to their experiences on EMS and their confidence when it comes to being out on farm. Not everyone will love farm practice, but I think it’s important to get as many students as we can out on farm EMS to give a try! 20 CATTLE QUARTERLY

YOUR BCVA 01452 723 735 bcva.org.uk [email protected] REMEMBER YOUR MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS CATTLE QUARTERLY - FREE 4 TIMES A YEAR CATTLE PRACTICE - FREE ONLINE AND IN PRINT ANNUALLY CATTLECAST - FREE ONLINE PODCAST SERIES CPD DISCOUNT CONGRESS DISCOUNT FREE WEBINARS & ARCHIVE INDUSTRY NEWS VIA EMAIL NATIONAL REPRESENTATION NEW VETMED RESOURCE

EDUCATION Lunch ‘N’ Learn Liver Fluke 25th April, 13:00 - 13:30 with Diana Williams The trematode parasite, Fasciola hepatica, or liver fluke, is common in the UK and highly pathogenic. It affects sheep, cattle and horses. Climate change is having a significant impact on its epidemiology making traditional control options unsuitable. Liver fluke has been shown to reduce milk yield in dairy cattle, particularly high yielding herds. Some studies have also suggested that infection affects fertility and milk quality. There are few options for treating dairy cattle, particularly milking cows, with most treatments only licensed for use at drying off. Due to the short window between drying off and when treatments can be applied, diagnostic tests, where the samples must be sent to laboratories for analysis, take too long. Hence dairy cows are either not treated at all or are treated in the absence of a diagnosis. This talk will discuss risk factors for infection in cattle, a new pen-side lateral flow diagnostic test that provides results in about 10 minutes and consider how to manage infection in replacement heifer calves. Early life nutrition of the dairy calf 1st May, 13:00 - 13:30, with Dai Grove White This 30-minute webinar will cover: • The importance of adequate early life nutrition for dairy calves • Growth targets and monitoring during early life • Systems of feeding with their advantages and disadvantages • Overview on the types of milk replacers • Role of nutrition in calf disease • Feeding the sick calf Learning Outcomes: • Understand the importance of early life nutrition and its impact on future production • Be able to advise farmers on growth targets and establish monitoring systems • Have an overview on the available milk • Be able to devise and recommend calf feeding protocols • Appreciate the role of nutrition in disease. BCVA’s new six, 30-minute ‘Lunch ‘N’ Learn sessions are ideal for the busy, experienced farm vet. These cover the kind of common problems we see on most cattle farms – the ones that we seem to encounter and discuss as a practice on a regular basis – but can’t always resolve. Not only will it help towards meeting your CPD obligations without taking a whole day off – you’ll also get a real burst of inspiration (and we all need that sometimes), and quickly elevate your understanding on a broad range of key topics. Thanks to the expertise of our experienced and engaging presenters, you’ll be covering liver fluke, dairy calf nutrition, digital dermatitis, cryptosporidiosis outbreaks, on farm biosecurity, and cattle abortions. You can come to one session, several, or the whole series – all with significant discounts for BCVA members. Meeting the challenge of supporting the experience rich but time poor farm vet – here’s 30-minute CPD sessions to inspire you and your team 22 CATTLE QUARTERLY

