Meet Our Experts - Marina Stevens

Marina Stevens dedicates her daily work to monitoring and optimising udder health on dairy farms. Her role centres on preventive management, targeted mastitis treatment based on bacteriological analysis, and guiding farmers in responsible antimicrobial stewardship. By combining data‑driven decision‑making with practical on‑farm support, she helps dairy producers strengthen herd health while improving treatment outcomes.

A key part of Marina’s approach is working collaboratively with farmers to establish clear udder‑health objectives, always with prevention as the foundation. Using somatic cell count data, treatment records, and diagnostic results, she identifies specific problem areas and develops tailored action plans for each farm. For her, udder‑health improvement is a continuous cycle of designing, implementing, evaluating, and refining interventions.

Marina also supports dairy farmers who perform on‑farm bacteriological testing using the Udder‑ID system. She trains them in proper milk‑sample collection, plating techniques, and the basic interpretation of bacterial growth. Throughout the entire process—from sampling to treatment advice—she serves as a reliable point of contact. The adoption of targeted treatment has led to a more responsible and reduced use of antibiotics, increased use of pain relief that benefits animal welfare, and a noticeable decrease in discarded milk.

As a certified antimicrobial reduction coach, Marina further assists farmers in mapping antibiotic use on their farms and translating this information into practical, achievable measures that promote responsible antimicrobial practices.

Although her field is highly specialised, Marina finds each day brings new challenges and opportunities. Working alongside dairy farmers to make meaningful progress remains a major source of motivation for her and inspires her to give her full commitment to the work she does.

If you have a project that you feel the VetSalus network of experts would be able to assist on please contact us here.