Nominations are now open for the “Young Dairy Vet of the Year” award, a recent addition to the Dairy Industry Trade Awards (the Cream Awards) run by British Dairying magazine. The award, introduced in 2020 and supported by animal health company Krka UK, recognises an exceptional farm vet who has been working in the dairy industry for three to five years and who has contributed significantly to the health and well-being of herds under their care.
The role and responsibilities of today’s dairy vets are evolving rapidly thanks to advances in technology, genomics and automation. The first recipient of the award Young Dairy Vet of the Year 2021, Rob Hall, veterinary surgeon at LLM Farm Vets in Shropshire, comments: “The sustainability of the dairy industry will remain in the spotlight for decades to come with young vets in a great position to work with dairy farmers of the future to improve the efficiency of their herds. This can be achieved, for instance, by improving nutrition, genetics and housing; by helping farmers to reduce antibiotics or wormers; and by reducing the detrimental effects of disease.”
He added: “As vets start their post-university careers, they face a steep learning curve. Dairy vets in particular have a huge arsenal of practical skills to hone as well as trying to forge relationships with farmers and colleagues. It can be tricky to strike the right balance, while finding time to pursue their own interests to keep work interesting. I’ve been lucky at LLM to have had the opportunity to work with a great team and engaged farmers. This has enabled me to pick up the basics as well as being able to delve deeper into the aspects of farming which interest me most. I’m extremely grateful to the Cream Awards for recognising this and to Krka for its support of the Young Dairy Vet Award.”
Charlotte Read, key account manager – farm, at Krka, added: “Krka is proud to support the recognition of rising stars within the dairy veterinary profession and hope that their achievements will inspire many of the next generation of veterinary surgeons to embrace the rewarding life of the farm vet.”
Full details of all of the Cream Awards and the nomination process is available on the award website.
Krka UK Ltd is a rapidly growing animal health company and is a subsidiary of Slovenia-based Krka d. d., Novo Mesto. The company offers a range of high-quality generic pharmaceuticals and aims to offer its customers exceptional value, service and technical support.
