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Short- and long-term association between individual levels of milk antibody against Ostertagia ostertagi and first-lactation heifer’s production performances (2018)
Journal Article
Bellet, C., Green, M., Bradley, A., & Kaler, J. (2018). Short- and long-term association between individual levels of milk antibody against Ostertagia ostertagi and first-lactation heifer’s production performances. Veterinary Parasitology, 256, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.04.008

It is agreed that exposure of adult dairy cattle to helminths on pasture can negatively affect production performances as milking herd. Young animals, especially replacement heifers, represent the future of a dairy farm and are among the most vulnera... Read More about Short- and long-term association between individual levels of milk antibody against Ostertagia ostertagi and first-lactation heifer’s production performances.

Evaluation of sampling frequency, window size and sensor position for classification of sheep behaviour (2018)
Journal Article
Walton, E., Casey, C., Mitsch, J., Vázquez-Diosdado, J. A., Yan, J., Dottorini, T., Ellis, K. A., Winterlich, A., & Kaler, J. (2018). Evaluation of sampling frequency, window size and sensor position for classification of sheep behaviour. Royal Society Open Science, 5(2), https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171442

Automated behavioural classification and identification through sensors has the potential to improve health and welfare of the animals. Position of a sensor, sampling frequency and window size of segmented signal data has a major impact on classifica... Read More about Evaluation of sampling frequency, window size and sensor position for classification of sheep behaviour.

Sheep farmers’ attitudes to farm inspections and the role of sanctions and rewards as motivation to reduce the prevalence of lameness (2018)
Journal Article
Liu, N. L., Kaler, J., Ferguson, E., O’Kane, H., & Green, L. E. (2018). Sheep farmers’ attitudes to farm inspections and the role of sanctions and rewards as motivation to reduce the prevalence of lameness. Animal Welfare Journal, 27(1), https://doi.org/10.7120/09627286.27.1.067

The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 make it an offence to allow unnecessary suffering to animals, highlighting that farmers have a duty of care for their animals. Despite this, the current global mean prevalence of lameness in sh... Read More about Sheep farmers’ attitudes to farm inspections and the role of sanctions and rewards as motivation to reduce the prevalence of lameness.

True cowmen and commercial farmers: exploring vets’ and dairy farmers’ contrasting views of ‘good farming’ in relation to biosecurity (2018)
Journal Article
Shortall, O., Sutherland, L.-A., Ruston, A., & Kaler, J. (in press). True cowmen and commercial farmers: exploring vets’ and dairy farmers’ contrasting views of ‘good farming’ in relation to biosecurity. Sociologia Ruralis, https://doi.org/10.1111/soru.12205

Responsibility for biosecurity in UK farming is being devolved from government to industry, with a greater emphasis on the veterinarian (vet)-farmer relationship. Although social science has shown that care for animals is part of ‘good farming’, the... Read More about True cowmen and commercial farmers: exploring vets’ and dairy farmers’ contrasting views of ‘good farming’ in relation to biosecurity.

Drivers for precision livestock technology adoption: a study of factors associated with adoption of electronic identification technology by commercial sheep farmers in England and Wales (2018)
Journal Article
Lima, E., Hopkins, T., Gurney, E., Shortall, O., Lovatt, F., Davies, P., Williamson, G., & Kaler, J. (2018). Drivers for precision livestock technology adoption: a study of factors associated with adoption of electronic identification technology by commercial sheep farmers in England and Wales. PLoS ONE, 13(1), Article e0190489. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190489

The UK is the largest lamb meat producer in Europe. However, the low profitability of sheep farming sector suggests production efficiency could be improved. Although the use of technologies such as Electronic Identification (EID) tools could allow a... Read More about Drivers for precision livestock technology adoption: a study of factors associated with adoption of electronic identification technology by commercial sheep farmers in England and Wales.

A comparison of the efficacy of three intervention trial types: postal, group, and one-to-one facilitation, prior management and the impact of message framing and repeat messages on the flock prevalence of lameness in sheep (2017)
Journal Article
Grant, C., Kaler, J., Ferguson, E., O’Kane, H., & Green, L. E. (2018). A comparison of the efficacy of three intervention trial types: postal, group, and one-to-one facilitation, prior management and the impact of message framing and repeat messages on the flock prevalence of lameness in sheep. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 149, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2017.11.013

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of three knowledge-transfer intervention trial types (postal, group, one-to-one) to promote best practice to treat sheep with footrot. Further aims were to investigate whether farmer behaviour (... Read More about A comparison of the efficacy of three intervention trial types: postal, group, and one-to-one facilitation, prior management and the impact of message framing and repeat messages on the flock prevalence of lameness in sheep.

