SAC centre of excellence will pool dairy research
SAC centre of excellence will pool dairy research
INTEGRATED research into dairy cow genetics and management is the aim of creating a centre of dairy excellence at SACs Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries.
The centre will bring together research at the farm into grazing, nutrition and management systems with that into genetics and breeding, currently undertaken at Langhill, University of Edinburgh.
Both research teams believe future research needs will be best served by bringing their work together at one world-class centre.
"Economic sustainability of dairy cattle production in the UK calls for fully integrated research programmes," according to Bill Hill, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh.
With animals from Langhills genetic lines being moved to Crichton Royal, a wider range of relevant problems to UK producers can be tackled than at either site alone. It will allow the relationship between genotype and whole systems to be assessed, explains SAC.
Langhill Farm will continue as a commercial dairy unit. Researchers will also continue to be based at the University of Edinburgh. *