Factors influencing veterinary surgeons’ decision-making about dairy cattle vaccination

Richens, IF ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8714-7827, Hobson-West, P, Brennan, ML, Hood, Z, Kaler, J, Green, M, Wright, N and Wapenaar, W, 2016. Factors influencing veterinary surgeons’ decision-making about dairy cattle vaccination. Veterinary Record, 179 (16): 410. ISSN 0042-4900

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Abstract

The use of vaccines in the cattle industry is widespread; however there is limited published guidance for use by decision-makers such as farmers and vets. To best support vets in advising dairy farmers on the optimisation of vaccination strategies it is important to understand how and why vets make decisions about recommending the vaccination of cattle.

The objective of this study was to explore in-depth farm animal vets’ motivators and barriers to the implementation of vaccination strategies on British dairy farms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen vets.

Results indicated that vets have a positive attitude towards the use of vaccination and have few barriers to advising its implementation. Vets appear to group farmers into three ‘character types’. This characterisation influences the vet-farmer relationship and how the vet communicates with the farmer. Vets required evidence of disease, or a risk of disease as a motivator to advise vaccination. However, this seemed to be sometimes overruled by a risk averse attitude; resulting in vaccination being advised ‘just in case’. Crucially, the need for resources to support and build on the vet-farmer relationship is highlighted as an area requiring further exploration in order to optimise vaccination strategies on-farm.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Veterinary Record
Creators:	Richens, I.F., Hobson-West, P., Brennan, M.L., Hood, Z., Kaler, J., Green, M., Wright, N. and Wapenaar, W.
Publisher:	BMJ Group on behalf of the British Veterinary Association (BVA)
Date:	21 October 2016
Volume:	179
Number:	16
ISSN:	0042-4900
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1136/vr.103822 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
Record created by:	Jill Tomkinson
Date Added:	12 Mar 2019 14:35
Last Modified:	12 Mar 2019 15:58
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/35973

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