Facilitating knowledge exchange to manage Bovine Tuberculosis at the regional level
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Department Name: Biosciences
Abstract
What is the main project aim?
The aim of the project is to increase the flow of knowledge between scientists, government and the wider farming community in order to inform the management of bovine TB at a regional level. We aim to facilitate knowledge exchange in both directions between these groups, such that the farming community is given the scientific information and advice they need, while also ensuring that research and policy meet the needs of end users and has real impact.
Why bovine TB?
Bovine TB is a chronic disease in cattle which is one of the greatest challenges facing the cattle and farming industry in the UK, particularly in South-west England. The disease has rapidly increased in recent decades and has a high cost to individual farmers and to the government.
Why do we need stronger links between scientists and the farming community?
To date the management of bovine tb has largely been undertaken at a national level and has been informed by research undertaken by government agencies and academic institutions. More recently there has been a shift towards a regional approach to disease management and to an emphasis on individual decisions within the farming industry. Bovine TB has been intensively studied by the scientific community and a wealth of data is collected by government and other institutions which could be used to inform such decisions. However, historically there has been a barrier to knowledge flow from scientists to government to stakeholders affected by this disease. Information is not always readily available to a non-scientific audience and research is not always undertaken with a focus on practical applications. As a consequence, the farming community have had to rely on other information sources (media and their own experiences), which are disconnected from scientific evidence base. This project aims to bridge the gap, such that scientific information and advances can be turned into real practical solutions, and so that the farming community is equipped with the information they need to manage this disease.
What will the project involve?
They key to this project is communication of knowledge and the creation of collaborative relationship between scientist, government and other stakeholders. We will use the TB eradication groups as a forum to engage with key stakeholder groups (farmers / vets/ those in the farming industry) who are directly affected by the disease. By listening closely to these groups and engaging in regular meetings, we aim to identify knowledge gaps and avenues for future investigation and research. Through links with scientists and government we will then work with these stakeholder groups towards answering these questions and filling these knowledge gaps. Crucially, stakeholders will be involved in this process in a truly collaborative way, which ensures the production of scientific information and advice which is tailored to their needs and situation. Working with the University of Exeter and also within the Animal and Plant Health Agency, I will draw together a broad range of scientific expertise and data. I will act as an as an environmental analyst, co-creating the evidence that the TB eradication groups require to deliberate upon bTB control methods. Exact research areas will depend on stakeholder needs and requirements, but will likely focus on badger ecology/management and environmental correlates of bovine TB risk. By developing data, producing tailored information and investigating research questions which are focused on the needs of the farming community, this fellowship aims to increase the availability and 'impact' of science to improve the management bovine TB.
The aim of the project is to increase the flow of knowledge between scientists, government and the wider farming community in order to inform the management of bovine TB at a regional level. We aim to facilitate knowledge exchange in both directions between these groups, such that the farming community is given the scientific information and advice they need, while also ensuring that research and policy meet the needs of end users and has real impact.
Why bovine TB?
Bovine TB is a chronic disease in cattle which is one of the greatest challenges facing the cattle and farming industry in the UK, particularly in South-west England. The disease has rapidly increased in recent decades and has a high cost to individual farmers and to the government.
Why do we need stronger links between scientists and the farming community?
To date the management of bovine tb has largely been undertaken at a national level and has been informed by research undertaken by government agencies and academic institutions. More recently there has been a shift towards a regional approach to disease management and to an emphasis on individual decisions within the farming industry. Bovine TB has been intensively studied by the scientific community and a wealth of data is collected by government and other institutions which could be used to inform such decisions. However, historically there has been a barrier to knowledge flow from scientists to government to stakeholders affected by this disease. Information is not always readily available to a non-scientific audience and research is not always undertaken with a focus on practical applications. As a consequence, the farming community have had to rely on other information sources (media and their own experiences), which are disconnected from scientific evidence base. This project aims to bridge the gap, such that scientific information and advances can be turned into real practical solutions, and so that the farming community is equipped with the information they need to manage this disease.
What will the project involve?
