Owen Atkinson

Owen Atkinson biogOwen Atkinson, BVSc, DCHP, MRCVS, is a dairy vet with 20 years’ experience in clinical farm practice. He established the Cheshire-based Dairy Veterinary Consultancy and has worked throughout the UK and, occasionally, overseas.
Owen provides strategic health advice and training to the dairy industry, and offers a second opinion and referral service for veterinary practices. His focus is on success factors, cow health and welfare, and sustainability.
He is an RCVS diplomate in cattle health and production, and a CowSignals master trainer. Owen has particular professional interests in lameness reduction, rumen health and housing design.

December 2023

No longer Dr Dolittle

Owen Atkinson explains how vets can work collaboratively with farmers as herd health leaders to better understand their goals.

47 mins

August 2023

Lameness: welfare, reducing pain and helping to motivate farmers

Despite best efforts, lameness persists in UK dairy herds. In this article, Owen Atkinson, BVSc, DCHP, PgCert, MRCVS, will explore how vets can motivate farmers to improve foot health and address potential issues in herds.

23 mins
Milk residues in vet practice – quality and safety with MilkSure

Owen Atkinson BVSc, DCHP, MRCVS emphasises the crucial role vets play on this issue, and how they can be better involved in ensuring safe dairy products.

45 mins

June 2023

“Influencing change requires a deeper set of skills: leadership skills, development of our own emotional intelligence – some people have it to varying degrees naturally; others less so. But everyone can get better at it.”

2 mins

February 2023

Foot health: how vets can be better involved

Owen Atkinson BVSc, DCHP, MRCVS explains how vets can better work alongside paraprofessionals, including foot trimmers and mobility scorers.

30 mins

January 2023

Ep 86: Dairy cattle foot health, with Owen Atkinson

Cattle specialist Owen Atkinson talks to Paul Imrie about the importance of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s Healthy Feet Programme.

4 mins

August 2022

Best foot forwards – a review of cattle foot health in Great Britain

Cows’ feet have never been so popular, with social media accounts devoted to hoof trimming. Ironically, vets have increasingly become disenfranchised from bovine foot health – but here, Owen Atkinson says why that should now change.

38 mins

May 2022

Vaccination and preventive health: how to convey messages to farmers

Owen Atkinson BVSc, DCHP, MRCVS looks at what farm vets can learn when trying to persuade farmers of the need to vaccinate their herds or flocks.

34 mins

June 2021

Coaching skills for farm vets

Owen Atkinson BVSc, DCHP, MRCVS offers advice on how to effectively communicate with farming clients using the magic question game.

36 mins

March 2021

A practice-based clinical research project using Solacyl, an oral NSAID, in reared beef calves to reduce pneumonia symptoms and requirement for routine antibiotics.

7 mins

September 2020

Addressing lameness in a farmer-accessible format

Nick Bell MA, VetMB, PhD, PGCert Vet Ed, FHEA, DipECAWBM(AWSEL), MRCVS, Owen Atkinson BVSc, DCHP, MRCVS and Sara Pedersen BSc(Hons), BVetMed, CertCHP, DBR, MRCVS discuss the benefits of two structured programmes dealing with lame dairy cows that vets can use with clients.

23 mins

September 2019

Good antimicrobial stewardship on farms – practical advice

Owen Atkinson considers the social aspects of antibiotic supply to farms, and steps farmers and vets can take towards responsible use.

41 mins

August 2019

Cattle lameness: innovations in best practice and knowledge

Owen Atkinson takes a look at research into advancements in understanding this condition to help vets support clients.

33 mins

September 2017

Mastitis: advice for controlling it in dry period and post-calving

Owen Atkinson reviews some aspects of mastitis control at drying off and through the dry period, including immediately after calving.

47 mins

May 2017

Considerations for drying off dairy cows

Owen Atkinson reviews various methods of maintaining dairy cow herd health during this process after milking.

25 mins

April 2017

Implementing dairy herd health plans and how to convey key messages

Owen Atkinson delves into the history of the herd health plan, before explaining why “herd health management” is perhaps a better term – and going on to explain how vets could successfully implement excellent on-farm protocols.

44 mins

October 2016

Update on treating digital dermatitis

Owen Atkinson discusses various approaches towards managing this common pernicious disease affecting the bovine foot.

22 mins

September 2012

Exciting future for large animal vets

Owen Atkinson looks at the challenges that have faced farm vets in the past 20 … more

13 mins

October 2011

Different perspective: dairy development in Mozambique

Training dairy farmers in Mozambique is very different to training farmers back home. But, wherever … more

26 mins