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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., …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., …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.

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.

Unravelling the temporal association between lameness and body condition score in dairy cattle using a multistate modelling approach (2015)
Journal Article
Lim, P., Huxley, J., Willshire, J., Green, M., Othman, A., & Kaler, J. (2015). Unravelling the temporal association between lameness and body condition score in dairy cattle using a multistate modelling approach. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 118(4), 370-377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2014.12.015

Recent studies have reported associations between lameness and body condition score (BCS) in dairy cattle, however the impact of change in the dynamics of BCS on both lameness occurrence and recovery is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to... Read More about Unravelling the temporal association between lameness and body condition score in dairy cattle using a multistate modelling approach.

Area of hock hair loss in dairy cows : risk factors and correlation to a categorical scale (2015)
Journal Article
Lim, P., Huxley, J., Green, M. J., Othman, A., Potterton, S., Brignell, C., & Kaler, J. (2015). Area of hock hair loss in dairy cows : risk factors and correlation to a categorical scale. Veterinary Journal, 203(2), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.11.005

Data from 3691 dairy cows from 76 farms were used to investigate the risk factors associated with area of hair loss over the lateral aspect of the hock, and the correlation between the area of hair loss as calculated using a hock map and hock lesion... Read More about Area of hock hair loss in dairy cows : risk factors and correlation to a categorical scale.

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.

How does reviewing the evidence change veterinary surgeons’ beliefs regarding the treatment of ovine footrot?: a quantitative and qualitative study (2013)
Journal Article
Higgins, H. M., Green, L. E., Green, M. J., & Kaler, J. (2013). How does reviewing the evidence change veterinary surgeons’ beliefs regarding the treatment of ovine footrot?: a quantitative and qualitative study. PLoS ONE, 8(5), Article 13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0064175

Footrot is a widespread, infectious cause of lameness in sheep, with major economic and welfare costs. The aims of this research were: (i) to quantify how veterinary surgeons’ beliefs regarding the efficacy of two treatments for footrot changed follo... Read More about How does reviewing the evidence change veterinary surgeons’ beliefs regarding the treatment of ovine footrot?: a quantitative and qualitative study.