James is a Hoof Health Consultant at Herd Health Consultancy, having joined the team in February 2022. James has a wealth of experience and expertise in working with farmers internationally to drive best practice in all matters hoof health and cow comfort. He offers hoof trimming training and hoof health/cow comfort consultancy across the globe to a range of clients. Based in Cornwall, James offers evidence-based solutions to tackle lameness on farms.
Examples of James’ recent projects include supporting artificial intelligence-based detection of digital dermatitis, delivery of hoof trimming training and appraisal to individual farms, evaluating the efficacy of NSAID usage in the management of lameness and calvings, developing the genetic evaluations for lameness, cow comfort appraisals, health and welfare quality assessments for supply chains, and conducting independent trials and data analysis for a range of hoof health products.
Alongside his consultancy work, he is a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Liverpool, contributing to the UK Hoof Health Registry (a national database of hoof health records). His research focuses on developing more robust genetic evaluations for lameness and exploring the social motivators behind farmers’ engagement with lameness management.
He holds a PhD in the management of dairy cow lameness from the University of Nottingham, awarded in 2021. Prior to joining HHC, James was involved in teaching and research at Duchy College’s farm, and earlier in his career, he worked in herd management across a range of systems following his BSc in Agriculture and Livestock Science, obtained in 2014.
James is a Level 4 fully audited hoof trimmer and a RoMS (Register of Mobility Scorers) instructor, also serving on the RoMS committee and acting as Vice Chairman of the Mobility Steering Group. He is a CHCSB (Cattle Hoof Care Standards Board) auditor and holds Lantra train-the-trainer certification, along with various teaching qualifications.
James takes a compassionate view to lameness with respect to both the cow and the farmer. He is passionate about driving on-farm improvements in a caring and supportive way. James works closely with farmers, trimmers, and vets to implement evidence-based hoof health strategies and continues to pursue research that supports sustainable and practical solutions.
