3.4. Factors that prevented farmers from using veterinarians for proactive flock health
There were many factors that farmers reported that influenced their decision on whether to use veterinarians proactively. These included their perception of a veterinarian's knowledge, lack of time, continuity of personnel and the economics of sheep farming.
3.4.1. Knowledge
There was a general consensus among the farmers that there are not many veterinarians that are sheep specialists and so they do not consider veterinarians are able to make improvements in health and productivity in their flocks and hence they do not use the veterinarians proactively.
3.4.2. Lack of continuity of personnel and lack of time
Some farmers felt that lack of continuity with veterinarian's attending the farm limited their use of veterinarians whilst others commented that the rate of turnover of veterinarians in practices hampered their ability to start building trust and confidence.
3.4.3. Economics of sheep farming
Most farmers believed that the economics of sheep farming is a major barrier for using veterinarians more regularly for advice or having more frequent contact with them. They mentioned that they could not afford veterinarians’ services because each sheep had little value (lambs about £90 at the time of the meetings, ewes about £120).
3.5. Perceived benefits of using veterinarians proactively
Some farmers considered that only bad farmers need veterinary help.
3.6. Updating knowledge
When farmers were asked how they updated their knowledge, some older farmers remembered free farm visits with advice on husbandry and grassland management and free post mortem examinations and visits from state veterinarians when disease outbreaks occurred. This advice was still considered useful for current farming (although 30+ years old). Many farmers listed many sources of information (most of them free) including farming magazines, newsletters from farming groups and veterinarians, EBLEX, Moredun, farming shows, animal health suppliers and the internet, also listed by farmers in Wassink et al. (2010a). Most farmers were of the view that there is enough information available to keep them updated. Some, but not all, farmers were sceptical of meetings organised by veterinarians; they were of the view that these meetings are generally sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and veterinarians could have a biased view.