Scientists on brink of overcoming livestock diseases through gene editing

Breeders will soon be able to produce animals that are immune to disease, says UK's top animal scientist

Farming is poised for a gene editing revolution that could overcome some of the world's most serious livestock diseases, the UK's top animal scientist has said.

Prof Eleanor Riley, director of the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, said new techniques will soon allow breeders to genetically engineer disease resilience and, in some cases, immunity into pedigree animals, saving farmers millions of pounds a year.