The remit of the Institute for Animal Health is research for the health of farm animals. To that end we have extensive facilities for performing experiments with the real target animals i.e. farm animals, of the disease agents that we study. The animals, principally chickens, cattle, sheep and pigs, are maintained by our Animal Services department, an essential resource of the Institute. Staff in this department have extensive knowledge of animal husbandry. In addition to maintaining the animals, some members of the department are qualified to assist in experimental procedures.
Our animals include a herd of MHC-defined Holstein Friesian dairy cattle, and 11 inbred and outbred lines of chickens, with different susceptibilities to major disease agents. These help us to identify why some chickens are more prone to some diseases than others. Animal Services also provide mice for some investigations.