Professor Hugh Galbraith

External Memberships

Recent consultation on "What shapes the research agenda" for the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission.

External examiner and member of Teaching Review Committee ( Two UK Universities)

Member (Vice-president ) of the Board of the (European) Animal Fibre Working group

Honorary Researcher in Integumental Tissue Biology at University of Camerino, Italy.

 

Research Overview

I have interests in factors, including feeding practice and scientific nutrition (micro-and macro-nutrients: requirements) and chemical signalling (hormones, growth factors, receptors, gene expression), which determine the development and composition of body tissue in animals and human beings.

Recent studies have investigated environmentally sustainable in-winter feeding systems for red deer calves in the context of nutrient utilisation and potential for greenhouse gas production.

Additional work has focused on the biology of the integument which is the outermost covering of the mammalian body and composed principally of external epidermis, basement membrane and innermost dermis, Products of the integument included skin, nails, hair and hoof horn. 

This work has implications for the welfare of farm animals particularly dairy cows which frequently develop lesions of feet causing a high incidence of lameness and compromise of welfare. The focus of research concerns understanding and alleviation of such lameness.  Studies also extend to cell and molecular biology of foot health in sheep.

Previous research involved investigation on the use of production-enhancing (meat/milk) chemical compounds in international animal production. Knowledge of related biological systems has particular relevance to nutritional problems (requirements/obesity/ toxicity) concerning human health and in the context of related sociological and consumer issues. The subject has current relevance to international trade which is affected by differences in animal husbandry practices between countries and trading blocs, arising from the use, or not, of such chemical compounds.

Current Research

Biology of red deer as affected by nutrient utilisation, photoperiod and husbandry system with implications for potential greenhouse emissions and environmental impact.

Animal fibre (wool) biology in the context of European and extra-European production by a range of animal species, utilisation in competition with poorly degraded artificial petroleum-based fibres and contribution to sustainability of rural economies.

Collaborations

James Hutton Institute (Dr Bob Mayes; Mr Donald Barrie; Glensaugh Farm). 

British Deer Farms and Parks Association (Dr John Fletcher).

European Federation for Animal Science, Animal Fibre Working Group (Prof Carlo  Renieri, University of Camerino, Italy; Prof M Gerken, University of Goettingen, Germany: Prof Juan Pablo Gutiérrez, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain: Prof Roman Niznikowski, University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland: Prof Maria Wurzinger, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria: Dr Daniel Allain, INRA Toulouse, France: Dr Marco Antonini, ENEA, Rome, Italy). 

Funding and Grants

Mains of Loirston Charitable Trust, 2017. £3449 (with Donald Barrie, James Hutton Institute, Glensaugh Farm). Nutrition and Husbandry of in-wintered red deer calves and impact on environmentally sustainable production of venison

Interface Food and Drink, 2017. £5000. Common Interest Group Follow on Innovation Activity Fund. (With Scottish Venison Partnership; East Coast Viners Grain and James Hutton institute, Glensaugh Farm). Environmentally sustainable in-winter feeding for optimising early venison production by red deer

Interface Food and Drink, 2016. £10,000. Common Interest Group/Consortia (With Scottish Venison Partnership; East Coast Viners Grain and James Hutton institute, Glensaugh Farm). In-winter feeding practice and update on nutritional science of Red Deer

Cruickshank Trust Fund, 2014. £1600. Production responses in cattle differing in diets and risk of sub-acute ruminal acidosis

Association of Commonwealth Universities 2005/2006. £4,200. (Visiting Fellowship). Lameness in dairy cattle

EU FP5 (with Dr J R Scaife) 2002-2006. £572,139. A multidisciplinary approach to the reduction in lameness and improvement in dairy cow welfare in the European Union

Aberdeen University Development Trust 2003-2006. £41,000. Postgraduate studentship. Regulation of connective tissue metabolism in laminar suspensory region of the bovine claw.

Cruickshank Trust Fund, 2005/2006. £3,600. Proteomics and behaviour of tissues in epidermis and dermis in feet of cattle

Hoffman-La-Roche (with Dr J R Scaife) 1999-2001. £30,600. Lameness and bovine hoof composition - a role for biotin in the synthesis of hoof lipids

Cruickshank Trust fund 1999-2001. £ 2,920. Intercellular adhesion molecules and claw horn quality of dairy cattle

BBSRC/SERAD (with Hannah Research Institute) 1999-2002. £343,000. Nutritional and environmental influences on cellular and molecular biology of lameness in dairy heifers

Universities Federation for Animal Welfare 1999-2001. £ 1,920. Effect of pre-natal nutrition on hoof tissue development of sheep

Teaching Responsibilities

Current involvement in teaching is mainly confined to supervision of Honours and MSc student research projects.

Previous contributions have included those to a range of Agricultural courses such as Comparative nutrition; Animal Production Science; Animal Nutrition Science: Special Topic Essays; Agricultural Production; Animal Care and Welfare. Animal Management Case Studies. Animal Physiology and Biochemistry.

Contributions to Zoology courses have included: Animal Physiology; Environmental Physiology; Diversity of Life (mammals).