Vet set to undertake pioneering research into disease
A PEMBROKESHIRE vet has made a career change to undertake pioneering veterinary research that will help Welsh farms lead the way in animal health, beginning a PHD at Aberystwyth University as the university gears up to open Wales’s first vet school this September.
Becca Roberts, who lives in Newport, Pembrokeshire, was brought up on a farm in the Vale of Glamorgan.
After graduating from the University of Bristol Veterinary School, Becca started working at Priory Vets in Cardigan, before moving on to Fenton Vets in Haverfordwest.
Becca’s research at Aberystwyth University is funded through a Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol scholarship and supported by Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) as part of its Research and Development Portfolio.
Through her PHD, Becca aims to maximise health, welfare and productivity of livestock through precision technologies.
Detecting diseases early is seen as crucial to providing the correct treatment as promptly as possible. However, doing so is challenging, and often significant production losses have occurred before clinical symptoms have been observed.
Precision livestock technologies, such as sensors, have the potential to improve the detection of diseases within the industry and are likely to change the way that farmers, scientists and veterinarians detect and treat diseases in livestock.
Becca commented: “It’s great to be joining Aberystwyth University at such an exciting time, with the opening of Wales’s first vet school this year. Precision technologies have the potential to measure livestock behaviours 24 hours a day.
“My research will build on previous studies at the department here in Aberystwyth and HCC’S research and development programme.
“It aims to evaluate precision technologies to uncover changes in sheep and cattle behaviour that are associated with health.
“Data collected by precision technologies has the potential to identify disease before overt clinical signs are visible.
“We aim to assess the technology’s ability to detect diseases that affect animals at key stages in the production cycle, such as those that affect ewes around lambing time. Early significant changes in
detection and intervention will allow farmers to minimise losses and improve animal welfare on their farms.”
Dr Rhys Aled Jones, lecturer in livestock science at the Institute of Biology, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University, is the main supervisor of Becca’s project.
He added: “We are delighted that this project will be led by Becca, an experienced local vet who has a strong passion for Welsh agriculture.
“The project will coincide with the arrival of the first cohort of veterinary students at Aberystwyth University’s School of Veterinary Science, which will be a focal point for veterinary education and research in Wales.”
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We aim to assess the technology’s ability to detect diseases that affect animals at key stages in the production cycle, such as those that affect ewes around lambing time Becca Roberts
Jinsy and David Robinson are organic dairy farmers from Penyrallt Farm in the
Teifi Valley. It is a traditional, mixed, family farm, run by the Robinson family since 1960 and together they strive to farm in a way which has as little impact as possible on the nature around them
WE have just completed our Red Tractor audit, a virtual one this time, however the fee was not virtual.
Anyhow, we passed and as usual were irritated that so much emphasis is laid on very minor details such as which cow’s foot was treated right down to left, right, front or back.
The only important thing is that the foot in question was treated.
Also, what is the relevance of knowing the serial number on the livestock trailer to animal health?
It is frustrating to be audited for compliance and competence by supplying a lot of data where the condition of the stock should speak for itself.
My analogy would be like having a MOT for the car which asks only for the serial number of the radio and what detergent you clean it with. Yes, Red Tractor wants to know what cleaning chemicals we use. How much longer are we farmers going to allow this organisation to continue? It does not contribute to feeding people, especially when importers do not have to be audited to the same standards.
Not much confidence can be gained by the appointment of Tim Smith as the Trade & Agriculture Commissioner, who is committed to liberalising trade. Let us hope he can distinguish between horse and cow unlike when he was Tesco’s technical director.
The government is currently resisting any form of protectionist farm policy despite nearly all developed countries in the world having one. Striking a balance between self-sufficiency and importing will be difficult but farming is a long-term industry that needs stability, unlike our politicians who only have to think ahead in four-year stints.
The county council has been decorating trees along the highways with red ribbons and spray marker paint. This is to indicate ash trees that have ash-dieback and need to be removed this year by the landowner. We have lost a great many ash trees but are fortunate not to have any on the roadside. Our landscape will be very different when they have all gone. I just hope new saplings currently growing will be allowed to develop and take their place.
Trees, apart from enhancing the landscape, are carbon sequesters, they do not require any hightech equipment to fulfil that role, just let them grow.
I have been involved in removing some of the condemned trees which will be sawn and made into something useful. At least some of their heritage will live on and their carbon stored.
Yes, another picture of cows grazing, but what a beautiful scene. The harvesting of nature’s totally renewable resource requiring no fossil-fuel input converting solar energy into food.