Ben Strugnell qualified from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh in 2002 and spent 6 years in rural mixed practice in North Yorkshire. He then joined the Veterinary Laboratories Agency VI Centre/ diagnostic laboratory in Thirsk, where he worked as a Veterinary Investigation Officer for 6 years. In 2010 he obtained the RCVS Certificate in Pig medicine. In 2014 he undertook a pilot project with the Beef and lamb Levy Board in England (EBLEX), which established a carcase-based post mortem diagnostic service for farmers and their vets at a large fallen stock collection centre in North East England. He has remained at the same centre ever since, performing post mortem examinations on various classes of livestock, in what is now a sustainable enterprise. Since 2014 over 12,000 carcasses have been examined, and accumulated data on causes of death has been of use to the industry and government. He has also been a visiting lecturer at the Universities of Nottingham and undertakes regular teaching of veterinary undergraduates and post-graduates, farmers and allied professionals.