Farmer condemns attitude of vets

VETS were accused at a yesterday of having “a superior attitude” to farmers.

Jim Dwyer, a leading dairy farmer from near Borris-in-Ossory, Co Laois, hit out at the profession in an address to the Animal and Plant Health Association (APHA) annual conference in Portlaoise.

He said the profession needs to urgently look at ways to improve its services to what has become a more specialised and demanding industry.

Mr Dwyer claimed vets have neglected the whole area of animal health.

“A prime example is dairy cow fertility, which has been a major problem for the past two decades. But the veterinary profession has done little or nothing about it.

“For example, how many veterinary practices have a pregnancy scanner, an essential piece of equipment in providing a professional service on cow fertility?” he asked.

Mr Dwyer gave his own personal experience of veterinary services following the de-stocking of his farm in 2002 due to a brucellosis outbreak. “The veterinary profession was not particularly helpful. We had to sort out most of the problems ourselves,” he said.

Mr Dwyer, former president of the Irish Grassland Association, said as farming becomes more concentrated, more highly skilled people will be running big businesses.

“They need to be treated as equals by those who provide them with essential animal health services,” he said.

However, Mr Dwyer said he is confident by working together farmers and vets can mutually benefit.