Cows in a farm near Staithes, Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Disease and reputational challenges cost the UK cattle and sheep sectors at least £500 million a year.

Ruminant Health & Welfare was established to co-ordinate and focus the UK farming industry’s drive to eradicate and control damaging cattle and sheep diseases.

We work with industry and governments to influence collective action and secure the policy framework and funding required to prevent, manage or control disease and welfare challenges across the ruminant sectors.

Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland already have protocols in place so Ruminant Health & Welfare’s role there will be to assist existing bodies to deliver these priorities and share best practice.

Members comprise key stakeholders as well as specialist expertise in ruminant disease, genetics and epidemiology (for a full list see below).

How will we achieve Ruminant Health & Welfare's aims?

Step 1

Align and co-ordinate key interested parties.

Step 2

Agree priorities for action within this group.

Step 3

Gain commitment for relevant H&W initiatives.

Step 4

Secure Government intervention where needed.

Step 5

Establish funded task-and-finish projects.

Step 6

Maximise participation, evaluate outcomes.

The faces behind Ruminant Health & Welfare

Nigel Miller

Nigel Miller

Chair
Nigel is a qualified vet and, with his family, farms 1,500 acres with suckler cows and breeding ewes in the Scottish Borders. Nigel was president of NFU Scotland from 2011 to 2015, and is on the board of Moredun Research Institute.
Gwyn Jones

Gwyn Jones

Vice Chair
Gwyn farms in West Sussex with his daughter. He has served as vice president of the NFU, chair of both RUMA and the COPA-Cogeca Animal Health & Welfare Working Group, and member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC).
Caroline Slay

Caroline Slay

Secretary General
Caroline grew up on a mixed farm and studied at Harper Adams. She has held communications and marketing roles in the cereal and potato sectors, and now oversees day to day governance and stakeholder relationships for RH&W.

Member organisations

span farming and government across all four nations.

Steering Group members

Organisation Name Role
Jason Rankin
General Manager
Mandy Nevel
Head of Animal Science
Rebecca Geraghty
Chief Technical Officer
Michael Seals
Chair
Bryan Lovegrove
Secretary General
Sam Strain
Chief Executive
Vanessa Swinson
Veterinary Lead Cattle Expert Group
Amanda Carson
Veterinary Lead Small Ruminant Expert Group / President
Colin Mason
Board Member
James Russell
President
Tim Brigstocke
Keith Cutler
Chair of Technical Group
Gareth Hateley
Policy Lead - Transforming Farm Animal Health & Welfare
Frances Moreno
Veterinary Lead
Kate Hovers
Nick Perkins
President
Cath Smith
Non-Executive Director / Chair of HCC Flock and Herd Health & Welfare Working Group
Chris Dodds
Executive Secretary
Neil Shand
Interim CEO
Grace O'Gorman
Senior Technical Policy Manager
Phil Stocker
Chief Executive
Cat Mclaughlin
Chief Adviser (Animal Health & Welfare)
Aled Jones
Deputy President
Penny Middleton
Policy Manger
Doug Bell
Director of Strategic Engagement
Robert Craig
Vice Chair
Jim Moseley
Chief Executive
Sophie Prater
Scientific Officer
Charles Sercombe
David McClure
Policy Officer
Stephen James
Chair