Big boost for veterinary health in the Borders

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is investing £500,000 to upgrade the veterinary disease surveillance centre in St Boswells, in the Scottish Borders.

The refurbishment of the veterinary disease surveillance centre will extend the life of the building and improve the facilities to support animal health and livestock production.

Postmortem room

Works will overhaul the interior and exterior, and upgrade the lab facilities and employee spaces.

The postmortem room will be upgraded with a new hydraulic table, and a new design of cradle to improve efficiency and safety when examining adult cattle postmortem. Floor, wall and drainage improvements will maximise hygiene and safety.

The postmortem room is closed while the refurbishment work is carried out, but the veterinary team will provide postmortem services from an alternative location nearby.

Disease information

Based at Greycrook in St Boswells, SRUC Veterinary Services provides animal health diagnostics for livestock across the Borders, Midlothian and East Lothian, and more widely when required.

The St Boswells veterinary team support farm veterinary practitioners in their work to reduce the impact of disease on livestock, and also contribute to the collection of disease information that is used nationally to improve livestock production efficiency and animal welfare throughout Scotland.

Surveillance programme

George Caldow, head of SRUC Veterinary Services, said: “The St Boswells centre is an important part of the national disease surveillance programme helping to improve animal health and support farm production.

“The refurbishment of St Boswells will help secure this service for many years to come and provide a focal point for farm animal health across the region.”

More information has been sent to veterinary practitioners who should be the point of call for farmers.