For more information and to book visit www.bcva.org.uk/cpd or email [email protected]. EDUCATION Investigating Cattle Abortions 9th May, 13:00 - 13:30, with Sonja Jeckel Abortions in cattle (regardless of beef or dairy) are associated with significant financial losses for the farmer and can carry zoonotic risk, and therefore investigations into abortion causes are important. This webinar will provide the participants with guidance on the approach to investigating cattle abortions with a focus on infectious causes. It will initially discuss considerations for personal safety in investigations, the potential role of notifiable diseases and differences in the approach to stillbirths compared to abortions. This will be followed by guidance on appropriate sample taking and discussion of laboratory tests to confirm or rule out an aetiological diagnosis for the abortion. Cross-references to common infectious causes of cattle abortion in the UK will be made throughout. Digital Dermatitis 23rd May, 13:00 - 13:30, with George Oikonomou Digital Dermatitis, a major cause of cattle lameness, is a painful, infectious, foot skin disease that is endemic on more than 90% of UK dairy farms affecting more than 50% of the UK dairy herd annually. Given the substantial numbers of affected cows, it is not surprising that in the 2021 published Cattle and Sheep Health and Welfare Survey DD was listed as the highest priority disease impacting cattle production and welfare. In addition to pain and compromised animal welfare, DD is also associated with reduced milk yield, feed intake, and reproductive performance, and estimated to cost the UK dairy industry more than £74 million per year. In this webinar we will discuss best practices for DD treatment and herd level management. Challenges of Cryptosporidium and how to manage cryptosporidiosis outbreaks 4th June, 13:00 - 13:30 with, Frank Katzer This is the first of two webinars focusing on Cryptosporidium and it will provide an introduction to the parasite; how it causes disease; the infectious dose; the economic impact of the infection; the importance of co-infections; and how it can be diagnosed, including on-farm diagnostic kits and challenges of intermittent shedding. The webinar will also provide details of treatment options (electrolytes, intravenous drip and halofuginone vs paromomycin) and it will also look at the importance of colostrum management and future vaccines. The second webinar on Cryptosporidium will focus biosecurity options to reduce the impact of cryptosporidiosis. On farm biosecurity practices to manage cryptosporidiosis 5th June 2024, 13:00 - 13:30, with Frank Katzer This is the second webinar focusing on Cryptosporidium and it will focus on cryptosporidiosis related biosecurity practices. The webinar will provide insights into on farm transmission routes; sources of infection for the calves; why it is important to reduce the infectious dose and to delay first exposure of animals to the parasite. It will also provide advice on cleaning and information on disinfectants that work against Cryptosporidium oocysts and what to look out for when using the disinfectants. Other topics that will be covered are group housing vs individual housing; mixing of animals; water supply and drainage. CATTLE QUARTERLY 23

POSTGRAD Your Next Step in Bovine Reproduction? What is the next step in your professional development? Which bit of farm animal practice do you like best, find most challenging, and want to develop your skills in? Rob Smith showcases the Diploma in Bovine Reproduction Managing reproduction is the cornerstone of beef and dairy production and the Diploma in Bovine Reproduction (DBR) course at the University of Liverpool was launched 40 years ago to provide practitioners with the latest knowledge in this subject. The course was the brainchild of Professor Reginald Fitzpatrick and was led for many years by Professor Hilary Dobson. The vast majority of the 180 vets who have achieved the qualification remain in first opinion cattle practice, whilst a few have followed careers in academia, industry and APHA. The current group of 12 on the DBR will finish this year and enrolment for the next course, commencing in September 2024 starts soon. So, what’s it all about? About the DBR The actual qualification obtained is Masters level but the Diploma name harps back to when it was set up as an equivalent to the RCVS diplomas, which they no longer award. It is part-time, run over two years, and follows the reproductive cycle of the cow, bull and genetics in 8 sequential modules, approximately every 3 months. There is an assigned teaching week for every module, based on site, at the University Leahurst Campus, slotted into breaks in the undergraduate clinical rotations so teaching and farm facilities are available. There are two associated assignments set for each module, which are carried out over the 2-3 months following the teaching week. These are “authentic” to the job of being a cattle vet, and are the type of thing DBR holding vets do for their clients, and include fertility or nutrition reports, analysis of reproduction cyclicity by hormone and ultrasound examinations, genetics evaluation and recommendation of bulls to use. They all put the knowledge gained into practical use on your client’s farms. The ‘icing on the cake’ (or ‘sting in the tail’), is a research dissertation that runs alongside the specific modules for the entire two years. It is a key differentiation of the course that gives participants a great insight into scientific methodology and an in-depth appreciation of data handling and an evidence-based approach. DBR students can better interpret herd data and research studies having undertaken a study themselves. Each person has two academic supervisors, and receives specific training in ethics, research, and statistical methods. About a quarter of the projects have been successfully published, usually in the Veterinary Record or Journal of Dairy Science and many are presented at BCVA Congress, in the practitioner research session. 24 CATTLE QUARTERLY

