DFID/UKAid fund British, ILRI, African genetics research to advance African livestock development
Africa / Agri-Health / Animal Breeding / Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Biotechnology / Cattle / CGIAR / Climate Change / CTLGH / Dairying / East Africa / Europe / Genetics / Human Health / ILRI / Kenya / Launch / LiveGene / Poultry / Pro-Poor Livestock / Research / Trypanosomiasis / UK / Vaccines / Zoonotic Diseases

DFID/UKAid fund British, ILRI, African genetics research to advance African livestock development

During the visit Ms Mordaunt also announced plans to develop the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, which is based in both Edinburgh and Nairobi. The centre uses the most recent scientific advances in genetics and genomics that are being used by farmers in the UK and apply these to help smallholder dairy and poultry farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Continue reading

Appolinaire Djikeng, of BecA-ILRI Hub, appointed director of leading tropical livestock centre
Animal Breeding / Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Biodiversity / Breeds / Disease Control / Genetics / ILRI / Kenya / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKCRP / Pro-Poor Livestock / Staff / UK

Appolinaire Djikeng, of BecA-ILRI Hub, appointed director of leading tropical livestock centre

Appolinaire Djikeng has been appointed director of the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, a partnership between the University of Edinburgh, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and ILRI. Continue reading

Injection of new genetics funding to boost the health and productivity of Africa’s farm animals
Africa / Animal Breeding / Biodiversity / Biotechnology / Cattle / Chickens / Climate Change / Genetics / Goats / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKFISH / Pro-Poor Livestock / Project / Research / Sheep / Small Ruminants / Southern Africa / UK

Injection of new genetics funding to boost the health and productivity of Africa’s farm animals

Scientists will use funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to look at how genetic information can improve the health and productivity of farmed animals in tropical climates. The institutions in Scotland and Africa where the researchers are based are also making additional contributions, taking the total funding pot to £20 million over the next five years. Continue reading

Agri-Health / Article / Cattle / Central Africa / Disease Control / East Africa / Epidemiology / Human Health / ILRI / Kenya / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKFISH / Southern Africa

Parasites to the rescue: Study suggests dual infections may help control livestock and human infectious diseases

Deaths caused by East Coast fever, the biggest killer of East African cattle, dropped 89 per cent among calves which were also infected with other species of parasite that do not cause disease. Continue reading

Agri-Health / Animal Health / Article / Cattle / Central Africa / Disease Control / East Africa / ECF / Epidemiology / ILRI / Interview / Kenya / LIVESTOCKFISH / Southern Africa / Staff / Vaccines

New paper on parasitic infections shows the benefits of co-infections with the ‘mild cousins’ of important pathogens

Herds of African cattle may hold the secret to new ways of fighting parasitic diseases like malaria, which kills some 600,000 people a year, scientists said on Friday. Continue reading

Agri-Health / Animal Health / Article / Cattle / Central Africa / Disease Control / East Africa / ECF / Epidemiology / ILRI / Interview / Kenya / LIVESTOCKFISH / Southern Africa / Staff / Vaccines

ILRI’s Philip Toye VOA interview on East Coast fever, and the benefits of co-parasitic infections

Voice of America’s Joe DeCapua interview Phil Toye, a scientist with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), about a paper published this week in Science Advance. Continue reading

Africa / Animal Diseases / Biotechnology / Directorate / Disease Control / ECF / ILRI / ILRIComms / ILVAC / LIVESTOCKFISH / Opinion piece / USA / Vaccines

Vaccine cliff-hanger (‘parasite page-turner’) on Gates’ blog

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation blog, Impatient Optimists, is running a piece about ‘an unusual story . . . unfolding in Africa, where the battle against a cattle-killing disease called East Coast fever is quickly becoming a cliff-hanger.’ The article is written by Jimmy Smith, director general of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), … Continue reading

Africa / Animal Diseases / Cattle / Disease Control / ECF / ILRI / ILRIComms / ILVAC / Kenya / LIVESTOCKFISH / Vaccines

New battle starts up against the ‘cancer/malaria’ of cattle in Africa

‘The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has launched the project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the fight against the disease that the agency says kills an animal every 30 seconds in East and Central Africa. Continue reading