[holding answer 3 March 2010]: BBSRC has recently announced 16 projects that will be funded through the 'Combating infectious diseases of livestock for international development' initiative. BBSRC is also currently funding projects through other initiatives on endemic diseases, avian influenza, blue tongue virus and swine flu. Details are on the web at
http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/web/FILES/Publications/100215-cidlid-brochure.pdf
BBSRC is also involved in an initiative led by DEFRA on Emerging and major infectious diseases of livestock. The projects to be supported under this initiative have yet to be assessed.
In addition to these initiatives BBSRC has also supported research projects on animal disease through core funding to the Institute for Animal Health (IAH), which in 2008-09 totalled £9.5 million with a further £19.6 million of capital funding related to research on animal disease in 2008-09.
In 2008-09, BBSRC total spend on animal disease research was around £31 million.