Moredun and The Crown Estate Scotland Portfolio have extended their collaboration to produce Biosecurity information in a clear and concise format developed and produced at Moredun by Dr Beth Wells and aimed to encourage livestock farmers to encompass a proactive approach to disease prevention and control.
The outputs from the project include an attractively designed information newssheet and pull out wall poster on biosecurity for key livestock diseases. It has been designed to clearly outline best practice for a number of important, endemic diseases which affect cattle and sheep in the UK. The project will be launched by Moredun together with the Crown Estates Scotland Portfolio at the annual Moredun reception at the Royal Highland Show on Friday 24th June.
Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, Scientific Director of Moredun Research Institute said: “Losses due to disease cost the UK livestock industry millions of pounds each year and even on an individual basis, importing one disease with incoming livestock can be a costly mistake. For example, the cost of an outbreak of sheep scab in a 500 head flock can be as much as £6150. Biosecurity is one of the most important factors of livestock disease control and is key to maintaining healthy livestock. Although producers are well aware of the commercial benefits of healthy animals, the challenge is to ensure clear communication of current best practice biosecurity advice in a useable format, which has been the main aim of this project.”
Ian Duncan Millar, Chairman of the Moredun Foundation, said: “We are very pleased to launch this valuable resource at the Royal Highland Show. Moredun has an extensive outreach network to the livestock industry which helps to communicate the results of the research produced at the Moredun Research Institute and provides practical solutions for livestock disease prevention and control. The Crown Estate is leading the way as the first land owning estate to join us and we hope many more estates and landowners will follow suit. The Crown Estate associate membership has allowed more than 350 of their UK livestock farming tenants to benefit from livestock health advice via Moredun's communications network and research expertise. Given the threats to our agricultural industry from pathogens and disease, education and information sharing is vital for promoting good practice and understanding of the actions available to farmers to help protect their livestock.
Andrew Wells, Head of Countryside Management for the Scotland Portfolio, The Crown Estate said: “Biosecurity is a critical part of disease prevention and control, and a subject that should be continually addressed as part of normal farm management. Farming is a key business activity for us and keeping our tenants aware of current research and advice such as this ensures that part of our business remains healthy and viable for the future. The earlier roadshows carried out in partnership with Moredun were hugely successful, so we were very pleased to continue our collaboration with them again on this next phase of their outreach work.”
Notes to editors
The Moredun Foundation (Moredun) is a registered charity committed to promoting animal health and welfare through research and education. It governs the work of Moredun Research Institute, which is recognized worldwide for its research into infectious diseases of farmed livestock. Established by farmers in 1920, Moredun's work has always been firmly based on addressing the needs of the farming industry and Moredun's research has led to the development of many vaccines, diagnostic tests and improved treatment strategies for farm animals across the globe. More at www.moredun.org.uk.
The Crown Estate: The Crown Estate manages a diverse £11.5 billion portfolio across the UK and pays all revenue profit to the UK Government. In 2014/15, this totaled £285.1 million.The organisation has offices in London, Edinburgh, Glenlivet and Lockerbie and works with Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, local authorities, communities and businesses in sectors such as offshore renewables, tourism and aquaculture. In Scotland, The Crown Estate comprises:
The Energy and Infrastructure portfolio, including management of the seabed out to the 12 nautical miles and the rights to renewable energy on the UK continental shelf.
The Rural and Coastal portfolio approximately half the foreshore where we manage around 850 aquaculture sites and we license 5000 moorings
37,000 hectares including the Glenlivet, Fochabers, Applegirth and Whitehill estates, with agricultural tenancies, residential properties and forestry.
The urban estate, which includes retail property in Edinburgh.
For further information please contact:
Dr Beth Wells
Moredun Research Institute
Tel. 0131 445 5111