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Institutes to develop foot-and-mouth diagnostic kits
cattle farm
"Our partnership will help to ensure improved diagnostics for FMD are easily available - not just in the UK and Europe, but across the rest of the world too."

Pirbright partners with Italian research institute

Cutting edge diagnostic kits for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)will be produced by the Pirbright Institute and the leading Italian research institute for animal disease, IZSLER.

The institutes have signed an international partnership agreement, which is the latest development in a long-term collaboration.

Their joint programme of research is focused on the development of new diagnostic tools for virus diseases in animals.

Dr Michel de Baar, Pirbright's director of business development, said: "This important agreement combines the expertise of both institutes to produce future-proofed kits that are able to provide even more accurate and rapid diagnostics for those using them in the veterinary community.

"Our partnership will help to ensure improved diagnostics for FMD are easily available - not just in the UK and Europe, but across the rest of the world too."

IZSLER will manufacture the kits, which have been evaluated for excellent reliability and sensitivity. Kits will be sold by IZSLER, Pirbright and their distributors, with revenue being reinvested into animal disease research.


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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.