Farming and food production is vital to the economy of the United Kingdom and integral to the daily lives of millions of people working and living in rural areas. Veterinary surgeons play a crucial role in the management of livestock as rural professionals who contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of farms. Yet their activities have rarely been studied by academics. This thesis helps to address this vacuum by shedding light on veterinary surgeons and, specifically, by exploring some of the organising processes that are performed in the construction of their professional identities, and the ways in which they seek to manage the tensions and conflicts in their relationships with their employees.