A longitudinal study of gastrointestinal parasites in English dairy farms: practices and factors associated with first lactation heifer exposure to Ostertagia ostertagi on pasture (2017)
Journal Article
Bellet, C., Green, M. J., Bradley, A. J., & Kaler, J. (2018). A longitudinal study of gastrointestinal parasites in English dairy farms: practices and factors associated with first lactation heifer exposure to Ostertagia ostertagi on pasture. Journal of Dairy Science, 101(1), https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-12952

The gastrointestinal nematode Ostertagia ostertagi is an important cause of lost production, health, and welfare in cattle. Detailed records were obtained over a 5-yr period (2010–2015) by questionnaires and qualitative interviews to investigate the... Read More about A longitudinal study of gastrointestinal parasites in English dairy farms: practices and factors associated with first lactation heifer exposure to Ostertagia ostertagi on pasture.

Effect of claw horn lesion type and severity at the time of treatment on outcome of lameness in dairy cows (2017)
Journal Article
Miguel-Pacheco, G. G., Thomas, H. J., Huxley, J. N., Newsome, R. F., & Kaler, J. (2017). Effect of claw horn lesion type and severity at the time of treatment on outcome of lameness in dairy cows. Veterinary Journal, 225, 16-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2017.04.015

Prompt diagnosis and treatment of claw horn lesions in cattle affects the likelihood of recovery; however, it is unknown if the type of lesion influences the likelihood of recovery. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the type, severity... Read More about Effect of claw horn lesion type and severity at the time of treatment on outcome of lameness in dairy cows.

Mathematical modeling of ovine footrot in the UK: the effect of Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum on the disease dynamics (2017)
Journal Article
Atia, J., Monaghan, E., Kaler, J., Purdy, K., Green, L., & Keeling, M. (in press). Mathematical modeling of ovine footrot in the UK: the effect of Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum on the disease dynamics. Epidemics, 21, 13-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epidem.2017.04.001

Dichelobacter nodosus is a virulent, invasive, anaerobic bacterium that is believed to be the causative agent of ovine footrot, an infectious bacterial disease of sheep that causes lameness. Another anaerobe, Fusobacterium necrophorum, has been intim... Read More about Mathematical modeling of ovine footrot in the UK: the effect of Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum on the disease dynamics.

Exploring expert opinion on the practicality and effectiveness of biosecurity measures on dairy farms in the United Kingdom using choice modeling (2017)
Journal Article
Shortall, O., Green, M., Brennan, M. L., Wapenaar, W., & Kaler, J. (in press). Exploring expert opinion on the practicality and effectiveness of biosecurity measures on dairy farms in the United Kingdom using choice modeling. Journal of Dairy Science, 100(3), https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2016-11435

Biosecurity, defined as a series of measures aiming to stop disease-causing agents entering or leaving an area where farm animals are present, is very important for the continuing economic viability of the United Kingdom dairy sector, and for animal... Read More about Exploring expert opinion on the practicality and effectiveness of biosecurity measures on dairy farms in the United Kingdom using choice modeling.

Exploring attitudes and beliefs towards implementing cattle disease prevention and control measures: a qualitative study with dairy farmers in Great Britain (2016)
Journal Article
Brennan, M. L., Wright, N., Wapenaar, W., Jarratt, S., Hobson-West, P., Richens, I. F., Kaler, J., Buchanan, H., Huxley, J., & O’Connor, H. M. (in press). Exploring attitudes and beliefs towards implementing cattle disease prevention and control measures: a qualitative study with dairy farmers in Great Britain. Animals, 6(10), Article 61. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani6100061

Disease prevention and control practices are frequently highlighted as important to ensure the health and welfare of farmed animals, although little is known as to why not many practices are carried out. The aim of this study was to identify the moti... Read More about Exploring attitudes and beliefs towards implementing cattle disease prevention and control measures: a qualitative study with dairy farmers in Great Britain.

Factors influencing veterinary surgeons’ decision-making about dairy cattle vaccination (2016)
Journal Article
Richens, I., Hobson-West, P., Brennan, M. L., Hood, Z., Kaler, J., Green, M., Wright, N., & Wapenaar, W. (in press). Factors influencing veterinary surgeons’ decision-making about dairy cattle vaccination. Veterinary Record, 179(16), https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.103822

The use of vaccines in the cattle industry is widespread; however, there is limited published guidance for use by decision-makers such as farmers and vets. To best support vets in advising dairy farmers on the optimisation of vaccination strategies,... Read More about Factors influencing veterinary surgeons’ decision-making about dairy cattle vaccination.

Ostertagia spp., rumen fluke and liver fluke single- and poly-infections in cattle: an abattoir study of prevalence and production impacts in England and Wales (2016)
Journal Article
Bellet, C., Green, M. J., Vickers, M., Forbes, A., Berry, J., & Kaler, J. (in press). Ostertagia spp., rumen fluke and liver fluke single- and poly-infections in cattle: an abattoir study of prevalence and production impacts in England and Wales. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 132, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2016.08.010

This study aims at investigating the occurrence, risk factors and production impacts on beef carcassparameters of three of the most important cattle helminth infections in England and Wales. Abomasa, reticulorumens and livers from healthy cattle were... Read More about Ostertagia spp., rumen fluke and liver fluke single- and poly-infections in cattle: an abattoir study of prevalence and production impacts in England and Wales.

