Sandy McLachlan

Dr Sandy McLachlan

Associate Professor/Reader

School of Animal and Veterinary Science

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

In 2023 I joined the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences (SAVS), bringing 32 years of experience in mixed veterinary practice, academia, diagnostic laboratories, government and industry. My role in SAVS comprises a balance of research, teaching and clinical service in the Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital's Pathology Laboratory.

The constant themes of my career have been improving the health of farm animals, protecting public health and enhancing food security. Subthemes included veterinary pathology, pathogenesis of infectious diseases, immunology, laboratory diagnostics, vaccinology and biosecurity.

My experiences have given me unique skills and perspectives about how emerging scientific knowledge and advanced technologies can be applied systematically and to deliver solutions that have real world impact. 

Animal agriculture is important because animal protein is the rate limiting resource for human development. Indeed, the current period of rapid human development is fed by cheap animal protein from industrialized agriculture.

The Roseworthy campus lies in the middle of a major grain growing region and is surrounded by pig and poultry farms. Consequently, SAVS’s is well placed to be the leading centre for intensive animal agriculture in Australasia, complementing SAVS's strengths in dryland ruminant animal science.

My recent professional activities have included serving on the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries Animal Trade Advisory Council, the New Zealand Poultry Exporters Stakeholders + Ministry for Primary Industries working group, and the Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand (PIANZ) and Egg Producers Federation (EPF) VetTech Committee.

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2023 - ongoing Associate Professor The University of Adelaide
    2023 - 2023 Head of Diagnostic Services (Veterinary Pathology) Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
    2015 - 2023 Technical Services Manager / Veterinary Pathologist Pacificvet Ltd
    2014 - 2015 Principal Veterinary Officer Ministry of Agriculture
    2008 - 2014 Veterinary Anatomic Pathologist New Zealand Veterinary Pathology
    2007 - 2008 Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Pathology Murdoch University
    2004 - 2007 Lecturer in Veterinary Pathology Murdoch University
    2002 - 2003 Assistant Professor University of Minnesota
    1991 - 1997 Veterinarian Mixed practice

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    German Can read and understand spoken

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    1997 - 2001 Massey University New Zealand PhD
    1986 - 1990 Massey University New Zealand BVSc

  • Certifications
    Date Title Institution name Country
    2007 Diplomate ACVP (Anatomic Pathology) American College of Veterinary Pathologists United States
    2004 MACVSc (Veterinary Pathology) Australian College of Veterinary Scientists -

  • Research Interests
    Veterinary Pathology Infectious Diseases Veterinary Immunology Veterinary diagnostics Vaccinology Food sustainability Public Health

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2016 Hanlon, D. W., McLachlan, A. D., & Gibson, I. (2016). The first reported case of equine Nocardioform placentitis in New Zealand. NEW ZEALAND VETERINARY JOURNAL, 64(3), 198-199.
    DOI WoS5 Europe PMC2
    2015 Milnes, E. L., & McLachlan, A. (2015). Surgical management of small intestinal intussusception associated with jejunal adenocarcinoma in a dairy cow. NEW ZEALAND VETERINARY JOURNAL, 63(5), 288-290.
    DOI WoS2 Europe PMC2
    2015 McLachlan, A., & Angus, S. (2015). The pathogenic haemoparasite of cattle Theileria orientalis Ikeda is not present in Fiji.. Fiji Agricultural Journal, (55 (1)).
    2015 McLachlan, A., & Angus, S. (2015). Rationale for suspension of live cattle imports from Australia and New Zealand to prevent introduction of the pathogenic blood borne parasite Theileria orientalis Ikeda to Fiji: qualitative risk assessment.. Fiji Agricultural Journal, (55 (1)).
    2013 McLachlan, A. (2013). Caprine arthritis and encephalitis: a viral disease affecting dairy goats. VetScript, 26(3), 44-46.
    2012 McLachlan, A. (2012). Zinc poisoning in cattle. VetScript, 25(11), 36.
    2012 McLachlan, A. (2012). Equine juvenile ossifying fibroma. VetScript, 25(3), 20-21.
    2011 McLachlan, A. (2011). Low copper tops laboratory diagnosis.. VetScript, 24(8), 19-20.
    2010 McLachlan, A., Meyer, C., & Rawdon, T. (2010). Respiratory disease outbreaks in East Coast working dogs. VetScript, 23(10), 18-21.
    2010 McLachlan, A. (2010). Animal welfare investigations. VetScript, 23(9), 20.
    2010 McLachlan, A., & Thomsen, A. (2010). Leptospirosis in the King Country. Grazing Gazette, 37, 15.
    2009 McLachlan, A. (2009). Metabolic disease in ewes and does. VetScript, 22(7), 25.
    2009 Desport, M., Tenaya, I. W. M., McLachlan, A., McNab, T. J., Rachmat, J., Hartaningsih, N., & Wilcox, G. E. (2009). In vivo infection of IgG-containing cells by Jembrana disease virus during acute infection. Virology, 393(2), 221-227.
    DOI Scopus6 WoS4 Europe PMC1
    2009 McGill, S., Lester, N., McLachlan, A., & Mansfield, C. (2009). Concurrent sialocoele and necrotising sialadenitis in a dog. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 50(3), 151-156.
    DOI Scopus40 WoS30 Europe PMC18

