SAC Research

We aim to aid farmers, veterinarians, policy makers and agricultural advisers providing an understanding of animal diseases, their control and prevention.

Working to improve the health and welfare of animals and to protect public health from disease, we carry out high quality and relevant research that considers the equilibrium between the animal and infectious agent across farm animal livestock species. This includes work with cattle, sheep, poultry and pigs with an understanding of the interactions between livestock, wildlife and the environment in agricultural systems.  

Our research contributes to:

• Competitive Agriculture – benefiting production by improving animal management and through the development of sustainable means of disease control;
• Environment and Rural Landscapes – by quantifying the impacts of environmental change and understanding the consequences for enterprises and animal health, whilst providing solutions for rural sustainability;
• Rural Development – linking to the SAC’s Rural Policy Centre and providing an evidence base for policy making in the area of animal health through EPIC – the Scottish Government’s Centre of Excellence in Epidemiology.

Our expertise is in identifying, characterising and quantifying the biological processes that are behind disease persistence and spread.  Efforts are made to control disease by optimising animal management (especially in relation to nutrition, food intake, diet selection and growth) and by balancing the interactions between management and the environment.  Economic analyses are undertaken to pinpoint the choices for disease control and to assist in decision making.

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