NBA Winter Magazine_2023_

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Guest Vet | Molly Mead Guest Vet Molly Mead The role of Vet Techs Molly Mead lives on her family’s beef and sheep farm, and joined The Farm Vets in Buckinghamshire as a Vet Tech and Approved TB tester just over a year ago. She regularly carries out TB testing, faecal egg counts, disbudding calves, and administering medicines. In her role she regularly works with sheep, cattle and even alpacas and reindeer. She is currently undertaking the Livestock Veterinary Technician Apprenticeship Course at Harper Adams. In recent years, the farm vet team has evolved significantly. What was once dealt with by just vets has expanded to include a variety of specialist roles including laboratory technicians, TB testers and more recently vet techs. Molly is keen for more farmers to understand what the role entails and how vet techs can help you on your farm to support routine and specialist tasks. The vet tech role has been well established in countries such as New Zealand and Canada for a long time, however it is a more recent addition to farm veterinary practices in the UK. One of the benefits of employing vet techs is that it takes pressure off the vets so they can focus on their clinical work, also they offer a more affordable choice for farmers who need an extra pair of hands on farm. Techs are a cost-effective service for farmers to utilise to perform routine animal husbandry tasks to a high standard. The Farm Vets’ clients utilise the vet tech service as part of their proactive approach to farm health management. For example, monitoring weights and carrying out disbudding of calves, performing faecal egg counts and administering worming treatment, delivering and administering certain vaccinations, or even doing paperwork at TB tests. Molly enjoys meeting clients and helping them on farm as part of their team. Vet techs are mutually beneficial to the clients and the practice, communicating with vets or the office on behalf of a client and feeding back observations and data gathered to the vets. Molly is currently a student at Harper Adams, taking part in the new, specially developed Livestock Veterinary Technician Apprenticeship course. This is the first ever qualification for vet techs and the aim is for vet techs to be recognised as paraprofessionals. The course is largely distance-learning based, with some practical training weeks at the University in Shropshire. This allows students to complete the qualification whilst still working full time in a veterinary practice. Molly says “I have really developed my knowledge by doing this course, having a greater understanding of parasitology and proactive healthcare on farm. The highlight for me has been getting to meet other technicians from across the country and learning from each other.” Another milestone for the profession has been the formation of the British and Irish Vet Technicians Association, who hosted their first conference in February 2023. This event saw a gathering of over 100 vet techs from across the country attending lectures varying on topics from alpaca handling to the importance of BVD surveillance, as well as discussions on how we can progress our roles in farm practice. It was a great opportunity to network with other farm paraprofessionals and connect with industry experts. To sum up, vet techs are essential for on farm health and welfare monitoring, and helping farmers keep on top of routine tasks and treatments when they are already so busy. They are key to maintaining good client relationships as well as taking some pressure off the vets. Get in contact with your local practice to see how their vet tech service can help you! Services Vet Techs can offer: • Calf disbudding • Herd vaccinations • Dry cow therapy • Parasite control (Worming/fly control) • Faecal egg counting • Data collection • Teat scoring • Digital dermatitis scoring • Calf weighing • Freeze branding • Transition checks • TB testing & paperwork • Mobility scoring • Body condition scoring 12 The National Beef Association Magazine | WINTER 2023
IS NOW Stay fully charged this Winter. Ensure stock stay put with Pel Electric Fencing Keep the elements at bay with Kaiwaka Stormforce Clothing Scan to find out how to lower costs by an impressive 70% or visit our website below and check the latest blog post! 01750 724 110 / sales@roxan.co.uk FOLLOW US: VISIT WWW.KIWIKITROXAN.CO.UK
Page 1 and 2: Winter 2023 | ISSUE 29 Regional Rou
Page 3 and 4: Contents Winter 2023 ISSUE 29 16 ED
Page 5 and 6: Working to help the livestock farme
Page 7 and 8: Unique respiratory coronavirus prot
Page 9 and 10: “With the Vector, every animal ge
Page 11: Industry News AHDB Beef & Lamb’s
Page 15 and 16: Molasses Blends The Essential Ingre
Page 17 and 18: choose for the Hanskamp Spider feed
Page 19 and 20: WAGYU BREEDERS ASSOCIATION APPROVED
Page 21 and 22: Industry News Buying ‘High Health
Page 23 and 24: ® Merry Christmas from all at KW!
Page 25 and 26: Industry News continue to play its
Page 27 and 28: For Feed Industry since 1964 Elensi
Page 29 and 30: Industry News • The team at Brong
Page 31 and 32: Better Breeding Based Upon Your Goa
Page 33 and 34: Highland | Breed Society Focus How
Page 35 and 36: BREEDING SALERS IN THE SCOTTISH BOR
Page 37 and 38: Key Appointment for the British Cha
Page 39 and 40: Breed Society News NATIONAL BEEF EV
Page 41 and 42: MELTON MOWBRAY MULTIBREED SALE - 27
Page 43 and 44: # NBA Membership Join the NBA Today

NBA Winter Magazine_2023_

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?