Dr Ivy Meso – Rainbow Veterinarian Executive
Veterinary science is often seen as a calling, but for Dr Ivy Meso, it was a dream nurtured from an early age. Growing up in a home filled with pets, she was fascinated by the care veterinarians provided whenever the family dogs needed treatment. That fascination, coupled with a love for agriculture, led her to attend an agricultural high school and ultimately pursue a career in veterinary science. “Monogastrics were always my first choice, even during my undergraduate studies,” she recalls. “Poultry became the natural path for me.”
Today, Dr Meso is a poultry veterinarian at Rainbow Chicken, one of SA’s leading producers. Her role places her squarely at the intersection of animal health, food security, and the everyday challenges that come with managing the risks facing the country’s poultry industry. “People often think being a poultry vet is predictable,” she says with a smile. “But the field is so dynamic. No two days are the same. You’re constantly learning and solving problems.”
Leading on the Frontlines of HPAI
Few challenges have tested the poultry industry like the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak. For Dr Meso, navigating this crisis required balance. “There isn’t one word that sums up that period in my career,” she explains. “It was about balancing compliance, control, diagnostics, mitigation and, most importantly, people. It felt like controlled chaos. But you also witness the grit and tenacity of teams determined to keep finding solutions, even amid a crisis.”
Her frontline experience has underscored how animal health and food security are deeply intertwined. “One of the biggest misconceptions is that these two priorities are separate. They’re not,” she says. “Strong animal health systems directly protect our food supply.”
Building Resilience Through Prevention
As new strains and diseases continue to emerge, Dr Meso emphasises the importance of robust biosecurity and vaccine planning. “No two geographical areas are the same,” she notes. “I rely on historical risk profiles and up-to-date diagnostics to develop plans that are practical and adaptable.”
She believes that systems, rather than single actions, are what ultimately safeguard the industry. “The management of an outbreak, even in a crisis like AI, comes down to systems that can pivot at a moment’s notice,” she explains.
Looking to the Future
While the challenges are real, Dr Meso is optimistic about the future of poultry veterinary science in SA. “Smarter technologies and stronger local expertise are on the horizon,” she says. She also points to innovations driving sustainability in poultry farming as key to the industry’s future resilience.
For Dr Meso, technology is only one part of the equation. She is equally passionate about the people behind the industry and believes investing in talent, especially women, will strengthen the sector long-term. “You need to want to do this work and have a passion for it, because there will be tough times,” she says. “Your ‘why’ will carry you through.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
When asked what advice she would give to aspiring female veterinarians, Dr Meso’s message is simple yet powerful: “Find the importance of moments, and understand that irrelevance may be your greatest risk. People must remain at the centre of everything you do. We are solving problems for people as much as we are caring for animals.”
By sharing her journey, Dr Meso hopes to inspire young women to follow in her footsteps. Her work at Rainbow is a testament to the company’s commitment to empowering female leaders and advancing veterinary science as part of its broader mission to nourish the nation.
“Veterinary science is about resilience, adaptability, and care,” Dr Meso reflects. “It’s incredibly rewarding to know the work we do makes a real difference to the health of both animals and people in SA.”
