What do farmers want from their vet?

In 2007 and 2011, the National Farmers Union (NFU) undertook an informal consultation of its members to identify what farmers wanted in terms of veterinary service from their private veterinary surgeon. Whilst the more traditional services such as 24/7 emergency cover and routine animal health care were still required, farmers also expressed a desire for vets to provide management advice, horizon scanning, price transparency, new technology support, disease surveillance, biosecurity advice and personal involvement in both individual client's farms and their wider farming community. There are opportunities for knowledgeable and forward thinking veterinary surgeons to work with their farmer clients to achieve mutually profitable businesses, but this will require attitudinal, educational and clinical change from the whole veterinary profession.