Not so long ago, agriculture was simple? Relatively low stocking rates were grazed on mixed swards which maybe received some farm generated manure and a little lime. Farmers ambled around with a dog and a stick and talked to each other as they leaned over wooden gates! And in those bygone days, the veterinary role was also a simple one; vets arrived to treat the odd case of milk fever and always had time to stay for a cup of tea and a chat!
Over time things came a little more complicated. Clover and specialised ryegrass mixes gently improved productivity but added a few new veterinary conditions, such as bloat and staggers. However the degree of intensity was still relatively low and the diseases of high production, that plague many farms today, remained unrecognised or were slow to emerge.
Then, Lo! The nitrogen dawn shone a new glow through the land! Nitrogen, urea, phosphate and other chemical fertilisers were produced in large fertiliser factories and were applied, along with a range of other agri-chemicals, in increasing quantities to the farm. The “Green Revolution” was now seriously underway and the fertilisers greatly improved productivity - but at cost. There were larger bills to be paid and the maximisation of productivity became far more important. Veterinary work became more complex as fertility issues, lameness, seasonal mastitis and other infectious disease impinged upon the profitability of the expanding farm; specialised veterinary knowledge became far more important. The day of the ‘Farm Vet’ only had arrived as other vets wandered off to treat only cats or horses.
And so it remained until possibly five to ten years ago, when even more dramatic changes in agricultural systems appeared over the horizon. On one front, robots marched forward onto dairy farms, while data became the vital life blood of the system and fences became irrelevant, as collared cows were monitored and restrained by cell phone. Other farms wandered down the organic road, rapidly reducing the inputs of fertilisers and chemicals and looked for a premium for their products in return.
Sustainable agriculture reared it's mossy head as farms began to look more closely at their customers demands; not only was the milk or meat to be healthy and tasty, it now had to be produced in a sustainable manner, paying more attention to the needs of soil and the next generation of farmers.
Regenerative farming, with its many vaguer nuances, began to be seriously discussed. Initiatives such as Whenua Haumanu, a seven year project in which Massey University is engaging with a number of other organisations, including New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), to explore the relevance of regenerative agriculture to New Zealand was underway. Other environmental considerations, which involved nitrate run-off or methane eructation, became daily topics of conversation.
In this rapidly changing agricultural environment is the modern farm vet specialist able to keep ahead of so many changes? Are today’s veterinary students equipped to deal with this protean agricultural environment? Will they, and their older colleagues, becomes adept at discussing and understanding the wide range changing farm systems to which they will be exposed? At VetSalus, we have endeavoured to provide a range of information in the form of articles, courses and tools to assist veterinarians to adapt. Our perspective is international, and working closely with colleagues in the U.K. and Denmark, we have a strong focus on the need to produce wholesome food from healthy animals. For example our courses, which include “A Veterinary Approach to Sustainable Food and Farming ” and “ Livestock and Climate Change- a Veterinary Perspective” are available online and require significant CPD commitment. There are also a range of which articles on many topics which are lighter read and most of these are available free of charge. Our latest publication will be published in September and is a compilation from the successful series of articles : “How Vets Change Farm Carbon Footprints.” All can help to better equip veterinarians as they engage with the rigours of changing farm systems and a more sustainable approach to food production.
Research advances are also constant: the reduction or mitigation of methane production has now become an important topic and vets are increasingly becoming involved, as diets change, new additives emerge and the genetic selection of more efficient animals becomes normal. And of course behind the scene AI, which no longer refers to animal breeding, is monitoring and suggesting new directions and changes, as the wealth of data and a plethora of systems multiplies. All of this, and more, is covered on our VetSalus website and in our regular monthly newsletters. You can sign up for these free publications by registering at www.vetsalus.com.
It's an exciting time to be a farm veterinarian; but the need for increased professional networking, awareness of advances in systems and also the changing role of the farm vet, from the hands-on, tea sipping master of many skills to the consultant, providing specialist and highly relevant knowledge, has never been higher. At VetSalus we are excited about this new future. If you would like more information about our work or would like to register for some of our training and courses please don’t delay - visit www.vetsalus today!