Interview with Dr. Hank Fitzhugh, Director General
of the International Livestock Research Insitute (ILRI)

J.HA. de Gooijer
R.W. Paling DVM PhD
(editor-in-chief)
W.D. Vink MVM
P.R. van Weeren DVM PhD

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Office for hitemational
Cooperation
P.O. Box 80.163
3508 TD Utrecht
The Netherlands
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Fax: 31.30.2531815
E-mail: bic@vet.uu.nl

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\'The principle purpose for me is to
become better acquainted with Dutch
scientists in both animal production
and animal health. I have not been in
The Netherlands for a number of
years, so I did not have an opportunity
to meet the scientists and the directors
of the institutes. As ILRI looks to the
future, we think that we can do more
by strengthening our working rela-
tionships with Dutch scientists.\'

What do you see as the greatest
threats to animal health in the tropics,
apart from inadequate nutrition?

\'.............The last part of that ques-
tion sort of surprised me. Indeed it is
difficult for animals to stay healthy if
they are not adequately fed. The
problems of animal health are many.
Epidemic diseases, such as rinderpest,
and the devastating effect that they
have, is well known. But realistically
it is the diseases caused by parasites,
including internal parasites, blood
sucking parasites, and bacterial and
viral diseases that they carry, that,
even though they may not kill the
animal, are most important. It is the
loss of productivity that we see as
really being the greatest problem in
the tropics.

Dr. Hank Fitzhugh, Director General of the Intemational Livestock Research
Institute (ILRI), visited The Netherlands during a few days in January, 1999.
For this occasion 2 workshops were organized at the Wageningen University
and Research Center and at the ID/DLO Institute in Lelystad. During these
workshops, meetings of working groups and informal talks. Dr. Fitzhugh was
given the opportunity to present ILRI\'s programme and to discuss with Dutch
scientists from Wageningen, Lelystad and Utrecht, the areas for future collabo-
ration. The editor of EQUATOR took this opportunity to ask Dr. Fitzhugh a
number of questions specifically related to animal health and post graduate
training. To give a more balanced impression of what ILRI stands for we have
added an excerpt of the ILRI web site (http://www.cgiar.org/ilri/).

Other aspects that we are giving much
more emphasis in our research in epi-
demiology are the diseases of trade
and diseases of production. We see
livestock as a principle means by
which small holder producers and
national governments, will be able to
generate income. But if their trade is
limited because of disease quarantine
barriers then this really restricts the
income that could result from it. An
example is what has happened in East
Africa last year with the problem of
Rifl Valley Fever. The export of live-
stock from East Africa into Saudi

ILRI\'s beneficiaries are
the hvestock owners in
developing countries
who are attempting to
rise from a subsistence
existence to enter the
market economy (Photo:
Paling)

Arabia and other areas, which had
been a tremendous profit generating
opportunity for livestock producers,
was effectively stopped.
For ILRI we do not see that we will
get into biological research of these
diseases, but there is need to get into
the epidemiological research and to
help others identify where they can
intervene with biological or other
types of technical or technological
research on these diseases of trade and
production.\'

\'Well very much so. In fact our group
working in epidemiology, which is
lead by Brian Perry, has been asked to
work in the Southeast Asian area,
specifically Thailand, but also in other
countries in Indochina, on foot-and-
mouth disease. The movement of
livestock in that area is very substan-
tial. It is difficult to control it at the
borders and the control of foot-and-
mouth disease has become a very
serious problem. It is a regional
problem, not just a national problem.
So Brian and his colleagues, working
with Thai scientists and veterinarians
and also with FAO veterinarians, are
doing an epidemiological study of
foot-and-mouth disease in that re-
gion.\'

From the diseases you mentioned so
far, biological research at ILRI is
restricted to some of the parasitic
diseases. In the past ILRAD had an
emphasis on theileriosis and trypano-
somosis, with a substantial group of
researchers. Now, under the present
ILRI, this has been scaled down. Do
you still reckon that ILRI has a role to
play in basic research on these dis-
eases at the moment?

\'Yes, I do agree. I am talking about
your statement that we scaled down
these research areas. What we have
been faced with is that the new insti-
tute has a global mandate, outside
sub-Saharan Africa. So, what we had
to do was to shift resources fi-om ani-
mal health to address problems in
Asia and Latin America, as well as in
Africa. Necessarily that meant that
slightly less emphasis is going into
biological research, such as vaccine
development and diagnostics for try-
panosomosis and theileriosis. We
continue to see that we have a com-
parative advantage for this research
because we got more than 20 years of
institutional experience. Particularly
as we move this research to the mo-
lecular biology of both the parasite
and the host and the interaction be-
tween these heamoprotozoan parasites
and the ruminant host. We need to
maintain that capacity and we are. In
fact we are actually expanding some
areas of this work. For example on
Theileria parva we have research
aimed at mapping the genome of T.
parva. The concept being that when
we know the genome of this parasite,
we will be better placed to do research
aimed at either vaccines or other con-
trol measures.

On the trypanosomosis side the em-
phasis is very much on identifying the
basis for the genetics of trypanotoler-
ance. We have collaboration with
Dutch scientists such as Johan van

Let me summarise. We continue to
have a primary emphasis on Theileria
parva and the various trypanosomes.
We broaden this work in epidemio-
logy to other diseases as well but
wiÂout getting into the biological
research. One other area that did come
in from ILCA is the genetic research
on resistance to internal parasites. So
we do have a major research pro-
gramme, primarily with small rumi-
nants, on resistance to internal para-
sites.\'

Concerning the contacts between ILRI
and universities, especially in the area
of postgraduate training programmes :
How do you see the development of
contacts between ILRI and universi-
ties in Africa, Asia and Latin Amer-
ica? Is there also a role for the uni-
versities in Europe?

\'Well, very much so. The opportuni-
ties for increasing livestock produc-
tion are greatest in developing coun-
tries. People like you and me, that are
from developed countries, recognise
that there is really not much enthusi-
asm about increasing livestock pro-
duction and productivity in our coun-
tries. We are people who are eating
more than what the doctor says that
we should be eating. But the demand
for livestock products in developing
countries is likely to more then double
over the next 20 years. There are tre-
mendous opportimities, but these op-

portunities can only be met if we can
eliminate the losses due to disease,
parasites and other wastages, as well
as improve nutrition, genetics and so
on.

In order to do that with the limited
resources available, it is important
that we work better together. We can
mobilise all of the resources in the
universities and the research institutes
around the world and then still we
would probably not have enough
means to do what is needed. ILRI is
quite directly involved in mobilising
these resources, bringing the capacity
of both individual scientists as well as
the institutes in developed countries to
bear on problems of livestock in de-
velop mg countries. There are a num-
ber of ways that this can be done. One
is bringing the scientific capacities
directly through by involving the sci-
entists of institutes in for example The
Netherlands. Another way is to in-
volve your students in research;
sometimes this may involve research
in our laboratories in Kenya or Ethio-
pia. These students may be from de-
veloping countries or from developed
countries. These are ways that we see
for working together.
In fact the principle reason why I am
here, is to identify opportunities to
work with scientists and actually to
bring the students to work with our
scientists on joint research activities.\'

Considering the contacts between
ILRI and the universities in Africa and
Asia; is there a specific programme, a
way that scientists in these universi-
ties can make contact with ILRI? I ask
this, because when I bring up ILRI
during my visits to these institutes, the
reaction is: ILRI is an institute in
Nairobi or Addis and is not for us.\' Is
there a system whereby people can be
introduced to the activities of ILRI
and collaborate with ILRI?

\'Increasingly the research that ILRI
scientists are involved in is done
through consortia. These consortia
include scientists out of the national
institutes. These national institutes
include both universities as well as the
research institutes. Most countries
also have a national agricultural re-
search institute. The opportunity to
work through these consortia depends
on which country they are in, because
we are not working in every country
of course. We also have opportunities
for scientists to come and work in our
laboratories for a period of time and
we do have scientific exchanges.
There are these possibilities, but I can
tell you that the need and the demand
for it exceed our capacity to serve it,
because we have our own limitations.
At this particular moment we have
scientists spending 3 months to a year
with us from Korea, China and Brazil.
Last year we had scientists from
Thailand and a number of African
countries. It is a good opportunity but
it is one that just cannot serve the
entire demand. This has been noted,
not only for livestock, but also for the
other areas that the centres of the
Consultative Group on Intemational
Agricultural Research (CGIAR) are

N\'Dama bulls at ILRI:
\'On the trypanosomosis
side emphasis is on
identifying the basis for
the genetics of
trypanotolerance\'
(Photo: ILRAD)

Recently there was a review of the
entire CG system, referred to as the
\'system review\' and a strong recom-
mendation, particular focused on Af-
rica, was the need for the CGIAR to
lay more emphasis on capacity build-
ing. It was recognised that the capaci-
ties in Africa, that had been built up
with support from a number of coun-
tries, including the Netheriands, had
actually deteriorated over the passed
decade. There was a real concern that
universities, as well as the national
research institutes, no longer had the
capacity to serve the needs of the Af-
rican countries. There was also recog-
nition that the additional official de-
velopment systems, that supported
this capacity building in the 1980-ies,
was less available now. Therefore the
problems are there, the need is there,
but the capability is not as good as is
was even 10 years ago.\'

\'So the recommendation was made to
establish an \'African capacity build-
ing initiative\'. This will be done, but
it is also recognised that these CGIAR
centres themselves do not have the
comparative advantage to do a lot of
the training because they are research
institutes. The thmst of the African
capacity building initiative is actually
to provide a means by which the sci-
entists out of the universities and in-
stitutes in Africa can identify the short
and long-term training needs and can
actually commission them to meet
demands of the society. But is our
intend to then call upon the training to
come out of for example European
universities. There are initiatives, such
as NATURA, which have been devel-
oped in Europe. Quite a few universi-
ties in Europe, North America and
other countries have actually set up
sandwich courses and other means by
which they can assist on capacity
building. During 1999 this initiative
will be established, supported and
move ahead. We would expect by the

The Intemational Livestock Research Institute works to improve the well-being of people in developing
countries by enhancing the diverse and essential contributions livestock make to smallholder farming. Two-
thirds of the worid\'s domestic animals are kept in developing countries, where over 90% are owned by mral
smallholders. Ruminant animals provide poor farmers with the resources they need most: high-quality food,
animal traction and transport, manure! to fertilise croplands, a daily income through dairying, and insurance
against disaster. ILRI research products are helping to solve the severe problems that hold back animal agri-
culture, sustainable food production and economic development in the tropics.

ILRI is a non-profit institution governed by an intemational Board of Tmstees. The institute belongs to the
Consultative Group on Intemational Agricultural Research (CGIAR). This consortium of 58 donor countries,
foundations and organisations fimds the work of ILRI and 15 other intemational agricultural research cen-
tres. Most of these Centres are located in developing countries; all are working to help smallholder farmers
in those countries intensify and sustain their food production. ILRI began operations in 1995 with consoli-
dation of staff and facilities of two former CGLAR livestock centres: the Intemational Laboratory for Re-
search on Animal Diseases (ILRAD), based in Nairobi, Kenya, and the hitemational Livestock Centre for
Africa (ILCA), based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Feeding an extra 90 million people a year, most of them in developing countries, while preserving the earth\'s
land, water and biodiversity will challenge the worid well into the next century. To help meet that challenge,
ILRI supports Future Harvest, a CGIAR public awareness campaign that builds understanding of the critical
role intemational agricultural research plays in forestalling a food and environmental crisis of the twenty-
first century.

ILRI has a global mandate to enhance the well-being of present and future generations in developing coun-
tries through research that improves sustainable livestock production. ILRI\'s mission is to improve the pro-
ductivity of smallholder hvestock and mixed crop-and-livestock systems while protecting the natural resour-
ces that support these systems. ILRI is the first institute to take on the full complex of inter-related re-
searchable problems in smallholder animal-based agriculture throughout the developing world.
ILRI\'s key stakeholders are its investors, the 37 donor agencies funding the research, its partners, the 200-
plus institutions collaborating with ILRI in research in animal agriculture, its clients, which are the ILRI
partners that employ the products of this collaborative research, and its beneficiaries, the hundreds of milli-
ons of livestock owners in developing countries who are attempting to rise from a subsistence existence to
enter the market economy.

As the lead centre within the CGIAR for global livestock research, ILRI does not attempt to do everything
itself, but rather acts as a convener and strong supporter of livestock research partnerships, networks and
consortia woridwide. This collaborative institutional approach was commended in 1997, when the CGIAR
Chairman\'s Science Award for Outstanding Partnerships was bestowed on a smallholder dairy research pro-
ject conducted jointly by ILRI and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute.

ILRI\'s partners include advanced research institutions of industrialised countries, national agricultural re-
search systems of developing countries, intemational agricultural research centres, intemational and regional
research and development organisations, private sector companies and non-govemmental organisations.

ILRI\'s headquarters are in Nairobi, Kenya; another substantial campus is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
ILRI also has scientific teams working in Burkina Faso, Colombia, India, Pern, the Philippines, Niger and
Nigeria. ILRI employs 111 intemationally recmited scientific and administrative staff and 18 short-term
visiting scientists and consultants. The disciplines, expertise, nationalities and backgrounds of ILRI\'s inter-
national staff are highly diverse.

end of the year, if not earher, to see a
new means by which the abihties,
skills and capacities out of miiversi-
ties, such as Utrecht, could be brought
to bear on the needs of African uni-
versities.\'

My final question concerns the fellow-
ship programme through WOTRO
(Netherlands Foundation for the Ad-
vancement of Tropical Research).
How is ILRI going to implement the
fellowships that are being made
available through WOTRO for post-
graduate ti\'aining?

\'It is actually a key part of our strat-
egy. It is a directed strategy to try to
bring in the skills, experiences and
scientific expertise of scientists in
developed countries and focus them
on the problems of livestock in devel-
oping countries. One of the ways to
do this is to bring students out of the
universities, that is those in the Neth-
eriands, bring them into Africa and
Asia and focus the graduate research
of those students on the important
problems of livestock in developing
countries. Not only do you get the
benefits of the scientists eariy in their
career when they are highly moti-
vated, work hard and get things done;
but you can also bring in the skills and
experience of the major professors
from universities. We see that the
need for livestock production is so
great and the health problems are so
big, that the only way that we can
address them is by mobilising all the
resources, wherever we can, around
the worid. Coming back specifically
to the support from WOTRO, one of
the ways to do it is to bring both eariy
career and the more established sci-
entists to bear on these problems. We
are very pleased to have this support
from WOTRO.\'

Djallonke sheep are the main breed in the Gambia and are considered as trypa-
notolerant. Adequate reproductive performance is an essential component in
efficient animal production. Trypanotolerance in sheep and goats has been de-
scribed as an ability to maintain production under infection. In trypanotolerant
breeds, physiological factors such as pregnancy and lactation and malnutrition
may interact with resistance to the effects of trypanosome infection. Two ex-
periments were conducted on-station at the coastal site of the Intemational Try-
panotolerance Centre (ITC), The Gambia, West Africa. The site is considered to
be at no risk of tsetse challenge. Studies in Djallonke sheep demonstrated the
effects of the nutritional status on their resilience to the effects of infection un-
der natural trypanosome challenge and under experimental infection.

In the first experiment, twenty-four
Djallonke ewe lambs, at a respective
weaning age of 4 months were used in
a randomised complete block design
(blocks based on date of birth).
Within blocks, lambs were randomly
assigned to one of four treatment
combinations: infected high dietary
level (HI), control high dietary level
(HC), infected low dietary level (LI)
and control low dietary level (LC).
Feed was offered in a manner that
allowed for individually daily feed
intake measurements. Animals on the
low dietary level were offered a re-
stricted ration, whereas the high diet
groups were offered an unrestricted
amount. On attainment of six months
of age, animals allocated to the infec-
tion groups were inoculated with 1 x
104 bloodstream forms of Trypano-
soma congolense. A ram, fitted with a
colour marking hamess was kept with
the lambs at all times to help confirm
mating times.

In experiment 2, forty-two adult ewes
were similarly allocated in a random-
ised block design to one of four
treatment combinations as in Experi-
ment 1 (HI, HC, LI, LC). Following
parturition\'s, rations were adapted for
lactation. Daily rations were fed per
group. In order to synchronise time of
breeding with the peak parasitaemia,
all ewes were oestms synchronised.
LI and HI ewes were inoculated in a
similar way as in Experiment I, and
timed in a way that the peak of para-
sitaemia would coincide with oestms.
Rams were introduced to the experi-
mental groups at the expected time of
oestms. Considering the design of
both experiments, interactions be-
tween the effects of trypanosome in-
fection and nutrition were of high
interest and were included in the ana-
lytical model.

Dr. Sabine Osaer at
the 9\'\'\' Symposium on
\'Tropical Animal and
Production\' in Utrecht
November, 1998 (Photo:
De Gooijer)

In the first experiment, mortaUty due
to trypanosome infection was zero
and cUnical symptoms were not obvi-
ous in the ewe lambs. Despite the
initial higher parasitaemia score in
group HI, intensity of parasitaemia in
the infected ewe lambs was not influ-
enced by the level of diet. The degree
of anaemia caused by trypanosome
infection was similar in groups LI and
HI. The dietary condition did not in-
fluence the haematocrit levels. How-
ever, high dietary supplementation
resulted temporarily in a better hae-
matopoietic response following try-
panosome infection, measured as a
macrocytic anaemia. Trypanosome
infection had a negative effect on live
weight gain during the chronic phase,
with the difference being more obvi-
ous in the HI group. Although the dry
matter intake was significantly de-
pressed due to infection and most
noticeably in the HI, the depression in
weight gain in the former group could
not be entirely explained by the drop
in feed intake. The latter results gave
evidence of increased maintenance
requirements due to infection, which
led to a decreased nitrogen and energy
retention and therefore reduction of
the weight gain.

Effects of diet and trypanosome
infection on onset and out come of
the first reproductive cycle in ewe
lambs

The age when the first peak in plasma
progesterone concentration occurred
varied considerably in the ewe lambs
and was not influenced by trypano-
some infection. However, high sup-
plementary feeding significantly re-
duced the age at first cycling (254.8 ±
33.4 days vs. 348.3 ± 33.4 days re-
spectively for high and low diet
groups; P 0.05). Age at first lambing
was similarly reduced by the diet
(564.7± 15.5 days vs. 616.3 ± 15.5 for
H and L groups respectively; Plt;
0.05). Trypanosome infection tended
(P 0.09) to delay age at first lambing
with a mean difference of 31.5 ± 22.4
days between infected and controls.
Interactions between diet and infec-
tion for age at first cycling / lambing
were not significant; indicating these
effects were just additive. Neither
birth weights nor growth rates of off-
spring bom to the experimental ani-
mals were significantly affected by
previous trypanosome infection, nor
by the diet of the dam. In contrast,
lamb mortaUty up to 3 months of age
was significantly increased by infec-
tion of the dam and most losses arose
in the infected group on the low diet.

In experiment 2, two ewes fi^om group
HI and one from group LI died as a
result of trypanosomosis during the
acute phase of infection. Severity of
parasitaemia was not influenced by
nutritional supplementation. Haema-
tology responses were similar to those
in the young ewes, except that the
initial drop in PCV due to infection
was more severe in the adult ewes
than that observed in the young ones,
the anaemia, however, could also not
be encountered by high supplementa-
tion. A better haematopoietic response

was observed in the high supple-
mented group, similar to what was
observed in experiment one.

Effects of diet and T. congolense
infection on reproductive perform-
ance in ewes

Progesterone levels during the syn-
chronised cycle were significantly
depressed due to infection. Diet nor
the interaction diet* infection had a
significant influence on luteal pro-
gesterone production during the first
cycle. Levels of pregnant specific
protein B (PSPB), which is a protein
deriving from the foetus, in pregnant
sheep at day 21 and 26 were not sig-
nificantly affected by nutrition or
infection, despite the tendency of a
decrease in infected groups. T. con-
golense clearly affected estabUshment
of pregnancy, as shown by lower rates
of conception and extended intervals
between breeding and confirmation of
pregnancy (15.2 ± 10.0 and 78.4 ±
25.0 days, respectively for control and
infected groups), nor was there any
benefit of nutritional supplementation.
The mean time needed to conceive
was also reflecting the presence of
repeat breeders, occurring most fre-
quent in the infected groups, with
mean intervals for respectively LC,
LI, HC and HI groups of 29.8 ± 17.2
days, 58.2 ± 19.1 days, 0.6 ± 11.5
days and 98.6 ± 48.9 days. Mean pro-
gesterone concentration during preg-
nancy, in those ewes which lambed,
was not significantly influenced by
diet or infection. However, the effect
of both the T. congolense infection
and nutritional supplementation on the
maintenance and outcome of preg-
nancy was not clear with the LI and
HC performing well and poor preg-
nancy outcomes in groups HI and LC,
although differences in litter siz©
might explain these anomalies.

Relations between diet, T. congo-
lense infection and weight gain in
ewes and their offspring

Live weight gains during pregnancy
due to higher supplements were sig-
nificantly depressed by infection, with
a difference of 1.1 kg ± 0.4 between
the control and infected diet groups

(interaction diet*infection; Plt;0.01).
Whilst an overall diet effect remained,
post partum weights were even lower
in the LI group as compared to the
low control. In contrast to experiment
one, high supplementary feeding of
the ewes resulted in faster daily gains
of their lambs. In addition, trypano-
some infection interacted significantly
(Plt; 0.01) with the diet effect and re-
sulted in the poorest lamb growth
rates in those deriving from the LI
group. Unlike in experiment one, in-
fection of the dam did not affect lamb
survival rates. These inconsistent
findings on lamb performance may be
partly explained by the differences in
interval between trypanosome infec-
tion in the dam and parturition in the
two experiments.

In the young ewes, the effects of try-
panosome infection on attainment of
puberty and consequently age at first
lambing were indirectly mediated
through depression of their growth
rates.

In the adult breeding ewes, the most
pronounced effect of T. congolense
was a negative influence on estab-
lishment of pregnancy, with nutri-
tional supplementation unable to
overcome this effect but having a
beneficial influence on maintenance
and successfiil outcome of pregnancy.
However, individual exceptions indi-
cated that some ewes cope better with
the negative effects of infection and
poor nutrition. Nutritional supple-
mentation enabled a better erythropoi-
etic response to T. congolense infec-
tion in both young and adult ewes.
High supplementation of infected
dams resulted either in better off-
spring survival rates or improved
lamb growth rates as compared to the
low supplemented ones.
The benefits of supplementary feeding
of growing sheep infected with try-
panosomes was not clear since large
part of the extra feed was used to
compensate for infection. Further
research should explore this. How-
ever, the results undoubtedly indi-
cated the delaying effect of insuffi-
cient feeding on onset of puberty and
reproductive performance in young
Djallonke sheep. Dietary supplemen-
tation of trypanosome-infected Djal-
lonke ewes during pregnancy and
lactation improves productivity in
terms of ewe live weight and im-
proved lamb growth rates to weaning.

\' Intemational Trypanotolerance Cen-
tre, PMB 14, Banjul, The Gambia
^ University of Glasgow Veterinary
School, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61
I HQ, UK

{This paper was presented at the 9quot;quot;
Symposium on \'Tropical Animal and
Production. Ruminant nutrition in
disease resistance and reproduction\',
27 November, 1998, Utrecht, The
Netherlands. The full text is published
in the \'Programme and abstractspp
31-34).

The section RECENT PUBLICATIONS is included in the English issues of EQUATOR. Scientific publications of the Faculty of
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ber, 1998 are available from the editors office.

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Kramps, J. A. and Rooij, E.M.A. van (1998). Validation, standardisation and control of ELISA techniques for diagnosis of
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Paling, pp. 7-9.

Zwart, D., Schrama, J.W. and Dam, J.T.P van (1998). Roughage feeding and trypanosome infections in West African
dwarf goats. In: Tropical Animal Health and Production. Ruminant nutrition in disease resistance and reproduction.
Utrecht, 27 November, 1998. Eds. J.H.A. de Gooijer and R.W. Paling, pp. 25-30.

Udo, H. and Cornelissen, T. (1998). Livestock in resource-poor farming systems. Outlook on Agriculture 27: 237-242.

Zwart, D., Keulen, H. van and Noordhuizen, J.P.T.M. (1998). Veterinary science in the context of sustainable livestock
production. In: Towards livestock disease diagnosis and control in the century. Proceedings of a symposium, IAEA,
Vienna, 7-11 April, 1997, pp: 475-489.

