August 2, 2007

UK earmarks millions to study animal disease

The UK has embarked on a multi-million pound drive to tackle animal diseases that cost UK farmers hundreds of millions of pounds a year.

The GBP 11.5 million research programme would study some of the most harmful and widespread diseases affecting farmed animals in the UK such as bovine TB, footrot in sheep and post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome in pigs. The goal of the programme is to improve animal health and welfare, reduce economic losses and improve the overall sustainability of UK farming.

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is supporting 10 projects across the UK to study the diseases.

BBSRC Director of Science and Technology, Nigel Brown, said the research would generate better understanding of the behavior and the spread of the diseases. From the understanding of these diseases would come ways to control it.