Scottish Government Commissioned Research - Profitable and Sustainable Agriculture - Animals
The Scottish Government Environment and Rural Affairs Directorate commissions Research Programmes from its Major Research Providers (MRPs), of which MRI is one. These Research Programmes form the main unit of research delivery and each Programme has a number of objectives which provide a framework both for describing the research and identifying the work needed within the Programme. Within each Programme a number of objectives have been identified and work has been commissioned through a series of work packages.
All programmes are rolling programmes which will be reviewed in 2008/09-2009/10. Following that review, additional and continuation work packages will be identified and commissioned. The current programmes of research are:
- Programme 1: Profitable & Sustainable Agriculture - Plants
- Programme 2: Profitable & Sustainable Agriculture - Animals
- Programme 3: Environment - Land Use and Rural Stewardship
- Programme 4: Impacts on Human Health
Programme 2, with a value of approximately £9 million, is co-ordinated by Professor Willie Donachie at MRI. Outputs from Programme 2 will be delivered in the main by MRI in partnership with SAC and BioSS.
Click on the links below to see the specifications and proposals for each of the Work Packages:
- Work Package 2.1 - Control of Viral Diseases in Livestock
Leader: Dr Colin McInnes ( MRI) - Work Package 2.2 - Control of Bacterial Diseases in Livestock
Leader: Prof Willie Donachie ( MRI) - Work Package 2.3 - Control of Parasitic Diseases in Livestock
Leader: Prof David Knox ( MRI) - Work Package 2.4 - Livestock Welfare
Leader: Prof Alastair Lawrence (SAC) - Work Package 2.5 - Livestock Genetics and Management for Product Quality and Sustainability
Leader: Prof Geoff Simm (SAC)
Cross Cutting Themes
The Scottish Government’s strategy indicates that future research should be more policy relevant and new areas where research is needed have been identified. The Programmes of research have three overarching, cross-cutting themes (CCT) which provide the strategic context for the overall research effort. These comprise the important issues of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Rural Sustainability. MRI has identified Cross-Cutting Theme Champions to help develop our strategy on these globally important issues.
- Climate Change: contact Dr Philip Skuce
- Biodiversity: contact Dr Keith Ballingall
- Sustainability: contact Dr Lee Innes
Programme Advisory Group
Programme 2 has an advisory group to assist with strategy development, science evolution, work package delivery and implementation of knowledge transfer at programme and cross programme levels. The group consists of:
- Dr David Garwes (Chair) - Garwes Associates Ltd
- Dr Nick Ambrose - ERAD – Scientific Adviser in Animal & Livestock Policy
- Professor Harry Blokhuis - Animal Science Group, Netherlands
- Professor JohnBourne - Independent Veterinary Scientist
- Professor Willie Donachie - Programme 2 Coordinator, MRI
- Professor Julie Fitzpatrick - Scientific Director, MRI
- Professor George Gettinby - Dept of Statistics & Modelling, University of Strathclyde
- Professor Bill Hill - Dept of Animal Genetics , University of Edinburgh
- Dr Ian McKendrick - BioSS
- Mr Nigel Miller - Farmer, NFU
- Mr Uel Morton - Chief Executive, QMS
- Professor Ivan Morrison - Veterinary Clinical Services, University of Edinburgh
- Professor John Oldham - Research Director, SAC
- Mr Philip Sketchley - Chief Executive, NOAH