They key to this project is communication of knowledge and the creation of collaborative relationship between scientist, government and other stakeholders. We will use the TB eradication groups as a forum to engage with key stakeholder groups (farmers / vets/ those in the farming industry) who are directly affected by the disease. By listening closely to these groups and engaging in regular meetings, we aim to identify knowledge gaps and avenues for future investigation and research. Through links with scientists and government we will then work with these stakeholder groups towards answering these questions and filling these knowledge gaps. Crucially, stakeholders will be involved in this process in a truly collaborative way, which ensures the production of scientific information and advice which is tailored to their needs and situation. Working with the University of Exeter and also within the Animal and Plant Health Agency, I will draw together a broad range of scientific expertise and data. I will act as an as an environmental analyst, co-creating the evidence that the TB eradication groups require to deliberate upon bTB control methods. Exact research areas will depend on stakeholder needs and requirements, but will likely focus on badger ecology/management and environmental correlates of bovine TB risk. By developing data, producing tailored information and investigating research questions which are focused on the needs of the farming community, this fellowship aims to increase the availability and 'impact' of science to improve the management bovine TB.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Andrew Robertson (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
| Description | This fellowship was aimed at increasing the impact and awareness of science related to bovine TB. Throughout the three year project I have conducted a wide variety of work towards this aim. This has included working closely with several farming groups and other organisations including the TB Advisory service and the National Trust. I have conducted numerous talks and contributed to meetings around the country meeting or speaking to hundreds of farmers and vets affected by TB. This work has helped to communicate the science, and i have also trained >100 vets who are working with the TB Advisory service. Working with the National Trust i have also helped to plan disease control measures for their estate, and working with wildlife groups (and government) i am developing a guide for badger vaccination. Other informative materials have also been created for use by stakeholders including a range of fact sheets on bovine TB, an interactive stats dashboard and detailed guidance documents for planning badger vaccination programmes. |
| Exploitation Route | Outcomes such as factsheets and information sources are available on the Tbhub website (the main industry site for bovine TB) and will be available for use by farmers, vets and others after the fellowship is complete. The vets trained to work with the TB Advisory service will also continue to work giving advice to farmers into the future. The plans for TB control developed alongside the National Trust will be published shortly and will begin to be implemented from 2020 onwards. This should ensure that the fellowship activities have an ongoing impact. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| URL | http://www.tbknowledgeexchange.co.uk/ |
| Description | In the first year of my KE Fellowship I have been involved in a range of activities involving dealing with Stakeholder groups and other organisations, with the overall aim of increasing KE/impact in relation the science surrounding bovine TB. This work has included: • Working with several TB Eradication groups (stakeholder groups containing farmers, vets and others) to create a range of 'farmer friendly' factsheets and summaries of the science relating to TB survival in the environment. These can be accessed via the government 'TBhub' website here http://www.tbhub.co.uk/biosecurity/tb-in-the-environment/ which is used by farmers, vets and other members of the public. I have also presented this information as part of a talk/discussion with farmer stakeholder groups in Devon, Cheshire and Derbyshire. Attending meetings of these stakeholder groups is also ensuring that I can respond to specific questions and queries as they arise, as parts of ongoing effort to ensure that the groups progress towards their aims. • I am also in the process of creating an interactive web 'dashboard' to display TB statistics to farmers and the public which can be found here.https://btb-statistics.shinyapps.io/dashboard_v1/. • Working with DEFRA to produce a summary of the science behind badger vaccination, this has taken the form of a factsheet accessible here http://www.tbhub.co.uk/wildlife/badger-vaccination/ and will be used to support badger vaccination in the edge area as part of a government funded scheme. I have also presented this in several talks. • Working with the newly created TB advisory service (TBAS) http://www.tbas.org.uk/, an organisation aiming to deliver free advice to farmers. I took part in a training day to train farm advisors on the science behind badgers and bovine TB. I also worked with others at the TBAS to develop their protocol for surveying farms and identifying potential risk on farm. Farm advisors are currently using this protocol to survey farms and deliver advice as part of a DEFRA initiative to deliver several thousand farm advice visits over the next 3 years. • I have also presented summaries of the science behind TB at several vet training and CPD days. This has been well received and ensures that vets dealing with TB on farm are equipped with the latest information and science. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Description | National Trust TB partnership |
| Organisation | National Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The National Trust is a large land owner in the UK, with more than 1500 tenant farmers and multiple estates. Bovine TB is a significant issue for many farmers on NT land. I have been working with the National Trust to develop a plan of action for managing bovine TB on the NT estate. This has involved being a member of a working group alongside the NT, NFU, Defra and others. Based on the outcomes of several meetings I have co-authored a large desk study/report outlining options for disease control whihc is currently being reviewed. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The NT is the host and focus of the partnership, they have contributed time from their own staff and provided facilities and resources for meetings. |