Boultier, N.R., Brown, C.G.D., Kirvar, E., Glass, E. Campbell, J., Morzaria, S., Nene, V., Musoke, A., Oliveira, C. d\',
Gubbels, M.J., Jongejan, F. and Hall, F.R. (1998). Different vaccine strategies used to protect against Theileria annulata.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 849: 234-246.

Brown, C.G.D., Ilhan, T., Kirvar, E., Thomas, M., Wilkie, G., Leemans, I. and Hooshmand-Rad, P. (1998). Theileria
lestoquardi and T. annulata in cattle, sheep and goats. In vitro and in vivo studies. Annals of the New York Academy ^
Sciences 849: 44-51.

Katzer, F., McKellar, S., Ben Miled, L., Ohveira C. d\' and Shiels, B. (1998). Selection for antigenic diversity of Tams 1,
the major merozoite antigen oi Theileria annulata. Annals rftiie New York Academy of Sciences 849: 96-108.

Kock, N.D., Moore, P.F., Jongejan, F., Houghton, J., Hubert, J. and Cofftnan, R.L. (1998). Suppression of interieukin-5
prevents mortality in Balb/C mice infected with Cowdria mminantium. Annals of tlie New York Academv of Sciences
849: 378-380.

Leemans, I., Hooshmand-Rad, P., Brown, C.G.D., Kirvar, E., Wilkie, G. and Uggla, A. (1998). In vitro infectivity and in
vivo cross-protectivity of Theileria lestoquardi and T. annulata in sheep and cattle. Annals of tiie New York Academv of
Sciences 849: 408-411.

Mahan, S.M., Semu, S.M., Peter, T.F. and Jongejan, F. (1998). Evaluation of the MAP-IB ELISA for cowdriosis with
field sera from livestock in Zimbabwe. Annals of tiie New York Academv of Sciences 849: 259-261.

Mondry, R., Martinez, D., Camus, E., Liebisch, A., Katz, J.B., Dewald, R., Vliet, A.H.M. van and Jongejan, F. (1998).
Validation and comparison of three enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the detection of antibodies to Cowdria ru-
minantium infection. Annals of the New York Academy rf Sciences 849: 262-272.

Totté, P., McKeever, D., Jongejan, F., Barbet, A., Mahan, S.M., Mwangi, D. and Bensaid, A. (1998). Analysis of cellular
responses to native and recombinant proteins of Cowdria ruminantium. Annals rfdie New York Academy of Sciences
849: 155-160.

Uilenberg, G. (1998). Tickborne diseases control. In: Towardg livestock disease diagnosis and control in tiie 21f century.
Proceedings of a symposium, IAEA, Vienna, 7-11 April, 1997, pp: 219-230.

HAEMORRHAGIC SEPTICAEMIA IN DAIRY BUFFALOES IN
PAKISTAN. Pathogenesis and prevention of the disease

Dissertation for the doctors (PhD) degree at the Vrije Universiteit, Amster-
dam (The Netherlands) on 21 December, 1998 (100 pages).

This dissertation describes the work of the author in co-operation with co-
workers and colleagues. It is partly a compilation of studies published earlier
in scientific journals.

Haemorrhagic septicaemia in buffaloes is caused by Pasteurella multocida of
different identified serotypes i.e. A,B,D,E and F. The regular outbreaks are of
high economic significance. The different serotypes and strains have been
studied with respect to their expression of iron-regulated membrane proteins
and their immunogenicity of polysaccharide antigens. Interesting is the finding
that the impairment of the innate immunity is most likely due to the macro-
phage vacuolating cytotoxic activity of the bacteria causing macrophage cell
death.

The development of an improved oil adjuvant vaccine is described. Its safety,
the immune response and the protection have been experimentally checked.
The vaccine induced a high IgG antibody titre and proved in cross challenges
to be significantly more protective than the local vaccines.
This typical veterinary work fitted in a programme under the supervision of
his promoter Prof Dr F.K. de Graaf of the Faculty of Biology of the Vrije
Universiteit, Amsterdam, This programme aims at the application of different
biotechnical techniques in tropical countries.

Dr. S. Nasir Hussain Shah, who is the director of the Centre of Animal
Biotechnology, Veterinary Research Institute, Peshawar, Pakisrtan, was the
co-promotor of Najmul Hasnain Shah. Some years ago, in 1990, Dr. Nasir
Sh^ received his PhD degree at the Utrecht University based on his research
on: Prolonged calving intervals in the Nili Ravi buffaloes\'.
The study of Dr. Najmul Hasnain Shah was financially support by The
Netherlands Foundation for the Advancement of Tropical Research (WO-
TRO-NWO) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Shah, N.H., Biewenga, J. Shah. N.H. and Graaf, F.K. de (1996). Vacuolating
cytotoxic activity of Pasteurella multocida causing haemorrhagic septicaemia
in buffalo and cattle. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 143: 97-101
Shah, N.H., Shah, N.H. and Graaf, F.K. de (1997). Protection to haemor-
rhagic septicaemia induced by vaccination of buffalo calves with an improved
oil adjuvant vaccine. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 155: 203-278.
Veken, J.W., Shah, N.H., Klaasen, P. Oudega, B. and Graaf, K.F. de (1996).
Binding of host-binding proteins and expression of iron-regulated membrane
proteins by different serotypes of Pasteurella multocida causing haemor-
rhagic septicaemia. Microbial Pathogenesis. 21: 59-64.

Every year the DIO Foundation
(Foimdation for Veterinary Medicine
in Development Co-operation) or-
ganises a symposium for its members,
supporters and others who are inter-
ested. The tittle of this year\'s sympo-
sium is: \'DIG goes Africa\'. Speakers
are invited to throw their light on the
role of veterinary aid in developing
countries in Africa. In Africa devel-
opment co-operation is an important
step on the way to improved food
supply and public health. The sympo-
sium takes place on 15 April, 1999 in
the Androclus building of the Faculty
of Veterinary Medicine (Yalelaan 1,
De Uitiiof, Utrecht) and starts at 19.30
h. Everybody is warmly invited.

Rebeski, D.E., Winger, E.M., Rooij, E.M.A. van, Schöchl, R., Schuller, W. and Dwinger, R.H. (1998). Pitfalls in the ap-
plication of antigen immunoassays: monitoring of Trypanosoma vivax infection in two goats using direct and indirect
diagnostic techniques. In: Towards livestock disease diagnosis and control in die 21^ century. Proceedings of a sympo-
sium, IAEA, Vienna, 7-11 April, 1997, pp: 577-579.

Intemational Livestock Research
Institute (ILRI) is a non-profit inter-
national research organisation, serving
a global mandate to improve produc-
tivity of small-holder livestock systems
and to protect the natural resources
that support these systems. ILRI has
staff and activities in Latin America,
Asia and Africa and headquarters in
Nairobi and principal facilities in
Kenya and Ethiopia. ILRI is one of the
16 research centres supported by the
Consultative Group on Intemational
Agricultural Research (CGIAR),
which comprises over 55 member
countries, intemational organisations
and foundations. The co-sponsors for
the CGIAR are the World Bank, the
Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), the United Nations Develop-
ment Programme (UNDP) and United
Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP).

ILRI has a position for a Project Co-
ordinator in Development of Disease
Resistant Livestock. This is a senior
position in the Institute. The successful
candidate will join a multi-disciplinary
team in the Biosciences Programme,
reporting to the Programme Director.
The incumbent is responsible for co-
ordination of the whole project area
which currently includes operational
projects, based in Africa and Asia
conducting research on the genetics of
resistance to trypanosomosis in cattle
and laboratory animals, and the
genetics of resistance to hehninths in
small mminants and laboratory
animals. The Co-ordinator is directly
responsible for scientific leadership
and all management aspects of the
Project. He/she is required to manage
project fimds and to play a major role
in identifying and obtaining new
sources of funding. Development and
co-ordination of collaborative projects
with other laboratories is an important
component of the work.

This section contains vacancy announcements which the editorial board considers
to be of possible interest to Dutch veterinarians. Besides vacancies that will be
taken from Vacatureblad Internationale Samenwerking, Tijdschrift voor
Diergeneeskunde, Veterinary Record, Intro vacatures (RPDAdvies/Ministry of
Internal Affairs) etc., there will be room for personnel advertisements. For
further information about the vacancies please contact the institution or company
directly.

•nbsp;Ten or more years relevant
research and management experi-
ence, and an extensive publication
record are required.

•nbsp;The successful candidate will also
have experience in QTL technol-
ogy and its application in breeding
programmes and a good under-
standing of the pattems of genetics
of disease resistance, preferably
with appropriate developing
country experience. In addition.

•nbsp;Ability to perform in a multi-
disciplinary and multi-cultural re-
search environment

The initial contact for this position is
for a three-year term with the possibil-
ity of extension.

ILRI provides excellent benefits
including employer-paid medical, life
and disability insurance and retirement
benefits. The salary, dependent on
experience, is paid in US dollars.
Relocation, housing, annual leave
travel and education allowances are
also provided. On-site accommodation
in fiilly furnished houses is provided
subject to availability.

Applicants should send a cover letter,
resume and the names and addresses
(including telephone, fax and e-mail)

of three referees who are knowledge-
able about the candidate\'s professional
qualifications to the Human Resources
Manager, ILRI, P.O. Box 30709,
Nairobi, Kenya; Telephone: 254 2
630743; fax: 254 2 631499; e-mail:
m.morehouse@cgnet.com. Applications
should include current telephone
number, mailing address and e-mail
address or fax number (if available).
The name and reference number of the
position for which the application is
made should be clearly marked on the
envelopes of mailed, or on the faxed or
e-mail applications. Screening of
applications will begin on 22 March
1999 and will continue until the post is
filled.

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer.
Qualified women and citizens of
developing countries are particularly
encouraged to apply.

The Netherlands Development Assis-
tance has a vacancy in the operational
expert programme for a:

The Faculty of Veterinary Science
requires an experienced large animal
surgeon, preferably conversant with
both horses and cattle, and with a bias
toward bovine surgery.
The need for this specific expertise is
enormous in Zimbabwe, mostly
because of the importance of cattle for
the economy of the country.

There are three Departments in the
Faculty of Veterinary Science with one
Professor. The Dean is Head of the
Faculty and is answerable to the Vice-
Chancellor of the University. The
operational expert would be answer-
able to the Head of Department.

•nbsp;To establish a large animal
surgery unit and to be the de facto
Head during the time of em-
ployment.

•nbsp;To be responsible for handling all
primary and referred large animal
surgery cases.

•nbsp;To attend to all field cases which
carmot be transported to the Uni-
versity Hospital.

•nbsp;A relevant post graduate quahfi-
cation or a minimum of five years
post qualification involvement in
surgery.

Mrs. A. Pfafif (tel: 31.30.70.348
5296 on Tuesdays 11.00-12.00 h. and
on Thursdays 16.00-17.00 h.)

You are requested to send your
application quoting the relevant
vacancy number to: Hoofdafdeling
Personele Zaken Internationale
Samenwerking, Bureau Uitzendingen
(HPI/UZ), Postbus 20061, NL-2500
EB Den Haag (Teleax: 31.30.70.348
6702).

20 - 23 March, 1999
Short course on Repeated Measures
Analysis. Programme: Computer
based practical training; small group
size; models for repeated continuous,
discrete and conditional longitudinal
data. Course leaders: Prof Ygo
Crohn (Comell University) and Dr.
Ynte Schukken (Utrecht University).
Organised by: Royal Veterinary
College, Hawkshead Campus, Potters
bar, Hertfordshire. Fee: UK pounds
290 VAT. Registration: Maggie
McEvoy, UVCE, The Royal
Veterinary College, Royal College
Street, London NWl OTU (Tel.:
171.4685170; telefax: 171.
3830615; e-mail: mmcevoy@rvc.
ac.uk).

11 -25 April, 1999
2quot;\'\' Intemational Course on Live-
stock and Environment Interactions.
Organised by: Intemational
Agricultural Centre and Wageningen
Agricultural University. Information:
Director of the lAC, P.O. Box 88,
NL 6700 AB Wageningen (Tel.:
31.317. 490111, telefax: 31.
317418552, e-mail: iac@iac.agro.nl).

Nairobi, Kenya
19-23 April, 1999
Conference of the Commonwealth
Veterinaiy Association. Infonnation:
CVA/KVA Committee (Telefax:
254.2.631325; e-mail: biosystems@
icormect. co.ke).

9^ Intemational Symposium of the
World Association of Veterinary
Laboratory Diagnosticians(WAVLD)
Information: Dr. Konrad Eugster
(Telefax: 1.409. 8451794; http://
www.tvmdl.tamu. edu).

S*\'\' Biennial Conference of the
Society for Tropical Veterinary
Medicine (ST\\^. Tropical
Diseases: Control and prevention in
the context of the new world order.
Organised by: University of Florida.
Programme: (1) Epidemiology of
emerging diseases: Microbiology and
Parasitology; (2) World trade and
disease control: Dynamics of food
production and populations; (3)
Bioterrorsm and its prevention; (4)
The tools of control and prevention:
I. Diagnostic technology; (5) n.
Vaccines and pharmaceuticals and
(6) III. Quarantine , regulatory
control and communication.
Information: Beth Miller-Tipton,
Office of Conferences and Institutes
(OCI), University of Florida, P.O.
Box 110750, GainsviUe, H 32611,
USA (Tel.: 1.352. 3925930, telefax:
1.352. 3929734, e-mail:
bamt@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu; http:/www.
ifas.ufl.edu/ ~conferweb/stvm.htm).

Intemational Conference on
Rickettsia and Rickettsial Diseases.
Information: M. Philippe Brouqui,
Unité des rickettsies (Telefax:
33.4.91830390; e-mail: philippe,
brougui@medecine.umv-mrs.fr).

29 June - 2 July, 1999
2quot;\'\' Intemational Animal Feeds and
Veterinary Dmgs Congress.
Information: Secretariat (Fax:
63.2.9247954; e-mail: aezville@
cheerful.com)

15 August -19 November, 1999
27\'*\' Intemational course on dairy far-
ming in rural development. Course
programme: Introduction; Dairy
development; Farming systems;
Statistics; Economics and agricul-
tural CTedit; Breeding; Pasture pro-
duction; Nutrition and feeding:
Animal health; Reproduction and AI,
Extension and case studies. Coinse
fee: Dfl. 6,000. Closing date: 1 May,
1999. Information and registration:
Intemational Agricultural Centre
(lAC), P.O. Box 88, 6700 AB Wage-
ningen (Tel.: 31.317.490111, tele-
fax: 31.317 418552, e-mail: iac@
iac.agro.nl).

23 August, 1999 - 24 February, 2000
29*^* Intemational course on poultry
husbandry and 29\'*\' Intemationd
course on pig husbandly. Organized
by: IPC Livestock Intemational,
Bameveld College. These courses
will run at the same time. Following
these courses participation is possible
m the 22quot;*^ Intemational animal feed
training programme (AFTP), which
runs from 1 March to 27 May, 2000.
Direct entry in this last course is also
possible. Fees including board and
lodging: Poultiy course: Dfl. 24,500;
Pig course: Dfl. 24,500, Feed course;
Dfl. 12,000 or 14,500 (dkect entry).
Closing date: 1 May, 1999. Informa-
tion: IPC Livestock Bameveld Col-
lege, Dep. of Intemational Studies
and Cooperation Programmes, P.O.
Box 64, 3770 AB Bameveld (Tel.:
31.342.414881, telefax: 31.342.4-
92813, e-mail: io@ipcdier.hacom.nl).

30 August-2 September, 1999
3rd Intemational Conference on
Ticks and Tick-bome Pathogens
(TTP 1999). Programme: Tick-bome
pathogens (arbovimses; other
pathogens); tick-host interphase; tick
control; geographic distribution and
GIS; tick biology; tick ecology; tick
morphology, taxonomy and
sysetematics. Organised by: Institute
of Zoology, Slovak Academy of
Sciences and NERC Inst. Virology
and Environmental Microbiology,
Oxford, UK. Infonnation: Dr. Milan
Labuda, Director, Institute of
Zoology, Slovak Academy of
Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 842 06
Bratislava, Slovakia (Tel.: 42.17.
3783248; telefax: 42.17.37897 57,
e-mail: uzaelabu@savba.sk).

1 September, 1999 - 31 August, 2001
Intemational MSc program- me of the
Graduate School of Animal Health,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Utrecht University and ID-DLO
Institute for Animal Science and
Healdi, Lelystad. Programme: MSc
Course \'Animal Pathology\' duration 2
years (fee: Dfl. 35,000); MSc Course
\'Modem Approaches m Veterinary
Microbiology and Immunology\'
duration 18 months (fee: Dfl. 68,500);
MSc course \'Veterinary

Anaesdiesiology\' duration 18 mondis
(fee: Dfl. 35,000). Registration before
1 August, 1999. Information: Office
for Intemational Co-operation, Fac-
ulty of Veterinaiy Medicine. P.O. Box
80.163, 3508 TD Uti-echt (Fax: 31.-
30.2531815, e-mail: bic@vet.uu.nl).

23 - 26 September, 1999
Joint meetmg of the Worid
Association of Wildlife Veterinarians
(WAWV), the European Section of
the Wildlife Disease Association
(EWDA) and the European
Association Zoo and Wildlife
Veterinarians (EAZWV) at the
World Veterinary Congress m Lyon.
Information: Dr. Marc Artois,
CNEVA Nancy, Domaine de
Pixerecourt, BP 9, 54220
Malzeville,(http://www.uniud.it/DSP
A/vrildvet/wawv/wawv.htm).

23 - 29 September, 1999
1999 Worid Vet Congress. Organised
by: the World Veterinary Association
(WVA) and the Worid Small Animal
Veterinaiy Association (WSAVA).
Information: MONDIAL VET 1999,
CNVSPA, 40 me de Berri, F75008
Paris (Tel.: 33.1. 538 39160,
telefax: 33.1.53839 169, E-mail:
mondialvet@aol. com;
http:/www.mondialvet99.org).

October, 1999 - September, 2000
Four MSc courses on: \'Tropical
animal production and healfli\',
\'Sustamable rural development in the
tropics\', \'Tropical veterinary
medicine\' and \'International animal
health\' are organised by the Centi-e
for Tropical Veterinary Medicine of
die Royal (Dick) School of
Veterinary Studies of the Edinburgh
University. The course prograiiune
has a modular format mcluding: 6
months taught courses and a 6
months dissertation project. For the
MPhil degree an additional research
project is carries out during 18
months. Information: The Director,
the Centi-e for Tropical Vetermary
Medicine, Easter Bush, Roslin,
Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland
(Tel.: 44.131.6506289; fax: 44.
131.4455099, e-mail: david.w.tayler
@ed.ac.uk; .http://www.vet.ed.ac,uk/
ctvm).

Editorial board

J.HA. de Gooijer
R.W. Paling DVM PhD
(editor-in-chief)
W.D. Vink MVM
P.R. van Weeren DVM PhD

Lay out

H. Halsema

Printed by

Elinkwijk b.v.

Editorial Office

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Office for Intemational
Cooperation
P.O. Box 80.163
3508 TD Utrecht
The Netherlands
Tel.:-(-31.30.2532116
Fax: 31.30.2531815
E-mail: bic@vet.uu.nl

EQUATOR is pubhshed
bimonthly.

Subscription is free of charge.
For changes in address and
termination of subscription please
return the corrected label to the
editorial office.

March-April, 1999

quot;Flight TG 779 to Bangkok? I\'m afraid that one is delayed, sir The plane did
not arrive.quot; The man behind the desk at Copenhagen Intemational Airport
looked imperturbable. I was on my first stop of a journey that would lead me
from Amsterdam via Copenhagen and Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Thailand\'s sec-
ond city in the Northern part of the country and home to the Chiang Mai Vet-
erinary Faculty. While I was starting to digest the information and began
thinking about spending the night at the airport and trying to get into contact
with my Thai counterparts to tell them I would be a bit late, the man behind the
desk dialled a number and began a long conversation in Danish. When he fi-
nally put down the receiver, he said: \'No problem, sir, we\'ll send you with SAS
to Beijing, China, and then with Air China to Bangkok. We\'ll re-book your in-
ternal flight to Chiang Mai. quot; And that was what happened. I arrived only six
hours later than planned in Chiang Mai, but not after having had the unforget-
table experience at Beijing Airport to see the struggle between the ground stew-
ards who wanted to get these unplanned transit passengers (in total a group of
about 30 persons had been rerouted) as soon as possible to the plane that was
waiting and at the other side the bureaucratic officials of the Chinese Immigra-
tion who wanted that all bureaucratic procedures should be followed correctly.
Both parties grew more nervous with time passing and it all ended up with a
random distribution of boarding passes (I myself had one with the name of a
certain Mr. Back) and our group passing through the diplomatic corridor, but
the plane left with a delay of only three quarters of an hour. It was a memorable
start of a memorable journey.

My visit to Chiang Mai (and later to
Khon Kaen) was meant to explore the
possibilities for cooperation in the
field of equine sciences. Under the
memorandum of understanding that
has been signed by both the Thai
Ministry for University Affairs and
Utrecht University, several PhD stu-
dents came to Utrecht University\'s
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine for
periods of 4-5 years. The first one, Dr.
Theera Rukkwamsuk, (see this issue
of EQUATOR) has just recently de-
fended his thesis successfiilly. As a
representative of the newly formed
Utrecht Department of Equine Sci-
ences my interest was to see if there
were possibilities in any of the fields a
veterinary faculty traditionally is in-
volved in: teaching, patient care and
research.

Chiang Mai is, with a history of more
than 700 years, one of the oldest cities
of Thailand. Some parts of the old
brick walls that once surrounded the
entire city have remained and the
canal at the outer side of the ancient
wall has been reconstructed. Chiang
Mai is one of the most touristic parts
of Thailand because of the natural
scenery and its rich culture. It was the
first city outside Bangkok where a
university was founded in 1964.
Chiang Mai university grew rapidly
from a handfiil of faculties in 1964 to
17 faculties at present. The Faculty of
Veterinary Medicine was founded in
1994, which means that the Faculty is
still, both in a technical and organisa-
tional sense, under construction.

At present, the preclinical programme
comprises three years of students. The
fourth year will start in June 1999. As
in the Netherlands, the curriculum
will be 6 years. It is interesting to note
that the Chiang Mai course, not unlike
the new Dutch curriculum, is charac-
terized by a problem-solving ap-
proach. Also, in the final year there
are both compulsory and elective
quot;clerkshipsquot;, so students have to
choose and to speciahze in a certain
field.

Dr. Ted Tesaprateep is dean of the
Chiang Mai Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine. He originates from the
oldest Thai Veterinary Faculty of
Chulalongkom University, Bangkok,
and now has taken up the tremendous
task of building a complete new fac-
ulty. He can talk with great enthusi-
asm about his job, though he himself
admits that it is not an easy one. He
showed me various albums with pho-
tographs in which the still short his-
tory of the faculty was covered. Only
5 years ago, what are now the Faculty
premises was still barren land. Now,
most of the buildings are there and I
must admit the Thai architects and
constmctors did a great job. The Fac-
ulty is nicely situated a few miles
outside the city of Chiang Mai. The
buildings have plenty of space and
look beautifiil. \\^ere do we find that
in present-day Western constmctions?
They were designed and for the larger
part constmcted before the onset of
the economic crisis, or quot;before the

bubble burstquot;, as they use to say in
Thailand. Afl;er the crisis resources
dropped considerably and giant budg-
etary cuts were made, but there is still
money to finish the buildings. At the
time of my visit most buildings had
been erected, some were still under
constmction. Another thing is the
building of a solid team of staff mem-
bers. At present, the faculty has 20
scientific faculty staff members. Most
of them are young and enthusiastic,
but also relatively inexperienced.
This, Dr. Ted admits, is another chal-
lenge which is hard to take in the pre-
sent time of economic recession.

