Research & development

Based on our field and laboratory expertise, we are continually improving existing and developing new products and programmes for our clients. Our R&D team is always one step ahead when it comes to animal health, working from its own laboratory. It is involved in the validation and quality assurance of diagnostic tests in our operational laboratory, as well as in animal health surveillance programmes and contract research.

Epidemiology

Our epidemiology team assists in and carries out the design, analysis and reporting of studies: ranging from clinical trials to large field studies. Animal health monitoring is vital for animal health and welfare, food safety, and a country’s export position. Royal GD has been assigned the important task of monitoring the health of all farm animals in the Netherlands. Our epidemiologists therefore have broad experience with big data sets and can apply all the necessary statistical techniques in their studies.

Research Projects

Ethometer

What behaviours do your chickens display? Do they take care of themselves enough, do they eat and drink as usual and do they get enough exercise? With a camera system and the Ethometer app you can always see how the animals in your stables are doing.

Biosensor measures zoonotic potential of influenza viruses

Better understanding of the bond between viruses and host cells contributes to predicting whether animal viruses can be transmitted to humans (and vice versa). Researchers Erhard van der Vries from Royal GD and Jurriaan Huskens and Nico Overeem from the University of Twente (Nico joined GD in November) have developed a biosensor that can measure this bond between virus and host cell.

Healthier animals thanks to data

Royal GD is to undertake research together with 18 partners from 11 countries, under the leadership of Utrecht University, to establish earlier detection of endemic infectious diseases in young farm animals and salmon, so that farmers and veterinarians can take appropriate measures. This project titled ‘Data-driven control and prioritisation of non-EU-regulated contagious animal diseases’ (DECIDE) receives ten million euros of European funding.

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