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Tackling animal disease
30/07/2007
Scotland is to contribute £1 million towards a major new £11.5 million UK research programme into animal diseases, it was announced today.
Every year endemic diseases cost farmers hundreds of millions of pounds and cause significant animal welfare problems.
The Scottish government is to contribute £1 million towards the UK initiative by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead said:
"Good animal health is vital to the well being and prosperity of all our rural communities.
"I am very pleased that Scotland is playing its part in the wider UK scientific effort to combat animal disease.
"Some of these diseases have been identified as priorities for reduction or eradication by the Scottish farming industry. The results will contribute to addressing these diseases and help to promote animal health and welfare.
"There is an increasing emphasis in Scotland on collaboration in science and I welcome this opportunity of joint collaborative working both between research bodies and also between UK research funders."
The aim of the research is to improve the sustainability of the UK farming industry by reducing the occurrence of a range of diseases and lowering the costs of treating affected animals.
Four of the ten UK projects identified in the initiative Combating Endemic Diseases of Farmed Animals for Sustainability (CEDFAS) have gone to Scottish bodies, including the Moredun Research Institute, Glasgow and Edinburgh universities and the Roslin Institute.
They will carry out research in the areas of resistance to worming treatments and bovine tuberculosis. Research being carried out in other parts of the UK under this initiative includes post weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome, bovine mastitis and footrot in sheep.
Professor Maggie Gill, Scottish Executive Rural and Environment Chief Scientific Adviser, said:
"This research is extremely important for the Scottish farming industry. Much of this work is being undertaken by Scottish researchers and we are fortunate in Scotland to have internationally respected scientists who make important contributions in both UK and international arenas. This initiative will help maintain and develop the excellence of this research base."
Professor Nigel Brown, BBSRC Director of Science and Technology, said:
"Endemic animal diseases cost UK farmers and consumers huge amounts of money every year and cause real suffering for animals. The projects launched today are targeted at bringing the country's world-class science to bear against some of the most damaging diseases. By working with farmers and industry, scientists can make a real difference in areas where help is needed."
Representatives from the farming community and animal industries have had a key role in shaping the initiative to ensure that the diseases being studied are those where advances would have a real impact for farmers and consumers.
The Scottish Executive is a partner in the CEDFAS Initiative and has contributed £1 million funding towards the research projects. The Executive provides funding of over £50 million per annum towards environmental, biological and agricultural research.
With an annual budget of around £380 million, the BBSRC is the UK funding agency for research in the life sciences and has contributed £10.15 million to this initiative.