Farm Team

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  Sally Ashford

  Clinical Director, Veterinary Surgeon

  BVetMed DBR MRCVS

  Sally completed a diploma in bovine reproduction in 2001. She enjoys all aspects of farm practice, with a particular interest in dairy herd health and fertility.

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  Tamsin Harris-Bryant

  Clinical Director, Veterinary Surgeon

  BVetMed CertCHP MRCVS RCVS

  Tamsin graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2004 and started work at Penbode a week later. She particularly enjoys helping to identify areas impacting herd efficiency and productivity, and is currently chair of the VetPartners production animal clinical board. Outside of work, Tamsin is a passionate supporter of Welsh rugby and is training her terriers to compete at Crufts!

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  Lesley Bingham

  Clinical Director, Veterinary Surgeon

  BVM&S MRCVS

  Lesley graduated from Edinburgh in 2007 and has worked in farm practice in the South West since. She joined Penbode as a Clinical Director in 2019, bringing her interest in beef and sheep work, as well as block-calving dairy herds.

  Outside of work, she is either watching her children play sports or playing hockey herself.
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  Dan Forrester

  Clinical Director, Veterinary Surgeon

  BVSc MRCVS

  Dan qualified from Liverpool in 2005 and began work at Penbode a week later. Spending his first fifteen years based in Holsworthy he then moved to Stratton to lead the team there. Dan gained a Certificate in Bovine Reproduction in 2012 after completing a two-year part-time course.

   

  What is your favourite type of visit?
  I’m just happy to be out on farm to be honest. I’ve got to know many clients very well over the years so it never seems a chore to be working. If I had to pick a favourite, I’d probably say emergency work, which is something I don’t get to do as much as I did. I find the simplicity of solving a problem there and then very satisfying; even when it’s in the early hours of the morning. Although a smelly calving I did recently that took me three hours does have me questioning this choice.

   

  What is your favourite surgical procedure to perform?
  I’ve always enjoyed surgery.If I hadn’t become a farm vet I would have liked to have become a small animal surgeon – suppose there’s still time but things seem to have changed since I qualified. I’ve noticed them using endoscopes and all sorts down the back.The best farm surgery is definitely a cow caesarean, especially when the calf is bright and up before you finish stitching-up. Not so good when they knock the tray of instruments over though.

   

  What is your area of special interest?
  Lameness has been something I’ve developed a real interest in over the years. I’ve represented Penbode in our joint foot trimming venture – Total Hoof Care since it was founded in 2017. But I do like to be an all-rounder and am keen to learn whenever I can. If a client has a problem I like to be involved and work with them to find the answer. I like using data and being able to measure progress and identify areas of weakness.

   

  What are you looking forward to developing throughout this coming year?
  Having taken on the role of Clinical Director once again I’m keen to review our services and offerings and hopefully develop and grow some of these. I hope to meet new clients and wish to help them develop their business with the fantastic service Penbode offers.

   

  I’m also a director with Farmcare Devon & Cornwall and so am expecting to have a busy autumn working through the tender process for the next generation of APHA work which includes TB testing.

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  Andy Stokes

  Senior Veterinary Surgeon

  BVSc CertAVP (Cattle) MRCVS

  Andy graduated from Liverpool University in 2004 and has worked at Penbode Vets ever since. He enjoys the close working relationships with his farm clients, getting to know their farms and those working there.

   

  What is your favourite type of visit?

  I especially enjoy my weekly or fortnightly dairy routine visits with clients and farms i have got to know and understand extremely well.

   

  What is your area of special interest?

  I have an interest in improving udder health and investigating mastitis and/or somatic cell count issues. It can be a bit of a detective mission to work out what, and where, the issues lie, but can be extremely rewarding to find the right solutions to make improvements

   

  What are you looking forward to developing throughout this coming year?

