19th March 2024
The first series of podcasts from the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group are proving hugely popular – with farmers, vets and advisers alike.
Series one is made up of four 40-minute episodes covering a range of topics and is already a hit with many listeners.
Nicola Prosser of Towcester Farm Vets has listened to all four episodes. She comments: “The SCOPS podcasts are excellent! They’re just the right length and provide a very detailed and thorough overview of each topic. I really enjoyed hearing from farmers about their experiences and have recommended the series to a number of my clients.”
With the podcasts being easy to find on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and at www.scops.org.uk/podcasts, initial feedback is that they’re great to listen to in the tractor, truck or car. The episode called ‘Don’t get caught out by liver fluke’, which was recorded in partnership with Moredun, is proving the most popular, closely followed by ‘The SCOPS Principles in Action on Farms’, ‘Practical Options for Performing Wormer Treatment Checks and Faecal Egg Counts’ and ‘Tackling sheep scab’.
Ant Spencer is a sheep farmer from Warwickshire who has enjoyed listening to the podcast series. He says: “I had it on while having a day moving sheep in the truck. It was a nice, easy listen and tailored towards all sheep farmers from seasoned veterans to new entrants. The hosts and guests explained things in a way that is easy to understand and it delivered a good message about best practice for farming in these times were efficiency is key to success.
“I would thoroughly recommend the series to anybody with an interest in the sheep sector. Give it a try – you may well learn something new.”
SCOPS has already commissioned series two of the podcasts, meaning another four episodes will be released later in 2024 – something Andrew Pattison is looking forward to as a Registered Animal Medicines Advisor (RAMA) within the Suitably Quality Person (SQP) system.
“I found all four of the podcasts to be useful to me as an SQP,” says Mr Pattison, who has a large client base through the R.M. Jones Farmcentre in Herefordshire. “The information delivery is excellent and the mix of speakers keeps it interesting and grounded. I will be encouraging my customers to give them a try, by recommending particular ones to specific people. I will also be getting my RAMA colleagues to subscribe.”
As well as links to the podcasts on the SCOPS website, there is a downloadable poster promoting the series. These can be displayed in vet practices, by animal health merchants, in agricultural colleges and anywhere else where potential new listeners may see them.