Associations between sheep farmer attitudes, beliefs, emotions and personality, and their barriers to uptake of best practice: the example of footrot (2016)
Journal Article
O’Kane, H., Ferguson, E., Kaler, J., & Green, L. (2017). Associations between sheep farmer attitudes, beliefs, emotions and personality, and their barriers to uptake of best practice: the example of footrot. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 139, 123-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2016.05.009

There is interest in understanding how farmers’ behaviour influences their management of livestock. We extend the theory of planned behaviour with farmers attitudes, beliefs, emotions and personality to investigate how these are associated with manag... Read More about Associations between sheep farmer attitudes, beliefs, emotions and personality, and their barriers to uptake of best practice: the example of footrot.

Factors associated with the presence and prevalence of contagious ovine digital dermatitis: a 2013 study of 1136 random English sheep flocks (2016)
Journal Article
Dickins, A., Clark, C. C., Kaler, J., Ferguson, E., O’Kane, H., & Green, L. E. (2016). Factors associated with the presence and prevalence of contagious ovine digital dermatitis: a 2013 study of 1136 random English sheep flocks. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 130, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2016.06.009

In 2013, a questionnaire was used to gather data on risks for introduction, and factors associated with prevalence, of contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD). There were 1136 (28.4%) usable responses from 4000 randomly selected sheep farmers in E... Read More about Factors associated with the presence and prevalence of contagious ovine digital dermatitis: a 2013 study of 1136 random English sheep flocks.

Broken biosecurity?: veterinarians’ framing of biosecurity on dairy farms in England (2016)
Journal Article
Shortall, O., Ruston, A., Green, M. J., Brennan, M. L., Wapenaar, W., & Kaler, J. (2016). Broken biosecurity?: veterinarians’ framing of biosecurity on dairy farms in England. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 132, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2016.06.001

There is seen to be a need for better biosecurity – the control of disease spread on and off farm – in the dairy sector. Veterinarians play a key role in communicating and implementing biosecurity measures on farm, and little research has been carrie... Read More about Broken biosecurity?: veterinarians’ framing of biosecurity on dairy farms in England.

Effects of lameness treatment for claw horn lesions on lying behaviour in dairy cows (2016)
Journal Article
Miguel-Pacheco, G. G., Thomas, H. J., Kaler, J., Craigon, J., & Huxley, J. N. (2016). Effects of lameness treatment for claw horn lesions on lying behaviour in dairy cows. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 179, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2016.04.001

Lameness affects lying behaviour in dairy cattle, increasing total lying time and the number of lying bouts. However, there is limited information about the effect of lameness treatment on dairy cow behaviour. This study investigated the effect of fo... Read More about Effects of lameness treatment for claw horn lesions on lying behaviour in dairy cows.

Challenges facing the farm animal veterinary profession in England: a qualitative study of veterinarians’ perceptions and responses (2016)
Journal Article
Ruston, A., Shortall, O., Green, M. J., Brennan, M. L., Wapenaar, W., & Kaler, J. (2016). Challenges facing the farm animal veterinary profession in England: a qualitative study of veterinarians’ perceptions and responses. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 127, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2016.03.008

The farm animal veterinary profession in the UK has faced a number of challenges in recent decades related to the withdrawal of government funding and a contraction of the agricultural sector. They have come under pressure to respond by developing sk... Read More about Challenges facing the farm animal veterinary profession in England: a qualitative study of veterinarians’ perceptions and responses.

Farmers’ perception of the role of veterinary surgeons in vaccination strategies on British dairy farms (2015)
Journal Article
Richens, I., Hobson-West, P., Brennan, M. L., Lowton, R., Kaler, J., & Wapenaar, W. (in press). Farmers’ perception of the role of veterinary surgeons in vaccination strategies on British dairy farms. Veterinary Record, 177(18), https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.103415

There is limited research investigating the motivators and barriers to vaccinating dairy cattle. Veterinary surgeons have been identified as important sources of information for farmers making vaccination and disease control decisions, as well as bei... Read More about Farmers’ perception of the role of veterinary surgeons in vaccination strategies on British dairy farms.

Changes in prevalence of, and risk factors for, lameness in random samples of English sheep flocks: 2004–2013 (2015)
Journal Article
Winter, J. R., Kaler, J., Ferguson, E., KilBride, A. L., & Green, L. E. (2015). Changes in prevalence of, and risk factors for, lameness in random samples of English sheep flocks: 2004–2013. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 122(1-2), 121-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2015.09.014

The aims of this study were to update the prevalence of lameness in sheep in England and identify novel risk factors. A total of 1260 sheep farmers responded to a postal survey. The survey captured detailed information on the period prevalence of lam... Read More about Changes in prevalence of, and risk factors for, lameness in random samples of English sheep flocks: 2004–2013.