The person in charge of the constmc-
tion of the equine section, Lt. Col.
Chumnan Trinarong, is an exception
to the mle. Not that he is not enthusi-
astic. In fact, he is very much so, but
he has a 20-year long experience as a
veterinarian serving in the Thai army.
He took me to a lot of stables and
other places where horses are kept.
Horse keeping in Thailand is still in
its infancy. There is nothing like an
equine tradition as in Europe or the
United States. This means that rela-
tively few people have experience
with horses and many basic things
have to be taught. One of the things
Dr. Chumnan is already doing with
the preclinical students, is giving them
classes in the grooming and handling
of horses. This is a very good idea and
more than necessary in a country
where few students are exposed to
horses before starting their veterinary
career. He has also made good con-
tacts with many horse owners and
trainers in the surroundings of Chiang
Mai, thus preparing for an adequate
Equine Ambulatory Clinic that will be
established once the clinical phase of
the curriculum has started. In the Thai
quot;horse industryquot; the army is an im-
portant factor, much more so than in
the Netherlands. It is for instance the
army that owns and exploits the
Chiang Mai racetrack. They also own
quite a lot of horses and mules for
ceremonial duties and for transport in
mountainous areas. However, do not
think about the Thai army as a grim

institution with heavily armed guards
who point their AK-47 at you on
every corner. When I visited the
Chiang Mai racetrack together with
Dr. Ted and Dr. Chumnan\'s girl-
friend Bong, who is a great horse-
lover herself, I was invited into the
office of the management. The colo-
nel who was in charge welcomed me
in his shirt\'s sleeves with a good glass
of beer and I must say it was nice to
stay there. Because in earlier times I
very regularly went to the Dutch
racetrack at Duindigt, I could well
compare the atmosphere, and there
appeared to be hardly any difference.
I really felt at home at once. From a
professional viewpoint there was a
difference, however, as it became
evident that a considerable number of
horses that were racing suffered from
some kind of lameness, hi fact, lame-
ness is the major problem in Thai
equine veterinary medicine. This is
not unlike the Dutch situation, but the
types of lameness are different.
Whereas in Holland we see an in-
creasing amount of very subtle lame-
nesses that sometimes are very hard to
trace down, in Thailand there was a
real abundance of classical causes of
lameness such as bowed tendons,
osteoarthritis of the carpal and fetlock
joints, desmitis of the suspensory
ligament, etc. Later, in Khon Kaen I
came across a surprisingly high num-
ber of cases of ataxia. This all indi-
cates that equine veterinary medicine
is in its infancy too in Thailand and
that much can be done...

Thai people are very friendly. I was
extremely well received by my Thai
counterparts, which made me enjoy
my stay tremendously. I already men-
tioned Dr. Ted Tesaprateep, the dean
at Chiang Mai who even took me to a
place for typical Thai massage (which
is a relaxing experience!), and Dr.
Chumnan with his girl-friend. Many
more people received me well in
Chiang Mai, too many to mention.

hi Khon Kaen also I was received in a
very friendly atmosphere by, among
others, the dean Dr. Prachak Pua-
permpoonsiri and the assistant dean
for foreign affairs. Dr. Suneerat Ai-
umlamai. The veterinary faculty in
Khon Kaen was founded in 1986.
Though situated in the North-eastem
part of Thailand, which is the centre
of thoroughbred breeding, there is no
real emphasis on the equine species.
This is in part due to the fact that the
faculty is relatively understaffed as
the enrolment of first-year students
was recently increased from 60 to 80
per year, without any concomitant
increase in numbers of staff. Never-
theless, could this problem be over-
come, there would be good possibih-
ties for the establishment of a flour-
ishing equine practice, as horses are
relatively abundant in the area. Also,
one of the staff members. Dr. Pawin,
has good contacts with a large number
of equine stud farms and training sta-
tions in the region.

Dr. Siraya positioning a
horse on the operation
table in the \'Horsepital\'
(Photo: Van Weeren)

region, the so-called quot;Horsepitalquot;
which is managed by Dr. Siraya
Chunekamrai and co-workers. I hap-
pened to have heard from Dr. Siraya
by means of her publications on ar-
ticular cartilage, which was her PhD
subject at Comell University. Now
she has established the only private
equine clinic in the whole of Thai-
land. I must say I was impressed. She
owns a very neat, well-organized
clinic in which the work is performed
according to intemationally acknow-
ledged standards. When talking to her,
it became clear that she has to fight to
get people used to these high stan-
dards (and to get them pay for it!), but
she shows the way that should be
followed. With increasing interest in
the equestrian sports (and a gradually
improving economy after the great
collapse), standards in equine care and
medicine will be raised. A first exam-
ple is that the World Equestrian Or-
ganisation {FEI/Fédération Equestre
International) has given Thailand an
intemational status which means that
the country meets the requirements
for the organisation of intemational
events.

hi conclusion it can be stated that
there are many possibilities for coop-
eration in the field of equine medi-
cine. As a result of this journey I have
written a report that contains concrete
proposals for co-operation in the
fields of education, research and clini-
cal practice. This is not the place to
give full details. However, we shall
try to keep the readers of EQUATOR
informed on the subject, once action
is being undertaken. There is much
demand for expertise in the field of
equine care and medicine. Perhaps
more important, there is also an
enormous willingness to improve
standards. It is the commitment of the
Thai people which makes cooperation
so promising. Last but not least, it is a
wonderfiil country with wonderful
people and who would not like to
collaborate on that basis?

On 27 July, 1993 the first Memoran-
dum of Understanding between the
Ministry of University Affairs of
Thailand and the Faculty of Veteri-
nary Medicine of Utrecht University,
the Netherlands was signed. This
Memorandum aimed at strenghtening
the scientific co-operation between
the Faculties of Veterinary Medicine
at Kasetsart University, Chulalong-
kom University and Khon Kaen Uni-
versity of Thailand and the Utrecht
Faculty. Also exchange of faculty
members would be encouraged for
teaching, research training, post
graduate and post doctoral studies.
The Memorandum was renewed and
extended on 10 June, 1998. New part-
ners were Chiang Mai University and
Mahidol University.
On 14 March, 1995 Theera Rukk-
wamsuk, staff member at Kasetsart
University arrived at Schiphol Airport
to do a PhD study in Utrecht on fatty
hver S5mdrom in dairy cattle. Theera
received a scholarship from the An-
andamahidol Foundation quot;under the
Royal Patronage of His Majesty the
King of Thailandquot; for a period of 4
years. This foundation provides scho-
larships to young Thai graduates to
continue their postgraduate studies
abroad, in order to build up a group of
scholars m various fields of speciali-
zation to provide academic leadership
in Thailand.

After a hesitant start - Theera\'s first
supervisor left the department -
Theera Rukkwamsuk proved to be a
talented PhD student. Under the joint
supervision of Dr. Theo Wensing and
Dr. Math Geelen of the Utrecht Fac-
ulty of Veterinary Medicine and Dr.
Theo Kmip of the Institute for Animal
Science and Health at Lelystad, he
wrote 8 scientific articles for publica-
tion in the Journal of Dairy Science,
the Veterinary Quarteriy and The-
riogenology. His scientific output

resuhed in the thesis quot;Negative en-
ergy balance in postparturient dairy
cows: consequences and adaptations.
With particular reference to lipid me-
tabolism in adipose tissue and liverquot;,
which Theera Rukkwamsuk success-
fiilly defended on 8 April, 1999. The
editors of EQUATOR congratulate
Dr. Theera Rukkwamsuk PhD with
this important milestone, both in his
career and in the co-operation be-
tween Thailand and The Netherlands.

Jean de Gooijer

I will always remember the view from
the plane, when I first saw the real
Afiica. It was noon, the sun shone in a
clear blue sky and lit up the rusty
coloured earth. Odd clusters of Acasia
trees could be seen scattered over the
vast landscape. The view was as
beautifiil as I had expected it to be.

On Friday, August 28th 1998, after a
long flight we fmally landed at Harare
Intemational Airport, the sheer size of
which reminded us more of an air-
field! However, the pilot landed the
comparatively huge jumbo safely.
With anticipation and subsequent
butterflies we wondered what would
be ahead of us. We had many unan-
swered questions hke: Was coming to
Zimbabwe really the right thing to
do?. Where will we stay?, Would the
university live up to our expecta-
tions?, Would we make friends?. How
would the local people react to us?,
How different were our lifestyles?,
Did we have enough money?. And so
on.

We were to be met by some staff
members from the University of Zim-
babwe! We had sent an e-mail to the
University with our arrival times, and
therefore expected to see a sign with
our names on it as we walked into the
arrival hall. We stood there, waiting
for 2 hours, becoming gradually more
anxious, very much like 2 European
students not having a clue about the
new world they had just stepped into.
We decided to write a sign with our

names on it, in the hope that we might
be singled out. One hour later I recon-
sidered the effectiveness of this great
idea, because we were still standing
there. It was approaching 4 p.m.,
when we decided to venture out into
this unknown world to find our own
way. We took a taxi to the university,
where we luckily bumped into For-
tune and Brighton, two friendly resi-
dents who were on their way home.
They took the time to direct us to
Prof Obwolo - one of the names of
our contacts at the university. Prof.
Obwolo was rather surprised when the
two of us suddenly stood there before
him. He explained that he was aware
that 2 students were coming over fiquot;om
Detmiark, but because the telephones
at the University were down, he had
not received our e-mail with the arri-
val times.

A student exchange programme is part of the link service contract between the
Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Zimbabwe and the Royal
Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL) in Copenhagen, Denmark and
Utrecht University\'s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Thomas Gadegard Koch
and Linda Hjorth, 2 veterinary students at KVL, went to Zimbabwe for 3 months
in the period 28 August - 5 December 1998. Linda Hjorth wrote a report on
their first encounter with \'real\' Africa.

Obwolo was. He apologised for the
inconveniences suffered at the airport
and drove us to hotel Bronte, where
we spent our first night in Zimbabwe.
Next moming we were picked up by
Prof Obwolo, who drove us to the
neighbourhood where he had found a
self-contained cottage. This cottage
was part of a large house, where a
family of five plus a maid lived. Once
we had dropped off our baggage, Prof
Obwolo took us to the local shopping
centre (West-gate), where he sat
down, made himself comfortable,
picked up a newspaper and then in-
vited us to \'take our time\'. We found
the situation rather amusing - the
dean of the veterinary faculty driving
us around in his own car during his
free weekend. A situation that one
would never experience in Denmark.
The mother of the family, Mrs.
Dhlembeu, was actually Prof Ob-
wolo\'s secretary. The university was
relatively far away from the house, so
every day Mrs. Dhlembeu gave us a
hfl.

On our first day at school we went to
meet the head of the clinical depart-
ment. We entered his office and sat in
two very soft chairs. Dr Busayi is a
big man, but he looked even bigger in
his white suit and dotted tie behind a
huge desk. Dr Busayi asked us: \'What
would you like to do?\'. So we ex-
plained what veterinary aspects we
would like to cover during our time in
Zimbabwe. He instantly proved to be

a man of his words and made calls to
various people to help fulfil our ex-
pectations. Dr Busayi would be on
ambulatory in the rural areas sur-
rounding Harare the next day and he
implied that we could join him. \'I\'ll
pick you up at 6.30 a.m.\', he said.
This was rather early! I wondered if
he would go on ambulatory in his
white suit and dotted tie. But, the next
moming it turned out that Dr Busayi
wore a coverall. Again it was the pro-
fessor, who picked up all of the 10
students that were going on ambula-
tory. We all sat in the back of a Land-
rover and with a lot of equipment it
was an extremely tight fit. Not only
physically, but also mentally it was a
tough day. We were asked a lot of
questions concerning different spe-
cies, housing and dmgs. In between
Dr Busayi gave a short lecture on
subjects he thought we needed to im-
prove our knowledge on. All in all we
had a very exciting day in the field
and we were tired when we retumed
to our house again at 8.15 p.m.

The following three months included
a range of adventures and impres-
sions. Among many different exciting
experiences, we recall the following
as the most memorable.

I went to Avondale and Thomas went
to Harare Central. This was more or
less like a small animal practice in
Denmark, with vaccinations, fleas and
diarrhoea. Among the more exotic
cases was a lot of dogs that had been
intoxicated, litters of pups with parvo,
and babesiosis. Thomas had the hon-
our of operating a hen with bumble-
foot!

We both went to Borrowdale. This
was a very interesting two weeks.
This horse practice employs 4 vets
who only deal with horses. In Zim-
babwe there are a lot of stud farms
where thoroughbred are bred which
are used to race. During these weeks
we went to a lot of stud farms, be-
cause it was the breeding season. And
we also went to the racetrack to pre-
pare the horses for the coming race.
Horse racing is an expensive sport.
Thomas is a horse expert so this pe-
riod was particulariy interesting for
him. But it was I who won a lot of
money at the racetrack. Beginners
luck!, Thomas said....

We went to the 9th AITVM Confer-
ence on \'Tropical Veterinary Medi-
cine\'. It was one of the larger intema-
tional conferences that we attended,
with a lot of interesting speakers from
all over the worid. But I must admit
that the most interesting feature of the
day was the luxurious lunch served at
the Sheraton hotel in Harare. During
the week there were arrangements to
go see different things around Harare.
We went to an ostrich abattoir. I no-
ticed how clean it was and the high
standard of the abattoir. We also went
to an ostrich farm. It was a very good
tour on which we saw how to breed

Between these arranged events we
participated in activities at the univer-
sity. Among other things we went to
Friday lectures, where the students
presented their own cases. Sometimes
professors from other countries pre-
sented resuhs of their studies. For
example. Prof Skadhauge from Den
mark presented a case concerning
ostrich bladders!

Thomas came in contact with a group
who worked on mmen flukes, its bio-
topes and hosts. During a delicious
dinner in Mozambique, Thomas lec-
tured on snails that housed the fluke. I
must mention that we had seafood. I
think he got inspired from all the
shells on our plate!

I enjoyed very much to go on ambu-
latory, large animal practice in the
mral areas. But it is very different
from as we know it in Denmark. You
drive to the mral areas and see the
\'real\' Africa, where people live in
huts with only one room, where it is 5
kilometres to the nearest water pump
and where people live from the vege-
tables they can grow in the heat. To
own a cow in these areas is more
valuable than one may think. A cow
provides draught power, and is used
to plough with. A cow may give a
little milk which is fed to the children,
but this is secondary and not the main
purpose. Of course we visited also
large farms, with cows, pigs or
chicken. On ambulatory, you had
cases that would easily be solved in
Denmark. In Africa it is more difficult
because of lack of dmgs or equip-
ment. Major problems in these areas
are to convince the owner of the ne-
cessity to water the animals and pro-
vide them with shade. It is very frus-
trating to explain this again and again!
But in spite of this, I found what I had
come for to Africa: people, animals,
nature. To see how the landscape
changed its character, colour and ex-
pression every time we came back, it
was fantastic! I could go on and tell

To own a cow in the
rural areas is more
valuable than one may
think (Photo: Paling)

Beside the veterinary \'events\' we, of
course, also travelled a lot, both in
Zimbabwe, and the surrounding
countries in southem Africa. We re-
call lovely trips to Mana Pools, Victo-
ria Falls, Domboshawa and Eastem
Highlands and tours in Mozambique,
Namibia, Botswana and Zambia.
We have met many kind and nice
people. People at the University, vet-
erinarians and students, people we
have lived with, bus drivers, the girl at
the supermarket, the man on the road
from whom we bought our giraffes ...
they all were so open and accepted us
with a big smile. The warmth and
friendliness one meets everywhere is
fantastic. There are so many people
we would like to meet again or stay in
touch with, but with the awareness
that if we are to meet again, one day
we have to go to Zimbabwe again,
because unfortunately most of them
cannot afford to visit Denmark.

This stay in Zimbabwe fulfilled all
our expectations. All the questions at
the beginning were for nothing, but
could be one of the reasons why a trip
like this turns out to be a success -
you ought to be a little nervous, when
you are travelling half way around the
earth.

Saturday, December 5th at 4.20 p.m.,
we took off from Harare Intemational
Airport. It was a sad moment. Many
new friends were at the airport waving
goodbye or may be - I\'ll be seeing
you! At least, I hope so.

It is perhaps good to memorise that
the Intemational Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) does not only control
nuclear plants and the proliferation of
nuclear weapons, but also plays an
active role in the use of quot;Atoms for
Peacequot;. It has for this purpose, jointly
with the Food and Agriculture Or-
ganisation (FAO), a sub-programme
in animal production with a mandate
quot;to improve livestock production in
developing countries through the sup-
port of problem oriented research that
identifies the constraints on produc-
tion and develops cost effective and
sustainable solutions using nuclear
based technologiesquot;. In practice the
term quot;nuclear technologyquot; is inter-
preted broadly and also includes e.g.

The aim of the symposium was to re-
view the existing and emerging tech-
niques used in disease diagnosis and
control and to put them in the context
for use in developing countries in the
2 r^ century.

A rather ambitious task, because it
should at least indicate the global
problems in livestock development for
the next century and how advances
may be harnessed to solve these
problems. The programme of the
symposium did indeed cover many
aspects related to disease control in
the areas of epidemiology, serology,
molecular biology and its applications
in vaccine production and diagnosis,
geographic information systems, as
well as socio-economics.
Although the scientific level of the
presentations in general was high,
they differed greatly in their prospec-
tive for developing countries.

Proceedings of an international symposium on the diagnosis and control of
livestock diseases using nuclear and related techniques jointly organised by the
Intemational Atomic Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organisa-
tion of the United Nations and held in Vienna, 7-11 April 1997. 600 pages
ISBN: 0074-1884.

Editor: Intemational Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramerstrasse 5, P.O. Box
100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria.

A group of presentations dealt with
the use of the ELISA and molecular
techniques (polymerase chain reac-
tion, genetic relationships between
causative vimses, etc.) in the control
and diagnosis of infectious diseases in
the developing countries like rinder-
pest, foot-and-mouth disease, try-
panosomosis, contagious bovine pleu-
ropneumonia, etc. Examples were
given of their applications in devel-
oping countries and some success sto-
ries were presented, e.g. for rinder-
pest.

Presentations were given with rather
fiituristic aspects, e.g. the opportuni-
ties and new developments in the field
of biosensors and pen-side testing.
Thought provoking was the concept
of using blood-sucking insects as vac-
cine delivery mechanisms. The tech-
nique of DNA mediated vaccines was
described as a future way for immuni-
sation. Surprisingly, however, very
little was said about the use of marker
and recombinant vaccines for tropical
diseases.

Some presentations gave the present
concepts and state of the science of
e.g. epidemiology. During the 1970s,
however, the limitations of data gath-

ering were recognised, and Rapid Ru-
ral Appraisal emerged. This approach
focuses on qualitative rather then hard
data and farmers\' perception of major
problems.

A good overview was given of the
general principles of the cost-benefit
analyses in animal disease control, but
no examples were given for situations
in developing countries.

Information technology, modelling
and the use of geographic information
systems will become more and more
important in the fiiture and practical
applications were mentioned in the
field of trypanosomosis, rinderpest
and Afiican horse sickness, but also
their use as a decision support system,
involving different disciplines, for
livestock production in the tropics.

Quite a lot of these technical innova-
tions have been developed either by
intemational agencies or in the devel-
oped countries. Transfer of this
knowledge to developing countries, in
combination with training, thereby
maintaining a good quality of the
products is of great importance. Pa-
pers in this respect were on e.g. the
FAO/IAEA extemal quality assurance
programmes for disease control and
validation, standardisation and control
of ELISA techniques. The training
aspects were fiirther worked out in a
paper on the need for appropriate
post-graduate training (with the em-
phasis on appropriate) to support sur-
veillance and control of animal dis-
eases in southern Africa.

In a presentation on tickbome disease
control, the lessons of the past and the
prospects for the fiiture were placed in
perspective. Control has ofi;en rehed
to a considerable extent on the use of
chemical acaricides and curative
dmgs. The accent has recently shifted
to a flexible approach, integrating
various control measures. Reasons for
this are acaricide resistance, economic
factors and public health concem.

A paper on the role of veterinary sci-
ence in the context of sustainable live-
stock production stressed that impor-
tant tools are available to the veteri-
narian, like epidemiology, diagnostic
tests and vaccines. They will only
lead, however, to sustainable livestock
production when they are placed in
the right socio-economic context.

At the end the symposium was sum-
marised in a thought provoking paper,
whereby the application of all these
emerging technologies on disease di-
agnosis and control was assessed for
its use in developing countries. It no-
ticed a deficiency in the symposium,
i.e. the lack of a discussion of the vet-
erinary infrastmcture required to ap-
ply practically the valuable informa-
tion gained from these new technolo-
gies. It posed the rhetoric question:
quot;Who will undertake the control of
the major epidemic diseases in devel-
oping countries - molecular biolo-
gists?quot; It strongly argued in this re-
spect in favour of good clinical obser-
vations and due emphasis on the quot;old
fashionedquot; qualitative epidemiology.
It noticed an increasing use of test
kits, but with it the danger of estab-
lishing a kit user mentality with built-
in dependency on (intemational) do-
nor agencies and a lack of ability to
appreciate the advantages and limita-
tions of these kits. The ultimate aim
should be that the countries concemed
have sustainable diagnostic expertise
and services of their own and can ad-
dress emerging diseases with their
own resources. The relative small
market in develop mg countries for
diagnostic tests and vaccines may at
the end be the greatest stumbling
block for all these new applications!

In conclusion it can be said that the
symposium offered a wealth of infor-
mation and the proceedings can be
recommended to anybody who is
connected with animal production and
health in developing countries. The
more disciplinary oriented worker
certainly has better scientific re-
sources available, but after reading
these proceedings he/she will be
aware that a good technology for de-
veloped countries, is not automati-
cally a success in developing coun-
tries.

This section contains vacancy announcements which the editorial board considers to be of possible interest to Dutch veterinarians. Besides vacan-
cies that will be taken from Vacatureblad Internationale Samenwerking, Tijdschrift voor Diergeneeskunde, Veterinary Record, Intro vacatures
(RPDAdvies/Ministry of Intemal Affairs) etc., there will be room for personnel advertisements. For fiirther information about the vacancies please
contact the institution or company directly.

Under the general supervision of the Chief,
Animal Health Service and within the Infec-
tious Diseases-EMFRES Group, the incum-
bent will be responsible for the development,
scheduling and implementation of policies
and programmes in the field of viral animal
diseases in the context of the animal diseases
component of FAO\'s priority programme:
quot;Emergency Prevention System (EMPRES)
for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests
and Diseasesquot; and will assiune responsibility
for the Secretariat of the Global Rinderpest
Eradication Programme. More specifically:

supervise the development and implementa-
tion of an adequate information system for the
monitoring of the global status of rinderpest
and the effectiveness of national and intema-
tional programmes for rinderpest control;
provide strategic orientation, develop method-
ologies and issue guidelines for technical
strategies for the progressive control of
rinderpest leading to internationally verifi-
able global eradication; ensure the conduct of,
and lead studies and reviews, on technical,
policy and programme issues for the progres-
sive control of rinderpest and related animal
viral diseases, particularly those of strategic
significance to EMPRES, such as foot-and-
mouth disease; supervise and co-ordinate
exchange of information on rinderpest and
related diseases to ensure widest contacts
within and outside the Organisation; assist
FAO members and intemational organisations
with reviews and provision of policy and
technical advice for the progressive control of
rinderpest and related diseases and intema-
tional verification of disease-free status; rep-
resent FAO in co-ordinating intemational
responses to rinderpest emergencies, lead or
participate in missions, task forces and review
teams; when required, provide technical sup-
port to other aspects of the EMPRES pro-
gramme, especially the early warning and
early reaction to transboundary animal viral
diseases; plan, organise and lead technical
meetings, expert consultations and work-
shops; prepare and edit major technical papers
on rinderpest and related viral diseases for
discussion and publication; design and im-
plement programmes and projects; as re-
quired participate in appraisal of field proj-
ects; and provide supervision and technical

THE VETERINARY FACULTY
OF THE FREE UNIVERSITY
BERLIN in collaboration with the
INTERNATIONAL TRYPANO-
TOLERANCE CENTRE (ITC),
The Gambia
is looking for a :

The co-ordination and implementation
of research projects in the field of dis-
ease complexes in peri-urban live-
stock systems with emphasis on the
small-scale dairy industry. Animal
production, reproduction, zoonoses
and vector-bome diseases in the peri-
urban system are also of importance.

backstopping; develop and ensure delivery of i
training programmes; perform other related
duties as required.

University degree in Veterinary Sci-
ence/Medicine and a Ph.D. or equivalent
qualification in either Epidemiology or Ap-
plied Animal Virology.

Ten years of progressively responsible experi-
ence in the diagnosis, epidemiology and/or
control of epidemic diseases of hvestock with
five years at intemational level including
work in developing countries. Experience in
planning and supervising programme activi-
ties.

