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Vet scoops Livestock Advisor of the Year Award
Julian Allen is a director of Friars Moor Livestock.

Julian Allen recognised for going the extra mile to support his clients. 

Veterinary surgeon Julian Allen has been named winner of the 2020 Farmers Weekly Livestock Advisor of the Year Award.

Julian, who is a director of Friars Moor Livestock Health, received the honour in recognition of his dedication, enthusiasm and for going above and beyond to support his clients.

During his 26 years at Friars Moor, Julian has made a considerable difference to the operations of livestock farmers, helping one large Dorset dairy farm reduce its antibiotic usage by two thirds over eight years. With a focus on dairy cow health, his interests include nutrition and benchmarking herd performance.

Commenting on his achievement, Julian said: "I was honoured to be named Livestock Adviser of the Year. This work is my passion – I love working together with farmers, getting involved in all aspects of herd management and thinking through different options to improve herd health and productivity."

Friars Moor forms part of the independent veterinary group, XLVets. Runners up for the award included veterinary surgeon Ed Hill, who also hails from XLVets, and Phil Baynes, managing director of Bayes Nutrition.

Alice Renner, farm marketing executive of XLVets, commented: "We were so pleased to hear of these awards going to such hard-working and deserving people. And it’s a great accolade for our members – reflecting how XLVets practices strive for clinical excellence and really get invested in the success of their clients.

“We see the collaborative strength of the community every day in the way knowledge is shared to achieve the best outcomes for everyone’s clients, it is fantastic to see this celebrated publicly within the farming community at large."

Image (C) XLVets.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.