Diagnostic innovation and livestock (DIAL): towards more effective and sustainable applications of antibiotics in livestock farming

The widespread use of antibiotics in livestock farming, in many circumstances, increasingly serves as alternative to the diagnosis, targeted treatment and prevention of disease in individual animals, flocks and herds. Relationships and practices between diagnosis, prescription, treatment and prevention have become stretched to the point of rupture, a rupture thrown into sharp focus by the issue of AMR. Better, smarter, more rapid and more accessible diagnoses, driven by a shift in the behaviours and conditions associated with diagnostic decision making (whether performed in the laboratory or at the point-of-care by veterinarians or farmers) represents a critical step to delivering a more effective and sensible use of antibiotic medicines in animal health. Improvements in diagnostic development and practice, however, and in their relationship to prescription and treatment, require social, governance and technical innovations, understanding the parameters and conditions of which demands urgent research. In this proposed research, we ask: "What needs to be in place to develop better conditions for a diagnostic-led approach to animal care and treatment?" This interdisciplinary research team will work with and draw from original, empirically driven information, understanding and analysis from diagnostic tool developers and regulators, veterinary practices and professional bodies, farmers and treatment, decision makers, veterinary laboratories, the food industry and government regulatory authorities to develop durable and innovative strategies for facilitating and advancing smarter approaches to the use of antibiotics in agriculture. We aim to collaboratively generate, evaluate and analyse behaviours and strategies in the practice and governance of animal disease diagnosis, and to show how innovation in the development of diagnostic tools and methods in diagnostic practice along with diagnostic regulation and governance can lead to more sensible use and prescription of antibiotics in animal farming. To do this, we will assess current diagnostic and treatment decision practices in the UK. We will generate understanding of the current development of, market for, and regulation of new and innovative diagnostic tools and technologies. Working with veterinarians, diagnostic developers, farmer and regulators, we will identify pathways and possibilities for improved diagnostic practice and, with partner veterinary practices, will trial new diagnostic tools on a series of farms. We will conduct pilot and capacity-building research in Tanzania, where the relative absence of robust national-level institutions and governance structures for the management of animal disease creates a different context for the coherent stewardship of antibiotic practice and diagnostic use. We will assess the adaptability and responsiveness of the different production sectors (poultry, pigs and cattle), along with a variety of veterinary structures, to the trialled innovations in diagnosis and diagnostics, and will determine the likely benefits of these innovations for prescription practice, for animal health and for livestock production. We will evaluate the implications these innovations will have for the organisation, cost-effectiveness and efficiency of veterinary practice, as well as for veterinary training. We will identify the changes in behaviour, practice and knowledge necessary to accompany the more widespread adoption of novel and innovative practices that are deemed effective. We will assess the regulatory and governance support necessary to see the adoption and use of innovative diagnostic practices. With our project partners, we will develop detailed strategies for the improved use of diagnostic tools and practices to enable more effective and sensible use of antibiotics in livestock agriculture.