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Vet scoops Livestock Advisor of the Year Award
Julian Allen is a director of Friars Moor Livestock.

Julian Allen recognised for going the extra mile to support his clients. 

Veterinary surgeon Julian Allen has been named winner of the 2020 Farmers Weekly Livestock Advisor of the Year Award.

Julian, who is a director of Friars Moor Livestock Health, received the honour in recognition of his dedication, enthusiasm and for going above and beyond to support his clients.

During his 26 years at Friars Moor, Julian has made a considerable difference to the operations of livestock farmers, helping one large Dorset dairy farm reduce its antibiotic usage by two thirds over eight years. With a focus on dairy cow health, his interests include nutrition and benchmarking herd performance.

Commenting on his achievement, Julian said: "I was honoured to be named Livestock Adviser of the Year. This work is my passion – I love working together with farmers, getting involved in all aspects of herd management and thinking through different options to improve herd health and productivity."

Friars Moor forms part of the independent veterinary group, XLVets. Runners up for the award included veterinary surgeon Ed Hill, who also hails from XLVets, and Phil Baynes, managing director of Bayes Nutrition.

Alice Renner, farm marketing executive of XLVets, commented: "We were so pleased to hear of these awards going to such hard-working and deserving people. And it’s a great accolade for our members – reflecting how XLVets practices strive for clinical excellence and really get invested in the success of their clients.

“We see the collaborative strength of the community every day in the way knowledge is shared to achieve the best outcomes for everyone’s clients, it is fantastic to see this celebrated publicly within the farming community at large."

Image (C) XLVets.

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.