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Technology adoption on farms: Using Normalisation Process Theory to understand sheep farmers’ attitudes and behaviours in relation to using precision technology in flock management (2019)
Journal Article
Kaler, J., & Ruston, A. (2019). Technology adoption on farms: Using Normalisation Process Theory to understand sheep farmers’ attitudes and behaviours in relation to using precision technology in flock management. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 170, Article 104715. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2019.104715

Evidence suggests that UK sheep farmers experience lower productivity and profit margins than other livestock sectors and that they do not necessarily know where they gain or lose income from their flocks. More efficient use of precision technology h... Read More about Technology adoption on farms: Using Normalisation Process Theory to understand sheep farmers’ attitudes and behaviours in relation to using precision technology in flock management.

To prescribe or not to prescribe? A factorial survey to explore veterinarians’ decision making when prescribing antimicrobials to sheep and beef farmers in the UK (2019)
Journal Article
Doidge, C., Hudson, C., Lovatt, F., & Kaler, J. (2019). To prescribe or not to prescribe? A factorial survey to explore veterinarians’ decision making when prescribing antimicrobials to sheep and beef farmers in the UK. PLoS ONE, 14(4), Article e0213855. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213855

Resistance to antimicrobials is one of the biggest challenges worldwide for public health. A key strategy for tackling this is ensuring judicious use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine. Whilst there are many studies in human medicine... Read More about To prescribe or not to prescribe? A factorial survey to explore veterinarians’ decision making when prescribing antimicrobials to sheep and beef farmers in the UK.

Using big data in cattle practice (2018)
Journal Article
Hudson, C., Kaler, J., & Down, P. (2018). Using big data in cattle practice. In Practice, 40(9), 396-410. https://doi.org/10.1136/inp.k4328

© 2018 BMJ Publishing Group Limited. The concept of big data, associated data sources and analytics is becoming increasingly talked about both in society as a whole and within the livestock industry. This article provides a clinician-focused review o... Read More about Using big data in cattle practice.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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., …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.

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.

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.

Preventative services offered by veterinarians on sheep farms in England and Wales: opinions and drivers for proactive flock health planning (2015)
Journal Article
Bellet, C., Woodnutt, J., Green, L. E., & Kaler, J. (2015). Preventative services offered by veterinarians on sheep farms in England and Wales: opinions and drivers for proactive flock health planning. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 122(4), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2015.07.008

Recent independent UK government reports and studies have highlighted the importance, but lack, of flock health services provided by veterinarians. Qualitative interviews were analysed by thematic analysis to construct belief statements to understand... Read More about Preventative services offered by veterinarians on sheep farms in England and Wales: opinions and drivers for proactive flock health planning.

Behavioural changes in dairy cows with lameness in an automatic milking system (2013)
Journal Article
Miguel-Pacheco, G., Kaler, J., Remnant, J., Cheyne, L., Abbott, C., French, A. P., …Huxley, J. N. (2014). Behavioural changes in dairy cows with lameness in an automatic milking system. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 150, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2013.11.003

There is a tendency worldwide for the automation of farms; this has included the introduction of automatic milking systems (AMS) in the dairy industry. Lameness in dairy cows is highly prevalent and painful. These impacts potentially affect not only... Read More about Behavioural changes in dairy cows with lameness in an automatic milking system.

Sheep farmer opinions on the current and future role of veterinarians in flock health management on sheep farms: a qualitative study (2013)
Journal Article
Kaler, J., & Green, L. (2013). Sheep farmer opinions on the current and future role of veterinarians in flock health management on sheep farms: a qualitative study. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 112(3-4), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2013.09.009

A 2009 UK Government report on veterinary expertise in food animal production highlighted that there was insufficient herd health expertise among veterinarians and lack of appropriate business models to deliver veterinary services to the livestock se... Read More about Sheep farmer opinions on the current and future role of veterinarians in flock health management on sheep farms: a qualitative study.