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Harper Adams names new head of veterinary health
Dr Philip Robinson will lead the University's new Department of Veterinary Health and Animal Sciences.

Dr Philip Robinson to lead the new department of Veterinary Health and Animal Sciences. 

Harper Adams University has named Dr Philip Robinson as head of its new Department of Veterinary Health and Animal Sciences.

Dr Robinson is an academic veterinary surgeon, teaching and researching farm animal health and welfare and veterinary public health.

After qualifying from the University of Glasgow, he worked in private veterinary practice in Northern Ireland and Scotland before spending more than a decade as a field veterinary officer and epidemiologist with Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

Soon after joining Harper Adams University in 2015, Dr Robinson became the first-ever RCVS Recognised Specialist in State Veterinary Medicine, before going on to promotion as principal lecturer in farm animal health and welfare.

He took a short break from Harper Adams to work as a senior lecturer in veterinary public health at the University of Glasgow, before returning in September as it launched the UK’s ninth vet school, in partnership with Keele University.

In this new role, Dr Robinson will work alongside the vet school leadership team to ensure veterinary nursing, veterinary physiotherapy and veterinary medicine students train together and develop the professional networks they will need in practice.

Dr Robinson said: “I am honoured to be leading the new Department of Veterinary Health and Animal Sciences at an exciting time in the development of Harper Adams University. The opening of the new Veterinary Education Centre as part of the Harper & Keele Veterinary School offers fantastic new facilities and equipment for training veterinary nursing and veterinary physiotherapy students from my department.

“Additionally, there are excellent opportunities for inter-professional education and research collaboration between all of the different disciplines in animal health and welfare represented at the university.”

Image (C) Harper Adams University.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.