  This year i want to continue to stay up to date with all aspects of bovine medicine. So far i’ve done some wide-ranging CPD from calf pneumonia and thoracic ultrasound, to transition cow health and most recently a BCVA Masterclass on managing the oestrus cycle.

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  Sarah Phillpot

  Veterinary Surgeon

  BVSc MRCVS

  Sarah graduated from the University of Liverpool in July 2014 and is interested in all aspects of farm work, having grown up on a local dairy farm. Outside of work she enjoys walking coastal paths, letter boxing on Dartmoor, baking and kayaking.

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  Oliver Charlton

  Veterinary Surgeon

  BVSc MRCVS

  Favourite visit:

  Oli loves a good calving. There’s nothing more satisfying than knowing the job is done, and hopefully helping ensure the survival of cow and calf.

   

  Surgical procedure:
  An LDA surgery is generally a pretty straightforward surgery, giving rapid recovery of the cow. Caesareans are also a satisfying surgery, but obviously more urgent and intense.

   

  Special interest:
  Oli does a large part of the bull fertility testing, which is a good job to do, especially when identifying subfertile bulls – you know you’ve saved the farmer the risk of using a bull that will cost time and money.

   

  Things to achieve through the year:
  Hopefully finish some DIY jobs and find time to put into rebuilding his Reliant Scimitar – it’s been a very long project so far, but slowly nearing completion…

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  Lizzie Milbank

  Veterinary Surgeon

  BVSc MRCVS

  Lizzie works in the Holsworthy branch. In her spare time you can find her surfing or Ultra Run training (where you run over 30 miles across country!)

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  Clodagh Tanner

  Veterinary Surgeon

  MVB MRCVS

  Originally from West Cork on the South West Coast of Ireland, Clodagh graduated as a vet from University College Dublin in 2014 and started her career as a mixed animal vet in North Nottinghamshire for three and a half years. She then locumed in the UK for a few years before heading down to the South West and joining Penbode in 2020.

   

  What is your favourite type of visit?

  Emergency call outs for calvings, lambings, or prolapses with a positive outcome have to be the most exciting and rewarding parts of the job.

   

  What is your favourite surgical procedure to perform?

  Having previously worked in small animal surgery, I love tackling the more unusual farm surgeries we don’t see every day — enucleations, vasectomies, lump removals, tail amputations, and wound repairs.

   

  What is your area of special interest?

  I’m passionate about all areas of farm vet practice, including dairy fertility, proactive preventative health planning in beef and sheep, and sustainable farming.

   

  What are you looking forward to developing throughout this coming year?

  After some time away on maternity leave in the coming months, I’m looking forward to returning to education — guiding students and new vets as they grow in skill and confidence — as well as getting back out on the road to see my regular clients.

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  Edward Stone

  Veterinary Surgeon

  BVMSci MRCVS

  Edward graduated from Surrey in 2022 and has been at Penbode since. Originally from Exmoor he enjoys all aspects of farm practice and in his spare time can be found training and competing in strongman competitions or swimming in the cold waters of the coast or Dartmoor.

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  Matilda Herridge-Nowell

  Veterinary Surgeon

  BVetMed MRCVS

  Matilda has been working at Penbode Holsworthy branch for almost three years since graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 2023. Since joining the team, she has developed some varied clinical interests.

   

  What is your favourite type of visit?

  My favourite visit to do would be a routine visit for our dairy clients. I really enjoy working with farmers over time to improve the health of productivity of the herd. Plus, the practical aspect of scanning and seeing the foetus and ovaries I find really satisfying.

   

  What is your favourite surgical procedure to perform?

  That would have to be a ewe caesarean. I really enjoy lambing, but in those instances where we are unable to get the lambs out performing a caesarean is a lifesaver. When you’re able to pull out two, three maybe even four healthy happy lambs and have them already trying to make their first steps whilst stitching up is really rewarding.

   

  What is your area of special interest?