Alumni quotes Bill May “I was encouraged to do the DBR by my boss at the time (who himself had done the course) just a handful of years after qualification. I can say without exception that it has been the best, most enjoyable and most useful CPD that I have done in over thirty years in farm practice. The knowledge that I learned is used to this day and encompasses not just reproduction but everything that affects it (which is basically everything!). It has allowed me a deeper understanding of reproduction in cattle and to be able to better unravel and explain client’s problems. The modular and residential nature of the course allowed many of my DBR cohort to become friends and these have remained so over the years. I have encouraged numerous colleagues to do the course and will continue to do so.” Esme Moffett “I thoroughly enjoyed studying for the DBR. The course covered a broadrange of fertility topics in both beef and dairy which has been great for general practice work. The team put a real effort into sourcing interesting speakers who are well-renowned in the field for their knowledge and research projects and it was great to get the opportunity to learn from these people. I use the learnings from my DBR on a daily basis – it has really enhanced my approach to routine fertility work as well as improving my confidence in more specific areas.” Dr David Black “Having undertaken the DBR in the late 90’s and examined on a couple of subsequent courses I have always been impressed by the quality and wide-ranging nature of the course. Although the title is “Bovine Reproduction” the subject by its very nature covers virtually every angle of cattle medicine and as such is highly appropriate to first opinion vets in practice as well as those taking their career down a more specialised route. For me, the discipline of the course was a necessity as I (and I suspect others) find it too hard in a busy vet practice to find time for “self-directed”, unstructured training. But possibly the most important part of the DBR for me was the immediate access to a like-minded network of colleagues, many of whom became lifelong friends and from those relationships have spun many opportunities.” Mike Kerby “Undertaking the DBR some 30 years ago has been the single biggest influence on my professional career as a bovine practitioner. It opened my mind to evaluate and question what I thought I already knew, as well as providing me with the deeper knowledge and confidence to embrace all the technologies, hormonal protocols and other developments that have occurred since the early 1990’s in the fields of cattle health and fertility. And the real bonus is the group of lifelong friends made on the course.” Alice Miller “At vet school graduation I said I would never put myself through another exam again. How wrong I was! Seven years later I had become comfortable in my role as a farm vet and was ready for a new challenge. I looked to the DBR because reproduction had always been my main area of interest and for me the course content satisified both the fascination I had for it at the biological and physiological level as well as covering the important influence it has on the success of a client’s business. I was a more disciplined student than I had been at vet school, so I actually enjoyed the hours of study. What you learn is instantly applicable to the day job which helps too. After graduating with the DBR, career opportunities have come my way that I feel wouldn’t have otherwise. The DBR sometimes feels like a “badge of honour”, with clients and colleagues recognising and respecting the qualification. The DBR enabled me to further my knowledge so I could confidently approach the more challenging situations on farm. It also gave me the opportunity to forge stronger relationships with clients who were interested in the project work I was carrying out.” POSTGRAD Residential time The residential weeks are mainly face to face seminars, or practicals, delivered by global experts in their subject. The format is usually a presentation and then discussion. This is a two-way street, with speakers agreeing to come back to talk year after year because they value the interaction with vets who face clinical problems on a day-to-day basis. They come back to participate because we all get new insights from these sessions. However, many participants get just as much out of the discussions as they do from the camaraderie of the group itself, often gaining life-long friendships from the course. The course is not a recipe book, it is more a food science course so you can understand and make your own recipes! The focus is on what evidence and data are available, why something may happen and, what the options are to manage or treat it. Sometimes we just don’t know or there is not a “best way”. Everything is open to challenge and discussion, regardless of who says it and everyone can have their say. Getting on Entry requirements stipulate that applicants should be in mixed or farm animal practice, hold a degree registerable with RCVS, be 5 years qualified and be the main vet for a minimum of 3 farms on routine fertility visits. Applicants who are 3 years qualified are considered and we discuss with them the support they have within the practice. Many practices have encouraged different vets in their team to attend, course after course, and in-doing so provide a good support network themselves. Vets holding the DBR around the country also help if people need further support. You will only do the course once, and life can get in the way, so picking the right time to do it is an important choice. The course is hard work but has a high completion rate due to the clear structure and great support. The best source of information is talking to those who have previously completed it. Here are a few alumni giving their thoughts on the course (see box on right). We also run a taster session for possible applicants in the final week of the current course on 24th – 25th July 2024. During this time prospective applicants can sit in on the dissertation presentations and gain a better understanding before applying. I am also happy to talk to anyone about the course and can be emailed on [email protected] (Robert Smith, DBR Programme Director) or visit the website, https://www.liverpool. ac.uk/vets/cpd/dbr/. CATTLE QUARTERLY 25