Initiative, high sense of responsibility and
ability to plan and organise work clearly and
concisely. Analytical leadership, co-ordination
managerial, negotiating and advisory skills;
maturity, initiative, diplomacy, tact, and a
high sense of responsibility. Ability to organ-
ise and conduct technical meetings and de-
velop and implement programmes and stud-
ies. Ability to make effective oral presenta-
tions; write clear and concise reports; knowl-
edge of FAO activities, stmctures and proce-
dures. Computer literacy and ability to use
computers and word processing equipment.
Ability to maintain good working relation-
ships with people of different national and
cultural backgrounds

Working knowledge (level C) of English,
French or Spanish and limited knowledge
(level B) of one of the other two languages.

The scientist should hold a postgradu-
ate degree, have substantial laboratory
and field experience in microbiology,
parasitology and epidemiology. The
incumbent should be able to guide and
supervise students in their MSc/PhD
research. He/she should be a good co-
ordinator, team worker and be able to
work efficiently within the local ad-
ministration. He/she should have pro-
ficiency in English and French.

The incumbent shall work for the
Collaborative Research Unit of the
Veterinary Faculty, FU Berlin, though
the contract will be signed with the
national and regional control or eradication of
a disease of strategic relevance tot the EM-
PRES programme, especially either rinderpest
or foot-and-mouth disease. Limited knowl-
edge (level B) of a third or more languages of
the organisation (i.e. English, French, Span-
ish, Arabic, Chinese).

Division Animal Health Service, Animal Pro-
duction and Health Division, Agriculture De-
partment.

Net salary per year (inclusive of a variable
element for post adjustment).
With dependents fi-om US$ 78,981 to USS
93,983.

The post is to be filled by 1.7.99 for
one year with an option to extend on a
yearly basis for a maximum period of
5 years.

Please send complete applications to:
FU Beriin, Postgraduate Studies in
Tropical Veterinary Medicine, atten-
tion Dr Munstermann, Luisenstr. 56,
D 10117 Berlin.

As unknown as heartwater is in The
Netherlands, so well known is the
disease in Africa. It stands high on the
Ust of deathly diseases in livestock.
Because of all the re-stocking projects
initiated in Mozambique, this country
is a perfect example to show how a
disease like heartwater spreads. The
civil war, which ended 7 years ago,
decimated the livestock, exacerbated
by droughts and floods in the last 20
years. Several development organisa-
tions offered the possibility to buy
hvestock and used it in their restock-
ing projects. The distributed livestock
came from surrounding countries and
provinces and a lot of these animals
were not adapted to the different geo-
climatic conditions and tick species
common in the south of Mozambique.
Amblyomma hebreum is the vector for
the transmission of Cowdria rumi-
nantium (the agent that causes heart-
water) and it has a specific distribu-
tion pattern.

Many owners who just got their new
livestock were disappointed because
lots of animals died of heartwater
after the re-location, as they came out
of a heartwater free area. It is possible
to cure these animals with antibiotics.
Newly introduced goats
are highly susceptible to
infection with cowdriosis
(Photo: collection
Wapenaar)

Like many other Dutch veterinary students I wanted to study some time in a
foreign country after the exam at the end of the year. It would be even better
if I could use this time to participate in a research project and use the results to
write my end-of-study thesis. Because Utrecht University\'s Faculty of Veteri-
nary Medicine has no direct possibilities for people like me, you just spread
your ideas about what you would like to do and where you would hke to go.
This could work well in case someone is looking for some help, then he knows
where to find you. An other student, Daan Vink, had prepared a new research
project, as a follow up of research he had done in the north of Mozambique in
1997 (see EQUATOR No. 5, December 1997). As his time was limited, since
he had to finish his study in The Netherlands, he was looking for someone else
to complete the research.
In January 1998 I left for Mozambique ....

like tetracycline. Therefore heartwater
should be diagnosed in a very early
stage and the infected animal should
be treated with these antibiotics in
short time. The infrastructure and
financial status of Mozambique are
big limitations to the control of heart-
water. Many development pro-
grammes that were concerned with
the re-stocking of livestock, turned
out to be less successful than ex-
pected. Because it is not in their fa-
vour to make such failures public, the
same problems keep appearing in new
projects.

A solution could be a good, user
friendly vaccine to vaccinate all im-
ported animals, before setting them
out in the fields. Several universities
are doing research on this subject, so
is the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
in Utrecht.

The research consisted of two sub-
jects: (I) to conduct a field sero sur-
vey to assess the seroprevalence of
heartwater (Cowdria ruminantium)
among flocks of indigenous goats of
smallholders in the south of Mozam-
bique, by sampling and analysing 326
goat-serum samples and (2) to isolate,
cryopreserve and type field stocks of
Cowdria ruminantium, by collecting
infective blood samples from goats
suffering from heartwater.
For this purpose 15 sentinel goats
were bought in the nordi of Mozam-
bique (Marara) and were transported
to the south of Mozambique. Because
these sentinel goats came from a
heartwater free area and had not build
up any immunity, they had to be sus-
ceptible to the disease. In fact they
were all tested sero-negative by the
Cowdria MAP 1-b ELISA.
Three groups of 5 goats were made,
two groups were exposed to a natural
field infection. One group was kept at
the Veterinary Faculty of the Eduardo
Mondlane University in Maputo and
were used for intravenous inoculation
with cryopreserved suspected infec-
tive blood samples, that were col-
lected in the field during serosurvey
sampling activities. By watching the
clinical development of the disease
intensively (rise of body temperature
etc.), we were able to collect blood in
heparin tubes after the onset of a per-
sistent fever. The samples were taken
to the laboratory as soon as possible
and were there cryoprotected with
DMSO and stored at -80°C in hquid
nitrogen. The diagnosis of heartwater
was confirmed whenever possible by
a post mortem examination (lung oe-
dema, hydrothorax, hydropericar-
dium, mucosal ptechiae, perirenal
oedema, renal ptechiae, lymph node
oedema and ptechiae, brain oedema
and ptechiae) and the examination of
brain crush smears.

already told me not to expect the
Dutch efficiency I was used to. hi the
first weeks in Mozambique this be-
came very clear; I was expecting the
15 sentinel goats to arrive within a
limited period. This period became 2
months in stead of the 2 weeks I ex-
pected. During this time Daan Vink
and I worked on collecting the serum
samples from goats of the small
holder sector. We tried to get samples
from as many different places as pos-
sible (within the three southem prov-
inces of Mozambique), to give a good
representation of the endemic stabil-
ity. The result of the serosurvey was a
seroprevalence of 66%, which com-
pared to the seroprevalence of 8% in
the northern province (Tete), confirms
the theory on endemic stability.

Within two weeks after the first group
went into the field, the first sentinel
goat was brought back to the Veteri-
nary Faculty in Maputo with obvious
heartwater symptoms (fever, anorexia,
nervous symptoms as pedalling, nys-
tagmus, saliving). This animal be-
came, among others, a successful

We collected samples
from many places in the
southem provinces of
Mozambique (Photo:
collection Wapenaar)

donor of heartwater infected blood
samples. Because they show very
clear symptoms these animals are
very successful donors of infectious
blood samples. Thirteen suspected
infective blood samples were col-
lected in this way and presently they
are being cultured and analysed at the
Department of Parasitology and
Tropical Veterinary Medicine in
Utrecht. The purpose is to determine
the different strains that are collected,
hi the long term these strains may be
used to make a successful and user-
friendly vaccine against heartwater.

(More detailed results can be found in
the end-of-study thesis quot;Heartwater in
goats in Mozambiquequot; by W.D. Vink
and W. Wapenaar which is available
at the library of the Faculty of Veteri-
nary Medicine, P.O. Box 80.159, NL
3508 TD Utrecht, and from under-
signed through EQUATOR\'S editorial
office).

9\'^\' Intemational Symposium of the
World Association of Veterinary
Laboratory Diagnosticians Informa-
tion: Dr. Konrad Eugster (Fax:
1.409.8451794; http://www.tvmdl.
tamu.edu).

Biennial Conference of the Soci-
ety for Tropical Veterinaiy Medicine
(STVM). Tropical Diseases: Control
and prevention in the context of the
new world order. Organised by:
University of Florida. Programme:
(1) Epidemiology of emerging dis-
eases: Microbiology and Parasitol-
ogy; (2) World trade and disease
control: Dynamics of food produc-
tion and populations; (3) Bioter-
rorism and its prevention; (4) The
tools of control and prevention: I.
Diagnostic technology; (5) II. Vac-
cines and pharmaceuticals and (6) III.
Quarantine, regulatory control and
communication. Information: Beth
Miller-Tipton, Office of Conferences
and Institutes (OCI), University of
Florida, P.O. Box 110750,
Gainsville, Fl 32611 (Tel.: 1.352.
3925930, telefax: 1.352. 3929734,
e-mail: bamt@gnv.ifas. ufl.edu;
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~conferweb/
stvm.htm).

Intemational Conference on Rickett-
sia and Rickettsial Diseases. Infor-
mation: M. Philippe Brouqui, Unité
des rickettsies (Fax: 33.4.91830390;
e-mail: philippe.brouqui@medecine.
univ-mrs.frl

29 June - 2 July, 1999
2quot;quot;^ Intemational Animal Feeds and
Veterinaiy Dmgs Congress. Infor-
mation: Secretariat (Fax: 63.2.
9247954; e-mail: aezville@cheer
ful.com).

30 August - 2 September, 1999
3rd International Conference on
Ticks and Tick-bome Pathogens
(TTP 1999). Programme: Tick-bome
pathogens; tick-host interphase; tick
control; geographic distribution and
GIS; tick biology; tick ecology; tick
morphology, taxonomy and
sysetematics. Organised by: histitute
of Zoology, Slovak Academy of
Sciences and NERC Inst. Virology
and Enviroiunental Microbiology,
Oxford, UK. hiformation: Dr. Milan
Labuda, Director, histitute of Zool-
ogy, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dubravska cesta 9, 842 06 Brati-
slava, Slovakia (Tel.: 42.17.
3783248; fax: 42.17. 3789757, e-
mail: uzaelabu@savba. sk).

1 September, 1999-31 August, 2001
Intemational MSc programme of the
Graduate School of Animal Health,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Ud-echt University and ID-DLO
Institute for Animal Science and
Health, Lelystad. Programme: MSc
Course \'Animal Pathology\' duration 2
years (fee: NGL 35,000); MSc Course
\'Modem Approaches in Veterinary
Microbiology and Immimology\'
duration 18 months (fee: NGL
68,500); MSc course \'Veterinary
Anaesthesiology\' duration 18 months
(fee: NGL 35,000). Regishation
before I August, 1999. Information:
Office for Intemational Co-operation,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. P.O.
Box 80.163, 3508 TD Utrecht (Fax:
31.30.2531815, e-mail: bic@
vet.uu.nl).

23 - 26 September, 1999
Joint meeting of the World Associa-
tion of Wildlife Veterinarians
(WAWV), the European Section of
the Wildlife Disease Association
(EWDA) and the European Associa-
tion Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians
(EAZWV) at the Worid Veterinary
Congress in Lyon. Information: Dr.
Marc Artois, CNEVA Nancy, Do-
maine de Pixerecourt, BP 9, 54220
Mazeville(http://www. uniud. it/D SPA

23 - 29 September, 1999
1999 World Vet Congress. Organised
by: the World Veterinary Association
(WVA) and the World Small Animal
Veterinaiy Association (WSAVA).
Information: MONDIAL VET 1999,
CNVSPA, 40 me de Bern, F75008
Paris (Tel.: 33.1. 538 39160, tele-
fax: 33.1.53839 169, E-mail: mon-
dialvet@aol.com; http://www.Mon
dialvet99.org).

October, 1999 - September, 2000
Four MSc courses on: \'Tropical
animal production and health\', \'Sus-
tainable rural development m the
tropics\', \'Tropical veterinary medi-
cine\' and \'International animal
health\' are organised by the Centre
for Tropical Veterinary Medicine of
the Royal (Dick) School of Veteri-
nary Studies of the Edmburgh Uni-
versity. The course programme has a
modular format including: 6 months
taught courses and a 6 months dis-
sertation project. For the MPhil de-
gree an additional research project is
carried out during 18 months. Infor-
mation: The Director, the Centre for
Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Easter
Bush, Roshn, Midlothian EH25 9RG,
Scotland (Tel.: 44.131.6506289;
fax: 44.131.4455099, e-mail:
david.w.taylor@ed.ac.uk; http://
www.vet.ed.ac.uk/ctvmy

23 - 24 October, 1999
1st Intemational Conference on
Sheep and Goat Diseases and Pro-
ductivity. Programme: Medicine and
surgery; Pathology; Microbiology;
Reproduction; Nutrition; Epidemio-
logy; breeding and management;
Meat and dairy products and hy-
giene; Hah- and wool. Registration:
Dr Shawkat Lafi, Conference Secre-
tary, Jordan University of Science
and Technology, Faculty of Veteri-
nary Medicine, P.O. Box 3030, h-bid
22110 (Fax: 962.2.295123, e-mail:
shoatcon@iust.edu.io. http://www.
just.edu.jo/sheepamp;goatconfO.

January, 2000 - December, 2001
Master of Science Degree m Tropical
Veterinary Epidemiology (îviSc
TVE). The study programme is of-
fered with 3 study options: Option 1.
Freie Universität Berlin-Addis Ababa
University Joint Postgraduate Pro-
gramme; Option 2. Berlm-Germany
Programme; Option 3. Berim-Home
Country Programme. The course
programme has a modular format
with course work part A, with basic
and applied lectures and demonsfra-
tions, and by practical exercises
carried out m Berlin (first year).
Under option 1 Part B with individ-
ual research work for the MSc thesis
m Ethiopia, allowing also for re-
search in the East African region
under special arrangements (first and
second year); under option 2, part B
lasts for 7 months in Beriin; and
under option 3 individual research
work is undertaken m the home
country of the participant. Informa-
tion: The Co-ordinator, Postgraduate
Studies m Tropical Veterinaiy Medi-
cine, Freie Universität Berlm,
Luisensh-asse 56, 10117 Berlm (Tel.:
49.30.20936063; fax: 49.30.
20936349; e-mail: TropVet@
city.vetmed.fu-berlm.de; http://
www.vetmed.fu-beriin.de).

1 March - 27 May, 2000
22°\'^ Intemational animal feed train-
mg programme (AFTP). Organized
by: IPC Livestock Intemational,
Barneveld College. Fees mcluding
board and lodging: NGL 14,500. In-
formation: IPC Livestock Bameveld
College, Dep. of Intemational Stud-
ies and Cooperation Programmes,
P.O. Box 64, 3770 AB Bameveld
(Tel.: 31.342.414881, fax: 31.
342.492813, e-mail: io@ipcdier.
hacom.nl).

REGIONAL CO-OPERATION:
CORNERSTONE FOR VETERINARY
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
AT ONDERSTEPOORT

J.HA. de Gooijer
R.W. Paling DVM PhD
(editor-in-chief)
W.D. Vink MVM
P.R. van Weeren DVM PhD

Faculty of Veterinaiy Medicine
Office for International
Cooperation
RO. Box 80.163
3508 TD Utrecht
The Netherlands
Tel.: 31.30.2532116
Fax: 31.30.2531815
E-mail: bic@vet.uu.nl

Subscription is free of charge.
For changes in address and
termination of subscription please
retum the corrected label to tlie
editorial office.

quot;I am from the Faculty of Veterinary
Science which has got a long history
of involvement in training. In fact we
are about 80 years old. We have a
sister faculty at Medunsa, she has
been going for about 15 years. We are
in the process of amalgamation. We
have made good progress and in the
last month or two the new dean and
deputy dean, the director of the hos-
pital and also the new heads of de-
partment have been appointed. Within
the next two months there will be

placement of staff. The amalgamation
process will be completed by 2003 but
up to then we will be miming 3 cur-
ricula: there will be the old Medunsa
curriculum, the old Onderstepoort
curriculum and the new curriculum,
which was implemented last year.
This new curriculum consists basi-
cally of a more disciplinary approach
in the first year or two followed by a
species approach -as you do it in
Utrecht- for the later years, for exam-
ple bovine health and production,
equine health and production and
small animal clinical studies.quot;

For many years intemational contacts with South Africa have not been feasible
and this concerned also the exchanges in the field of veterinary medicine. How-
ever, ever since the transition to a democratically elected government and the
abolishment of apartheid. South Africa has been aiming at developing normal
contacts with its neighbours as member of SADC (Southern African Develop-
ment Community). The admission of South Africa as a member of the Lomé
Convention opened the way to extend the contacts with the countries of the
European Union. Stimulated by this policy of building international links,
which is also strongly present at the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the Uni-
versity of Pretoria, the deputy dean and the head of the Office for Intemational
Co-operation of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University paid a
visit to the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Onderstepoort in January, 1999. As
these first contacts were very positive from both sides, a follow-up visit by a
senior staff member of Onderstepoort to Utrecht was a logical follow-up. Re-
cently, Prof J.A.W. Coetzer, head of the Department of Tropical Veterinary
Diseases, paid a visit to Utrecht to identify possible areas of co-operation.
EQUATOR interviewed Prof Coetzer just before he took off for his next desti-
nation.

quot;Yes, everything now is in English. It
is the policy of the faculty that all
lectures will be given in English.
There is still a debate on how the ex-
ams will be done. Currently the quot;oldquot;
exam papers are done in English
while students can still answer in quot;Af-
rikaansquot;, or one of the other main
local languages. Eventually all lec-
tures and exam papers should be in
Enghsh. The language question is a
sensitive issue. I would guess about
30% of the students are quot;Afrikaansquot;
speaking at the campus and 60-70%
are mother tongue English.quot;

quot;Scientific staff will be, following
amalgamation, about 120, but this is
another aspect which will be deter-
mined in the next two months, based
on the strategic plans. Total staff will
be about 250. At the University of
Pretoria there has been already a sig-
nificant cut in support staff, by con-
tracting services out rather than em-
ploying people permanently. Simi-
larly, the same process for academic
staff will follow, but for the time be-
ing, while we are amalgamating, they
have exempted us fi-om this rationali-
sation. But it is an on-going process.
A new initiative at the University of
Pretoria is to say that faculties should
collaborate closer and form rather
schools than faculties. Further linking
of disciplins in this rationalisation
process can be between medicine and
veterinary medicine or veterinary
medicine and agriculture. That can be
a reality in the next couple of
months.quot;

Will the number for the intake of stu-
dents be added up for Medunsa and
Onderstepoortquot;?

quot;An investigation report on behalf of
the ANC government indicated that
about 100 students in the amalga-
mated faculty would be sufficient to
serve the country.quot;

veterinary service and control of in-
fectious diseases. Please, highlight
some of the important diseases you
are dealing with at the moment.

quot;I think we have a proud record in
terms of quality training for that rea-
son. Perhaps as an introduction, we
have got reciprocity with the Royal
Veterinary College (London, UK) and
also with Massey University (New
Zealand). We also investigate reci-
procity with Australia and other parts
of the world. So, we have always been
known for our quaUty training.

We have got a broad based curriculum
and serve the community at the
broadest level. For that reason we try
to train generalists. There is little spe-
cialisation at the undergraduate level.
That is more at the postgraduate level
where people would like to go deeper
into equine practice or companion
animals. Our veterinary profession is
a little bit different from other African
countries, because we have got a
strong private practice component.
Obviously we must cater for that.
Livestock is very important in terms
of production and other benefits de-
rived from livestock to the broader
communities of southern Africa. So,

there is a strong emphasis on infec-
tious parasitic diseases of our region,
of which there are many. Many are
well controlled but we still need to be
able to diagnose and thoroughly un-
derstand the epidemiology.
So, in the curriculum there is a strong
emphasis on the infectious parasitic
diseases. Among the important infec-
tious ones is still foot-and-mouth,
although we have not got outbreaks.
But buffaloes are still carriers of the
virus and there are strict control
measures in our country. African
Swine fever is a reality. We have got
it in our country, not in domestic pigs
but the wild pigs, the warthogs are
carriers.

Other important diseases, like Con-
tagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia
(CBPP) -although we haven\'t got it in
our country- are reported in our
neighbouring countries. In Botswana
they did a good job in eradicating the
disease, but it is still a main threat.
Trypanosomosis is a disease of the
region, still in our country very lim-
ited. We need to address that. And
then, obviously, there are the ticks and
tick borne diseases.
We got a very strong equine industry
in the country and African Horse
Sickness is still a threat, it occurs
during good rainy seasons. In our
department we got a very strong em-
phasis on equines, all funded by the
industry.

Then we have got vector borne dis-
eases, like Rift Valley Fever, Lumpy
Skin Disease, Blue Tongue, and Bo-
vine Ephemeral Fever. In brief we
must live with these diseases, we can-
not eradicate them like Europe has
done with many of these diseases
through proper control measures.
Fortunately, for many of these vector
borne diseases there are good vac-
cines. We need to know how to live
with, control or eradicate these to
reduce losses.

And then the companion animal com-
ponent. As I have explained we got
many private practitioners, 1,200 of
the 2,400 veterinarians in the country.
A big component of the recent gradu-
ates will go into companion animal
medicine clinics and equines, there is
a strong emphasis on that. So in South

Africa we need a balance between
companion animals, which includes
cats, dogs and horses, and the produc-
tion animals, livestock species.quot;

Your experience with education for
these infectious diseases, also at post-
graduate level, is quite important for
the region. Could you tell us some-
thing about the courses you have de-
veloped and which are taught for
regional purposes as well?

quot;Our Department of Veterinary
Tropical Diseases serves all disciplins
of infectious diseases. Viral diseases,
bacterial diseases, protozoal diseases
and all the disciplins of parasitology,
helminthology, ectoparasitology are in
my department. Before the new gov-
ernment we could not associate freely,
so we could not fully utilise our re-
sources and knowledge base to the
benefit of the region. So many of
these tropical disease courses were, or
are still given in Edinburgh and other
places in the worid. Since we could
associate freely our department put a
strong emphasis on skills orientated
modular short courses which may
vary from 1-5 week courses. We have
designed modules to deal with the
important issues of the region of
which the epidemic diseases as I have
explained are still occurring. So we
have a week long course on African
epizootic diseases because it is im-

portant to create awareness about
foot-and-mouth, African Swine Fever
and rinderpest. Field veterinarians
might not have seen these cases,
therefore, in this course, we reproduce
cases of these particular diseases, so
that they can see them and know
which specimen and control measures
should be taken. Similarly for labora-
tory diagnostics, we got our series of
modules dealing with all the disciplins
of infectious diseases and parasitology
and also outside my department mod-
ules of pathology and toxicology are
being taught. All the disciplins which
are necessary in a regional or central
veterinary diagnostic lab to support
diagnosis, are taught through skills or
technically orientated courses.
These modules are very popular. We
receive many candidates from Africa
and even outside the continent to par-
ticipate in our short courses. It is a
major activity and we run from 7 to
10 modules a year, just in my depart-
ment, which gives us the opportunity
to link with the region. These courses
are all certificated and are all credited
so that they can use it towards flirther
postgraduate qualification, in most
cases for Master of Science (MSc).quot;

quot;We do it through the normal struc-
tures in the faculty, we must comply
to certain regulations and formulas
and then through the senate of the
University of Pretoria. Then these
courses are registered as fiill courses.
It is also policy at the University of
Pretoria to recover frill costs of what-
ever you do. So we charge a course
fee which will include all the materi-
als. For example in the laboratory
diagnostics series they do hands on.
We have got good facilities where
people can isolate viruses, prepare
media, prepare cell cultures. You use
a lot of consumables and animals for
teaching, that puts the price somewhat
up. And obviously accommodation
and air fares, it is a long way to south-
em Africa.... But notwithstanding,
our prices are very competitive with
other interaational courses.
However, this is new and brings in
another burden on our department,
particulariy administratively. For that
reason I have appointed a flill time
course convenor to administer these
courses.quot;

Could you present to us the Master of
Science degree course in tropical
animal health and food safety? This
initiative is received very well in the
region and is a major activity of your-
self and your institute.

quot;I am very optimistic about this re-
gional MSc and we made tremendous
progress in the last two years that we
have been involved. It involves the
Sokoine University in Tanzania, and
the Faculties of Veterinary Science in
Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa and
Mozambique. So, they have all been
involved and there is a steering com-
mittee where one representative of
each faculty serves on. What we have
done is to look at the priorities of the
region as outlined by different work-
shops in the region and also by the
steering committee of veterinary
services. In this committee are all the
directors of the region. They have
outlined certain priorities in terms of
animal health and production. Tsetse
and trypanosomosis is one, ticks and
tick borne diseases is another one, and
fiirthermore epizootic diseases, which
include foot-and-mouth and African
swine fever, CBPP, and Newcastle
disease. Similarly laboratory diagnos-
tics have been highlighted as a very
important aspect to train people to go
back to their diagnostic labs. Some of
these labs have been depleted of man
power and do not function optimally.
Then there is also an initiative to train
people in veterinary public health and
food safety. The last area of priority is
wildlife, which is a major resource of
the region. And linking with that envi-
ronmental management. So we have
gone a long way to come to the
model.