| Impact | The principal output will be a detailed desk study/report published later in the year. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | TB Advisory Service (TBAS) |
| Organisation | Westpoint Veterinary group |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | I am on the Technical board of TB advisory service (TBAS) http://www.tbas.org.uk/, which started in October 2017. This is a Defra funded project delivered by a collaboration of three companies; West Point Veterinary group; ADAS (environmental consultancy) and Kingshay (dairy consultancy). The project aims to deliver free TB advice to farmers via visits, phone calls and also meetings/ discussion groups. As a member of the the technical board I have delivered training course covering badgers, bovine TB and farm biosecurity to all of there >100 farm advisers. I also respond to specific queries raised by farmers and /or advisors and have been producing a range of materials for communicating with stakeholders. I took part in a training day to train farm advisors on the science behind badgers and bovine TB. I also worked with others at the TBAS to develop their protocol for surveying farms and identifying potential risk on farm. Farm advisors are currently using this protocol to survey farms and deliver advice as part of a DEFRA initiative to deliver several thousand farm advice visits over the next 3 years. I regularly attend meeting of the Technical board and answer specific queries relating to issues on farms |
| Collaborator Contribution | This organisation is made up of a diverse mix of people, farmers, vets, scientists in other fields. This has given me an insight into the range of issues and concerns experienced by other working in this area. This continues to inform and enrich my other work. |
| Impact | Farm advisers are currently using the survey protocol developed by myself and TBAS to survey farms and deliver advice as part of a DEFRA initiative to deliver several thousand farm advice visits over the 3 year project |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | 'Cymorth' Welsh vet TB training workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Cymorth vet training day aimed at training welsh vets to deliver bovine TB advice to farmers. One day course during which I delivered a talk on badger / wildlife TB and biosecurity and conducted a farm walk to discuss potential management options for bovine TB. 12 vets attended the course. following the course these 12 vets are now acedited to deliver advice to farmers as part of the welsh Cymorth TB programme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://beta.gov.wales/cymorth-tb |
| Description | Animal Heath Officer Training (Woodchester Park) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Training of Animal Health Officers in badger Ecology/biosecurity. Training was well received and this will inform their visits to farms |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | BCVA Congress 2018 - talk and pannel discussion |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk on TB in UK wildlife and methods for control at the British Cattle Veterinary Association national congress. Good discussion and debate afterwards. Following this I appeared on a bovine TB panel for a Q&A with the chief vet for England and for Wales as well as several other vets active in bovine TB. The audience Audience of approximately 70 practicing vets. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Badger Vaccination guidance documents |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | *Again i have listed this in this section as i am unsure where else to put it* During my fellowship i attended many meetings on the subject of badger vaccination. It was very clear that there needed to be clearer guidance on how to set up and run badger vaccination projects. There was little information online, so I created a series of guide documents working with wildlife groups, Natural England and APHA/Defra. This was a collaborative effort and resulted in two guide documents hosted online. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://tbhub.co.uk/tb-in-wildlife/tb-in-badgers/vaccination-of-badgers-against-tb/ |
| Description | Badger Vaccination symposium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Gave a talk at a Badger symposium organised with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and Badger Trust (https://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/news/first-ever-national-conference-badger-vaccinations-take-place-derby-university-april). This talk covered the science of badger vaccination and was aimed at educating those involved in vaccination projects and making them aware of the latest sceince on the subject. There was a active discussion afterwards, along with a workshop to discuss the science in more detail. This was well received by the audience |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/news/first-ever-national-conference-badger-vaccinations-ta... |
| Description | Biosecurity Workshop (Cirencester) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | DEFRA organised workshop with farmers, vets, policy makers, scientists and associated industries. Workshop discussed a range of issue relating to TB biosecurity, resulted in a list of actions for DEFRA to take forward. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Bovine TB Eradication Advisory Group for England |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I have attended several meetings / events with the Bovine TB Eradication Advisory Group for England (TBEAG). This groups is composed of farmers, vets, DEFRA, APHA, other stakeholders and acts as a national discussion and advisory group on bovine TB. I have talked/presented on my KE fellowship on two occasions to the group to get ideas and feedback on my work . This is also an opportunity to share feedback from the wider stakeholder groups that I work with. working with TBEAG I also was involved in a one day workshop to get together various county level stakeholder groups from across the country. As part of this I delivered a talk summarising the latest science on badgers and bovine TB. Princiapl impacts so far have been the raising of awareness of the latest science within government and the wider stakeholder community. Longer term this will also hopefully lead to increased impact from my ongoing work |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018,2019 |
