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Breeding for disease resilience is more cost-effective, study suggests
The study highlights the cost benefits of breeding animals to be resilient against disease.
Scientists develop mathematical models to estimate the economic value of disease resilience.

Breeding animals to be resilient against disease would be more cost-effective than breeding based on production traits, new research suggests.

Findings published in Genetics Selection Evolution show that breeding for optimum disease resilience could be three times more profitable than that of breeding based on production traits in disease-free conditions. 

Professor Andrea Doeschl-Wilson from the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute, which led the study, said: “Managing infectious disease continues to place a heavy toll on livestock producers and the animals they raise. By applying new statistical methods to big data from genomic and automated recording technologies, we can breed livestock that are more resilient to infection.”

In the study, researchers used data from a previous study of piglets with Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS) to develop mathematical models to estimate the economic value of disease resilience. 

According to their calculations, the value of selective breeding based on resistance and tolerance during infectious conditions was more than three times that of breeding based on production traits in disease-free conditions, demonstrating the high economic value of disease resilience. 

The team found that data or technologies that determine an animal’s response to infection based on its genes could be used to mitigate trade-offs between traits that contribute to resilience. 

They suggest that monitoring the level of infection in an animal over time, as well as tracking production traits, could be used to estimate the influence of resistance and tolerance on its response to infection.

 

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
Germany livestock import ban lifted

The UK government has amended its ban on the import of livestock, meat and dairy products from Germany.

Defra said the decision follows 'rigorous technical assessment' of the measures applied and the current situation. "If the situation changes, we will not hesitate to take necessary action in response to the FMD outbreaks in the European Union to protect our domestic biosecurity," it said.

The ban was implemented in January following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) near Berlin. Personal imports of meat, milk and dairy products will remain in place at a country level.