  I have a particular passion for pathology and diagnostic testing. When confronted with a more unusual or complex case I love to dive right in and try to figure out what is going on. In these situations, it is sometimes a case of making the best of a bad situation and I like to try my best to get as many answers as possible to work our way through a problem. I am also the main vet involved with the Smallholders Club which allows me to indulge my love of some of our less common species such as goats and pigs and work with our smallholder clients.

   

  What are you looking forward to developing throughout this coming year?

  I am looking forward to developing the Smallholders Club and doing my best to engage more and more people in our training days and talks. I really enjoy putting on talks and trying to put on events that are going to be as practical and beneficial as possible. Our Pre-lambing Ewe Nutrition talk with Forte Health, the Oral Fluids for Cattle talk and demo with Nimrod and our lambing course being particular highlights of this year already.

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  Victoria Pyne Mercier

  Veterinary Surgeon

  BSc, BVetMed MRCVS

  Originally from Maryland, USA, Victoria graduated with a BSc in Animal Science and Minor in Zoology from the University of Vermont in 2019. After moving to London to study veterinary medicine, she graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2023. Victoria is excited to spend her time exploring the Southwest and enjoying activities such as hiking, climbing, baking, and learning to surf.

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  Kate Forgan

  Veterinary Surgeon

  What is your favourite type of visit?

  A ‘problem solved’ visit is invariably the most rewarding. Whether attending a complicated calving or a ewe with tangled twins, the aim is the same – assess the situation, make a sound judgment and take prompt, appropriate action. The stakes are high, but so too are the rewards. The joy of seeing a healthy dam alongside her newborn, after a difficult procedure, never grows old.

  In farming, outcomes are not always ideal, as some cases present significant challenges. However, ensuring that every possible intervention has been attempted and knowing that the animals have received a high standard of care, provides a strong sense of value and purpose. Farmers take great pride in the care of their livestock, my role as a farm vet is to uphold and support that standard when it matters most.

   

  What is your favourite surgical procedure to perform?

  I enjoy a wide range of surgical procedures. A good ‘stitch up’ for wound repair can be very satisfying, although fortunately traumatic injuries requiring surgery are not especially common. One memorable case involved performing reconstructive surgery on a heifer that had suffered severe facial trauma from a shear grab. Despite the extensive injury, some careful and creative suturing led to a successful closure and the heifer recovered well from her unplanned nose job.

   

  What is your area of special interest?

  In my new position with Penbode, I will be doing a significant amount of on-call work, which adds immense variety to my role as no shift is ever the same. However, I also place importance on maintaining daytime responsibilities such as routine fertility visits and proactive health planning. Both allow for regular interaction with clients and livestock, which is essential for collaboration, working towards the shared goal of improving health and productivity. Trust is fundamental to the relationships between farmers and vets, which is often built over years of shared experience across routine and emergency work.

   

  What are you looking forward to developing throughout this coming year?

  I am looking forward to spending more time on farm and building rapport with both new and reacquainted clients. There are several familiar faces within the Penbode team which has made my return feel like I never left. With future generations entering the profession, I hope to share my experience with new colleagues, recent graduates, and apprentice vet techs, contributing to the wider team’s ongoing growth and development.

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  Jemma Young

  Veterinary Surgeon

  BVM BVS MRCVS

  Jemma graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2024
  Having grown up in Devon, Jemma is excited to be back home and start working.
  Jemma enjoys all aspects of farm practice but is particularly looking forward to getting stuck into sheep work.
  Jemma can be found in the gym or swimming, either in the pool or in the cold somewhere on the moors.

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  Emily Boardman

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Emily graduated from the University of Surrey in July 2025. She is eager to engage in all aspects of farm veterinary work and particularly enjoys surgery.

   

  What is your favourite type of visit?
  I really enjoy solving a puzzle, so a lambing with tangled twins or triplets is my favourite visit. Trying to picture what is going on inside without being able to see it and making sense of the mess is really satisfying for me, with the added bonus of having some cute lambs at the end!

