The HDRF Small Grant Competition provides funding of up to £27,500, tenable for up to 24-months, for research projects of relevance to dairy farmers in Scotland.

You can find out more about this year’s Small Grant competition, including deadlines, terms and guidelines here.

See below for information on some of our previously funded projects over the last few years. Click the titles to find out more about the individual projects and read project summaries, where available.

Investigating the impact of early life housing on play behaviour in dairy calves.
Kathryn Ellis – University of Glasgow (May 2022)

MAximising protein yIeld from home-growN legume-bAseD crop-mixturEs (MARINADE)
Pete Iannetta – James Hutton Institute (May 2022)

Calf management: The effect of single and paired housing on dairy calf health and welfare
David McFarland – University of Edinburgh (May 2022)

The improvement of health and performance of dairy-bred calves on a calf rearing unit through strategic grouping
David Bell – SRUC (May 2022)

The development of ruminant mammary organoids to facilitate the study of mammary gland biology in vitro
David Smith – Moredun Reseach Institute (Dec 2022)

Identifying critical control points for colostrum contamination and Mycoplasma prevalence in first milking colostrum from Scottish dairy herds.
Katie Denholm – University of Glasgow (Dec 2022)

The fungal milk microbiome of dairy cattle and its implications on mastitis
Holly Ferguson – SRUC (Dec 2022)

Investigating the potential of bacteriophages to kill Scottish Streptococcus
Gavin Paterson – University of Edinburgh (July 2023)

Comparing colostrum status and calf and dam health parameters from ‘cow with calf’ and conventional dairy systems
Kathryn Ellis – University of Glasgow (July 2023)

Identifying contagious strains of Streptococcus uberis to inform herd health interventions.
Gavin Paterson – University of Edinburgh (Dec 2023)

Vaccine antigen selection for Ostertagia ostertagi.
Dan Price – Moredun Research Institute (Dec 2023)

Supporting the BVD eradication in Scotland by validation of tests to discriminate BVDV type 1, BVDV type 2 and Border Disease Virus.
Mara Rocchi – Moredun Research Institute (Dec 2023)

Effect of multispecies grazing swards on phytochemicals in milk
John Newbold – SRUC (Dec 2023)

The impact of wearable technology on dairy farmers’ work and wellbeing
Vanesa Fuertes – UWS (May 2024)

Identification of metabolic markers of gastrointestinal tract maturation in pre- and post-weaned calves
Rheinallt Jones – University of Glasgow (May 2024)

The Grass is Greener: Cow preference for multi-species swards
Laura Shewbridge Carter – SRUC (May 2024)