We develop the curriculum through
workshops in the region, where eve-
rybody in a particular area, for exam-
ple in tsetse and tryps, is brought to-
gether. That topic is debated, the cur-
riculum designed and put into a
modular structure. So it is a modular
regional MSc on part time basis (see
figure 1). These modules vary from 4
to sometimes 6 weeks in duration.
Students will come there, go back to
their country, apply, get some as-
signments and come back. The first
year of the model consists of core
modules, including introductory epi-
demiology, scientific writing and re-
search methodology, followed later on
in the year by applied epidemiology
and then ultimately by a module on
communication and extension, so that
people can convey the message and
communicate efficiently in the region.
Then they can choose between all
those specialization units. Who is
interested in ticks and tick borne dis-
eases takes that subject, etcetera. In
the third year time will be allocated
for research. The planning of that
project will really start in the second
year. It will be an in-country research
project based on the area of speciali-
sation that they have selected.
The modules, apart fiquot;om veterinary
pubhc health and food safety, wildlife
and environmental management, all
have been designed and completed
and during the last part of this year we
will do the rest. Then everything is in
place.

There has been a significant interest
from inside and outside the region in
this regional masters. Countries from
Europe, like the Nordic countries, also
have expressed their interest in these
modules. I foresee that in time they
will play a significant role in the pres-
entation of the particular stream by
acting as tutors or promotors or other
ways to support it.

There will also be a feasibility study
later this year, when a team consisting
of the deans of all the faculties and
external people will go to all partici-
pating faculties to evaluate in terms
of: Can they really do what they have
said?. Have they got the required
laboratories, equipment, accommoda-
tion, and stability in the university?
All that will be assessed before we
kick off, hopefially in the year 2000.1
am very keen, and similarly are all the
other faculties in the region very en-
thusiastic about this regional MSc in
the field of tropical animal health and
food safety.quot;

quot;At this time we have got the steering
committee, with a representative of
each faculty, and I am the co-
ordinator of this programme currently,
but we have decided that, if money is
available, we will appoint a co-
ordinator. The post will be at a veteri-
nary level and the central secretariat
will be at Onderstepoort. That is what
the steering committee decided. Once
we got the money for this particular
post, it will be advertised in the region
and then my responsibility will be
taken over by this person who will
administer, market and do other as-
pects related to the regional MSc.quot;

quot;It fits in very well. There was an
initiative by the SADC interregional
skills development programme to
appoint an Irish consuhancy to look at
the 14 countries within the SADC
region in terms of the strength of each
country. So, national consultants for
each country were appointed to look
at what are these strengths in terms of
medicine, agriculture, engineering,
veterinary medicine, the broad spec-
trum. Rather than to duplicate what is
already done in other countries it is
better to create centres of excellence.
Then to get movement of students and
tutors within the region and get cross
border accreditation of courses and
modules. We have presented this re-
gional MSc to the national consultants
in South Africa and Zimbabwe. And
they dropped it in the SADC regional
final report, and in that final report we
were identified as one of the 10 prior-
ity projects in the region. So it has
been prioritised within SADC and I
can also say that in the last two
months I had discussions with SAC-
CAR (Southem Afi-ican Centre for
Co-operation in Agriculture and Natu-
ral Resources Research and Training)
and SADC. Now it has been approved
politically for the region as an impor-
tant programme.quot;

You have been here for a couple of
days now at Utrecht\'s Faculty of Vet-
erinary Medicine. Do you see possi-
bilities for collaboration between
Utrecht and Onderstepoort and
maybe linking these possibilities with
our other partners in the region, Zim-
babwe and Mozambique?

quot;I was very much impressed by what I
have learned the last couple of days. It
is obvious that you have got a very
strong faculty with very good facili-
ties and a good staff component.
Similarly a long history in veterinary
training, almost 180 years I believe. In
South Afiica we have got almost 80
years of involvement. The advantage
is that in the region we have got all
these tropical diseases that are still
occurring under natural conditions. If
we can link the technology, which is
very sound in your faculty, to the
environment where all these diseases
occur, this can be very useful in
studying these diseases more in-depth.
Another big advantage is that at On-
derstepoort in the broadest context we
are from the Faculty of Veterinary
Science, but across the road is the
Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute,
which is a research institute. Part of
that is a high security facility where
diseases like foot-and-mouth and Af-
rican swine fever can be studied. I
think by utilising these facilities opti-
mally research projects can then be
executed at a lower cost in our envi-
ronment. So there is ample opportu-
nity to link the two faculties; it will be
beneficial for both. You have got a
very strong immunology component,
particularly in the Department of In-
fectious Diseases and Immunology to
study disease processes and mecha-
nisms. That will even underpin vac-
cine production which can be very
useful in many of the studies that we
do in southem Africa.
Obviously, Utrecht has been involved
in the region very intensively, in Zim-
babwe but also in Mozambique.
Similariy we have had a lot of influ-
ence and contacts in the region. By
linking the two strong partners, your
aims in the region and our aims in the
region can be strengthened, focussing
on research and training, particularly
postgraduate training. So I am opti-
mistic that an agreement will ensure
long term sustainability of on-going
research, postgraduate training in
themes as ticks and tick borne dis-
eases or epidemic diseases, and mn-
ning courses together. We have got
similar aims for our country and the
region. I foresee that Utrecht also can
play a meaningful role within the
regional MSc in presenting or joining
and linking with some of these spe-
cializations as epidemiology or the
core modules ticks and tick borne
diseases or veterinary public health.quot;

Year I	Core Modules	Ifniversity of Zambia
Year 2	Tsetse amp; Tryps Control Ticks and Tick^-borne Diseases	University of Zimbabvve Sokoine, Tanzania
	Epizootic Diseases Laborator)\' Diagnostics	Onderstepoort, South Africa Onderstepoort, South Africa
	Vet Public Ilelath and Food Safety Wildlife and Environmental Management	Must siill be dccidcd Must still be decided
Year 3	Research project	Mui4 stil) be dccjded

Do you see a possibility for under-
graduate collaboration, like exchange
of students?

quot;Yes, no doubt! It will be relatively
easy to my opinion to set up this kind
of exchange programmes. We have
got this kind of programmes with
Madison Wisconsin, UCDavis and to
a lesser extent with Fort Collins in the
United States. We have got a very
good veterinary faculty, I can say that
in all modesty, from the clinical side a
very good hospital, an extensive hos-
pital from intensive care to whatever
can be done there. It is particularly
strong in companion animals and
equine chnical services. We get many
requests internationally from faculties
for students to take part in the clinics
here. We allow them to come and it is
a refreshing experience. Utrecht can
take part in that. Also, if a student
from Utrecht has a particular interest
in veterinary tropical diseases he can
get a broad exposure for a period of
time, rotating through the different
disciplins in my department. Toxicol-

Discussing cell culture at
the virology laboratory
(Photo: Collection
University of Pretoria)

ogy, pathology, whatsoever, can be
added to the programme. I foresee
that that will be relatively easy. You
have got a very good veterinary hos-
pital, which can service our students
very well. I believe that you also got
an international course on veterinary
public health. It might be useful to
exploit that fiirther, students from our
side can participate in that course.quot;

quot;I am very optimistic that when we sit
down and look at the ingredients of
the memorandum of understanding
between the University of Pretoria
and Utrecht University, we veterinari-
ans can add substantial matters to this
agreement.

We should have a long term vision
when drafting a memorandum of un-
derstanding. Perhaps one day -this is
an idea which I have entertained for
quite a period of time- a school of
tropical animal health and production
for the southern African region will be
established, wherein everybody, all
the faculties who will benefit, take
part. My opinion is that Utrecht can
be a very strong partner in establish-
ing such a school, linking a consor-
tium of faculties together and ad-
dressing postgraduate training on a
regional basis. The regional MSc can
be a component, but many other as-
pects can be added to serve the region
and also your interest.quot;

The Faculty of Veterinary Science is one of the 11 faculties of the University of Pretoria and is based at
Onderstepoort at 25 km from Pretoria. Other faculties are concerned with e.g. biology, agriculture,
medicine and dentistry. The Faculty of Veterinary Science was founded in 1920. Besides undergraduate
courses for the BVSc degree, it offers a variety of postgraduate training opportunities for veterinary
practitioners, clinical specialists, diagnosticians and research scientists.

The mission of the Faculty of Veterinary Science is to provide effective veterinary and para-
veterinary manpower and expertise in order to promote the welfare of the total socio-economic
spectrum of communities in South Africa and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa by
improving and maintaining animal health, Mgt;elfare, production and performance, veterinary
public health and the conservation of natural resources.

The faculty has 11 departments of which the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases is one of the
largest. It was created on 1 March 1993 by amalgamating the Departments of Infectious Diseases and
Parasitology. This created ideal circumstances to house various related disciplines under one roof and to

follow a multidisciplinary and integrated, problem-solving approach, particular pertaining to teaching
and research.

The Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases contributes to the Faculty\'s mission by
providing veterinary manpower and the community with relevant knowledge on the prevention
and control of infectious and parasitic animal diseases to improve sustainable socio-economic
development in south Africa and elsewhere.

The Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases offers undergraduate courses for veterinary students in
the to year of the veterinary curriculum and diploma courses for veterinary nurses. The subjects
include: bacterial, protozoal and viral diseases and ecto-parasitology, helminthology, immunology and
microbiology. These courses aim to enable graduates and diplomates to diagnose infectious and
parasitic diseases of animals and implement cost-effective measures, appropriate to diverse systems of
management and socio-economic conditions.

Postgraduate study programmes includes studies for various degrees such as the BVSc (hons), PhD,
MSc and DVSc. The BVSc (hons) follows a modular approach to accommodate the needs and interest
of the student. The DVSc degree is awarded on post-doctoral publications of the candidate. The MSc
and PhD degrees require that a research project is successfully completed and in addition an
examination may be required. Postgraduate training is closely linked to research. Research is focused on
defining disease problems and devising, developing and applying innovative and appropriate methods to
prevent and control diseases. Field work is an important and integral component of most research
projects. Research is conducted on five themes: (1) Equine diseases, (2) Ruminant diseases, (3) Vector-
bome diseases, (4) Wildlife research theme and (5) Socio-economic aspects.

The Department offers a range of diagnostic services and as well as advisory and consultancy services.
Short postgraduate continuing education courses on a variety of topics receive special emphasis and are
given annually to meet the changing needs of the veterinary profession and the community. Priority is
given to students from South Africa and other African countries. These postgraduate continuing
education courses include a series of modules of 2-4 weeks in veterinary diagnostics: \'Bacteriology and
mycology\', \'Apphed veterinary ecto-parasitology and protozoology\', \'Virology (Part I: host systems)\',
\'Applied veterinary helminthology\' etc..

Short courses of I week are also developed in specific topics such as: \'Tick identification\' and \'African
epizootic diseases\'. This last course has also raised interest in other parts of the world and staff from
Onderstepoort will present the course in the United States (1999) and Europe (2000). Much attention is
paid by the Department to the development of teaching materials such as videos, posters and CD-
ROMs.

Major changes and developments have taking place in recent years and are still taking place at Faculty
of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria. The most important ones are the amalgamation of
the veterinary faculties of Onderstepoort and Medunsa at the location of Onderstepoort and the
development and introduction in 1998 of a new veterinary curriculum, taught in Enghsh.

The development of the \'Regional MSc in Tropical Animal Health and Food Safety\', a joint effort of 5
veterinary faculties in the SADC region, which is co-ordinated by the Department of Veterinary
Tropical Diseases at Onderstepoort, provides the faculty at Onderstepoort with a unique challenge to
take a central position in the development of an adequate, sustainable, regional veterinary infrastmcture
to serve the southern African livestock sector.

(For information: Head of Department, Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of
Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa (tel.
27.12.5298269, telefax: 27.12.5298312, e-mail: infek5(^opl.up.ac.za).

To improve human health and quahty
of life by means of increased food pro-
duction in tropical regions through en-
hancement of research, training and
education in veterinary medicine and
livestock production within the frame-
work of sustainable development.

and fiiture strategies in animal
health and production research for
sustainable mral development

The AITVM organises every 3 year an
intemational conference for experts in
tropical animal health and livestock
production. New developments in edu-
cation, research and extension are
presented and discussed. Recommen-
dations for livestock development poli-
cies are formulated. The Confer-
ence, which had as theme \'Animal

ABSTRACT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON
ANIMAL HEALTH AND LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT
POLICIES FORMULATED BY THE 9th INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF INSTITUTIONS
FOR TROPICAL VETERINARY MEDICINE (AITVM)

HARARE, ZIMBABWE, 14-18 SEPTEMBER 1998

Objective of this document

This document states the mission and activities of the Association of histitutions
for Tropical Veterinary Medicine (AITVM) and highlights the main recommen-
dations on livestock development policies, jointly formulated by 225 specialists
in tropical animal health and livestock production, which are of relevance to
Ministries of Agriculture, Education, Health and National Parks and Tourism,
regional and intemational organisations and donor agencies. The AITVM will
distribute these recommendations widely and support their implementation.

Health and Production for Develop-
ment\', was held in Harare (Zimbabwe)
from 14-18 September, 1998. The
Conference was attended by a total
225 representatives from governments
and private organisations and projects
in the SADC countries, intemational
organisations and institutions for
higher education and research in Af-
rica, Europe, Asia, America and Aus-
tralia. Some 50 papers were presented,
including keynote addresses, research
communications and posters. Presen-
tations and workshops covered 5
themes for which policy recommenda-
tions were formulated. Abstracts of the
presentations, summaries of the dis-
cussions and the frill text of the rec-
ommendations, are pubhshed in the
proceedings of the Conference.

When disease problems pose a recog-
nised, significant constraint to hve-
stock production for farmers and na-
tions, regional co-operation should be
initiated. Regional approaches can
only co-ordinate national strategies,
but can not implement the control
measures, which is a national respon-
sibility. The aim and nature of regional
integrated animal disease control will
vary from region to region and priori-
ties will shift over time.
A number of principles should be
taken into account when regional dis-
ease control programmes are formu-
lated:

•nbsp;Problem analyses and needs as-
sessments should be conducted be-
fore plarming starts.

•nbsp;Cost recovery should be intro-
duced without jeopardising public
interest.

•nbsp;Appropriate monitoring and
evaluation systems should be es-
tablished to provide feedback
during the mnning of the project at
the levels of policy, strategy, plan-
ning and implementation.

Increasing efficiency of the public
and private health delivery systems
Efficient animal health delivery serv-
ices can be characterised as: cost-
effective, convenient, accessible to the
beneficiaries, appropriate, timely and
client-oriented. The design of policy
and legislative frameworks should be
based on relevant research, efficient
information systems and on the dem-
onstration of the economic importance
of livestock with respect to the na-
tional gross domestic product.
The following initiatives should be
undertaken:

•nbsp;Policy legislation must be put in
place, as macro-economic and
livestock sector policies are the
determinants of successful devel-
opment and sustainability of the
livestock industry.

•nbsp;Standardised training and exten-
sion services must be developed in
order to improve the performance
of the public and private sectors.

•nbsp;The role of the public and private
sectors in the health delivery sys-
tems must be defined. National
and intemational disease surveil-
lance networks are the priority of
the pubhc sector. The private
sector should continue to develop
and adequate credit systems
should be set up. Unfair competi-
tion fi-om public services, projects
or other agencies and NGOs
should cease.

•nbsp;Privatised community-based ani-
mal health delivery services should
be developed, particularly, but not
exclusively, in pastoralist areas.
Legislation of the organisational
stmcture and monitoring by gov-
emment veterinary services should
be put in place.

•nbsp;Research activities should focus
on the impact of macro-economic
policies on hvestock service deliv-
ery systems and cost^enefit
analysis of animal health control
programmes.

Numerous developments determine
that institutions for veterinary educa-
tion need to re-orientate and review
their curricula continuously. These
developments include: economic de-
velopments and changes in land use
and production systems; changes in
disease patterns and new emerging
diseases; privatisation of veterinary
services and liberalisation of trade.
There is a necessity to improve the
clinical skills and skills for surveil-
lance, diagnosis and control of eco-
nomically important animal diseases.
Veterinary curricula need to be har-
monise to make degrees intemationally
recognisable. The standards of veteri-
nary education need to be intemation-
ally determined, quality of education
assessed and institutions and courses
accredited. AITVM could play a role
in these matters.

•nbsp;The curriculum should be re-
viewed periodically, flexible and
demand-driven.

•nbsp;The number of students admitted
to the veterinary education should
match the jobs available.

•nbsp;Postgraduate courses should ad-
dress the broad needs of the vet-
erinary profession.

•nbsp;The regional research agenda
should be defined and prioritised
through dialogue between govem-
ments and universities.

•nbsp;The information exchange and
collaboration between universities
should improve and resources
shared where possible.

•nbsp;Postgraduate programmes should
have an intemational accreditation
system.

In the hvestock sector there is a recog-
nition of the contribution of \'indige-
nous\' mminants and poultry in low-
input systems to the well-being of the
small holder by virtue of their toler-
ance of the tropical environment, para-
sites and diseases.

•nbsp;Development of appropriate feed-
ing and management systems (e.g.
strategic and tactical supplemen-i

•nbsp;Wildlife management needs a more
favourable legislative and eco-
nomic environment, which equates
with that in livestock production,
so that the profession can help
wildlife reach its economic poten-
tial.

•nbsp;Transfer the right to use wildlife to
the local community and create a
legal framework.

•nbsp;Create an appropriate economic
environment to develop the wild-
life industry.

•nbsp;Develop novel methods in: diagno-
sis and control and management of
diseases.

•nbsp;Reduce the risk of disease trans-
mission from wildlife to livestock
and visa versa.

•nbsp;Undertake applied research into
cost-effective techniques for har-
vesting, processing and marketing
of wildlife products.

Surveillance of many zoonotic diseases
is inadequate in many countries. There
are problems in the control of zoonotic
diseases in general, but given that
some countries are more successfiil
than others, it appears that these
problems are not necessarily insur-
mountable. The delivery of veterinary
public health (VPH) services is often
problematic which concems all levels.
HTV/AIDS has major effects on farm
economies, food production and also
impacts livestock production efficiency
in the mral sector. There is a lack of
information on specific zoonotic dis-
eases affecting HIV-infected individu-
als in developing countries.

•nbsp;Development of improved diag-
nostic tests for zoonotic diseases
in both humans and animals.

•nbsp;Development of active surveillance
systems based on population-
based sampling and rapid dissemi-
nation of information.

•nbsp;To ensure governmental support,
carry out local studies on knowl-
edge, attitudes and practices, prior
to instituting control programmes.

•nbsp;More emphasis should be placed
on \'community ownership\' of
control programmes.

•nbsp;Delivery of health information at
the local level should make use of
innovative communication tech-
nology.

•nbsp;Awareness is needed for improved
hygiene, including slaughter and
processing of animal products.

•nbsp;Animal health legislation should
be science-based, user-friendly and
enforceable by law.

•nbsp;There should be one department
(or ministry) of public health
within a country.

•nbsp;There should be better collabora-
tion between physicians and vet-
erinarians in the investigation of
zoonotic disease outbreaks and
control, especially at the local
level.

•nbsp;Appropriate educational materials
should be developed based on
simple problem-based cases and
should be supported by visual ex-
ercises by extension staff.

•nbsp;Veterinary schools should provide
a strong component of public
health and epidemiology in their
curriculum.

•nbsp;Research is urgently needed into
the specific zoonotic diseases af-
fecting HIV-infected individuals.

•nbsp;Practical preventive measures are
needed related to food and water
hygiene and animal contact to re-
duce the risk of zoonotic infections
in these high-risk individuals.

AITVM Secretariate, Dr. R.W. Pal-
ing, Utrecht University, Faculty of
Veterinary Medicine, Office for Inter-
national Co-operation, P.O. Box
80.163, NL 3508 TD Utrecht, The
Netherlands (fax: 31.30.2531815,
e-mail: bic@vet.uu.nl)

10^\'\' International Confer-
ence of the Association of
Institutions for Tropical
Veterinary Medicine
(AITVM)

This section contains vacancy announcements which the editorial board considers to be of possible interest to Dutch veteri-
narians. Besides vacancies that will be taken from Vacatureblad Internationale Samenwerking, Tijdschrift voor Diergen-
eeskunde, Veterinary Record, Intro vacatures (RPDAdvies/Ministry of Internal Affairs) etc., there will be room for person-
nel advertisements. For further information about the vacancies please contact the institution or company directly.

Within the framework of the
Netherlands Development Cooperation
the Intemational Cooperation Per-
sonnel Branch (HPI) is responsible for
recruting personnel for temporary
assignments relating to development
programmes and projects.

The University of Zimbabwe in Harare
is looking for the following operational
expert:

The Faculty of Veterinary Science of
the University of Zimbabwe has three
Departments. The Dean is the head of
the Faculty and is answerable to the
Vice-Chancellor of the University of
Zimbabwe. The Faculty is staffed with
approximately 45 academic staff
members and has an annual intake of
30 students in a 5-year veterinary
curriculum. The Faculty of Veterinary
Science has a long-term university
linkage programme with the Faculty of

Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht Uni-
versity (the Netherlands).
The Faculty of Veterinary Science
requires a competent and experienced
large animal surgeon, preferably con-
versant with both horses and cattle,
with a bias toward bovine surgery.
The duties of the operational expert
will therefore be to teach, conduct
research, and carry out clinical service
in the field of Large Animal Surgery.
The operational expert will be answer-
able to the Head of Department of
Clinical Veterinary Studies.
The need for this specific expertise is
enormous in Zimbabwe, because of the

importance of cattle for the subsistence
sector as well as for the commercial
beef and milk production sectors,
which reflexes directly on the economy
of the country.

To establish a large animal surgery
unit at the University Hospital and to
be the de facto head ;
To assume leadership in this discipline
To be responsible for handling all pri-
mary and referred large animal surgery
cases;

To attend to field cases which cannot
be transported to the University Hos-
pital;

To participate, along with the large
animal medicme clinicians, in clinical
rounds;

A veterinary degree and a relevant post
graduate qualification or a minimum
of five years postqualification invol-
vement in surgery. Evidence of publi-
cations is a prerequisite. Excellent
command of the English language

Mr. G. Luyendijk (tel: 31.70.348.
6741) or Mrs. A. Pfaff (tel: 31. 70.
3485296) between 16.00 and 17.00
hours.

You are requested to send your
application including the names and
adresses of 4 referees before 22 July,
1999, quoting vacancy number
99/ZIM/008/S to: Hoofdafdeling Per-
sonele Zaken Internationale Samen-
werking, Bureau Uitzendingen (HPI/-
UZ), Postbus 20061, NL-2500 EB
Den Haag (Telefax: 31.30.70.348
6702).

30 August - 2 September, 1999
3rd Intemational Conference on
Ticks and Tick-bome Pathogens
(TTP 1999). Programme: Tick-
bome pathogens; tick-host uiter-
phase; tick control; geographic
distribution and GIS; tick Isiol-
ogy; tick ecology; tick morphol-
ogy, taxonomy and sysetematics.
Organised by: Institute of Zool-
ogy, Slovak Academy of Sciences
and NERC Inst. Virology and
Environmental Microbiology,
Oxford, UK. Information: Dr.
Milan Labuda, Director, Institute
of Zoology, Slovak Academy of
Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 842
06 Bratislava, Slovakia (Tel.:
42.17.3783248; fax: 42.17.
3789757, e-mail: uzaelabu@
savba.sk).

Intemational MSc programme of
the Graduate School of Animal
Health, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine Utrecht University and

ID-DLO Institute for Animal
Science and Health, Lelystad.
Programme: MSc Course \'Animal
Pathology\' duration 2 years (fee:
NGL 35,000); MSc Course
\'Modem Approaches in
Veterinary Microbiology and
Immunology\' duration 18 months
(fee: NGL 68,500); MSc course
\'Veterinary Anaesthesiology\'
duration 18 months (fee: NGL
35,000). Registration before 1
August, 1999. Information: Office
for Intemational Co-operation,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
P.O. Box 80.163, 3508 TD Utrecht
(Fax: 31.30.2531815, e-mail:
bic@vet.uu.nl).

