Torch Farm and Equine, Farm and Equine Veterinary Surgeons

Torch Farm and Equine, Farm and Equine Veterinary Surgeons is an independent, veterinary-owned practice based in Barnstaple, Devon, in the South West of England. It operates two linked service brands — Torch Farm Vets and Torch Equine Vets — and describes itself as an independent practice dedicated to the farming and equine communities of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. The practice was formed in 2012 when the farm and equine sections of two well-established veterinary practices came together, with the stated intention of continuing a drive for the best possible care for the local community and of developing the next generation of veterinary care. The farm side of the business, Torch Farm Vets, provides around-the-clock care with an emphasis on preventative medicine and herd health. Its vets work with large single-species dairy, beef, sheep, pig, goat and alpaca units as well as smaller multi-species holdings. The practice positions itself as part of the client's team of advisors, aiming to understand each farm business's goals, plans and concerns so as to support health, productivity and profitability on-farm while keeping animal welfare at the heart of its work. Continuity of care is a stated priority: clients are assigned a dedicated vet who understands their business, and the practice operates a 24-hour emergency service so that a member of staff can always be reached. The team includes clinicians with advanced qualifications across a broad range of subject areas, and the practice invests continually in facilities, equipment and technology, including in-house laboratories for quick turnaround on results. The equine side, Torch Equine Vets, is a dedicated equine veterinary service whose vets and nurses offer care ranging from routine preventative healthcare to complex surgical procedures, backed by a 24-hour emergency service for all types of equine. Torch operates from a network of practices across the region. Locations named on its website include Bideford, Ilfracombe, South Molton, Pilton, Roundswell, Holsworthy, Bude and Bradworthy, spanning Devon and Cornwall and reaching into the wider South West. The practice is led by directors including managing director Nich Roper, an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Bovine Reproduction who comes from a Norfolk farming background and has lived in North Devon for over 30 years, and Rebecca Cavill, who joined the Torch team in 2014 and has particular interests in fertility, youngstock and mastitis. The team is organised into farm directors, approved tuberculin testers, veterinary surgeons, veterinary technicians, a support team and an administration team. As a private, vet-owned business rather than a corporate group, Torch emphasises its independence and local service. Its stated mission is to enable the farming and equine community to thrive by providing the best possible veterinary care, and its recurring promise is to maintain the highest clinical standards while providing a friendly and practical service to clients.

Torch Farm and Equine traces its origins to 2012, when the farm and equine sections of two well-established veterinary practices came together to form a single practice. According to the practice's own account, the merger was intended to continue a drive for the best possible care for the local community and to ensure the development of the next generation of veterinary care. The practice is based in Barnstaple, Devon, and serves the farming and equine communities of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset in South West England. Managing director Nich Roper, who comes from a farming background in Norfolk, had a short spell in a large mixed practice in Kent before moving to North Devon, where he has lived for over 30 years. He has been closely involved in developing the practice over that period and describes himself as proud to be part of the community it serves. Rebecca Cavill, who grew up on a beef suckler farm in Somerset, graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2010, began in mixed practice crossing the border into Devon, and joined the Torch team in 2014. She completed a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (cattle) in 2016, was elected to the British Cattle Veterinary Association board in 2017, and served as its TB lead for five years. Over time the practice has grown into a network of locations across the region. Its website lists practices at Bideford, Ilfracombe, South Molton, Pilton, Roundswell, Holsworthy, Bude and Bradworthy, covering Devon and Cornwall and reaching into the wider South West. The business is organised around two service brands: Torch Farm Vets, which provides around-the-clock farm veterinary care with an emphasis on preventative medicine and herd health, and Torch Equine Vets, a dedicated equine service offering everything from routine preventative healthcare to complex surgical procedures and a 24-hour emergency service. The farm team works with large single-species dairy, beef, sheep, pig, goat and alpaca units as well as smaller multi-species holdings, and includes approved tuberculin testers alongside veterinary surgeons, veterinary technicians, a support team and an administration team. The practice emphasises continuity of care through dedicated vets, 24-hour staffing, advanced qualifications among its clinicians, and ongoing investment in facilities, equipment and technology, including in-house laboratories. As an independent, vet-owned practice, Torch positions itself as a local alternative to corporate veterinary groups, working in partnership with farming clients as part of their team of advisors to support health, productivity and profitability on-farm while keeping animal welfare at the heart of its work.

• 2017

  Rebecca Cavill is elected to the British Cattle Veterinary Association board.

• 2016

  Rebecca Cavill completes her Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (cattle).

• 2014

  Rebecca Cavill joins the Torch team.

• 2012

  Torch is formed when the farm and equine sections of two well-established veterinary practices come together.

Independent, vet-owned farm and equine practice delivering a friendly, practical and local service across the South West of England, with continuity of care, dedicated vets and 24-hour emergency cover.

• Torch Farm Vets

  Around-the-clock farm veterinary care with an emphasis on preventative medicine and herd health, serving dairy, beef, sheep, pig, goat and alpaca units as well as smaller multi-species holdings.

• Torch Equine Vets

  Dedicated equine veterinary service offering routine preventative healthcare, complex surgical procedures and a 24-hour emergency service for all types of equine.

1. 1Home Page - Torch Farm and Equine Vetstorchfarmandequine.co.uk
2. 2About Torch Farm & Equine Vetstorchfarmandequine.co.uk
3. 3Useful links - Torch Farm and Equine Vetstorchfarmandequine.co.uk
4. 4Meet The Team Farm Vets - Torch Farm and Equine Vetstorchfarmandequine.co.uk
5. 5Wikidata: Torch Farm and Equine, Farm and Equine Veterinary Surgeons (United Kingdom)wikidata.org