Research project

Improving dairy cattle welfare: promoting uptake of veterinary advice

Lead researcher:

Professor Emma Roe
Research funder:

Animal Welfare Foundation
Status:

Not active

Project overview

Encouraging farmers to improve animal husbandry and adopt veterinary advice remains a critical challenge for animal welfare improvement. Advisors who can understand the farming context, compellingly communicate ideas, and engage farmers with beneficial practices are essential. Similar challenges are faced by the medical profession who are increasingly employing a technique called Motivational Interviewing (MI), an evidence-based framework for promoting lifestyle changes to improve public health and community welfare.

This research considers the applicability of MI to the veterinary profession, defining and evaluating possible methods for increasing the uptake of advisory recommendations.

This research is funded by the Animal Welfare Foundation British Veterinary Association. The research is with Kristen Reyher (PI), David Main (Co-I), Beckky Whay (Co-I), Anne Haas (Co-I). The research is being carried out by Alison Bard.