Dear editor,

I was very disappointed to read the recent article titled “Corporate-owned vets not obliged to attend 2am calving calls”.

The headline risks creating an inaccurate impression about the commitment of large veterinary groups and their practices to Ireland’s farming communities. At VetPartners, we are fully committed to supporting Irish farmers and the livestock sector and our farm practices continue to provide 24/7 emergency care for farm animals. That commitment is fundamental to the service we provide and it will not change. Our dedicated veterinary teams work around the clock to support farmers with calvings, herd health, disease prevention and emergency care whenever it is needed. We recognise that farming is not a nine-to-five industry, and neither is farm veterinary practice.

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VetPartners is proud to be the largest employer of farm vets across the UK and Ireland. We are investing significantly in the future of the profession through our farm graduate programme, structured mentoring and continuing professional development opportunities. We also work closely with universities and veterinary schools, both here and in Europe, to help attract, develop and retain the next generation of farm animal vets.

Like the wider profession, we recognise the challenges involved in recruiting and retaining vets in rural practice, and it is important that there is constructive discussion about how best to support sustainable farm veterinary services. However, it would be wrong to suggest that corporate ownership is incompatible with a strong commitment to emergency farm care.

Our focus remains clear: providing an excellent service for farmers and outstanding care for farm animals, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.