Introduction:
Achieving herd health and welfare improvement increasingly relies on veterinarians to train and advise farmers (Defra 2004; FAWC 2011), placing veterinary communication at the heart of knowledge exchange. Veterinarians recognise their influence but struggle with acting upon this awareness in daily practice (Cannas da Silva et al. 2006; Jansen et al. 2010; Mee 2007), reporting a need to enhance their advisory approach to influence farmer behaviour (Rushton et al. 2016). Understanding the interaction between communication, advice and on-farm behaviour change is critical.  

Objectives:
To examine factors influencing farmers’ enactment of veterinary advice on the UK dairy farm to conceptualise how - and under what circumstances - veterinary communication has the potential to support and inspire farmer behaviour change.

Methods:
Fourteen UK dairy farms were recruited to a qualitative study involving observation of a ‘typical’ advisory consultation between veterinarian and farmer (n=14) and in-depth interviews. Interview data were organised using a template coding method and analysd thematicall (Braun and Clark 2006).

Findings:
Data suggest three core elements underpin the enactment of veterinary advice on UK dairy farms: farmer belief in veterinarian virtue, the perception of a shared understanding between veterinarian and farmer and the manifestation of advisory meaning at a local (farmer) level.

Discussion:
Thematic analysis suggests that the enactment of veterinary advice can be conceptualised as the synergy of these three themes, within which desirable veterinary communication acts both as a necessary foundation and perceptual catalyst. A model of this advisory process will illuminate this interaction and promote discussion. 



Authors:
BARD, Alison M.1, MAIN, David C.J.1, ROE, Emma J.2, HAASE, Anne M.3, WHAY, Helen R.1, REYHER, Kristen K.1*
1. Bristol Veterinary School, The University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
2. Geography and Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
3. School for Policy Studies, The University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom