Rate My Professor Anne Ridler

Associate Professor Anne Ridler, PhD, BVSc, PGCertAPrac, holds the position of Associate Professor in Sheep & Beef Cattle Health & Production at Massey University's School of Veterinary Science. A graduate of Massey University with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 1999, she completed her Doctor of Philosophy there in 2003, investigating Brucella ovis disease in deer. She also earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice from King's College London in 2007. Following her veterinary graduation, Ridler worked in farm animal veterinary practice in New Zealand and at the Royal Veterinary College in London before taking up her current appointment at Massey University in December 2010. As a doctoral supervisor, she contributes to postgraduate training in veterinary science.

Ridler's research specializations encompass sheep health and production, with particular focus on ewe longevity and mortality, udder health and mastitis, footrot and lameness, Johne's disease, leptospirosis, and brucellosis in small ruminants, including Brucella ovis. Her work has advanced understanding of ewe culling practices, udder defects impacting lamb survival, and economic costs of ewe mortality in New Zealand sheep flocks. Key publications include co-authorship of the book 'The Sheep: Health, Disease and Production' (Massey University Press, 2018); 'Ewe culling in New Zealand: an interview study of 38 farmers' (New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2024); 'Where do all the ewes go? Ewe culling and mortality in 34 sheep flocks in New Zealand' (New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 2025); 'Modelling the cost of ewe mortality in New Zealand sheep flocks' (Livestock Science, 2026); and 'Subclinical mastitis in New Zealand grazing dairy ewes' (Journal of Dairy Science, 2026). She received the 2024 NZVA Branch Award and was a finalist for the 2024 Ballance Agri-Nutrients Science and Research Award. Ridler's research informs practical sheep farming strategies in New Zealand, promoting improved flock productivity and animal welfare through evidence-based health management.