6-10 September, 1999
Veterinary Pathology Sympo-
sium: Theme - Wildlife diseases
and epizootic diseases of live-
stock in Afiica. Organised by:
Southern and Eastem Africa Di-
vision of the C.L. Davis DVM
Foundation. Information: Prof
Ojok Lonzy, Faculty of Veteri-
nary Medicine, Makerere Uni-
versity, P.O. 7062, Kampala,
Uganda (Tel.: 256.1.530483,
fax: 256.1.554685, e-mail:
vetpath@infocom.co.ug)

15-17 September, 1999
Armual Congress of the Zim-
babwe Vetermary Association.
Location: Kariba. Information:
ZVA, P.O. Box CY 168, Cause-
way, Harare. (E-mail: georgie@
loffras.icon.co.zw).

MSc Veterinary Epidemiology.
Organised by: London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
and The Royal Veterinary Col-
lege. Starting date: late Septem-
ber. Duration: 1 year. Informa-
tion: The Registry, London
School of Hygiene, 50 Bedford
Square, London , WCIB 3DP
(Tel.: 44.171.9272239, fex:
44.171.3230638, e-mail: registry
@ 1 shtm.ac.uk,http ://www. I shtm
ac. uk).

23 - 26 September, 1999
Joint meeting of the World Asso-
ciation of Wildlife Veterinarians
(WAWV), the European Section
of the Wildlife Disease Associa-
tion (EWDA) and the European
Association Zoo and Wildlife
Veterinarians (EAZWV) at the
World Veterinary Congress in
Lyon. Information: Dr. Marc
Artois, CNEVA Nancy, Domaine
de Pixerecourt, BP 9, 54220 Mal-
zeville(http://www.uniud.it/DSPA
/wildvet/wawv/wawv.htm).

23 - 29 September, 1999
1999 World Vet Congress. Or-
ganised by : the Worid Veterinary
Association (WVA) and the
World Small Animal Veterinary
Association (WSAVA). Informa-
tion: MONDIAL VET 1999,
CNVSPA, 40 rue de Berri,
F75008 Paris (Tel.: 33.1. 538
39160, telefax: 33.1.53839 169,
E-mail: mondialvet@aol.com;
http://www.mondialvet99.org).

October, 1999 - September, 2000
Four MSc courses on: \'Tropical
animal production and health\',
\'Sustainable rural development in
the tropics\', \'Tropical veterinary
medicine\' and \'International ani-
mal health\' are organised by the
Centre for Tropical Veterinary
Medicine of the Royal (Dick)
School of Veterinary Studies of
the Edinburgh University. The
course programme has a modular
format including: 6 months taught
courses and a 6 months disserta-
tion project. For the MPhil degree
an additional research project is
carried out during 18 months.
Information: The Director, the
Centre for Tropical Veterinary
Medicine, Easter Bush, Roslin,
Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland
(Tel.: 44.131.6506289; fax: 44.
131.4455099, e-mail: david.w.

23 - 24 October, 1999
1st Intemational Conference on
Sheep and Goat Diseases and
Productivity. Programme: Medi-
cine and surgery; Pathology; Mi-
crobiology; Reproduction; Nutri-
tion; Epidemiology; breeding and
management; Meat and dairy
products and hygiene; Hair and
wool. Registration: Dr Shawkat
Lafi, Conference Secretary, Jor-
dan University of Science and
Technology, Faculty of Veteri-
nary Medicine, P.O. Box 3030,
Irbid 22110 (Fax: 962.2.295
123; email shoatcon@just.edujo;
http://www.just.edu.io/sheepand
goatconf/).

5 November, 1999
lO\'\'\' Intemational symposium:
Tropical Animal Health and Pro-
duction. Theme: \'Outcome of and
perspectives for collaborative
reseach\'. Organized by the Com-
mittee for the Advancement of
Tropical veterinary Science
(CATS) and the Office for Inter-
national Co-operation of the Fac-
ulty of Veterinary Medicine of
Utrecht University. Registration
before 25 October, 1999 to Office
for Intemational Co-operation,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
(Telefax: 31.30.2531815, e-
mail: bic@vet.uu.nl See an-
nouncement and registration form
in the next issue of EQUATOR).

January, 2000 - December, 2001
Master of Science Degree in
Tropical Veterinary Epidemio-
logy (MSc TVE). The study pro-
gramme is offered with 3 study
options: Option I. Freie Univer-
sität Beriin-Addis Ababa Univer-
sity Joint Postgraduate Pro-
gramme; Option 2. Beriin-

Germany Programme; Option 3.
Beriin-Home Country Pro-
gramme. The course programme
has a modular format with course
work part A, with basic and ap-
plied lectures and demonstrations,
and by practical exercises carried
out in Beriin (first year). Under
option I Part B with individual
research work for the MSc thesis
in Ethiopia, allowing also for
research in the East African re-
gion under special arrangements
(first and second year); under
option 2, part B lasts for 7 months
in Beriin; and under option 3
individual research work is un-
dertaken in the home country of
the participant. Information: The
Co-ordinator, Postgraduate Stud-
ies in Tropical Veterinary Medi-
cine, Freie Universität Beriin,
Luisenstrasse 56, 10117 Beriin
(Tel.: 49.30.20936063; fax: 49.
30.20936349; e-mail: TropVet@
city.vetmed.fii-beriin.de; http://
wyyw. vetmed. fii -beriin. de).

I March - 27 May, 2000
22quot;\'\' Intemational animal feed
training programme (AFTP).
Organized by: IPC Livestock
Intemational, Bameveld College.
Fees including board and lodging:
NGL 14,500. Information: IPC
Livestock Bameveld College,
Dep. of Intemational Studies and
Co-operation Programmes, P.O.
Box 64, 3770 AB Bameveld
(Tel.: 31.342.414881, fex: 31.
342.492813, e-mail: io@ipcdier.
hacom.nl).

14quot;quot; Intemational Congress on
Animal Reproduction. Informa-
tion: Dr Hans Gustafsson, Swed-
ish University of Agricultural
Sciences, P.O. Box 7039, S-750
07 Uppsala (Fax: 46.18.673545,
e-mail: hans.gustafsson@og.
slu.se).

J.H.A. de Gooijer
R.W. Paling DVM PhD
(editor-in-chief)
W.D. Vink MVM
P.R. van Weeren DVM PhD

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Office for Intemational
Cooperation
P.O. Box 80.163
3508 TD Utrecht
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NEWSLETTER ON VETERINARY ASPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

REPETITIVE DNA ELEMENTS AS
GENETIC AND PHYLOGENETIC
MARKERS IN THE GENOMES OF
CATTLE AND OTHER RUMINANTS

Wild populations always adapt to the
environment, while men constantly
tries to improve his domesticated flocks
in order to increase their production, to
control diseases or to conserve biodi-
versity. Cattle and cattle-like species
are the world\'s most important live-
stock. Nowadays, molecular tools are
used to optimise breeding, investigate
genetic diseases and elucidate cattle
species phylogeny. DNA markers
identify diversity at the molecular level
and allow the inference of genetic and
phylogenetic relationships. In his thesis
Dr. Nijman describes the use of differ-
ent types of DNA markers to unravel
the genetic diversity and molecular
history of cattle and related species, and
demonstrates the value of repetitive
DNA elements as markers for the
genetics and speciation of cattle.

Since the neolithic period cattle have
had a huge impact on the cultural
development of mankind. Before do-
mestication, wild cattle already inspired
the artists of cave paintings. Since
10,000 BC, domesticated cattle have
been a source of milk, meat, hides and
draught power.

Cattle belong to the ruminant under-
order, which comprises the families
Bovidae (hollow homed), Cervidae
(deer), Antilocapridae (pronghoms),
Giraffidae (giraffes and okapis) and the
Tragulidae (chevrotains).
The Bovidae contain more than 100
different species, which include the
world\'s most important domesticated
species, like cattle, goats and sheep.
Wild and domesticated cattle form,
together with the buffalo species, the
Bovini tribe. While all the species of the
Bovidae and Bovini are taxonomically
well defined, again the phylogenetic
relationships have not been unambigu-
ously resolved by either morphological
studies or molecular studies.
Within the Bovini, a separate group
comprises the buffaloes, which consists
of the African or Cape buffalo (Synce-
rus caffer) from the African savannas.

I.J. Nijman, PhD thesis, Utrecht University

On 2 September, 1999 les Nijman, researcher at the section of Bacteriology of the
Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology of the Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine of Utrecht University, the Netherlands, defended his PhD thesis on
quot;Repetitive DNA elements as genetic and phylogenetic markers in the genomes of
cattle and other ruminants quot;. The editorial board considered parts of this thesis of
relevance and interest to the readers of EQUATOR.

the Indonesian anoa {Anoa depressi-
cornis, mountain or lowland) and the
Asiatic water-buffalo {Bubalus bubalis,
swamp or river type). This group,
except for the dangerous African buf-
falo, is domesticated and used as
draught (swamp buffalo) or dairy and
beef animals (river buffalo). The ban-
teng (Bos javanicus or Bos banteng),
which also lives in South-East Asia and
Indonesia, has been domesticated as
Bali cattle and is mainly used for labor
and meat production. In India and
surrounding areas, the remaining thou-
sands of the wild gaur or Indian bison
(Bos gaums) can be found, but its
domesticated relative, the gayal (Bos
frontalis) is more abundant. These
large, but friendly animals mainly serve
as status symbols, but are used as beef
animals as well. Both the American
bison (Bison bison, in the USA and
Canada, confusingly also called buf-
falo) as well as the European bison
(wisent. Bison bonasus) experienced a
severe population bottleneck. Conser-
vation efforts have restored the number
of bisons (from 800 in 1984 to ap-
proximately 25,000) and wisents (from
23 breeding pairs to approximately
3,000 animals in zoos and parks). The
only cattle species able to live at high
altitudes on the mountains of China
(Tibet) and Siberia are the long-haired
yaks (Bos grunniens) and these animals
have been domesticated as cany,
draught and dairy animals. The most
common species of cattle is Bos taurus
and in tropical regions the zebu (Bos
Indicus, humped cattle). These species
are very closely related but have been
independently domesticated around
7,000 BC. Since then, a great variety of
different breeds have emerged. Nowa-
days, large numbers of cattle are kept

The relatively short divergence time
between Bos taurus and Bos indicus, of
only 100,000 to 200,000 years explains
the viability of hybrid offspring. Also,
hybridization between other cattle-Iike
species is not uncommon. Although
complete viability is limited to taurin-
dicine hybrids only, other hybridiza-
tions usually yield fertile cows and
sterile bulls. Crossing of these hybrid
cows with bulls from one of the parent
species may restore the fertility of the
bulls of later generations. In this way,
hybrid populations or even breeds can
be maintained.

In Africa, introgression of Indian zebu
bulls in taurine herds since 700 AD
improved the tolerance of the cattle to
hot and dry conditions. On the other
hand, zebu introgression in certain
N\'Dama populations in West Africa
diminishes tolerance to Trypanosoma
spp. causing trypanosomosis, and is
therefore unfavorable. More recent
taurindicine breeds are bred in the
United States, New Zealand and Aus-
tralia and are also exported to several
other countries.

Hybridization of banteng and zebu is
supposed to occur frequently and may
have led to the Madura breed. Yak-
taurine hybrid animals, named yakows
in Tibet, Siberia, China and Mongolia
yield favorable heterosis effects and are
better adapted to medium high regions
(1,500-2,000 m), grow larger and
produce more milk then the yaks. In the
USA bison-taurine hybridizations have
created the Beefalo breed with its
reputed low fat, low calorie meat qual-
ity. Finally, the gayal-zebu crosses or
selembu are better adapted to the hot
and dry climate of Burma and India and
the females are valued for their milk
yield. However, written records of the

species composition of these breeds are
in most cases not available, while they
often are economically important and
have high traditional value.

Any well defined phenotypic or mo-
lecular difference between individuals
or species can be considered as a
marker of variation: morphological,
physiological, pathogenic traits or
diversity at the molecular level. Genetic
markers can be used to investigate
inherited differences between individu-
als within a family or breed stmcture,
while phylogenetic markers are infor-
mative for evolutionary relationships
between species.

Molecular markers are generally supe-
rior to morphological markers for the
following reasons:

1.nbsp;The detection of their state, usually
by PCR, is unambiguous and straight-
forward.

2.nbsp;The variation at the molecular level
is such that several markers can be
found in any region of the genome.

3.nbsp;Data sets of equivalent markers can
be generated and analyzed by quantita-
tive methods. In contrast, it is usually
difficult to weigh the various morpho-
logical traits.

4.nbsp;Markers may either represent single
loci in the genome or represent several
loci simultaneously, like the presence
of a DNA repeat or a DNA finger-
printing pattem.

fied, providing a direct link between
phenotypic and molecular markers.
Most markers, however, are in the non-
coding \'junk\' DNA and any associated
change in the phenotype is unlikely.

Genetic markers exploit variation
within the species. Marker variants
(alleles) are inherited in a Mendelian
way and may elucidate the genetics of
a certain trait. If the inheritance of a
phenotype correlates with the inheri-
tance of a marker, for instance in pedi-
grees (co-segregation), that marker is
genetically linked to the gene underly-
ing that phenotype. This indicates that
the marker and the gene are proximate
on the same chromosome. The most
well known molecular genetic markers
are the fast evolving, multi-allelic
microsatellites (see figure). Other
examples are restriction fragment
length polymorphisms (RFLP), based
on point mutations in restriction sites,
random amplified polymorphic DNA
(RAPD) and amplified fragment length
polymorphisms (AFLP). A promise for
the future is the efficient detection of
point mutations using DNA chip hy-
bridization.
Phylogenetic markers
The evolution of species spans a much
larger time period than the few genera-
tions covered in genetics. Traditionally,
morphology has been a powerful phy-
logenetic marker, but most progress in
phylogenetic reconstruction is now
based on DNA markers. So far most
phylogenetic DNA markers are se-
quence changes in various kinds of loci
like nuclear genes, mitochondrial t-
RNA or rRNA genes or the mitochon-
drial displacement loop (D-loop). Other
DNA-based markers can be DNA
arrangements or the amplification of
repeat families. Variation in the mito-
chondrial genome is informative for the
female lineage, while the Y-
chromosome is paternally transmitted.
This is especially relevant for herd
animals like cattle since introgression
usually takes place through the paternal
line. So mitochondrial DNA provides
informative markers for the origin of
the herd, while the Y-chromosome may
reveal genetic admixtures of other
breeds or species.

Basically, phylogenetic reconstruction
assumes that if a marker has the same
state in a group of species, these species
are clustered and the species with a
different marker state are excluded. In
a dataset, several markers are consid-
ered and various algorithms are avail-
able to reconstruct the phylogeny of the
species investigated.
In the thesis novel types of phyloge-
netic markers are described: satellite
DNA polymorphisms that represent
several centromeric loci and appears to
be informative for species hybridization
and phylogeny. AFLP, originally a
genetic technique, which yields several
bi-allelic markers in a single experi-
ment, might also reveal introgression.
Individual SINE retrotranspositions that
are evolutionary unique events and may
be suitable to compare phylogenies of
different parts of the genome where
species are grouped if they share a
common SINE (Short Interspersed
Nuclear Elements) insertion.

Nowadays, the most well-known ge-
netic markers for mammalian species
are the microsatellites. In up to 200.000
positions in the genome, di,- tri- or
tetranucleotide repeats are present.
Slippage of the DNA polymerase I

during replication of these repeats
creates allelic length variants. The
detection of these alleles is straightfor-
ward: PCR primers located in the
unique regions flanking the repeat,
amplify a DNA fi-agment containing the
microsatellite and length variants can
be determined on polyacrylamide gels.

N\'dama cow with
crossbred calf Zebu
introgression in N\'Dama
populations in West
Africa diminishes
tolerance to
Trypanosoma spp.

The microsatelHte maps are routinely
applied in the genetic localization of
diseases or other phenotypes. When
linkage has been found between a
marker and a trait, the genomic region
of interest has been narrowed down to
approximately 1-10 Mbp, which is still
too large and may contain multiple
genes. By positional cloning or com-
parative mapping the responsible gene
can be identified. However, this linkage
approach is only straightforward for
monogenic traits, for which only one
gene is responsible for a certain phe-
notype. Polygenic traits such as
milk/meat yield and quality or disease
resistance, are more difficult to study.
In farm animal breeding programs,
marker assistant selection (MAS) is
envisaged to positively or negatively
select animals with marker alleles
linked to these quantitative traits in
order to improve the offspring. So far,
this has not been realized yet for farm
animals. A more promising scenario
may be the selection of candidate genes
by comparative mapping. After identi-
fying a region of interest, the involve-
ment of this gene can be verified by
association studies in which a popula-
tion-wide analysis may prove a corre-
lation to be true or false.

AFLP is now a standard marker tech-
nology in plant molecular genetics and
is used more and more in bacterial,
parasitic and animal genomic research.
This technique is based on selective
amplification of restriction fragments.
AFLP is used to estimate the genetic
diversity within a species and genomic
divergence of related species. The
fingerprints are converted to similarity
matrices and the species genomic
distances are visualized in a principal
coordinate plot. This thesis demon-
strates that AFLP is also suitable to
detect the hybrid origin of African
cattle breeds and the Indonesian
Madura and Bali cattle.

Centromeric tandem repeats or satellite
DNA is the most abundant component
of the eukaryotic genome. It consists of
almost identical DNA sequences linked
in head-to-tail formation and is usually
organized in higher order structures.
Satellites are mainly located in the
centromeres and may account for up to
20% of the total genome.
Surprisingly, satellite DNA is not only
the most abundant, but also the most
variable component of the eukaryotic
genome. Satellites can be specific for a
subfamily, a tribe or even a species. For
instance, the bovine satellite III ac-
counts for 4% of the total genome of
cattle, but is virtually absent in water
buffalo and only partially present in
African buffalo.

If related species share a homologous
repeat family, like the satellites I from
sheep, goat and cattle, the sequences of
the repeat units are more similar within
the species than between the species.
This phenomena is called concerted
evolution. Several mechanisms leading
to a concerted evolution have been
proposed: unequal crossing-over or
slipped-strand mispairing, gene conver-
sion and saltatory replication. When
these species specific mutations are
present in homologous satellites of
interbreeding species, hybrid offspring
of two different species have a mixture
of satellite variants. This can be de-
tected by Southern blotting or PCR-
RFLP. So variation in satellite DNA is
an informative marker for species
introgression.

There are two sister taxa of domestic
cattle, humpless Bos taurus and
humped Bos indicus, or zebu. Both
species are represented in Africa. For
example, N\'Dama and other taurus
breeds are found in western Africa and
animals of Bos indicus morphology
predominate in eastern Africa. The taxa
are closely related and hybridisation
between Bos taurus and Bos indicus
results in fertile quot;taurindicusquot; breeds.
Remarkably, all Afiican breeds harbour
taurine type mtDNA, but zebu Y chro-
mosomal and autosomal marker alleles
are often found. It was suggested that
the numerous sanga breeds (cattle with
intermediate hump morphology) in
southern Africa are a resuh of hybridi-
sations between African Bos taurus and
humped Bos indicus.
Taurine and indicine cattle have differ-
ent adaptations to African local condi-
tions. In western Africa, which is one
of the regions where tsetse-borne try-
panosomosis is prevalent, the taurine
N\'Dama breed has developed a natural
resistance against this disease. This
unique property makes the Bos taurus

Nguni cattle. Sanga
breeds (cattle with
intermediate hump
morphology) in
southem Africa are a
result of hybridisations
between African Bos
taurus and humped Bos
indicus (Photo: Paling)

animals of this region valuable for
export to other regions. However,
hybridisation with encroaching zebu
breeds, which are better adapted to dry
and hot climates, is frequent and is
known to dilute the trypanotolerance
trait.

Several types of genetic markers have
been described to distinguish zebu and
taurine cattle. Presently, microsatellite
markers are considered to be the most
informative, but determining allele
frequencies requires screening of many
individual animals.

The thesis describes satellite DNA
variation that detects hybridisation of
Bos indicus and Bos taurus in African
cattle populations. On Southem blots
hybridised to a satellite III probe,
relative intensities of HMl fragments
correlated with the taurine-zebu com-
position in hybrid animals as deduced
from AFLP genotyping of the same
animals and previous data on microsat-
ellite allele frequencies. Similar results
were obtained by PCR-RFLP analysis
of a zebu specific mutation in the repeat
unit of satellite 1.711b. Analysis of
individuals from 20 African cattle
breeds indicate that the centromeric
satellites of the sanga breeds are of the
taurine type and that several East Afri-
can zebu breeds are hybrids between
taurine and zebu. These satellite RFLP,
or SFLP, markers provide a fast method
to screen the genetic make-up of Afri-
can cattle.

Interspecies hybridization of Bovini
species has in several cases led to the
formation of hybrid animals, popula-
tions or breeds, but this is not always
documented. Because of economical,
traditional, historical and veterinary
considerations, knowledge about the
genetic composition of a hybrid breed
is relevant. We have used mitochon-
drial D-loop sequences, amplified
fragment length polymorphisms
(AFLP) and species specific mutations
in centromeric satellite DNA to detect
if and to what extent species introgres-
sion has occurred in the Indonesian

Madura and Bali breeds. Satellite units
are more homologous in a species than
between species because of their con-
certed evolution, and therefore muta-
tion can be species specific. By a PCR-
RFLP (or SFLP, satellite fragment
length polymorphism) these mutations
can be detected in hybrid offspring and
reveals the parental satellite variants.
Madura cattle has a mitochondrial D-
loop similar to the Banteng {Bos ban-
teng), while we detected a zebu variant
in one Bali individual. Both SFLP and
AFLP indicate that the nuclear genome
of the Madura breed is mainly from the
zebu, but has a clear banteng compo-
nent. Bali cattle is considered as a
domesticated form of the banteng, but
we found indications of zebu introgres-
sion in at least three individual animals.

General discussion and conclusion
Within the vast complexity of the
mammalian genome, changes in the
DNA sequence mark its history and
evolution. Extracting this information
becomes more and more feasible with
the coming of new techniques and
automation and when available, this
information spreads the world quickly.

But with the methodogical repertoire of
the molecular geneticist still expanding,
the choice of the most appropriate tool
becomes difficult. After the protein

nuclear genes
mitochondrial DNA
microsatellites
SINE sequence
SINE insertions
SINE-PCR
SFLP
AFLP

markers such as blood group antigens
and electrophoretic polymorphisms,
most genetic and phylogenetic markers
now correspond to mutations, insertions
or deletions in the DNA sequence.
Usually, these changes are revealed by
a PCR-based technique. Most tech-
niques are based on the amplification of
a single marker like a microsatellite
with its length variation, a SINE inser-
tion or a point mutation in nuclear or
mitochondrial sequences. Length varia-
tion can be observed directly by gel
electrophoresis, while mutations are
detected by PCR-RFLP, single-strand
conformation polymorphisms (SSCP),
oligonucleotide hybridization or se-
quencing. Other PCR techniques gener-
ate a multi-marker pattern revealing
several mutations distributed over the
whole genome, like random amplified
polymorphic DNA (RAPD), amplified
fragment length polymorphisms
(AFLP), direct amplified length poly-
morphisms (DALPs), SINE-PCR or
satellite fragment length polymor-
phisms (SFLP). In addition, the se-
quence of the locus may provide more
detailed information were every change
is a separate marker, for instance the
single nucleotide polymorphisms
(snp\'s).

Each marker category has its own
specific range of application. The major
considerations in the choice of genetic
or phylogenetic markers are their level
of variability and taxonomic range.

The cattle genetic map becomes more
and more saturated with microsatellite
markers, increasing the chances of
localizing monogenetic disorders and
these chances are even boosted by the
upcoming comparative mapping infor-
mation. The limiting factor is the iden-
tification of monogenetic phenotypes
and the collection of samples for link-
age analysis.

More demanding but certainly not less
interesting will be the uncovering of
genes of the quantative trait loci
(QTLs). These traits like milk or meat
yield and quality or disease resistance
are economically important but geneti-
cally complex. Several genes may
contribute (not necessarily equally or
fully additive) to these phenotypes that
are not always strictly definable. Tradi-
tional linkage analysis often yields not
more than approximate localizations of
the QTL\'s, and these regions are not
necessarily the same in different fami-
lies. Further progress may depend on
the rise of high throughput genotyping
methods like the DNA-chip technology
and in-depth functional and compara-
tive genomic studies of the human and
mouse genomes.

