Record EU animal health grant for pigs and poultry
A consortium of 22 research partners has been given a record £10.6m grant from the European Union to improve pig and poultry production – the most ever awarded by the EU for animal health.
The grant will be co-ordinated by Newcastle University and will focus on exploring ways to increase production quality, limit environmental impact and preserve profitability for farmers across Europe.
The project, entitled Prohealth, was launched in Newcastle upon Tyne on 17 December. It comprises a group of 10 academic partners, as well as a number of private companies that includes Aviagen and Zoetis.
A number of smaller businesses with expertise in epidemiology, veterinary science and a range of other subjects are also set to benefit from the grant.
“The overarching aim of the five-year Prohealth project is to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of intensive pig and poultry farming in Europe,” said Prof Steve Homans, pro vice-chancellor of Newcastle University.
“The key point of difference is a holistic approach focusing on understanding the multifactorial dimension of animal diseases linked to the intensification of production, and using this knowledge to develop, evaluate, and disseminate effective control and improvement strategies for reducing impact throughout the EU,” he added.