Supervisor(s): 

Dr Nick Evans and Professor Stuart Carter

I graduated in 2012 from the University of Glasgow Vet School with honours. After 18 months in a mixed veterinary practice in Aberdeenshire I returned to University to complete a residency in veterinary pathology at the University of Liverpool, working towards a European Diploma in Veterinary Pathology. I am now starting my 2^nd year of my PhD. My research interests are in infectious diseases in production animals and have previously worked on the disease contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) in sheep and a similar disease of goats. 

Bovine ischaemic teat necrosis: combating a severe, emerging disease of economic importance

Bovine ischaemic teat necrosis (ITN) is an emerging disease affecting the teats of dairy cattle. It causes a red to black lesion on the skin of the dairy cow’s teat which can be highly irritable. In cases with severe irritation, the cows may self-traumatise their own teats and even remove them. This is of serious concern for the animal’s health and welfare but also is a food security and economic issue due to no longer being able to milk the affected quarter. In some cases more than one teat may be affected and the cow culled on welfare grounds. The aetiology, pathology, risk factors and prevalence are all currently unknown however anecdotally the number of cases are increasing.

The aims of this project is to attempt to identify possible aetiological candidates, document the pathology of the disease, attempt to ascertain the current prevalence in Great Britain and any potential risk factors for disease development.

My PhD is a 4 year BBSRC iCASE with Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Dairy as my industrial partner. I have already completed a 1 month placement with AHDB Dairy and have a further 2 month placement in my final year when I will be developing knowledge transfer material to relay the results of my PhD to those who need it, the dairy farmers throughout Great Britain.