About us

Livestock Health Scotland is a producer-led not-for-profit organisation which brings farmers and livestock keepers together with veterinarians, health scheme providers, epidemiologists and researchers. It aims to promote the management, prevention and where appropriate the eradication of production- and welfare-limiting diseases, to improve the health and wellbeing of livestock in Scotland.


We provide support to vets and farmers for small-scale projects which address health challenges. You can find examples of projects here.


Livestock Health Scotland have several projects reaching their end phase.


 With the support of MSD two groups of farms have been involved with two three-year vaccine case studies. The first group focusing on foot-rot control in sheep flocks where lameness levels were over 5%. A second group of suckler herds which had experienced IBR disease outbreaks using a whole herd IBR vaccine control strategy.

Disease rates, antimicrobial use and physical performance was monitored over the three-year study period.


The fertility of spring calving suckler cows is a core performance factor which determines both the number of calves born, reared and the weaning weights.

Three volunteer herds were split between natural service and a synchro AI programme, using a single insemination; to track the fertility rates, calving profile and weaning weights of the two breeding programmes.  

The case studies supported and coordinated by zoetis have generated on-farm performance data and costings.


The results of the three projects are coming together and we hope to post reports in the autumn.