3.4
Livestock health and welfare
Keywords
Cows, sheep, welfare, dairy, animal health
Expertise
The University’s expertise in livestock health and
welfare includes clinical work – offering a referral service
for veterinary surgeons and farms – as well as consultancy
and advice for external partners and a solid research base
within the broad areas of ruminant health.
We carry out research projects in dairy health and
production and have extensive experience of conducting
farm trials in a commercial setting at our facilities at Wood
Park Farm and Ness Heath Farm.
Wood Park Farm is established as a national resource
centre for farmers, sponsored by Tesco as part of the
Tesco Sustainable Dairy Group. It offers the farming
community expertise in cattle lameness, fertility and calf
health and aims to advise farmers and help them raise
the profitability of their work through better herd health
and welfare.
Ness Heath Farm is a sheep and beef farm; it also has
longstanding experience in running research projects on
all aspects of cattle and sheep health. It is licensed by the
Home Office for animal research.
All our research staff at these facilities are specialist
farm animal veterinarians with excellent clinical skills
and research experience in a number of areas including
endocrinology, animal reproduction, nutrition and
epidemiology, as well as high level clinical skills.
Capabilities and facilities
•
On-site lecture/seminar facilities
•
Livestock veterinary referral service
•
Continuing professional development (CPD)
workshops and seminars for farmers, vets and
associated agricultural industries
•
Design and execution of livestock trials for new
animal health products and feeds/feeding regimes.
Relevant centres and groups
•
Wood Park Farm
•
Ness Heath Farm.
3.5
Animal health impacts
Keywords
Animal health, society, zoonoses, behaviour
Expertise
We recognise that people and society influence the health
of animals, but animal health issues equally affect human
behaviour and society. The University draws on the
expertise of veterinary and medical clinical scientists,
epidemiologists, statisticians, psychologists,
sociologists and economists to investigate the
interplay between animal health and society.
The spread of disease, for example, is affected not just by
the biological mechanisms of infection, but also by social
factors. How do the choices people make in the way they
care for animals affect the occurrence of disease in these
animal populations? How do broader social influences,
such as agricultural (and other) legislation affect animal
management? Does human behaviour and the control
of animal movement influence the spread of infections in
animal populations?
We also answer questions such as: what are the risks and
benefits of animals in our societies and how are these
affected by disease (including social, health and economic
risks and benefits)? How do consumers respond to (real
or perceived) threats to the food chain, such as outbreaks
of disease in animals?
Our studies into how individuals and societies respond
to animal health issues provide agricultural and health
policy-makers with important insights. This evidence-base
is a key component for the development of effective and
sustainable (animal) health interventions such as new
therapeutics or preventatives (such as vaccines) and
initiatives to change behaviours, such as educational
campaigns or legislation.
Capabilities and facilities
•
Mixed methods research approaches
(
ie combinations of quantitative and qualitative
research to provide a more holistic perspective)
•
Multidisciplinary research teams
•
Behaviour and behavioural change studies
and surveys
•
Impact analyses and evaluations.
Relevant centres and groups
•
National Centre for Zoonosis Research
•
Centre for Critical and Major Incident Psychology.
Health & Wellbeing
24
Also see:
Food Security & Safety –
1.1
Animal production, page 129
For further information
on all our specialist
centres, facilities and
laboratories
go to page
179
