TORCH FARM AND EQUINE LIMITED

What TORCH FARM AND EQUINE LIMITED does

Torch Farm & Equine Limited is an independent, vet-owned large-animal and equine veterinary practice headquartered in Roundswell, Barnstaple, Devon, operating eight branch locations across Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset. The business runs two co-branded service lines — Torch Farm Vets (dairy, beef, sheep, pig, goat, alpaca, and mixed smallholdings) and Torch Equine Vets (horses, ponies, donkeys) — and provides 24/7 emergency care, ambulatory on-farm and on-yard visits, and a BEVA-accredited equine hospitalisation and surgical facility at Mullacott, Ilfracombe, with six stables, an operating theatre, and 24-hour nursing.

The practice combines transactional fees (consultations, emergency work, zone-visit scheme, stud services including AI and embryo transfer) with recurring subscription revenue from Equine Total Healthcare Plans and the Targeted Worming Programme, and earns referral commission as an Agria Pet Insurance Introducer Appointed Representative. Its technology base is conventional clinical equipment — portable digital radiography, ultrasonography, video endoscopy, shockwave, therapeutic laser, and an on-site laboratory for rapid haematology and parasitology — supported by professional integrations with APHA (statutory TB testing), XLVets, BCVA, BEVA, and the Royal Veterinary College for internship and residency training.

Founded in July 2012 through the merger of the farm and equine departments of Charter Veterinary Hospital Group and Torbridge Veterinary Hospital, the practice has grown via the 2019 acquisition of Tamar Vets' farm and equine departments (followed by the 2020 opening of the Holsworthy branch) and a six-partner ownership expansion in October 2025, bringing the vet-owner group to eleven shareholders with no external PE, VC, or corporate parent. Its customer base spans dairy, beef, sheep, and smallholder farms, equine companion and breeding operations, welfare charities, wildlife parks, and zoos across the South West of England.

Name

TORCH FARM AND EQUINE LIMITED

Legal name

Torch Farm & Equine Limited

Website

https://torchfarmandequine.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Torch Farm and Equine Limited is an independent, vet-owned large-animal and equine veterinary practice operating eight branches across Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset, serving livestock farmers, smallholders, and equine owners with 24-hour emergency care, ambulatory services, and a BEVA-accredited equine hospital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Field Services, Mobile Imaging & On-Farm Procedures (HLAMABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Equine Ambulatory & On-Farm Veterinary Services (HLAMABAE), Reproduction, Breeding & Theriogenology (Large Animal/Equine) (HLAMABAG)

Keywords

• Farm veterinary services
• Equine veterinary care
• Herd health management
• Equine breeding services
• Large animal practice

Headquarters

HQ city

Barnstaple

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Veterinary Consultation and Treatment Fees: Core revenue from veterinary consultations, examinations, treatments, surgical procedures, and emergency services for farm animals and equines. Fees vary by service type, species, and complexity. 28-day payment terms for general business, 14-day terms for smallholders.
2. Preventative Healthcare Plans (Equine Total Healthcare Plans): Monthly direct debit subscription plans providing all preventative healthcare treatment required throughout the year, offering up to 40% savings compared to pay-as-you-go pricing. Each member is assigned a dedicated vet for routine work.
3. Stud Services and Breeding Programmes: Comprehensive stud services including artificial insemination (AI) with fresh, chilled, or frozen semen, embryo transfer, and breeding management. AI packages include reproductive examinations, scans, swabs, insemination, and hormone treatments. Additional fees for in-foal confirmation and procedures.
4. Targeted Worming Programme: Annual worming solution with three worm egg counts, veterinary reports, free worm treatments if required, and EquiSal saliva testing for tapeworm. £83.40 inc VAT yard fee with full postal scheme at £91.45.
5. Zone Visit Scheme: Discounted pre-booked routine visits at £30.86-£33.71 inc VAT for equine clients, with reduced fees for shared visits. Restricted to specific days per area for routine work including vaccinations, dental care, microchipping, and passport sketching.
6. Insurance Referral Commission: Torch Equine Veterinary Clinic Limited acts as Introducer Appointed Representative of Agria Pet Insurance Ltd, earning commission on referred insurance policies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Torch Farm & Equine is an independent, vet-owned veterinary practice providing 24-hour farm and equine veterinary care across Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset through eight branch locations and mobile/ambulatory services. The practice delivers preventative herd health planning, fertility services, TB testing, advanced diagnostics, and surgical procedures for farm animals, alongside routine equine healthcare, BEVA-accredited AI and stud services, hospitalisation, and subscription-based preventative healthcare plans.

