Born and educated in Dunedin, and after graduating at Massey started his veterinary career in Wairoa. The 5 year stint with Dave Mossman became the best platform ever to develop the all round skills of a sheep and beef rural practitioner. They were exciting times to be part of –deer farming was just developing, goats for some reason looked valuable and the development of the service capacity test for beef bulls had a huge beneficial impact on the region’s beef production.
A chance to get into business ownership in 1985 saw the family shift to the King Country and start up Te Kuiti Veterinary Services as a branch of Otorohanga Veterinary Services in partnership with Ian Livingstone and Lindsay Chitty. Skill development advanced into practice management to build the practice from a one man band to a 5 person business, laparoscopic AI and ET in sheep and goats, and special interest in orthopaedic surgery of working dogs. The business merger with clinics in Te Awamutu and Taumarunui in 1991 saw Don become a foundation shareholder of Veterinary Enterprises 1991.
During the 17 years in Te Kuiti, Don was involved in MRDC monitor farms, industry video productions, AgResearch mentor groups and NZVA special interest group- office holder and conference contributor. The real buzz’s came with developing VeTech, a farmer funded animal health management programme for our sheep and beef clients and developing a freeze brand identification technique for pig dogs.
Being involved in the Sheep for Profit pilot project in 2001 was the light bulb that initiated a move out of clinical practice to join Chris Mulvaney at AgriNetworks, a subsidiary company of Veterinary Enterprises in Te Awamutu in 2002.
Don’s roles in Agrinetworks include farm consultancy for sheep and beef farms using the Sheep for Profit system, training and coaching all Veterinary Enterprises personnel, and developing FarmBiz- a web based in-house information resource and training platform.
He is currently a director of Pasture Peak, Veterinary Enterprises and Agrinetworks, and also facilitates the Veterinary Enterprises Practice Support programme for new graduate employees.
Outside interests will find Don out cycling, wakeboarding, or blowing his bagpipes and looking forward to the day his five children finally flee the nest.
