BREAKING NEWS

Award of BEMB-sponsored Nuffield Farming Scholarship : Matt Davies

Every year since 1974 the BEMB Trust has sponsored a Nuffield Farming Scholarship. Nuffield Farming Scholarships, of which there are 20 in total annually, are open to men and women aged between 22 and 45 who are employed in farming, rural industry or the food chain. The recipients will study a related subject they feel passionate about, travelling anywhere in the world in order to do so, ultimately reporting back both verbally at the annual Winter Conference, and by producing a detailed written document.

Nuffield Farming Scholarships sponsored by the BEMB Trust require the study subject to be connected with the production or marketing of hen and duck eggs.

This year's recipient is 25-year old Matt Davies from Minsterley, Shrewsbury. Matt works for the family business which has a large general farm but the main enterprise is 1,000,000 laying birds. At the moment he oversees the day to day running of the laying enterprise to achieve better production and putting in place rigorous biosecurity cleanliness standards, both inside and outside. His education included obtaining an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Nottingham.

Matthew wants to study IPPC - Integrated Pollution, Prevention and Control. He will study in America and Denmark principally and hopes to start his study tour during the summer. But first, in April, he will join all the new international Nuffield Scholars in Australia for an intensive induction programme.

BEMB Trust sponsors Development of rational inactivated vaccines against E.coli for use with poultry

The BEMB Research & Education Trust has undertaken to sponsor initial work at the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, a year-long project aimed at the development of rational inactivated vacines against E.coli for use with poultry. Supervisor of the project is Professor Paul Barrow who says the funding will strengthen the array work that is being set up at Nottingham. He hopes, as a result of this work, to attract further LINK and industry funding with a view to commercial development. Work on the project commences in March 2008.

Professor Barrow is pictured on right.

BEMB Trust sponsors 4-year PhD Project at VLA

It was with particular pleasure that the Trustees decided to sponsor a 4-year PhD Project submitted by Dr Roberto La Ragione at Veterinary Laboratories Agency, entitled Intervention Strategies for avian spirochaetosis. Firstly the supervisor, Dr La Ragione, was himself sponsored by the BEMB Trust when he studied for his own PhD. Secondly the subject is of paramount importance to free range and barn egg producers and a solution is desperately needed. The Trustees use two parameters when selecting projects for sponsorship: good science and relevance to the current problems of the egg production industry.

Dr Roberto La Ragione

BEMB Trust puts further funding into red mite research at Moredun

The BEMB Research and Education Trust, which is already funding a 3-year PhD Project at Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, the title of which is Identification of vaccine candidates against poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is now putting more money into the same field.

It has granted £20,000 to Dr Alasdair Nisbet to build on results already achieved during the first year of the above Project. This work generated a small EST dataset demonstrating proof of principle. Dr Nisbet now plans to expand the dataset to contain thousands, rather than hundreds, of gene sequences. This would then open the door for Moredun to approach larger bodies for further research funding.

Dr Alasdair Nisbet
The BEMB Trust, acutely aware of the huge welfare issues connected with red mite infestation, is proud to be associated with this pump priming initiative.