Product overview

Torch Farm & Equine is a vet-owned independent veterinary practice operating two main service brands: Torch Farm Vets (farm animal services) and Torch Equine Vets (equine services). The practice operates multiple locations across Devon and Cornwall, providing 24-hour emergency care alongside preventative health programmes. Farm services include herd health planning, TB testing, fertility services, and specialist sheep breeding (South West Sheep Breeding Services). Equine services feature a BEVA-accredited AI centre, hospitalisation facilities with surgical theatre at Mullacott, and subscription healthcare plans. The company also offers targeted worming programmes, youngstock clubs, and hoof care services as specialized modules under the farm brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Torch Farm Vets Farm veterinary service brand providing around-the-clock care with emphasis on preventative medicine and herd health. Services cover dairy, beef, sheep, pig, goat, alpaca units, and smaller multi-species holdings across Devon and Cornwall, including herd health planning, TB testing, fertility work, mastitis control, transition cow care, hoof care, and dynamic milking machine testing.
• Torch Equine Vets Dedicated equine veterinary service offering routine preventative healthcare through to complex surgical procedures with 24-hour emergency service. Equine hospitalisation facilities include operating theatre, inpatient stables with CCTV, isolation and mare/foaling facilities, and on-site laboratory at Mullacott, Ilfracombe.
• Equine Stud Services BEVA-accredited AI centre offering embryo transfer, semen collection and analysis, artificial insemination with fresh, chilled, or frozen semen, breeding management, and 24-hour foaling care. Pricing includes per-cycle AI packages, unlimited-season packages, and additional fees for pregnancy diagnosis, Caslicks operation, uterine lavage, and sedation.
• Equine Total Healthcare Plans Preventative healthcare subscription plans providing routine veterinary care via monthly direct debit, covering vaccinations, dental work, and health checks with up to 40% savings versus pay-as-you-go pricing. Each plan member is assigned a dedicated vet for routine work.
• Targeted Worming Programme Annual veterinary-led worming programme including three worm egg counts, veterinary reports, EquiSal saliva testing for tapeworm, and free worm treatments if required. Yard fee £83.40 inc VAT and full postal scheme £91.45 (under 700kg).
• South West Sheep Breeding Services Specialist sheep breeding and fertility services including artificial insemination, laparoscopic insemination, ram fertility testing, and breeding planning for pedigree flocks across the South West.
• Total Hoof Care Comprehensive hoof care service for dairy herds including mobility scoring, lameness investigation, and functional hoof trimming to improve herd mobility and productivity.
• Vital 90 Days Programme Transition cow management programme focusing on the critical 90-day period around calving to reduce metabolic disorders and improve dairy herd productivity.
• Youngstock Club Club focused on youngstock health management providing benchmarking, health planning, and preventative care advice for calves and young cattle.
• Equine Dentistry Advanced equine dental care including routine floating, digital dental radiography for dental disease imaging, and surgical facilities for advanced techniques requiring general anaesthesia, using battery-powered dental rasps, burs, oroscope and flushers.
• Pre-purchase Examinations Five-stage BEVA-format veterinary pre-purchase examination assessing horse suitability for intended use, including external examination, gait assessment, exercise phase, rest monitoring, and blood sampling.
• Equine Diagnostics In-house laboratory services for blood analysis, urine and faecal testing, plus external specialist lab access for comprehensive testing, histology, and hormone testing. Mobile radiography, ultrasonography, video gastroscopy, and endoscopy available for on-yard workups.
• Equine Zone Visit Scheme Discounted pre-booked routine visit scheme for non-emergency equine work on designated days at £30.86-£33.71 inc VAT, covering vaccinations, dental care, microchipping, and passport sketching. Reduced or free fees for shared visits between multiple clients on the same yard.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 40% savings with Equine Total Healthcare Plans compared to pay-as-you-go pricing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Donkey SanctuaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTorch Equine works closely with The Donkey Sanctuary. Vet Nathalie Van Heesewijk has a particular interest in donkey medicine and has spent time working with working donkeys and mules in Morocco. The practice provides veterinary services for donkey welfare.
• XLVetscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of XLVets, a network of veterinary practices sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices. XLVets provides access to specialist expertise, training, and collaborative resources for member practices.
• Royal Veterinary College (RVC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with RVC for internship and residency programmes. The 12-month internship is part of the RVC Internship Programme for production animal vets. The 3-year residency programme is conducted in conjunction with RVC. Steph Prior completing residency with RVC support.
• British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA)minorOthersTeam members including Colin Clarke are members of the British Cattle Veterinary Association. Rebecca Cavill served on BCVA board as TB lead for 5 years.
• Sheep Veterinary SocietyminorOthersMike Glover is a long-standing member and committee member of the Sheep Veterinary Society, and serves as examiner for RCVS Certificate in Sheep Health and Production. Jenny Schmidt is Honorary Veterinary Surgeon for Devon Goat Society and member of Sheep Veterinary Society.
• British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA)coreOthersBEVA accredited AI centre. Paul Jarvis leads the BEVA accredited AI team. Vets listed on BEVA accredited AI list for frozen and chilled semen. BEVA guidelines referenced for pre-purchase examinations.
• Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA)coreOthersOfficial partner for statutory TB testing and animal health reporting. Practice receives TB testing data from APHA and Devon & Cornwall authorities. TB testing and advisory service provided as official duty.
• VetSalus ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRebecca Cavill became a VetSalus Consultant in 2025. VetSalus is a network of production animal veterinary consultants.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Westover Veterinary Centre: Independent farm and equine veterinary practice in North Devon/Cornwall vicinity offering similar herd health, equine, and ambulatory services. Closest geographic competitor to Torch with overlapping service territory and similar independent ownership model.
• Lambert, Leonard & May (LLM Farm Vets): Independent farm-only veterinary practice covering the South West and West Midlands. Comparable in offering proactive herd health, fertility, and preventative medicine services to dairy, beef, and sheep farmers. Similarvet-owned, XLVets community structure.
• Ardens Vets (Garston Veterinary Group): Large independent mixed veterinary practice covering Wiltshire, Somerset, and Dorset with farm and equine divisions. Comparable multi-branch independent practice with similar farm/equine service mix and ambulatory delivery model.
• B&W Equine Hospital: Specialist equine-only veterinary practice and hospital in the West of England. Comparable in equine surgical theatre, hospitalisation, and specialist reproductive services (including BEVA AI). Direct competitor for referral and advanced equine work in the South West.
• Paragon Veterinary Group: Independent farm and equine veterinary practice in Cumbria and the North of England. Comparable vet-owned, multi-branch practice with similar emphasis on preventative health, herd planning, and equine services.
• Penmellyn Vets: Independent multi-species veterinary group in Cornwall with farm, equine, and small animal services. Comparable multi-branch independent practice in the same South West region with similar service mix and customer base.
• Synergy Farm Health: Independent, vet-owned large animal and equine practice covering Dorset, Somerset, and surrounding counties. Operates a multi-branch model with similar farm and equine services including 24-hour care, herd health planning, and ambulatory services. Comparable on size, ownership structure, and service mix to Torch Farm & Equine.

Broad incumbents

• IVC Evidensia: Europe's largest veterinary group with extensive UK farm and equine practice network. Comparable on full-service farm/equine delivery but operates at much larger scale with corporate ownership and centralised services.
• CVS Group plc: FTSE-listed consolidator of UK veterinary practices with significant farm and equine holdings. Comparable on service lines but vastly larger scale, publicly listed, and corporate-owned; serves as the corporate alternative to Torch's independent model.

Others

• XLVets Member Practices: Membership community of independent UK veterinary practices sharing knowledge, referrals, and buying scale. Torch is itself a member; XLVets as an organisation is a peer in the sense of being a shared infrastructure layer used by similarly structured independent practices.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/torchfarmvets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/torch-farm-and-equine-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/torchfarmvets

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TORCH FARM AND EQUINE LIMITED