For Lucy Closier, Homefield’s early months have been as much about relationships as logistics, with trust and communication proving just as vital as clinical expertise
Launching a new farm veterinary practice from scratch is not something most people do twice. Since opening the Homefield Farm Vets doors last December, it’s certainly been a steep learning curve.
From equipping vehicles and ordering medicines to recruiting staff and navigating endless paperwork, there have been plenty of challenges behind the scenes. But they’ve all been worthwhile if they help us provide better care to local farmers.
We’ve had so many highlights already. One of the biggest was our opening evening, when we welcomed a large number of farmers to our offices (back in chilly December) to meet our team of office staff, TB testers, vet techs and vets – and to celebrate the hard work everyone had put in to get us to that point.
Another memorable event was our well-supported Tackling TB presentation evening. It was standing room only at The Fox Inn in Ansty by the time the presentations kicked off. What followed was thought-provoking and emotional conversations throughout the room, reinforcing that we all share the same goal – a united approach to tackling this extremely challenging disease. A key part of that is supporting our clients through the challenges that threaten farm businesses. TB continues to have devastating impacts on animal and human health and welfare, as well as overall farm viability, so it is important that we continue exploring the options available and work together with farmers to improve the current situation.
We also had a brilliant weekend at Dorset Tractor Fest, a new event in the Dorset calendar. Even the inclement weather on the Saturday didn’t dampen spirits. The star of the show – aside from Kaleb Cooper and The Red Shepherdess of course – was undoubtedly Camilla the (fibreglass) cow, very kindly loaned to us by Dike & Son of Stalbridge. Camilla was incredibly well behaved and allowed children (and adults) to milk her without complaint.
Flies – take back control
Conversations at the moment inevitably turn to the challenges farmers are facing this summer, and one topic that keeps coming up is flies.
As temperatures rise, fly populations increase rapidly, reducing livestock performance through irritation, lower weight gain, reduced milk yields and, in some cases, the spread of disease.
Good fly control isn’t just about comfort – it has a real impact on animal health and productivity.
One of the methods we’ve been using recently is BioWasps, a biological control that targets fly pupae before they emerge as biting adult flies. It’s a simple way of reducing fly numbers without relying solely on insecticides, and can be used alongside good muck management and ventilation as part of an integrated fly control programme. There’s no single silver bullet, but tackling the problem early usually pays dividends later in the summer.
As Practice Manager, I’ve been here from day one, and seeing the business flourish and welcome new clients every week is an incredible feeling. The most rewarding part has been getting to know local farming families and building the relationships that are at the heart of good farm veterinary practice.Over the coming months we’ll be using this column to share practical veterinary advice, discuss seasonal livestock health issues and explain some of the conditions affecting Dorset farms. We look forward to joining the conversation.
Quick Q&A with Lucy Closier:
My Role: Practice Manager. Which means I do a bit of everything! From accounts and HR to vacumming, ordering products, organising shows … and everything in between.
My Favourite Farm Animal: Dorset Down sheep
My Favourite Tractor: Fendt
My Favourite Flower: Sweetpeas – they always remind me of my Grampsy.
My Favourite Hobby: Horse riding