BCVA CPD Diary Mobility Mentor Training - Part One (Extended) (Shropshire) Owen Atkinson and Nick Bell Members: £500 Non-Members: £630 18/06/24 and 19/06/24 Medicines Bitesize - Mastitis - Lactating cow (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 08/05/24 Medicines Bitesize - Mastitis - Dry cow (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 15/05/24 Medicines Bitesize - Fertility (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 22/05/24 Data Driven Decisions - Fertility (Online) Chris Hudson Members: £300 Non-Members: £375 02/05/24 Practical Hoof Trimming and Treatment (Edinburgh) Nick Bell & Tim Carter Members: £540 Non-Members: £660 08/05/24 BCVA Accredited Foot Health Trainer Course - Lantra Training (Edinburgh) Nick Bell & Tim Carter Members: £384 Non-Members: £480 09/05/24 Dairy Cow Environment Day (Nottingham) Nick Bell & James Breen Members: £564 Non-Members: £672 14/05/24 Young Vets Meeting (Gloucestershire) Various Speakers Members: £564 11/06/24 and 12/06/24 Milksure for Vets (Online) Owen Atkinson Members: £240 Non-Members: £300 20/06/24 MAY JUNE Medicines Bitesize - BRD (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 26/06/24 2024 Lunch ‘n’ Learn - Early life nutrition of the dairy calf (Online) Dai Grove White Members: £30 Non-Members: £42 01/05/24 Lunch ‘n’ Learn - Investigating Cattle Abortions (Online) Sonja Jeckel Members: £30 Non-Members: £42 09/05/24 MAY continued... Lunch ‘n’ Learn - Digital Dermatitis (Online) George Oikonomou Members: £30 Non-Members: £42 23/05/24 Lunch ‘n’ Learn - Challenges of Cryptosporidium and how to manage cryptosporidiosis outbreaks (Online) Frank Katzer Members: £30 Non-Members: £42 04/06/24 Lunch ‘n’ Learn - On farm biosecurity practices to manage cryptosporidiosis (Online) Frank Katzer Members: £30 Non-Members: £42 05/06/24 Data Driven Decisions - Nutrition (Online) Julia Moorhouse Members: £300 Non-Members: £375 16/05/24

More information about all BCVA courses can be found in the CPD section at www. bcva.org.uk - and you can also email [email protected] for more details. All information is correct at the time of going to print, but please visit the website regularly, as courses are often added to the programme as the opportunities arise. Also, remember that as a BCVA member you have additional, free online CPD in the form of CattleCasts and the Webinar Library. BCVA Masterclass: The oestrus cycle and how and when it can be manipulated (Online) FULL Mark Crowe Members: £396 Non-Members: £492 04/09/24 and 11/09/24 Medicines Bitesize - Scouring Animal (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 03/07/24 Medicines Bitesize - The Sick Cow (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 10/07/24 27/06/24 Data Driven Decisions - Beef (Online) Joe Henry Members: £300 Non-Members: £375 02/07/24 Data Driven Decisions - Genetics (Online) Mike Coffey Members: £300 Non-Members: £375 12/09/24 Advanced Bovine Reproductive Rectalling and Ultrasonography (Gloucestershire) Peter May Members: £468 Non-Members: £582 03/12/24 JULY SEPTEMBER OCTOBER Mobility Mentor Training - Part One (Online) Owen Atkinson Members: £216 Non-Members: £264 31/10/24 BCVA Congress (Celtic Manor, Newport, Wales) Various Speakers Prices TBC 17/10/24 and 19/10/24 NOVEMBER Examination of Bulls for Breeding (Settle, North Yorkshire) Robert Anderson & Iain McCormick Members: £774 Non-Members: £966 21/11/24 BCVA Masterclass: Transition Cow Management (Online) Stephen LeBlanc Members: £396 Non-Members: £492 06/11/24 Mobility Mentor Training - Part Two (North) Owen Atkinson Members: £350 Non-Members: £410 28/11/24 DECEMBER JUNE continued... Milksure for Vets (Online) Owen Atkinson Members: £240 Non-Members: £300

A DIVERSE PROGRAMME CREATED BY FARM VETS, FOR FARM VETS, DESIGNED TO INSPIRE. PLUS SOCIAL EVENTS TO CONNECT US ALL, AND AN EXHIBITION FULL OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION. A WARM WELCOME AWAITS. WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU CELTIC MANOR, NEWPORT, SOUTH WALES 17-19 OCTOBER 2024 CONGRESS 2024