| Description | British Veterinary Association TB working group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Attended and spoke at the BVA bovine TB working group. This involved delivering a talk on the science of TB in wildlife and the evidence for different control strategies. There were also several seperate sessions to discuss TB related topics. This meeting was used to inform the BVA's position on badger culling and other issues. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Cheshire TB Eradication group - talk on badgers and biosecurity |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A presentation to the Cheshire TB Eradication group (primarily made up of farmer, vets and members of the public) covering the science on Badger activity in farm yards and TB (M. bovis) survival in various different farm environments. Audience of approximately 50 people. Helped to raise issues around many areas that the audience were not familiar with (eg contamination of cattle slurry etc). Lots of questions and discussions afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Cheshire badger vaccination project meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I have conducted a series of talks and meetings to support tow badger vaccination projects in Cheshire. The first of these meetings was in November 2018 working with west Cheshire council (project funders) and local volunteer groups. I have also spoken at 3 other meetings to support a badger vaccination project in east Cheshire. The meetings involve a talk on the science in relation to badgers, TB and badger vaccination followed by a lengthy (often heated) discussion and Q&A. The meetings also involve a talk by the volunteer groups for what they are planning in that area. Attendees at these meetings are largely farmers and land owners who are considering whether to join vaccination projects. Each of these four meetings was well received. as the farmers have a lot of questions about TB. Although some use the meetings to voice their frustrations and there support for badger culling. In addition I also attended a meeting with the east Cheshire project along with Manchester Airport who are potential project partners. In each case the meetings results in farmers signing up to vaccinate badgers and as a consequence badger vaccination projects are progressing in East and West Cheshire. badger vaccination project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
| Description | Cornwall TB Eradication Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Regularly attend meetings of the Cornwall TBEG (every 3 months) to discuss TB related topics and identify areas for future work. This has resulated in me producing factsheet/summaries of several topics along with short summariues of TB in Cornwall and other outputs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| Description | Cornwall farmer TB meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Working with the Cornwall TB Eradication Group I organised two evening meetings open to Cornish farmers and members of the public interested in bovine TB. One meeting was in Hayle, west Cornwall in October 2018 (40 attendees), while the other was in Bodmin, east Cornwall in February 2019 (50 attendees). the involved a series of talks covering TB trends I cornwall, TB testing In cattle, TB in wildlife (delivered by myself) and other topics. There was a lot of discussion and questions as part of the evening and the talks were well received. I also printed off fact sheets for people to take away. It was an opportunity for farmers to have their questions answered on a range of topics related to bovine TB. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
| URL | http://www.cornwalltbeg.co.uk/meetings-and-events/ |
| Description | Cornwall vet CPD conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk on badgers, bovine TB and farm biosecurity at Cornwall vet CPD training conference. Audience of 60 people, primarily vets with this counting toward their training /CPD for the year. As ever some very good discussion and questions with the audience afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Cumbria badger TB workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Two day workshop carried out in collaboration with the Animal and Plant Health Agency. The first day was aimed at farmers and local businesses, while the second was aimed at local vets. Each day Involved a series of talks by myself and APHA covering some of the basics in relation to badgers, bovine TB and farm biosecurity. Each talk was followed by general discussion Q&A. On the second day we also conducted a farm visit to walk around a local farm and discuss various aspects of farm management and badger ecology. The audience were very interested as Cumbria is the location of a recent TB outbreak and the farmers and vets in that area have very little knowledge of TB or the role of badgers in the disease. The workshop received very positive feedback. The farmers who attended were much more aware of the issues and how to reduce TB on their farms, while the vets were now prepared and more confident to give advice to their clients. Audience ~30 on day one and ~30 on day two. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Cumbria badger cull company |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk and discussion of the science and practicalities of badger vaccination to the farmers and industry practitioners involved with the Cumbria badger cull. This was done as part of a meeting with the NFU and Defra. Although the audience was generally hostile to the concept of vaccinating (rather than culling) badgers, they reported that the discussion was interesting and has made them more aware of badger vaccination as a option |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Cumbria vet training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Training day for vets active in the Cumbria TB outbreak area. Did a detailed talk (1h 30 mins) on TB in wildlife, biosecurity and other issues. This was a training event to ensure that these vets were signed off to deliver advice to farmers. Also did a talk on the evening to a larger audience including local farmers involved with the cull. Goes toward supporting Defra with disease control in the area. