The MacVet Podcast

By Dr Fiona MacGillivray MRCVSScience Social Sciences

The MacVet Podcast episodes

August 24, 2023Putting things into perspective
Udder health specialist and prolific author Theo Lam is manager of Research and Development at GD Animal Health in the Netherlands. He is also part-time professor at Utrecht University.
Theo worked in veterinary practice for 10 years but it wasn’t until he moved out of clinical work, and into research, that he started to
appreciate the significance of communication for vets working with farmers to improve udder health.

In this episode, Theo talks about:
discovering a new perspective on how vets can work more effectively
how to change mindsets through social influence
a rare and beautiful breed of cattle I bet you haven’t heard of yet!
Listen in to discover Theo’s thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!
49 min
August 24, 2023 Bones, brains and exercise
Marcelle Malan is an accredited exercise physiologist, working in Melbourne, Australia - the coffee capital of the world. She has a special interest in female physiology and menopause, promoting a better understanding of the female body in and through exercise science and medicine. Sharing her expertise in this area, Marcelle runs novel educational trainings for health and fitness professionals from all over the world.
In this episode, Marcelle talks about:
·     how professionals need to be able to convey their knowledge to clients in a meaningful way
·     achieving better engagement and involvement by avoiding PowerPoint
·     how exercise can be used to mitigate the effects of menopause and control the ageing process
Listen in to discover Marcelle’s thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!
*please be aware that the audio quality was affected due to poor internet connectivity*
48 min
August 10, 2023 Fascinated by farming
Journalist Rachael Porter decided that writing for and about dairy farmers was something that would make a difference. She has been the editor Cow Management (a technical magazine for progressive dairy farmers) for 20 years. As someone who relishes new challenges, she was excited to recently take on the additional responsibility for publishing the magazine with her business partner.
In this episode, Rachael talks about:
developing your own style as a journalist
how technology has transformed both journalism and farming
the importance of making information and advice relevant for the person expected to use it.
Listen in to discover Rachael's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!
39 min
August 10, 2023Coaching success
Tom Hartley is coaching team lead with the independent charity UK Coaching, an organisation that supports coaches across a broad range of different sports.

Having worked around the world in different coaching roles for over 20 years, Tom believes that communication and the relationships lie at the heart of successful coaching.

As coaching is a skill also relevant to many different roles outside sport, we explore principles and concepts that can be applied to support the creation of successful management or development plans.

In this episode, Tom talk's about:
recognising the challenges that coaches face,
building rapport and the benefits of showing vulnerability,
using Motivational Interviewing (MI) to create an environment for effective communication.

Listen in to hear Tom's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!
42 min
July 27, 2023Follow the leader
Owen Atkinson spends his time making lives better for cows and the people who care for them. After many years working in veterinary practice, he set up his consultancy to provide strategic health advice and tailor-made training to ruminant and dairy agri-businesses. Central to his work is learning how best to communicate with farmers and get positive herd health results from people taking action and embracing change.
In this episode, Owen talks about:
evolving his approach to sharing knowledge and advice,

Buttercup the Jersey house cow,

the challenges and rewards of running a solo business.
Listen in to discover Owen's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!
47 min
July 27, 2023 Fertile ground
Dairy farmer Phil Latham will always have a passion for his cows, but now spends more time supporting the development of a strong and growing team of people, by fostering effective communication.
Not one to shy away from taking on responsibility for both successes and failures, Phil has also been keen to voice his concerns and opinions on behalf of the farming community.
In this episode, Phil talks about:
embracing new challenges - both in farming and diversification
creating an oasis from scratch that's now teeming with wildlife (a zoologist's dream!)
succumbing to coffee-snobbery
Listen in to discover Phil's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!
46 min
July 13, 2023 Gotta get this message to you
Jude Capper is a livestock sustainability consultant, having worked in the USA before returning to the UK. Her passion for agriculture and ability to create engaging messages around data and science help her connect with her audience, having spoken at numerous events and conferences around the world.
In this episode, Jude talks about:
being fascinated about what makes us behave the way we do,
the power of 'we' when discussing change as an industry,
'pointy headed syndrome' and its impact on communication.
Listen in to discover Jude's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!
48 min
July 13, 2023 Balanced conversations, better understanding
Stuart Russell is a dairy vet with a passion for making data meaningful. He recognises that the way we communicate about data and information has a huge impact on engagement and interpretation. If some decisions in farming feel like a bit of a gamble, using data can improve the odds.
In this episode, Stuart talks about:
recognising that something that makes sense to you might not make sense to other people,
the benefits of being sceptical and the perils of cynicism,
when coffee snobbery goes bad!
Listen in to discover Stuart's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!

49 min
June 29, 2023 Mr Blue Sky
James Robinson farms in sunny Cumbria, sharing images of his beautiful herd of Shorthorn cattle on social media and explaining 'what farming actually is' for his avid followers, who range from fellow farmers to people who have never stepped onto a farm in their life.
In this episode, James talks about:
sharing farm life through social media
winning the prestigious Silver Lapwing award in 2022 which recognises outstanding efforts to promote good habitat and environmental management
plans to celebrate 150 years of Robinson family farming
Listen in to discover James's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!
39 min
June 15, 2023 Time to take stock?
Amy Jackson has worked in agriculture and farming for over 35 years, specialising in crisis management and public relations support of high profile stories such as horsemeat and 'megafarms'. She recently explored the issues around public perceptions of dairy farming, completing a PhD from the University of Nottingham’s Vet School.
In this episode, Amy talks about:
creating better connections with the public
reducing reliance on education alone
listening to understand how people form opinions
Listen in to discover Amy's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!
49 min