Farmers and veterinarians’ perceptions and adaptive management of tick-borne disease risk on endemic dairy farms

Tick-borne diseases are an increasing challenge for UK livestock farming, yet decision-making processes and risk perceptions surrounding them are not well understood. This study explores how dairy farmers and veterinarians perceive and manage tick-borne disease risk, and how these perceptions guide farm-level actions. Using a constructivist framework and reflexive thematic analysis, we analysed focus group discussions with eight farmers and seven veterinarians. Four themes were constructed: (1) risk perception as a characteristic of the farming landscape, (2) navigating uncertainty through experiential knowledge, (3) negotiating exposure, immunity, and production pressures, and (4) the hidden burden of endemic disease. Risk was understood as embedded in the physical and ecological features of farms, with disease management guided more by experience than evidence. Emotional strain, economic loss, and herd disruption emerged as substantial, under-recognised costs. Participants also voiced concern that Environmental Land Management Schemes may inadvertently expand tick habitat and increase disease risk. These findings highlight the need for greater integration of ecological, epidemiological, and social science research to support evidence-based management of tick-borne diseases in changing agricultural landscapes.