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | DEFRA TB stats workgroup/meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Due to my on-going work to develop statistical information aimed at stakeholder audiences I have joined the Defra TB stats working group. I attended a meeting in January 2019 to discuss ideas for developing further. I have also attended meeting with the DEFRA TB stats team to share ideas and collaborate on developing interactive webs tools aimed at stakeholder audiences. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://btb-statistics.shinyapps.io/dashboard_v1/ |
| Description | Defra Biosecurity worksop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Took party in the Defra Biosecurity workshop. This followed on from an earlier workshop attended in 2017. Involved working in groups to discuss a range of options for increasing TB biosecurity, these suggestions were recorded as part of a government review of the subject |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Defra bovine TB communication workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | One day workshop with members of DEFRA, APHA as well as a mixture of farmers, vets and other stakeholders affected by bovine TB. Aim was to discuss ways of communicating key messages in relation to disease management to the wider community. Resulted in an action plan created by DEFRA for improving their communications strategy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Derbyshire Wildlife Vaccination meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talk on badger vaccination to about 50 people - a mix of farmers, vets, members of the public who were interested in badger vaccination. Talk was very positive and well received. One farmer decided to vaccinate rather than cull based on the information he had heard. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Devon Farmer meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Education day involving presentations to around 50- Devon cattle farmers. I presented a talk on TB in wildlife and the farm environment alongside other presentations. Also good discussion and Q &A afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Devon TB Eradication group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Regular meetings with the Devon TB Eradication group (10-20 farmers, vets and others in the farming industry) to discuss TB related topics. This has resulted in production of fact sheet/summaries, I have also presented summaries of the science on specific topics to the group and engaged in discussions. I intent to keep attending meetings to support the work of the group |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| Description | East Sussex Badger vaccination meeting. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Lively meeting with East Sussex to discuss the possibility of starting a badger vaccination project in the area. As part of the meeting I gave a talk on the science and practicalities of badger vaccination to an audience of around 100 farmers and vets. There were talks from other speakers and a long discussion of the subject. I also provided printed fact sheets on other TB subjects. Following this meeting several farmers have now stated an interest in badger vaccination and a local vet practice is beginning the process of signingin up farmers and aquiring funding. It is hoped that this project will be the largest industry led vaccination project in the UK and will begin in 2020. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Gloucester TB Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Presentation and discussion of latest research on badgers and bovine TB. Also discussed my fellowship and opportunities for engaging with the group. Resulted in good discussion and the group were very positive. I have also attended subsequent meetings to discuss related topics |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| Description | Goat Veterinary Society conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk at the goat veterinary society conference on badgers TB and animal husbandry. Audience of 25 people. Very positive discussions and feedback afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Interactive TB infographic |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Creation of interactive TB infographic to display Tb risks in farmyards and how to reduce those risks. Created with input from stakeholders in government and also farmers and vets. The final version is hosted on my own website and also the main government website for bovine TB. Veterinary groups have also used this infographic for interactive training events with farmers at farmers/dairy shows. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://tbhub.co.uk/interactive-infographic/ |
| Description | Interactive bovine TB stats dashboard |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | During many of my stakeholder meetings it was clear that there was a strong desire for more readily accessible information on bovine TB statistics (ie the number of TB breakdowns in a given county). Based on these discussions i created an interactive dashboard to display data from the defra website. This was originally hosted on my own website (www.tbknowledgeexhange.co.uk) but later i collaborated with Defra and gave them access to the code behind the dashboard, as well as training on how to use it. The result is that the dashboard is now maintained by defra and hosted on an industry focused website. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
| URL | http://3.9.48.73/bTB/ |
