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Pig and cattle health projects receive funding boost
The funding will help to progress two projects focussing on pig and cattle health.
Two projects receive more than three million in funding to progress. 

Researchers at the Pirbright Institute have received €3.5 million in funding to proceed with two projects designed to improve the health of cattle and pigs.

The funding will be used to tackle three livestock viruses - bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) in cattle, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and African swine fever virus (ASFV) in pigs. 

The first project, named NEOVACC, aims to develop vaccine strategies to improve the protection of newborn animals against BRSV and PRRS - the latter of which costs the global pig industry an estimated €1.5 billion a year. 

Professor Simon Graham said: “We are excited to begin work on the NEOVACC project. The consortium brings together a range of complementary expertise and knowledge to apply to our novel vaccine strategies, which we hope will provide young animals with enhanced protection against two important endemic diseases.” 

The second project, named ASFVInt, aims to identify the roles of around half of the 150-170 genes contained in the ASFV genome. This fatal pig disease was thought to have caused China US$141billion in direct economic losses in 2019 and continues to pose a risk to economies across the globe. 

Led by Pirbright’s Dr Chris Netherton, the project will see six partners receive €1.4 million to investigate 80 ASFV genes and decipher what they each do during infection. 
The team will use the data to see if there are specific genes that are important for replication or that the virus uses to avoid the pig immune response - research that could lead to the development of new antivirals or vaccines. 

Dr Chris Netherton said: “Control measures against ASFV are limited by our relatively poor understanding of how ASFV manipulates the host immune response. 

£The ASFVint project will help fill this gap by bringing together expertise from a range of disciplines brought by partners drawn from across Europe. Together we hope to build a road map which help uncover novel ways to combat this fascinating but dangerous virus.”

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.