Business Details
Emergency
services
Trusted Farm Veterinary Services in Rothbury
Black Sheep Farm Health is a locally owned independent farm veterinary practice serving Northumberland and surrounding areas. Our core focus is proactive, preventative farm animal healthcare designed to enhance farm profitability, production efficiency, and animal welfare. We provide holistic veterinary services underpinned by partnerships with The University of Edinburgh and AHDB, alongside membership of XLVets, the UK's largest collaborative veterinary group. Our team lives within the local farming community, ensuring deep understanding of regional agricultural needs.We combine cutting-edge research with practical on-farm experience, offering tailored health plans, diagnostic services, and specialist support for cattle, sheep, pigs, and smallholders. Our commitment to excellence is demonstrated through continuous professional development, investment in advanced diagnostic equipment, and a dedication to improving livestock health outcomes across diverse farming operations.
Services
Diagnostics
Herd Health
Technical Reproduction
Nutrition Advice
Laboratory Testing
Post Mortems
Health Planning
Shed Audits
Smallholder Services
Pig Medicine
Highlights and features
- We provide 24/7 access to experienced farm veterinarians
- Our team lives within the local farming community
- We implement proactive health planning tailored to farm needs
- We partner with leading agricultural research institutions
- We offer specialist diagnostics and treatment programmes
Associations and certifications
- XLVets
What people say
Friendly and supportive staff
Local and close for quick response
Proactive and take ownership
Personal professional service
Brilliant customer service
Services
Herd Health Planning
We create customised herd health plans that track production metrics and identify actionable improvements. Our approach combines annual reviews with targeted vet visits for pre-tupping and pre-lambing assessments. This systematic planning helps optimise nutrition, improve colostrum quality, and reduce disease incidence across cattle and sheep operations.
Technical Reproduction
Specialist reproductive services include artificial insemination, synchronisation programmes, and fertility testing for cattle and sheep. Our DEFRA-approved technicians use advanced techniques to improve breeding efficiency, with genetic selection advice to enhance calf and lamb quality while tightening calving patterns.
Laboratory Testing
On-site lab facilities conduct worm egg counts, coccidiosis testing, and colostrum quality assessments. We also perform blood testing for metabolic disorders and semen analysis. Samples requiring specialist analysis are sent to the Scottish Agricultural College for comprehensive diagnostic reporting.
Shed Audits
We assess livestock housing ventilation, humidity control, and structural efficiency to prevent disease and improve animal welfare. Our technical evaluations identify cost-effective improvements that can reduce straw usage by 5% while enhancing building performance and animal health outcomes.
Smallholder Scheme
Tailored veterinary support for smallholders includes health planning, preventative medicine, and nutritional advice. Our monthly/annual membership programme provides practical guidance on clostridial vaccines, parasite control, and vitamin supplementation to optimise smallholding productivity and animal wellbeing.
People
Dr Jenny Hull
Partner
BVetMed graduate with sheep health specialism, Jenny leads cattle reproduction services and ration consulting. She combines clinical expertise with practical farming experience to deliver targeted nutritional advice and advanced ultrasound scanning services.
Dr Jack Sheldrake
Partner
BVetMed veterinarian specialising in pig medicine and cattle artificial insemination. Jack manages disease prevention programmes and semen selection, leveraging his background in pig breeding to provide practical herd health solutions for commercial and small-scale producers.
Joseph Henry
Partner
BVMS-certified specialist in sheep health and game bird medicine. Joe leads nutrition consulting, forage analysis, and trace element testing while managing poultry health services and delivering specialised welfare pathway programmes for livestock producers.
Kaz Strycharczyk
Partner
MA VetMB practitioner focused on smallholder services and goat medicine. Kaz develops community-based livestock health schemes and provides expert advice on alpaca and llama healthcare, combining academic knowledge with hands-on farm experience.
Hazel Scott
Practice Administrator
Hazel manages day-to-day operations at our Rothbury practice, coordinating appointments and client communications. With extensive local knowledge, she ensures smooth service delivery and maintains our commitment to friendly, accessible veterinary care.
Questions
What specialist veterinary services do you offer for sheep farmers?
We provide sheep scanning, synchronisation programmes, fertility testing, and trace element analysis. Our services improve lamb viability, tighten lambing periods, and optimise flock nutrition with on-farm support and follow-up care.
How can I access emergency veterinary care outside normal hours?
Our practice offers 24/7 emergency services with vets available at any time. Farmers can contact us directly on 01669 838 288 for urgent livestock health issues or after-hours emergencies.
Do you provide services for small-scale livestock keepers?
Yes, our Smallholder Scheme offers tailored healthcare plans with monthly or annual membership options. This includes preventative medicine, nutritional advice, and practical support for alpaca, goat, and poultry keepers.
What is your approach to cattle reproduction and breeding programmes?
We offer synchronisation and artificial insemination using DEFRA-approved techniques. Our genetic selection advice and bull assessment services help improve calf quality and tighten calving patterns for better herd management.
Are you part of any professional veterinary networks?
We are independent members of XLVets, the UK's largest collaborative veterinary group. This partnership provides access to specialist knowledge while maintaining our local focus and independent decision-making.
How do you support farmers with government livestock schemes?
We administer the Animal Health & Welfare Pathway, including health reviews, capital grants, and disease eradication programmes. Our team helps farmers navigate BVD control schemes and statutory TB testing requirements.
