Duncan Trotter

While this is my first role at OSPRI, I have worked in the M. bovis programme since February 2018. In addition to being in a great team, my enjoyment comes from getting out on farms with the aim of taking some of the pressure away from the farmers through minimising the impact on their businesses, and by always being available to answer any questions or mitigate any concerns.

Once a legal notice has been served, our role is to assist farmers as they progress through the system — generating sampling requests and movement permits, completing farm questionnaires, conducting on-farm biosecurity audits and much more.

We also arrange logistics for trace animal and depopulation loadouts — organising stock valuations, transport, and processing plants as well as marking cattle of interest for sampling.

With no infected farms since August 2023 and clear results for 87 of 89 farms placed under notice that have completed sampling following spring bulk tank milk screening, our work focus shifts from being on farm to working with our Validation team. We review both historic and more recent risk events, and make casing calls to farmers when these events cannot be closed using the information we have available.

It is a breath of fresh air to be at OSPRI, where there is a broad understanding and focus on the importance of our operational roles and outcomes through providing essential and professional client services.

The people at OSPRI share the values of helping protect our primary sector, while management support and value us by providing the flexibility to have work-life balance and make OSPRI a great place to work.