Scottish biotech company Biotangents has announced a £2.3 million investment round to support the development and deployment of its revolutionary on-farm diagnostic device for the dairy industry. The device, designed to address diseases such as bovine mastitis, delivers highly accurate results in under two hours, allowing farmers to make informed treatment decisions.
Current diagnostic methods often lead to presumptive treatments, with antibiotics unnecessarily administered in up to 40% of cases. This contributes to increased antimicrobial resistance, reduced herd life expectancy, higher milk wastage, and environmental impact, all of which pose significant financial burdens. Bovine mastitis alone costs the global dairy industry an estimated £20 billion annually.
Biotangents’ innovative solution not only reduces reliance on antibiotics but also promotes better herd health, productivity, and sustainability. The system integrates seamlessly with farmers’ management tools, offering remote data sharing with vets and milk processors for streamlined operations.
The funding round, led by Eos and British Business Investments, with participation from Kelvin Capital and Scottish Enterprise, will enable Biotangents to initiate on-farm trials in the UK and internationally next year. Senior agritech advisor Nicky Deasy has joined Biotangents’ board as an investor director.
With potential applications beyond livestock, including human healthcare and environmental monitoring, Biotangents aims to lead the next generation of molecular diagnostics while addressing critical challenges in animal husbandry and sustainability.
