354 | Lessons from a Father-Daughter Vet Duo: The Next Generation of Dairy Care
Today on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen visits with father-daughter veterinarians Dr. Paul Meagher and Dr. Amanda Onan of United Veterinary Services in Northeast Wisconsin about how dairy practice evolved from reactive emergency work to proactive, team-based consulting. Dr. Paul shares his path from a North Dakota dairy farm to nearly 40 years in mixed and large-animal practice, mentors who emphasized prevention, and lessons learned from top producers: the right mindset and decision-making with a consultant team, high-quality forages, and consistency.
Dr. Amanda reflects on riding on after-hours calls as a child, emphasizes aligning larger dairy crews around shared goals, and predicts AI-driven tools such as calving-detection cameras and expanded monitoring. They discuss communication, humility, and “living in the light” through positivity and learning from negatives.
This episode is brought to you by Heritage Vet Partners.
Heritage Vet Partners is the nation’s leading veterinary partnership, specializing in mixed and large animal practices. Heritage Vet Partners provides a unique partnership model that preserves local practice legacies, serving dairy and other livestock producers and companion animal owners through shared services, data, and strategic growth. Learn more at HeritageVetPartners.com
02:10 Paul's Path to Practice
03:16 Mentors and Preventive Shift
04:59 Amanda's First Farm Call
06:45 Supporting Her Vet Dream
08:55 Learning From Top Producers
10:44 Three Keys to Success
16:54 From Firefighting to Consulting
19:20 Data and Record Analysis
24:15 Future Tech and AI
27:32 Family Support and Grandpa Life
30:04 Lessons Living in the Light
