In an ever-changing world, it is essential that individuals are able to access, and act upon, the most relevant information and advice, and no more so than in agriculture. In this technologically-evolving age, finding information is not an issue, but finding information that is trustworthy, and in a format that is fit for purpose, can be challenging.
A SEFARI Gateway-funded Specialist Advisory Group brought together a broad range of expertise across key industry stakeholders, Government Policy Leads and relevant SEFARI researchers to discuss livestock health and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), to prioritise health conditions that have the greatest impact on emissions and to identify practical disease intervention strategies and pathways to impact that will encourage uptake across the industry.
Scotland has ambitious strategies for biodiversity protection and climate action with the intention of achieving a greener, fairer and just future. As most land in Scotland is devoted to some form of agricultural production, farmers and land managers are key players in achieving a transition to more sustainable agriculture and horticulture.
A SEFARI Specialist Advisory Group was established in response to concerns from livestock farmers and agro-ecologists about the adverse environmental impacts of some frontline livestock worming treatments, which reach the environment either in the dung/urine of treated animals or as a result of inappropriate disposal. Information on potential environmental impacts is a prerequisite for approval of veterinary medicines in the UK, but that information is not easy to find or understand.
This year, the conference will focus on debating and discussing the roles animals play within topics such as dietary health, planetary health and mental health. The conference offers an opportunity for anyone who works with livestock through research or academia to get involved in lively discussion, and it’s also a great chance for delegates to build an international network.
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My main area of interest lies in machine learning, deep learning and artificial intelligence and their applications in agriculture, specifically, data-driven phenotype prediction in dairy cattle.
Improvements in the health and productivity of livestock is key for the future sustainability of farming. The intake and utilisation of nutrients from the diet of the dairy cow plays an important role in maintaining the cow’s health, and the nutrients present within its milk also have important benefits for us as consumers.
Professor Julie Fitzpatrick OBE
Scotland has a strong legacy as a world-class place for parasitology research. Dr Patrick Manson is viewed as the “Father of Tropical Medicine and vector-borne disease” for his work on mosquito-transmitted filarial worms and the human blood fluke, Schistosoma mansoni, the causative agent of one of the world’s major Neglected Tropical Diseases, is named after him!
The five CoEs are funded by the Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) and are part of the wider Scottish Government funded research portfolio, which is one of the largest for agri-environment research in the UK.