   

  What is your favourite surgical procedure to perform?
  My favourite operation is a caesarean section, in both ewes and cows. Cow caesareans can be a challenge, but it is definitely worth it to have a healthy calf on the floor. It’s always great to see the lambs or calves trying to stand whilst we’re stitching up, even if they do try and knock the surgical equipment over!

   

  What is your area of special interest?
  I am currently interested in all areas of farm vetting and enjoy the variety that this brings. I enjoy cattle fertility work and going to routine dairy visits, but as you can see above, I also really like the sheep side of things too.

   

  What are you looking forward to developing throughout this coming year?
  I am looking forward to helping Matilda with the Smallholders Club. Also, I am passionate about education, so I am excited to help put on talks and meetings in all areas.

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  Kath Dawe

  TB and Farm Administrator

  Kath joined Penbode in 2019, after deciding she wanted a change from the farm she grown up and worked on for many years. Kath has now moved away from her Launceston branch receptionist role and works as TB and Farm Administrator in the Holsworthy branch.

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  Meg Brooking

  VetTech

  L-SQP & RoMS

  Meg started working as a receptionist for Penbode in September 2009. She can now be found as part of the VetTech team having completed her training in 2015.

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  Amelie Folland

  ATT and Vet Tech

  Amelie is one of our ATT and Vet Tech. she grew up on a dairy and beef farm, so enjoys being outside on farm with animals. In Amelie free time she enjoys going to the gym, playing netball and riding horses.

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  Jorja Snook-Bevis

  VetTech

  Jorja has turned her passion for agriculture into a career. She recently completed her Level 3 Agriculture Diploma and now works as a Farm VetTech. Her interest in agriculture began at a young age, helping out on her parents’ small holding and gaining experience by working on dairy farms. Jorja has now started her own herd of pedigree Hereford cattle and plans on showing and breeding them to expand her herd.

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  Hayley Falconer

  ATT

  ATT, RoMS

  Hayley started working for Penbode in June 2018 as a receptionist, becoming an approved TB tester (ATT) later that year. Before joining Penbode Hayley had worked with two large dairy herds, milking, artificial inseminating and doing various other jobs on farm. Outside of work she is usually helping on the home farm, walking dogs Mollie, Dora and Bert or at the gym.

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  Emma Glaze

  ATT

  ATT

  Emma grew up on numerous different dairy farms and at the age of 13 her family finally settled in Devon. Emma would enjoy working on the farm feeding the calves of the family’s herd of pedigree, show Belgian blues, however she didn’t work full time on farm until she turned 26.

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  Anthony Arnold

  ATT

  ATT

  Anthony joined Penbode Farm Vets in 2022 after having spent nearly 15 years working on local dairy farms. Although a Londoner, he moved down to Devon as soon as he could and studied Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture at Bicton College before spending nine months working in New Zealand. He spends all his free time renovating his house, tending his Indian Runner ducks and walking his collie.

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  Joey Curtis

  ATT

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  Lisa Wade

  Stock Administration Support and Farm Reception Team Leader

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  Juliet Moon

  Receptionist

  Juliet moved down to Cornwall in 2003 from Bath where she had previously worked for the NHS for 16 years, and joined the team in 2004. She enjoys the social contact with the clients and members of staff. In her spare time she goes to the gym, where she also uses the pool and spa facilities.

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  Emma Stevenson

  Receptionist

  Emma has worked in the Holsworthy Farm branch since October 2017. Originally from Hampshire Emma trained and worked in secondary schools with SEN students. These days she enjoys walking her dog on the family small holding. Emma also really enjoys the interaction with her team members.

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  Lucy Denton

  Receptionist

  R-SQP

  Lucy joined the Penbode team in August 2019, as a floating receptionist across all the branches. Now you will find her in one of the farm departments more often than not. Outside of work you will often find Lucy walking her German Shepherd, Sully, or snuggled up on the sofa with a good Disney or Harry Potter film.

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  Jade Boundy

  Receptionist