Next to the ongoing gene hunt, study-
ing cattle genetic diversity becomes
increasingly important. In many of the
750 traditional cattle breeds, the num-
ber of animals is diminishing since
most farmers concentrate on efficient
production breeds, like for milk pro-
duction the Holstein Friesian. Should
we preserve the less productive breeds
because of their contribution to the
genetic variability of the species will be
essential in the future? To answer this
question, the genetic variability of the
nowadays common cattle populations
should be measured. This is possible by
combining microsatellite and AFLP
genotyping data. In spite of the sus-
pected high amount of inbreeding, by
decades of selecting for production
traits, the observed intrabreed variation
is only slightly smaller than the inter-
breed variation. A preliminary conclu-
sion is that only a small part of the
cattle genome is involved in selection
and that the diversity of the rest of the
genome has more or less been retained.
So conservation of breeds may not be
relevant for the total diversity of the
species, but rather for the conservation
of the breed-specific phenotypes that
are valuable for agricultural, social,
traditional or historical reasons.
A consequence of the surprisingly high
intrabreed variation ( jr low interbreed
variation) is the lack of breed specific
markers. One approach to be able to
distinguish breed at the genetic level
may be the isolation of Y chromosomal
markers. Altematively, breed-specific
fixation of AFLP markers may be
identified by the analysis of samples
pooled per breed. Such markers may be
used to elucidate the phylogeny of
cattle breeds and to verify the origin of
beef samples and other cattle products.

On higher taxonomic levels, the phy-
logeny of cattle as a species and other
mminants presently remains unresolved
because informative markers are still
rare. The SINE insertions seem prom-
ising. However, upscaling is required to
provide the many markers that are
needed to resolve the phylogeny of the
species-rich groups, like the Bovidae.
In the near future we envisage that
marker technology will be comple-
mented by the analysis of differences of
expression pattems of individual ani-
mals, breeds or cattle species by DNA
microarrays or by again other meth-
odological breakthroughs.

Reference: I.J. Nijman (1999) PhD
thesis, Utrecht University, IBSN: 90-
393-2151-5, pp. 144. Parts of thesis
adapted for EQUATOR by Jean de
Gooijer. For further information please
contact Dr. I.J. Nijman, Faculty of
Veterinary Medicine, Dept. of Infec-
tious Diseases and Immunology, P.O.
Box 80.165, NL 3508 TD Utrecht (Fax:
31.30. 2540784, e-mail:
i.nijman@vet.uu.nl).

I wish to attend the 10quot;quot; Symposium quot;Tropical Animal He-
alth and Production. Outcome and perspectives of
collaborative researchquot; on 5 November, 1999 at the
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, De Uithof, Utrecht.

Tropical animal health and production and the
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Utrecht

Utrecht University, one of the 14 universities in the Ne-
therlands, includes 14 faculties. Its Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine is the only veterinary faculty in the Netherlands
and, as a result of its scientific and educational standards,
it has been accredited by the American and Canadian Vet-
erinary Medical Associations since 1973. Within the Fac-
ulty there are 9 departments. Research on tropical animal
health is mainly conducted in collaborative research proj-
ects in the tropics.

In 1987 the Faculty\'s Office for Intemational Cooperation
(BIC) started with the coordination and extension of the
intemational activities. In 1989 the Committee for the Ad-
vancement of Tropical veterinary Science (CATS) was
established at the Faculty. The main objective of CATS is
the perpetuation and promotion of research and education
relevant to the tropics. The organization of the Symposia
on Tropical Animal Health and Production is an activity
of BIC and CATS. From 1990 onwards a yearly sympo-
sium has been organized. The themes were:

1990nbsp;Contributions and perspectives from the Faculty
of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University

Office for Intemational Cooperation
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
P.O. Box 80.163
3508 TD Utrecht
the Netherlands.
Telefax: 31.30.2531815
E-mail: bic@vet.uu.nl

Time: 09.00 - 17.00 hours
Location: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Yalelaan 1, De Uithof, Utrecht
The Netherlands

In 1999 Utrecht University\'s Faculty of Veterinary Medi-
cine organises the 10th intemational symposium on Tropi-
cal Animal Health and Production. This 10th Sympo-
sium highlights the commitment of the research institutes
in the Netherlands towards livestock health and production
in the tropics. Therefore the organising committee selected
as theme for this jubilee symposium: Outcome and per-
spectives of collaborative research. The programme of
the symposium presents recent results of collaborative
research of institutes in the Netherlands and the tropics.
Promising ongoing and planned research activities will be
presented by scientists from the various institutes as well.

J.A. W. Coetzer (Faculty of Veterinary Science, University
of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa).

*nbsp;Research on tropical animal health and production in the
Netherlands: an overview.

R.W. Paling (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht
University, Utrecht, the Netherlands) and H.M.J. Udo
(Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wagenin-
gen, the Netherlands).

Speaker to be identified (the Netheriands)
Diagnosis and control of infectious diseases

D. Mukwedeya (Faculty of Veterinary Science, University
of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe), V.P.M.G. Rutten (Fac-
ulty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht ,
the Netherlands) and H. W. Reid (Moredun Research In-
stitute, Edinburgh, UK).

*nbsp;Integrated control of ticks and tick-bome diseases of
mminants in the tropics.

F.nbsp;Jongejan (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht Uni-
versity, Utrecht, the Netheriands) et al.

J.A.M. van Arendonk, O.D. Koudande, E.H van der Waaij
and M. Okomo (Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences,
Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands).

A. Bannink, A.A. Ayantunde and A.M. van Vuuren (ID-
DLO, Institute for Animal Science and Health, Lelystad,
the Netherlands).

G.nbsp;Zemmelink (Wagemngen Institute of Animal Sciences,
Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands)
and D.L. Romney (National Resources Institute, Green-
wich, UK / Intemational Livestock Research Institate,
Nairobi, Kenya)

T. Pinyopummintr (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kaset-
sart University, Bangkok, Thailand).

*nbsp;Reproductive problems in commercial ostrich farming
in Zimbabwe and the Netheriands. R. Bronneberg (Zeist,
the Netherlands) and M.A.M. Taverne (Faculty of Veteri-
nary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Nether-
lands)

J. Soley and H.B. Groenewald (Faculty of Veterinary Sci-
ence, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa).

*nbsp;Seasonal morphological changes and the immunolocali-
zation of the LH receptor in the gonads of juvenile os-
triches {Struthio camelus).

M.C. Madekurozwa (Faculty of Veterinary Science, Uni-
versity of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe) and K.J. Teerds
(Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University,
Utrecht, the Netherlands).

The section RECENT PUBLICATIONS of EQUATOR contains the references of scientific publications of the Faculty of

Veterinary Medicine and other research institutes in The Netherlands, relevant to livestock production and health in the

tropics. Titles of publications by veterinary scientists from the Netherlands, working on animal health and production in

relation to developing countries, are also included. Please inform the editor of your publications so we can bring them to

the attention of the readers of EQUATOR. For reprints contact the authors directly, their addresses can be obtained from
the editorial office.

Balogh, K.K.I.M. de, Dimande, A.P., Lught, J.J. van de, Molyneux, R.J., Naudé, T.W. and Weiman W G (1999) A ly-
sosomal storage disease induces by Ipomoea carnea in goats in Mozambique. Journal of Veterinarv Diagnostic Investiga-
tions 11. 266~273.

DeMaar, T.W L., Bolhuis, H. van and Mugo, M.J. (1998). Field anesthesia of camels {Camelus dromedarius) and the use
of medetomidme/ketamine with atipamezole reversal. Proceedings of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
(AAZV) and American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians (AAWW). Omaha, NE, October, 1998, pp. 54-57^

DeMaar, T W.L. and Kuiper, Y.J. (1997). Clinical significance of the molar dentition of the warthog. Proceedings of the
^quot;^grican Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZVL Houston, TX, October, 1997, pp. 348-350.

Otter, W. den, Balemans, L., Battermann, J.J., Bernsen, M.R., Cadee, J.A., Dobrowolski, Z., Everse, LA Fiszer-

Mahszewska, L Gavhumende, R., Groot, J.W. de. Groot, K. de, Hennink, W.E., Hill, F.W.G., Jurgenliemp-Schulz, I,

Klein W.R., Koten, J-W, Maas, R.A., Steerenberg, P., Stewart, R. and Zembala, M. (1999). Local low-dose IL^-2 therapy
Hepato-CTa.stoenterology 46- 1 ?sn-inbsp;mciapy.

Harun, M.A.S. (1998). Hatchability of Muscovy duck {Cairina moschata) eggs mid energy metabolism of ducklings jn a
tropical climate. PhD thesis Utrecht University, pp. 131.

Dwinger, R.H. (1999). Ticks and tick-bome diseases of equids. In: Equine Infectious Diseases VIII. Eds. U. Wemery J
F. Wade, J. A. Mumford and O.R. Kaaden, R amp; W Publications (Newmarket) Ltd., UK, pp. 306-310.

Jongejan, F. (1998). Integrated control of ticks and tick-bome diseases (ICTTD). Parasitology Today 14: 173-174.

Leemans, I., Brown, D., Fossum, C., Hooshmand-Rad, P., Kirvar, E., Wilkie, G. and Uggla, A. (1999). Infectivity and
cross-immunity studies of Theileria lestoquardi and Theileria. annulata in sheep and cattle: 11. In vitro studies Veterinarv
Parasitology 82: 193-204.nbsp;\'-^

Leemans, I., Brown, D., Hooshmand-Rad, P., Kirvar, E. and Uggla, A. (1999), Infectivity and cross-immunity studies of
Thederia lestoquardi and Theileria. annulata in sheep and cattle: 1. In vivo responses. Veterinary Parasitology 82: 179-

Mahan, S.M., Allsopp, B., Kocan, K.M., Palmer, G.H. and Jongejan, F. (1999). Vaccine strategies for Cowdria mminan-
tium infections and their application to other Eriichial infections. Parasitology Today 15: 290-284.

28 November-11 December, 1999
Intemational course on \'Live-
stock and environment interac-
tions\'. Course programme: Intro-
duction; Main issues in livestock-
environment interactions; Policy
framework and policy principles
for addressing livestock-environ-
ment interactions; Policy devel-
opment for balancing livestock-
environment interactions. Course
fee: Dfl. 5,500. Information and
registration: Intemational Agri-
cultural Centre (IAC), P.O. Box
88, 6700 AB Wageningen (Tel.:
31.317.490111, telefax: 31.317
418552, e-mail: iac@iac.agro.nl,
http://www.iac-agro.nl).

January, 2000 - December, 2001
Master of Science Degree in
Tropical Veterinary Epidemio-
logy (MSc TVE). The study pro-
gramme is offered with 3 study
options: Option 1. Freie Univer-
sität Berlin-Addis Ababa Univer-
sity Joint Postgraduate Pro-
gramme; Option 2. Berlin-
Germany Programme; Option 3.
Berlin-Home Country Pro-
gramme. The course programme
has a modular format with course
work part A, with basic and ap-
plied lectures and demonstrations,
and by practical exercises carried
out in Berlin (first year).
Under option 1 Part B with indi-
vidual research work for the MSc
thesis in Ethiopia, allowing also
for research in the East African
region under special arrange-
ments (first and second year);
under option 2, part B lasts for 7
months in Berlin; and under op-
tion 3 individual research work is
undertaken in the home country
of the participant. Information:
The Co-ordinator, Postgraduate
Studies in Tropical Veterinary
Medicine,

Freie Universität Berlin, Luisen-
strasse 56, 10117 Berlin (Tel.:
49.30.20 936063; fax:
49.30.20936349; e-mail: trop Vet
@city. vetmed. fii-berlin. de;
http://www.vetmed. fu-berlin.de).

9-11 January, 2000
26th Annual Conference of the
Intemational Embryo Transfer
Society. Information: lETS.
(e-mail: iets@.assochq.org: http://
www.iets.uiuc.edu).

28 Febmary - 20 December, 2000
Degree of Master of Veterinary
Studies (MVS) in Avian Health.
Organized by: Faculty of Veteri-
nary Science, Univ. of Mel-
boume. Areas of study: Poultry
pathology; Infectious diseases
causes and serology; Disease,
diagnosis, prevention and control;
Poultry production systems and
procedures; Product-related
knowledge, meat processing and
egg packaging plants. Tuition fee:
$A 27,000. Closing date for ap-
plications: 30 November, 1999.
Information: Dr. Trevor Bagust,
Course Co-ordinator, Faculty of
Veterinary Science, Univ. of
Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria
3052 (Tel.: 61.3.93449676, tele-
fax: 61.3.93449675, e-mail:
t.bagust@ vet.unimelb. edu. au).

1 March - 27 May, 2000
22quot;\'\' Intemational animal feed
training programme (AFTP).
Organised by: IPC Livestock
Intemational, Bameveld College.
Fees including board and lodging:
NGL 14,500. Information: IPC
Livestock Bameveld College,
Dep. of Intemational Studies and
Co-operation Programmes, P.O.
Box 64, 3770 AB Bameveld
(Tel.: 31.342.414881, fax: 31.
342.492813, e-mail: io@ipcdier.
hacom.nl).

14^*^ Intemational Congress on
Animal Reproduction. Informa-
tion: Dr Hans Gustafsson, Swed-
ish University of Agricultural
Sciences, P.O. Box 7039, S-750
07 Uppsala (Fax: 46.18.673545,
e-mail: hans.gustafsson@og.
slu.se).

30\'^ Intemational course on poul-
try husbandry and 30\'^ Inter-
national course on pig husbandry.
Organized by: IPC Livestock
Intemational, Bameveld College.
These courses will mn at the
same time. Following these
courses participation is possible
in the 23quot;\'\' Intemational animal
feed training programme (AFTP),
which mns from 26 Febmary to
25 May, 2001. Direct entry in this
last course is also possible. Fees
including board and lodging:
Poultry course: Dfl. 25,500; Pig
course: Dfl. 25,500, Feed course;
Dfl. 13,000 or 15,500 (direct en-
try). Closing date: 1 May, 2000.
Information; IPC Livestock
Bameveld College, Dep. of Inter-
national Studies and Co-operation
Programmes, P.O. Box 64, 3770
AB Barneveld (Tel.: 31.342.4-
14881, telefax: 31.342.492813,
e-mail: io@ipcdier.hacom.nl).

4-8 December, 2000
XXI World Buiatrics Conference.
Information: Gabriela Rohr,
Cerrito 307, Montevideo 11.000
(Telefax: 598.29160220, e-mail:
grohr@rohrsa. com).

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Office for Intemational
Cooperation
P.O. Box 80.163
3508 TD Utrecht
The Netherlands
Tel.: 31.30.2532116
Fax: 31.30.2531815
E-mail: bic@vet.uu.nl

Subscription is free of charge.
For changes in address and
termination of subscription
please return the corrected label
to the editorial office.

Following the official opening of the
Symposium by Prof Dr. A.W.C.A.
Comelissen, Dean of the Utrecht Fac-
ulty of Veterinary Medicine, a key-
note address entitled: \'North - South
collaboration: A challenge for the new
millennium\', was presented by Prof
Dr. J.A.W. Coetzer of the Faculty of
Veterinary Science of Onderstepoort
(University of Pretoria, South Africa).
In subsequent presentations the ac-
tivities of Utrecht\'s Faculty of Veteri-
nary Medicine and the Wageningen
University and Research Centre were
reviewed. As limited funds are the
bottleneck for many of the envisaged
activities, the contribution by Dr. B.
Möns of the Netherlands Organisation
for Scientific Research (NWO) shone
a light on intemational funding
policies and possibilities for identify-
ing funding for livestock research.
Thereafter nine speakers, from the
Netherlands, Zimbabwe and Thailand,
presented their papers on collabora-
tive research in the field of animal
health and production. These presen-
tations were grouped in three ses-
sions: (1) Diagnosis and control of in-
fectious diseases; (2) Nutrition, pro-
ductivity and health; and (3) Repro-
duction in ostriches.

With over 100 participants coming
from 11 African, 11 Asian, 2 Latin
American and 2 European countries
the organisers can look back with sat-
isfaction to a well attended and inter-
esting symposium.

Dr. Robert W. Paling

On 5 November, 1999, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht Univer-
sity organised for the 10th time the intemational Symposium on \'Tropical Ani-
mal Health and Production\'. This year\'s symposium was entitled: \'Outcome and
perspectives of collaborative research\'

Because of the jubilee occasion, the organising committee, chaired by Prof Dr.
M.A.M. Taveme, made a general programme that reviewed the organisational
stmcture of the North-South research collaboration in the field of animal health
and production. The impending change of the millennium was also a good mo-
ment to reflect upon the future relationships between research institutes in the
tropics and in The Netherlands, taking into account the strategies which coun-
tries in the tropics have developed. Therefore the programme gave the opportu-
nity to present ideas for a format that would make the North-South collabora-
tion viable in the next decade.

Prof. Coetzer of the Faculty of Vet-
erinary Science (Onderstepoort, South
Africa) opened the Symposium by
asking: quot;Are there any benefits in
strengthening or establishing collabo-
ration between partners in the South
with those in the North? The connect-
edness of the world today makes it
relatively easy to set up partnerships,
alliances or consortia to create centres
of excellence or specialisation in or-
der to establish competitive advan-
tages. The key objectives of veteri-
nary faculties/ institutions in the
South and North should be to create
world-class partnershipsquot;. Prof Coet-
zer discussed the political background
and intemational trends that impact on
the modem workplace. He also high-
lighted recent changes in the veteri-
nary milieu in the Southem African
Development Community (SADC)
region that offer new challenges and
opportunities in terms of South-South
and South-North collaboration.
Prof Coetzer put the ambitions even
higher by stressing that: quot;The time is
very opportune to explore the interest
and feasibility of establishing a vi-
brant, thriving and globally competi-
tive virtual school or centre of excel-
lence in Tropical Animal Health and
Food Safety between South and North
partners. As a first step partners
should identify potential areas or
themes of convergence and focus on
basic and applied research and post-
graduate trainingquot;.

Representatives of Utrecht (Dr. R.W.
Paling) and Wageningen (Dr. Ir.
H.M.J. Udo) presented the research
activities of the institutes in the Neth-
erlands.

In Utrecht research relevant to the
tropics has mainly two components.
Firstly, research in collaboration with
institutes in a limited number of re-
gions in the tropics, like southem Af-
rica and Southeast Asia. This research
covers studies on the development of
diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines
for tick bome diseases but also for
(viral) diseases, which have a wider
distribution then the tropics. Further-
more there is collaborative research
conducted on a herd-level, looking at

herd health management, reproduc-
tion, nutrition and epidemiology.
The second component of collabora-
tion is the participation of young re-
searchers in postgraduate training
programmes (MSc and PhD) in
Utrecht.

In Wageningen in the past, livestock
development projects were strongly
technology driven, and research was
poorly integrated in development ef-
forts. Therefore, in the eighties the
emphasis in development projects
gradually shifted from solely looking
at livestock to an integrated approach
to mral development. In this period,
Wageningen Agricultural University
became involved in the execution of
many large-scale development proj-
ects in the field of animal production.

Nowadays, emphasis has shifted to re-
search programmes and projects that
concentrate on PhD sandwich proj-
ects. In his presentation Dr. Udo
highlighted some of the important
conclusions of these studies.

Unfortunately, funding for the support
of intemational postgraduate students
as well as for collaborative research
between scientists in the South and
the North remains very scarce, al-
though excellent candidates for post-
graduate studies are numerous and the
potential of intemational research
collaboration to contribute to devel-
opment is very promising. Dr. B.
Möns of the Netherlands Organisation
for Scientific Research (NWO) pre-
sented some intemational ftmding
policies and possibilities for identify-
ing funding for livestock research. He
presented \'SHARED\' (Scientists for
Health And REsearch for Develop-
ment project, an EU/INCO Consorted
action) as useful tool for establishing
databases on research topics and re-
searchers, partner search for contacts
between researchers in the North and
the South and for identification of
relevant funding agencies. \'SHARED\'
(http://www.shared.de) is also avail-
able for the livestock sector.

Research on the improvement of the
diagnosis and control of infectious
diseases remains the main target of
the collaborative research of Utrecht
and its partners.

Dr. D.T. Mukwedeya of the Faculty
of Veterinary Science of the Univer-
sity of Zimbabwe amplified the prog-
ress made in the studies on the diag-
nosis of Malignant Catarrhal Fever
(MCF). Wildlife conservation and
commercial game ranching in Zim-
babwe, South Africa and Kenya is the
cause of increasing losses in cattle due
to MCF. A research project was initi-
ated involving research institutes in
Harare, Utrecht and Edinburgh
(Moredun Research Institute). Dr.

Mukwedeya presented the outcome of
serological tests (IFAT and PCR) us-
ing cattle and wildebeest sera. An im-
portant observation was that a sub-
stantial number of cattle recovered
from clinical MCF, a very unusual
finding in MCF. He concluded that
the pathogenesis of AHV-1 and the
immune responses by susceptible cat-
tle are more complex than previously
thought. Thus, a cautious approach to
the diagnosis of MCF is required.

In 1996 a EU/INCO Concerted Action
Project, co-ordinated by Dr. F.
Jongejan of the Utrecht Faculty of
Veterinary Medicine entitled: \'Inte-
grated Control of Ticks and Tick-
bome Diseases\' (ICTTD), started with
40 participants from 24 laboratories in
8 European and 9 African and Carib-
bean countries (http://www.uu.nl/
tropical.ticks). During the Symposium
Dr. Jongejan presented a selection of
recent research findings on molecular
diagnostics and vaccines developed
against ticks and tick-bome patho-
gens.

The Intemational Livestock Research
Institute (ILRI), together with its col-
laborators, has a successful record of
research on the genetics of disease re-

sistance and has carried out long-term
quantitative and molecular genetic
studies on trypanotolerance in cattle
and on resistance to gastrointestinal
helminth parasites in sheep. In 1996
ILRI and the Wageningen Institute of
Animal Sciences (WIAS) started col-
laborative research to investigate pos-
sibilities to design schemes to geneti-
cally improve disease resistance in
cattle and sheep. Prof Van Arendonk
of WIAS presented some results of
the research that was concentrated on
the design of breeding schemes to im-
prove disease resistance and to evalu-
ate the benefit of using information
from molecular genetic research. This
includes studies on: marker assisted
introgression in cattle and mice and
marker assisted breeding in cattle in

Dr. Tanu
Pinyopummintr
presented an overview
of the Thai dairy sector.
(Photo: Collection BIC)

relation to trypanotolerance. The aim
of the research on resistance to para-
sitic worms in sheep is to identify
molecular genetic markers linked to
specific regions of the ovine genome
that are responsible for resistance to
gastro-intestinal nematode parasites in
East African Red Maasai sheep.

The afternoon programme on \'Nutri-
tion, productivity and health\' started
with 2 presentations by animal scien-
tists from ID-Lelystad (Drs. A. Ban-
nink) and Wageningen (Dr. Ir. G.
Zemmelink). The North-South pro-
gramme of the Netherlands\' Agricul-
tural Research Department (DLO) in-
cludes a nutrient monitoring pro-
gramme to visualise the sustainability
of farming systems. The Research In-
stitute for Agrobiology and Soil Fer-
tility (AB) and the Institute for Ani-
mal Science and Health (ID) work to-
gether with partners in Africa in this
programme. In his presentation Drs.
Bannink discussed the impact of feed
scarcity on nutrient management and
livestock production in sub-Saharan
Africa, and the useful role that mod-
elling can play in quantifying this im-
pact. He gave some examples that
made clear that the goal of the model-
ling effort gives a limit to as how far

During a coffee break
Prof Van Arendonk
(left) and Prof Coetzer
(right) found time for a
discussion.

existing variation may be simplified
in a model. The goal of the model
determines what level of detail is
needed. In the North-South pro-
gramme a tool has been developed to
monitor nutrient cycling in tropical
farming systems.

Dr. Zemmelink presented data on a
study conducted in collaboration with
ILRI on dairy farming in Kenya
looking at available resources and ni-
trogen flows. The study was con-
ducted to examine the balance of feed
supply and animal production in Ki-
ambu district, one of the main milk
supplying areas for Nairobi city. Also
the effect of manure on the estimated
profitability of the system and the ef-
fect of livestock on N flows was ex-
amined.