  • Book Chapters
    Year Citation
    2010 McLachlan, A., & Desport, M. (2010). The Bovine Lentiviruses: Pathogenesis and Cell Tropism.. In M. Desport (Ed.), Lentiviruses and Macrophages: Molecular and Cellular Interactions (pp. 307-327). Caister Academic Press.
    2008 McLachlan, A. (2008). Cutaneous Myiasis of Sheep and Goats.. In S. R. Haskell (Ed.), Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult: Ruminant (pp. 272-273). Wiley-Blackwell.
    2008 McLachlan, A. (2008). Facial Eczema. In S. R. Haskell (Ed.), Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult: Ruminant (1 ed., pp. 341-343). Wiley-Blackwell.
    2008 McLachlan, A. (2008). Mites of Sheep and Goats. In S. R. Haskell (Ed.), Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult: Ruminant (1 ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.

  • Conference Papers
    Year Citation
    2023 McLachlan, A. (2023). Vaccination of naïve pullets in the face of challenge by EDS virus.. In Australasian Veterinary Poultry Association, Scientific Meeting Proceedings, Queenstown New Zealand, 30-31 October 2023 (pp. 32). Queenstown, New Zealand.
    2012 McLachlan, A., & Black, A. (2012). Bovine protoporphyria in Limousin calves: first cases in New Zealand.. In Proceedings of the 37th Conference of the New Zealand Society for Veterinary Pathology, in the New Zealand Veterinary Journal Vol. 60 (pp. 264). Palmerston North, New Zealand.
    2011 McLachlan, A. (2011). New Zealand Veterinary Pathology deer cases: Summary of 2010 and 2011 seasons.. In Proceedings of the Deer Branch of the New Zealand Veterinary Association. New Zealand Veterinary Association.
    2008 Carr, J., O'Dea, M., Wilcox, G., & McLachlan, A. (2008). The superficial inguinal lymph node of the pig and PCV2. In Proceedings of the 20th International Pig Veterinary Society Congress. Durban, South Africa: International Pig Veterinary Society.
    2008 Carr, J., O'Dea, M., Wilcox, G., & McLachlan, A. (2008). The superficial inguinal lymph node of the pig and PCV2. In Proceedings of the 20th International Pig Veterinary Society Congress. Durban, South Africa: International Pig Veterinary Society.

  • Conference Items
    Year Citation
    2006 McLachlan, A., & Raidal, S. (2006). Muscovy duck - avian borelliosis (H05-0326 [AFIP2983869]). Poster session presented at the meeting of Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Wednesday Slide Conference. Washington DC.

VET SC 7304ARW Pathology & Diagnostic Services Rotation A & B, Course Coordinator.

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2023 - ongoing Member Australian Society for Veterinary Pathology Australia
    2016 - ongoing Member Australasian Veterinary Poultry Association Australia
    2009 - ongoing Member New Zealand Society for Veterinary Pathology New Zealand
    2007 - ongoing Member American College of Veterinary Pathologists United States

  • Community Engagement
    Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country
    2022 - ongoing Trustee - Massey University Foundation, Wildbase Research Trust New Zealand

  • Offices Held
    Date Office Name Institution Country
    2024 - ongoing Academic lead Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital - Pathology Australia
    2014 - 2015 Secretary Fiji Veterinary Association Fiji
  • Position: Associate Professor/Reader
  • Phone: 0883133745
  • Email: sandy.mclachlan@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: Roseworthy
  • Building: Leske Building, floor Ground Floor
  • Room: G1A
  • Org Unit: School of Animal and Veterinary Science
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