Dr Neil Paton
BVMS BSc MRCVS PhD
Lecturer - Farm Animal Health & Production
Department: Pathobiology & Population Sciences
Campus: Hawkshead
Research Groups: Sustainable Food Systems, IRLFS (Research Programme)
Clinical Groups: Farm Animal Health
Lecturer in Farm Animal Health and Production.
I graduated from Edinburgh in 1999 and intercalated with a BSc in Veterinary Pathology in 1997. I was in mixed practice in Scotland immediately following graduation but my interests started to tend towards the farming industry while I was practicing in Aberdeenshire.
My PhD involved examining the interaction of E. coli O157:H7 with the bovine rectal epithelium at the University of Edinburgh and at the Moredun research institute. After this I locummed in a wide range of practices from small animal overnight emergency specialist facilities in Edinburgh, charity practices (PDSA) mixed and 100% large animal practices. These were located from the North of Scotland to New South Wales in Australia and I learned things from each of these places that I use to this day!
My first role for the RVC was based in Wales at the WRVC where students gave advice on good management to farms all over wales from Angelsey to Gower under faculty guidance.
Following the closure of the facility I have started working with the Welsh farming industry to eradicate BVD from Wales through Animal Health and Welfare Wales - Gwaredu BVD of which I am the Technical director.
Committe Memberships
Chair of the Interim Technical advisory group for BVD Cymru.
Welsh BVA council – September 2011 to June 2019.
I served as Junior Vice President, President and Senior vice President from 2013 to 2019.
Welsh Parasitology steering group of HCC – August 2010 to present (now repurposed to Flock and Herd Health and welfare committee).
Wales Sheep Scab Industry Group – An industry group to consider issues with sheep scab (independent of the Gwaredu Scab programme).
Sheep Scab Industry Led Working Group - Scotland – Invited attendee.
Snares Stakeholder group of the Welsh Government – Ensuring that the industry code of practice is appropriate and adhered to in Wales.(Past member on behalf of BVA)
Sheep dipping contractor code of practice working group – helping to develop an industry code of practice.
RSPCA Standards technical Advisory Group member (From May 2025).
National BVD Advisory Group
PATON, N. Gwaredu BVD — bovine viral diarrhoea eradication in Wales. Livestock, v. 23, n. 4, p. 168-172, 2018.
Paton, N. (2013). "Cattle vaccination: decision making in herd health planning." In Practice 35(2): 77-84.
Paton N. New course gives school students a taste of life as a farm vet Veterinary Record 2012 171: 205
Cameron, P., N. Paton, et al. (2012). "Verotoxin-2 Activates Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases in Bovine Adherent Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells." Journal of Comparative Pathology 147(1): 20-23
Paton, N. “So You Want to be a Vet: The Realities of Studying and Working in Veterinary Medicine.”, Nov 2015, 5M publishing
Technical Author of “Working towards the eradication of Psoroptes ovis in Wales A report of a proposed strategy to the Welsh Government by the Welsh Sheep scab Group” September 2018
Paton, Neil, Stewart Burgess, Kathryn Bartley, John Griffiths, and Edgar Jones. "Piloting an approach to scab control on Welsh sheep farms." Veterinary Record Open 9, no. 1 (2022): e30.
Paton, Neil, K. Aleks Schaefer, Elizabeth A. Armitage-Chan, Hannah Cooper, and Laura Buggiotti. "Disease prevention efforts on Welsh cattle farms are influenced by farm demographics." Veterinary Record 190, no. 9 (2022): no-no.
Paton, Neil, Sharon Verner, Jenny Purcell, Tim Brigstocke, Derek Armstrong, Alastair Breed, and David Graham. "Eradicating BVD in the British Isles." The Veterinary Record 185, no. 7 (2019): 210.
Paton, Neil, Hannah Cooper, John Griffiths, and Richard Booth. "Bovine viral diarrhoea in cattle: an update." Livestock 27, no. 6 (2022): 268-271.
Editorial – Livestock,Bovine viral diarrhoea: (nearly) 15 years of work
Teaching sessions that I am involved in/lead:
| Breeding & Genetic Strategies |
| CS: Nutrition & Underperformance |
| Applied reproductive endocrinolpogy in Large Animals |
| Cattle Fertility |
| Population Genetics in Farm animals |
| Disorders of the Puerperium |
| Examination of the male reproductive tract |
| Uterus Suturing prqactical |
| Lambing Preparation 1 |
| Farm Species Skin Disease |
| Pigs & Backyard Animals Skin diseases (inc Camelids) |
| Applied Reproductive Endocrinology Clinical Scenario |
| Sheep industruy Computer aided learning |
| Cow Rectal Practicals |
| Lambing practicals |
| Male Reproductive Soundness practicals |
| Investigation of production problems in extensively farmed animals |
| CS: Poor weight gain |
| Clin Parasitology in Grazing |
| Sudden death in Farm animals |
| CS: Abortion in Sheep |
| Zoonotic Abortion |
| Risk assessment in Farm animals (Pigs and Sheep) |
| BVD Control (elective Session) |
| Parasitology Small Ruminants (Elective session) |
Aberysywyth Teaching
Rotation coordinator FA7 mixed practice and FA8 Public Health
BVD and Sheep Scab national control programme overview sessoin in FA7
My clinical work centres around the eradication of BVD and Sheep Scab from the Welsh National herd and Flock
Technical Director: Gwaredu BVD (Now BVDCymru as Chair of the Techncial Advisory Group).
Gwaredu BVD is the industry-led programme that aims to eradicate BVD from Wales. It has screened 78% of herds in the 3 years that the programme has been operating. This project has led the industry in Wales to instigate legislation for BVD control and the industry organization is now called BVDCymru. I am the Chair of BVDCymru’s technical advisory group. This group produces and publishes guidance under the legislation.
I work with a range of stakeholders to:
- Develop National strategy
- Stakeholder engagement
- Deliver advice to farm veterinarians
- Deliver Advice to farmers in Wales
- Advising on marketing
- Advise government and governing bodies on BVD matters
Technical Director: Gwaredu Scab
Along with the BVD advisory role I undertake similar activities for Sheep Scab.
- Develop National strategy.
- Stakeholder engagement
- Give advice to farm veterinarians
- Give advice to farmers in Wales
- Advising on marketing
- Advise government and governing bodies on Sheep scab matters
- Consult on Water quality issues
In addition to these advisory roles. I am involved in the training of technical (non-veterinary staff) on practical issues such as sampling for Psoroptes ovis.