| Description | National Trust Estate Manager Training day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Training day for National Trust Estate Managers. This involved several talks including one by myself on the science of bovine TB, and the practical measures farmers can employ to manage their disease risks. Lots of discussions during the talk and afterwards as part of a field visit. Participants stated that this had been very useful, and had increased their knowledge of the subject. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Official Veterinary conference - badger ecology talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk at the official veterinary conference covering the science in relation to badger ecology and farm biosecurity. Audience of >100 practicing vets and associated industries from across the UK. This counted towards their annual CPD training. Lots of questions and discussion afterwards. More details can be found in an article about the conference at the URL below. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://veterinary-practice.com/article/lessons-in-tb-control-from-home-and-abroad |
| Description | Online TB factsheets |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | *Not sure where else to list this as there seems to be nowhere to list non-scientific publications* Creation of a whole series of fachsheets summarising key facts on bovine TB. The subject/focus of these factsheets along with the format was based on stakeholder discussions at various farmer/ vet meetings throughout my fellowship. The factcheets are hosted on my own website https://www.tbknowledgeexchange.co.uk/ and also the primary industry focused website for bovine TB (https://tbhub.co.uk/resources/downloads/) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019,2020,2021 |
| URL | https://tbhub.co.uk/resources/downloads/ |
| Description | Oxfordshire TB Eradication Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk/open discussion with the Oxfordshire, Berkshire & Buckinghamshire TB Eradication Group. A group of stakeholders composed of farmers, vets, government staff and others. Talk covered the science on badgers and bovine TB as well as a wide ranging discussion on other aspects of the disease. There was good engagement and discussion with many people reporting that it had increased their knowledge. They are also keen for future talks as the group develops. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Royal Cornwall Show - TB workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Workshop discussing the science and 'facts' around bovine TB with farmers at the Royal Cornwall Show. Talk was well received and lively discussion afterwards, several participants reported learning useful facts about the disease and how to manage it. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Somerset Grassland Society talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | 1 hour talk to the Somerset grassland society on the science of badgers, bovine TB and options for wildlife control / disease management. Audience of 50, a mix of farmers and practicing vets. Very positive reception and good debate and discussion for a long while afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | TB Advisory service - Advisor training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I have carried out training for vets and farm advisors who work as part of the TBAS (TB Advisory Service). This training consists of approximately 1hr presentation followed by a Q&A covering badgers and bovine TB. Very good feedback and discussion afterwards. So far I have conducted this training course on 5 occasions from 2017 to 2019 involving the training of approximately 70 different advisors. This ensures that farm advisors have the latest information available to them for delivering advice to farmers and others. These advisors have delivered several hundred visits for farmers across England since 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018,2019 |
| Description | TB Advisory service conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Spoke at the TBAS TB conference at the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, on Wednesday 26 June. Large audience of several hundred farmers, vets, public and government staff. Several talks from leading experts aimed at attendees from around the UK. I did a talk on TB in wildlife and participated in a panel discussion. The conference was well attended and was covered by the farming press. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/health-welfare/livestock-diseases/bovine-tb/5-ways-to-improve-tb-con... |
| Description | TB Knowledge exchange website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Creation of knowledge exchange website. This has been used to communicate key outputs from the KE project, including blog articles (on latest developments in the field), a range of factsheets and other interactive infographics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019,2020,2021 |
| URL | https://www.tbknowledgeexchange.co.uk/ |
| Description | TBhub website workgroup |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I have now joined the TBhub working group and have been attending their meetings. The tbhub is the primary website for government and the cattle industry for communicating information on bovine TB. The working group aims to develop the website further and I was invited because of my experience in dealing with stakeholder groups as well as from using my own website. So far we are developing a plan to improve the website.... |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.tbhub.co.uk/ |
| Description | Tbknowledgeexchange website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Creation and maintenance of my own website for sharing information sources such as factsheets, blog articles and interactive statistical apps. The website has gradually increased in popularity and combined with the use of social media has been useful for sharing information/materials with a broad audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
| URL | http://www.tbknowledgeexchange.co.uk/ |
| Description | XL Vets CPD training day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 1 hour talk on bovine TB in wildlife and how to manage the risks to cattle to an audience of practising vets for a large national vet company. This was done as part of a larger training day and counted towards their CPD. Detailed discussions and questions afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |