Delivering oral healthcare to uncooperative cattle is fraught with obvious dangers.
A cow or bull with or without toothache is unlikely to take too kindly to a closer inspection.
But a spin-out from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has come up with an innovative solution.
Its dental gags allow for the examination of an animal’s mouth, potentially transforming livestock welfare and farm productivity across Scotland and beyond.
Dental health key to productive cattle
The company behind them, Ovation Agriculture, was founded by SRUC lecturer Jillian Gordon.
Jillian said: “Cattle chew their food at least twice before they actually start digesting it.
“If they develop abscesses or infections, they’re not able to get the nutrition they need, leading to decreased production, potential infertility, and weight loss.
“By ensuring their dental health is managed, we’re able to give them a longer, more comfortable life and improve their productivity.”
With an estimated 1.7 million head of cattle in Scotland, 9.6m in the whole UK, and 1.5 billion globally, the potential impact of Ovation’s innovation is substantial.
The company plans to manufacture its dental gags alongside the development of new training resources to improve the whole approach to dental health in cattle. It is hoped this will in turn lead to increased production efficiencies and more sustainable farming.
Despite dental disease in cattle causing significant health and welfare concerns, regular check-ups of animal’s teeth are not currently provided for the national herd. This is largely due to a lack of specialised tools and knowledge, rather than any negligence.
While the sector invests millions in improving overall health, welfare and feed conversion efficiency, oral health – a crucial starting point for digestion – has received limited attention.
Ovation aims to change this. The firm’s progress to date won it a runner-up spot in the KickStart category of last week’s Converge Awards, an annual event championing Scottish academic innovation. Impressing judges with its novel approach to cattle health, Ovation netted a £7,500 equity-free cash prize.
Ovation Agriculture has ‘potential to make a significant impact on animal welfare and farm productivity’
Converge executive director Adam Kosterka said: “Jillian and Ovation Agriculture exemplify the kind of forward-thinking, industry-specific innovation that Converge aims to nurture.
“By addressing an overlooked aspect of livestock health with cutting-edge technology, the company has the potential to make a significant impact on animal welfare and farm productivity across Scotland and beyond.”
Guests at the Edinburgh awards ceremony included deputy first minister Kate Forbes, who said: “Translating world-class research from our universities into new innovative technologies and businesses is key to delivering on Scotland’s National Innovation Strategy to drive economic growth.
“Converge plays a vital role in providing a supportive environment for innovators and entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and connect with investors, mentors and industry leaders. I congratulate this year’s winners, who are addressing global challenges and bringing positive change across the country.”
What is Converge?
Funded by the Scottish Funding Council and a network of eight corporate partners, Converge works in partnership with 18 of Scotland’s universities. Since its launch in 2011, the programme has trained more than 670 aspiring founders and supported the creation of in excess of 420 companies that enjoy three-year survival rate of above 80%.
The full list of Converge 2024 winners and runners-up can be found at convergechallenge.com
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