Scottish vet technology to save global dairy industry billions

Current timeframes are such that farmers often resort to presumptively treating herds, predominantly with antibiotics that are estimated to be unnecessary in up to 40% of cases. This in turn increases the anti-microbial resistance of the herd, decreases life expectancy, and increases milk wastage.

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Bovine mastitis is estimated to cost the global dairy farming industry approximately £20 billion every year, with an annual cost of £25,000 to the average UK dairy farm.

“Biotangents is on the cusp of full market launch with a technology that leads to better herd health, much improved productivity, and significantly higher levels of sustainability,” chief executive Fiona Marshall said, adding that the company expects to commence on-farm trials across the UK and internationally later next year.

Founded in 2015 by Dr Andy Hall-Ponselè and Lina Gasiūnaitė, Biotangents has to date raised more than £6m via four separate funding rounds. The latest money was provided by St Andrews-based investment firm Eos and British Business Investments through their Regional Angels Programme, as well as existing investors and Kelvin Capital and Scottish Enterprise.

As part of the deal, Nicky Deasy will join the board on behalf of Eos as an investor director.

Jill Arnold, investment relationship director at Eos, said: “Scottish science that improves lives, and has global market potential, is core to our focus at Eos and Biotangents fits that criteria perfectly, not just in terms of addressing antimicrobial resistance in livestock, but also in improved animal husbandry.”

Ross McDermid, chief commercial officer at Biotangents, added: “This investment endorses our game-changing technology, and means we can now seize the huge market opportunity to support farmers, vets, and the wider dairy industry.”