Dr. Tanu Pinyopummintr of the
Kasetsart University presented a com-
prehensive overview of the Thai dairy
sector. Traditionally milk and dairy
products are not part of the daily diet
in Thailand. Only in the sixties was
commercial dairy farming introduced.
Management stmctures and services
that were developed and which sup-
ports a dairy industry that comprises
mostly small farm holders with 5-10
milking cows. There is a small num-
ber of farms with 20-50 milking cows.
The national dairy herd counts ap-
proximately 300,000 head of cattle,
with an average production of 11
kg/cow/day. Resulting in a production
which covers about 75% of the na-
tional demand for milk. Dr. Tanu con-
cluded: quot;Fierce competition from
other dairy producing countries is al-
ways a threat to the unstable local in-
dustry. Therefore, a new set of traits is
required of dairy farmers, i.e., more
educated, free market oriented, ready
to adopt new knowledge and technol-
ogy, etc. Then, the industry promises
a bright fiiturequot;.

During the preparation of the pro-
gramme of the Symposium it became
clear that research on reproduction in
ostriches is on-going in Utrecht, On-
derstepoort and Harare, covering dif-
ferent aspects of the same problem:
poor reproductive performance. Both
wild and farmed (semi-)domesticated
ostriches are indeterminate breeders
as they can lay eggs all year round.
However, ostriches can still be con-
sidered to be seasonal breeders as in
both wild and farmed populations a
marked seasonality in reproductive
activity and egg laying exists. Os-
triches are photoperiod dependent.
Fertility and rate of egg production
rapidly increases in the spring, when
day length increases. Drs. Bronneberg
summarised aspects of the reproduc-
tive biology of the ostrich e.g. physi-
ology and endocrinology and pre-
sented figures on egg production of
domesticated ostriches in various
parts of the world. A project was
started in The Netherlands that aims
to fmd out whether the measurement
of plasma hormone levels in the blood
and transcutaneous ultrasonic imaging
of the ovaries can reveal clinical rele-
vant information with a diagnostic
and predictive value towards egg pro-
duction in farmed breeding ostriches.
Prof J.T. Soley of Onderstepoort
(South Africa) noted that: quot;In contrast
to the situation in domestic poultry,
where in-depth studies have been car-
ried out on the reproductive system,
very little information is currently
available on aspects of reproduction
in ostriches. Many basic questions
remain unanswered and certain ave-
nues of research (for example, artifi-
cial insemination) are hampered by a
lack of elementary dataquot;. In his pres-
entation he reviewed, by presenting an
extraordinary series of lightmicro-
scopic and electronmicroscopic pic-
tures, the basic architecture of the tes-
tis with emphasis on the morphologi-
cal features characterising the process
of spermatogenesis.
Dr. M-C. Madekurozwa of Harare
(Zimbabwe) presented results of the
collaborative research conducted with
Utrecht on the seasonal changes in the
immunolocalization of the LH recep-
tor in the gonads of the juvenile os-
trich. Special attention was given to
the morphological changes in the
ovary and testis in relation to the day
length using immuno-histochemical
techniques. She concluded: quot;That
there is stimulation of the hypotha-
lamic-pituitaiy axis even during peri-
ods of short day lengths and that in
the ovary, immunoreactivity was lim-
ited to cells in the large developing
follicles; indicating that steroidogene-
sis is restricted to these folliclesquot;.
Information gained in this study could
be used as a basis for the use of ex-
ogenous hormones for inducing ear-
lier sexual maturation.

Prof Taveme concluded, from the
still numerous attendance of the Sym-
posium at the moment of his closing
words that people had enjoyed the
Symposium. Moreover, he was sure
that the Symposium had provided new
ideas and possibilities for contacts for
collaboration in the future.

Importance of trypanosomosis, nutrition, helminth
infections and management factors

On 4 November, 1999 a rather unique event took place in Utrecht University\'s
Academy building. At 13.30 hours the Belgian veterinary spouses Sabine
Osaer and Bart Goossens defended their joint PhD thesis on trypanotolerance
in Djallonke sheep and West African Dwarf goats in The Gambia. Their pro-
motores were Prof Stanny Geerts from the Department of Animal Health of
the Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, and
Prof Albert Comelissen from the Department of Parasitology and Tropical
Veterinary Medicine of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht Univer-
sity, the Netherlands. Co-promotor was Dr. Maarten Eysker. This thesis re-
flects the research they performed during the past years at the Intemational
Trypanotolerance Centre (ITC) in The Gambia. As this thesis might be of in-
terest to the readers of EQUATOR the editorial board decided to publish the
summary of this thesis. More information on this research or copies of the the-
sis can be obtained by sending a request to the authors, c/o ITC, PMB 14,
Banjul, The Gambia. E-mail: bart.sabine@commit.gm.

mixed farming systems of The Gam-
bia. The overall productivity of live-
stock in The Gambia is far below its
potential. The increase in livestock
numbers has not followed the rapid
trend of the human population. In the
prospect of increasing overall produc-
tivity of the livestock sector, small
mminants are well positioned. Be-
sides this approach, there is need to
intensify individual animal productiv-
ity by limiting the influencing factors.
There is a potential high benefit from
sheep and goats in both the traditional
farming systems and in more intensi-
fied production systems. Both sys-
tems, however, have their constraints.
These include bio-technical factors
such as disease pressure, reproductive
wastage, nutrition and management
beside socio-economic, traditional and
institutional factors. Increased animal
production will concurrently need
some intensification of fodder pro-
duction and novel conservation meth-
ods to limit further environmental
pressure. Understanding all influenc-
ing factors and their possible interac-
tions would lead to appropriate inter-
vention measures with farmer com-
munity participation. This will in tum
assure sustainability. Impact of the
interventions and evaluation of their
cost/benefits for the target population
is subject of continuous socio-
economic follow-up.
This explains the need for a multi-
factorial approach to study influenc-
ing factors on potential improvement
of small mminant productivity for the
benefit of the human population. The
work reported in this thesis examines
the level of trypanotolerance in the
Djallonke sheep and the West African
Dwarf goats as well as the influence
of different stress factors on their
trypanotolerant quality and on the
productivity in these breeds. Experi-
mental and on-farm studies were car-
ried out concurrently.

Introduction

Over the last decade increasing efforts
were put into investigating the possi-
ble role of breeds of livestock with a
natural resistance against trypanoso-
mosis. These breeds, most of them
indigenous to West and Central Af-
rica, are called trypanotolerant be-
cause they survive and remain pro-
ductive in tsetse infested areas where
other breeds do not survive without
treatment. Trypanotolerant small m-
minants mainly include Djallonke
sheep and West African Dwarf
(WAD) goats. The animals of these
breeds are of a relatively small size,
but have proven to be productive un-
der difficult conditions. This indicates
their potential role for a more sustain-
able solution to the growing demand
for animal protein in much of tsetse
infested Africa.

The role of trypanotolerant small
ruminants

In chapter one some general informa-
tion is given about the role of trypa-
notolerant small mminants within the

In chapter two the phenomenon of
trypanotolerance in Djallonke sheep
and WAD goats has been examined.
The series of studies, using either a
single artificial Trypanosoma congo-
lense inoculation or natural infection
with trypanosomes demonstrated a
certain degree of trypanotolerance in
the indigenous West African dwarf
breeds of sheep and goats. The gen-
eral course of trypanosomosis was
evaluated including clinical parame-
ters, haematological changes, immune
response and body weight changes
both under artificial and natural in-
fection. Very low mortality rates to-
gether with the ability to maintain
positive weight gain following infec-
tion were considered as the main fea-
tures of trypanotolerance in small
mminants. However, in these breeds
the control of parasitaemia and anae-
mia following trypanosome infection
was less prominent than in trypa-

notolerant cattle. Based on our obser-
vations, it seems more appropriate to
define trypanotolerance in small m-
minants as a \'resilience\' to infection
rather than \'resistance\'. Djallonke
sheep appeared to express a higher
degree of trypanotolerance than the
WAD goats following artificial infec-
tion with T. congolense. In addition,
the quick haematological changes and
antibody responses following artificial
trypanosome infection in our study
further confirmed the innate resistance
in Djallonke sheep and to a lesser
extent in WAD goats. The epidemio-
logy of natural trypanosome infec-
tions in sheep and goats in two areas
of high and moderate tsetse challenge
respectively, revealed that goats have
lower infection rates than sheep.
Overall, both species seem to be less
infected than cattle based in the same
area. Lower feeding success of tsetse
flies and different host-vector interac-
tion in small mminants than in cattle
are presumably contributing factors.
In spite of their trypanotolerance,
trypanosomosis remained an impor-
tant constraint to health and produc-
tivity of sheep and goats, but other
factors such as helminth infections,
seasonal nutritional constraints, and
management were found of equal
importance and interfered at certain
times with their resilience to trypano-
somosis.

The effects of trypanosomosis on the
reproductive performance of male and
female trypanotolerant small mmi-
nants are described in chapter three. It
was demonstrated that a single ex-
perimental T. congolense infection
affected the reproductive performance
of does more severely than that of
ewes. Prevalence of abortions and
stillbirths was higher and intervals to
first kidding longer, resulting in fewer
kids bom alive. On the other hand,
kids from infected does appeared to
have an equal probability of survival
and similar performance as those from
controls. The infected sheep had
lambing rates and intervals to first
lambing comparable with those of the
controls. In contrast, lamb perform-
ance was significantly affected by
infection of the dam, due to increased
lamb mortality together with reduced
growth rates. Infected goats did not
attain full recovery in the second year
post infection. In contrast, infected
ewes reached normal productivity
indices in the second year, in spite of
a chronic parasitaemia in both species.
In sheep as well as in goats under
natural trypanosomosis risk, parturi-
tion intervals increased significantly
following infection. Trypanosome in-
fection of the dam increased mortality
in the lambs and not in the kids which
was in agreement with the results
following single infection, but in con-
trast, neither birth weight nor growth
rates of lambs were affected.
The study of the semen characteristics
of Djallonke rams following T. con-
golense infection revealed some tran-
sient changes in sperm quality and not
in quantity. The semen quality pa-
rameters which were temporarily af-
fected by trypanosome infection in-
cluded mass motility, percentage live
sperm cells and minor sperm cell ab-
normalities. The nature of these indi-
cated a mild testicular degeneration,
hence, reproductive performance was
not irreversibly affected. The impact
of the T. congolense infection on the
Djallonke rams was also evident in
negative weight changes and a higher
rate of mounting refusals. Large indi-
vidual differences in reproductive
response to infection were found
amongst Djallonke rams and could be
important in ranking for trypanotoler-
ance.

The importance of nutrition on the
resistance to the effects of trypanoso-
mosis in Djallonke ewes was studied
in chapter four, with particular refer-
ence to their reproductive perform-
ance. It was found that T. congolense
infection in its acute phase impaired
the establishment of pregnancy. This
could not be countered by dietary
supplements. The luteal progesterone
level was clearly depressed by infec-
tion and not by dietary level. The key
role of luteal progesterone in success-
ful conception was hereby confirmed.
Maintenance of pregnancy was influ-
enced by nutrition, which mainly was
shown by the comparison of dietary
control groups, but also by trypano-
some infection, although its effects
had become more chronic. Similar to
what was found in the rams, individ-
ual variation indicated that some ewes
did cope better with the combined
effects of trypanosome infection and
low nutrition on their reproduction
performance. Adequate nutrition in-
teracted positively with the course of
infection in Djallonke ewes during

pregnancy and lactation as indicated
by improved haematopoiesis and bet-
ter productivity in terms of ewe\'s live
weight and improved lamb growth
rates to weaning. The results in the
young ewe lambs indicated no direct
effects of T. congolense infection on
attainment of puberty but age at first
lambing tended to be delayed. Nev-
ertheless, the negative correlation
between weight and age at puberty
confirmed that the onset of puberty
was indirectly delayed through infec-
tion-induced depression of growth. In
contrast, supplementary feeding re-
duced the onset of reproductive func-
tion independently. Similar to the
adult ewes, diet interacted positively
with the effects of trypanosome in-
fection resulting in a better haemato-
poietic response and better survival
rate of their lambs, although this was
at the cost of their own weight gain.
The results undoubtedly showed a
delaying, independent effect of low
dietary level and trypanosome infec-
tion, although the latter acted indi-
rectly, on onset of reproductive activ-
ity in young Djallonke sheep.
The changes in biochemical parame-
ters as observed in infected young and
adult ewes supported the results on
live weight pattems and haematologi-
cal changes and provided some useful
indications of their nitrogen and en-
ergy metabolism. Interactive effects
between trypanosome infection and
diet were mostly absent, indicating
their independence but also their ad-
ditive action. Trypanosome-induced
reductions in total protein and albu-
min in the semm were not countered
by dietary supplements. Trypanosome
infection tended to increase plasma
urea levels, indicating, together with
the declined total protein and albumin,
a disorder in the nitrogen metabolism
pattem. The lowest glucose levels
found in the infected young ewes on
low diet level as well as the transient
peak values of plasma NEFA and
BHBA levels in the adult ewes, which
were indicating temporary ketogene-
sis, reflected the trypanosome-induced
anorexia during the acute phase of
infection. A trypanosome-induced
alteration of the nutrient metabolism

was present in both young and adult
Djallonke ewes irrespective of the
dietary status. However, since the ef-
fect of nutrition was mostly independ-
ent, it conferred added benefits
against the debilitating effects of try-
panosomosis under the conditions of
this study.

In chapter five the interaction of hel-
minths and trypanosome infection was
studied under controlled and on-farm
experiments. The interaction between
a controlled T. congolense and Hae-
monchus contortus infection was
studied in young female Djallonke
sheep. Analyses of the clinical, hae-
matological and production parame-
ters clearly indicated the pathogenic-
ity of the infections and the severity
of mixed infections compared with
single infections. The immunosup-
pressive effect of trypanosome infec-
tion was clearly reflected in the course
of the Haemonchus infection. This
study showed that trypanotolerance is
not absolute and that a concurrent H.
contortus infection may result in a
reduced resilience. Since under field
conditions mixed infections occur
very frequently, reducing the impact
of helminth infections in trypanosome
infected small mminants will benefit
the expression of their trypanotoler-
ance.

The results of the on-farm interven-
tion trial demonstrated the beneficial
effects of prophylactic anthelmintic
treatment on weight gain, reproduc-
tion and health parameters in both
sheep and goats, despite the constant
risk of trypanosome and helminth
infection. Although there was no in-
teraction between the two pathogens,
the trypanosome infection diminished
the positive effects of anthelmintic
treatment on their productivity and
health parameters. Nonetheless, the
productivity indices were considera-
bly increased in both treated sheep
and goats. Cost-benefit analyses
would need to confirm whether such
intervention is recommendable at m-
ral level but it is certainly optimising
the trypanotolerance in these breeds.

In chapter six, the disease resistance
in naive Djallonke sheep and their F1 -
Sahelian x Djallonke crosses was
compared in a multifactorial study
including T. congolense, natural hel-
minth infection and different levels of
nutrition. The difference in parasitae-
mia control and immune response
following a single T. congolense in-
fection proved that the trypanotolerant
trait in Djallonke sheep was geneti-
cally linked. In addition, previous
suggestions on the existence of innate
resistance to helminths were again
confirmed in the Djallonke breed.
Although their crosses with the try-
panosusceptible Sahelian breed ex-
pressed a reduced trypanotolerance
and lower resistance to helminth in-
fection, the impact of both pathogens
on PCV and body weight was similar.
The effects of low dietary allowances,
helminths and T. congolense infection
were independent but additive on the
parameters PCV and live weight.
However, some interaction between

trypanosome infection and helminth
infection was seen as a higher nema-
tode egg excretion in the trypanosome
infected animals explained by the
immuno depressive effect of the latter,
which confirms previous findings, as
described in chapter 5. It is expected
that the larger size and better growth
rates of crossbreeds are promising for
intensification of meat production.
However, appropriate sanitary meas-
ures should be taken to optimise the
production environment.

The impact of nutritional management
and husbandry on health and produc-
tion in indigenous small mminants at
farm level is highlighted in chapter
seven. The implantation of vintage
based and community managed Inten-
sive Feeding Gardens (IFG) contain-
ing forage legumes (mainly Leucaena
spp.) is described. This intervention is
aiming at improving the nutritional
status of village based animals, spe-
cially targeting at the special needs of
animals around pregnancy and lacta-
tion, with a minimum of cost and
labour involved but a maximum of
benefits, the latter to make it adapt-
able and acceptable to the mral far-
mer. The results indicated that the
concept of IFG installation at village
level was accepted by the farmers in
the study area. Since these IFG may
be combined with vegetable planting
in the dry season and food crop
planting in the rainy season, it avoids
conflicts between farmers and live-
stock owners. Nutritional supplemen-
tation during late pregnancy and/or
early lactation combined with a
change in nutritional management
clearly demonstrated positive effects
on offspring survival and growth rates
in both sheep and goats. High quality
fodder supply from forage legume
trees as grown in IFG has a possible
benefit for mral based sheep and goat
production. Fodder produced in these
IFG can be used either directly or
conserved to supplement when need-
ed. Furthermore, it can be mixed with
other components to manufacture
High Quality Supplement Blocs.
These are easy to manufacture and
can be stored. All these interventions
will be subject to fiirther on-farm
evaluation and will be tested equally
in more intensified peri-urban pro-
duction sites.

The Animal Production Service, Animal
Production and Health Division, Agri-
culture Department of FAO has a position
for an

Under the general supervision of the
Chief, Animal Production Service, and
the immediate supervision of the Senior
Officer (Livestock Production Systems)
will assist in the analysis, development
and implementation of the Division\'s ac-
tivity in the field of poultry and other
small (mminant and monogastric) ani-
mals, emphasis is to be put on the de-
ployment of the genetic potential of these
animals under the target production con-
ditions. More specifically:
- collect, analyze, update and disseminate
scientific and technical information and
maintain data bases and information sys-
tems on small animal production and im-
provement;

-nbsp;participate in the design of options for
the genetic improvement of small animal
species populations in priority production
systems;

-nbsp;develop and maintain contacts with rele-
vant research and development institu-
tions and networks in order to evaluate
scientific and technical progress in the
field of the small animal industry;

-nbsp;assist in developing policy, technical re-
quirements, methods and guidelines in
small animal production and improve-
ment;

-nbsp;develop and facilitate the transfer of ap-
propriate technology to developing
countries;

-nbsp;analyze development programmes for
small animals and in particular for poultry
production, and provide technical guid-
ance to animal production training insti-
tutions;

-nbsp;ensure the provision of decision support
on the use and upgrading of small animal
production particularly in highly popu-
lated areas;

-nbsp;participate in the design and implemen-
tation of projects including joint activities
and task forces and, as requested, provide
technical backstopping to field projects;

This section contains vacancy announcements which the editorial board considers to be
of possible interest to Dutch veterinarians. Besides vacancies that will be taken from
Vacatureblad Internationale Samenwerking, Tijdschrift voor Diergeneeskunde, Vete-
rinary Record, Intro vacatures (RPDAdvies/Ministry of Internal Affairs) etc., there will
be room for personnel advertisements. For further information about the vacancies plea-
se contact the institution or company directly.

-nbsp;develop training material and participate
in the conduct of training courses;

-nbsp;prepare background information and
draft technical papers for discussion
and/or publication;

University degree in animal science
Five years of progressively responsible
professional experience in animal pro-
duction, minimum three years of experi-
ence at intemational level.
Working knowledge (level C) of English,
French or Spanish and limited knowledge
(level B) of one of the other two.
Ability to analyze technical issues, to
write clear and concise reports and make
effective oral presentations;
Maturity, inidative, tact and a high sense
of responsibility; Computer literacy and
ability to use word processing, database
and other standard software; Ability to
work harmoniously with people of differ-
ent national and cultural backgrounds.

Animal breeding experience. Working
experience in developing countries. Lim-
ited knowledge (level B) of the other lan-
guage mentioned above.

A net salary per year (inclusive of a vari-
able element for post adjustment) from
US$ 46646 to US$ 60023 (without de-
pendents) and from US$ 49985 to US$
64552 (with dependents).

The Animal Health Service, Animal Pro-
duction and Health Division, Agriculture
Department of FAO has a position for an:

Under general supervision of the Service
Chief, Animal Health Service, and the
immediate supervision of the
Senior Officer (Insect Pest Management),
and within the Parasitic Diseases Group,
the incumbent will provide technical sup-
port for the identification and develop-
ment of an integrated approach to animal
health management, placing emphasis on
Insect Bome Diseases, in particular try-
panosomosis, and will participate in the
programming and policy activities. More
specifically :

-nbsp;analyse and disseminate epidemiologi-
cal information and data, develop and
maintain information systems and data-
bases: on agricultural (farming systems,
livestock densities and distribution) and
environmental disease determinants
(droughts, floods, climate change, abun-
dance of insect vectors) and advise FAO
Members and relevant institutions on re-
lated policies and principles;

-nbsp;propose criteria for Integrated Man-
agement of Insect Bome Diseases and
trypanosomosis in particular, which are in
accordance to intemationally accepted
agro-ecological, socioeconomic and tech-
nical pest management principles;
-design and conduct analytical studies of
technical policy and programme issues
(i.e standards to assess the impact of In-
sect Bome Diseases and the control
thereof, on natural resource utilization and
animal agriculture);

-manage the co-ordination and exchange
of information within and outside the or-
ganization; consolidate and
further develop a georeferenced livestock
information system, with a disease risk
mapping facility, adequate
to the spatial analysis of diseases and
relevant livestock production aspects us-
ing trypanosomosis as a model;
-develop and advise on strategies, poli-
cies, technical requirements, methods and
guidelines and, in particular, on commu-
nity based disease management for the
control of Insect Bome Diseases; design
and implement programmes and projects;
co-ordinate joint activities and participate
in task forces; as required, participate in
the formulation and appraisal of field
projects, the recmitment and technical
supervision of field staff and provide
technical backstopping; develop training
material, organize and conduct training
courses; prepare technical documentation
and papers for discussion and/or publica-
tion; assist FAO Members in their pro-
grammes through reviews and the provi-
sion of policy and technical advice;
-perform other related duties as required.

Advanced university degree in veterinary
science, including epidemiology, prefera-
bly with a specialisation in insect bome
diseases. Seven years of progressively re-
sponsible and professional experience in
integrated Insect Bome Diseases man-
agement. Practical involvement in field
based control operations. Working
knowledge (level C) of English, French or
Spanish and limited knowledge (level B)
of one of the other two.
Ability to analyze technical and scientific
information; to organize and coordinate
meetings and training activities; ability to
write clearly and concisely, edit reports
and make effective oral presentations.
Maturity, initiative, tact and high sense of
responsibility; computer literacy and abil-
ity to use word processing and other stan-
dard software; ability to work harmoni-
ously with people of different national
and cultural backgrounds.

Working experience in developing coun-
tries. Limited nowledge (Level B) of the
other language mentioned above. Knowl-
edge of FAO activities, stmcture and pro-
cedures.

A net salary per year (inclusive of a vari-
able element for post adjustment) from
US$ 56011 to US$ 70301 (without de-
pendents) and from US$ 60165 to US$
75839 (with dependents).

These vacancies are open to male and fe-
male candidates. Application from quali-
fied women candidates are encouraged
Please note that FAO staff members are
intemational civil servants subject to the
authority of the

Director-General and may be assigned to
any activities, offices or duty stations of
the Organization.

Management Support Unit, Agriculture
Department, FAO, Viale delle Terme di
Caracalla, 00100 - Rome, Italy. Fax: 39
06 5705 5022

Applicants will be contacted only if they
are short-listed. In this connection please
note that the selection process may take
up to six months for completion.
Note: FAO is a non-smoking environ-
ment.

The Intemational Livestock Research In-
stitute (ILRI) is a non-profit intemational
research organisation serving a global
mandate to improve productivity of
smallholder livestock systems and to
protect the natural resources that support
these systems. ILRI has staff and activi-
ties in Latin America, Asia and Africa,
headquarters in Nairobi and principal fa-
cilities in Kenya and Ethiopia. ILRI is one
of the 16 research centres supported by
the Consultative Group on Intemational
Agricultural Research (CGIAR), which
comprises over 55 member countries, in-
temational organisations and foundations.
The co-sponsors for the CGIAR are the
World Bank, the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) and
United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP).

ILRI is recruiting a livestock scientist to
lead its research in animal health and live-
stock disease control. This is a senior po-
sition in the Institute reporting to the
Deputy Director General (Programmes).
The successful candidate will lead multi-
disciplinary research in vaccines and di-
agnostics for improved control of diseases
of livestock in the tropics (with current
emphasis on haemo-parasitic diseases)
and develop improved strategies for dis-
ease control through quantitative epide-
miology and economic impact assess-
ment.

The Project Coordinator will be responsi-
ble for providing intellectual leadership,
and planning, coordinating and managing
the research from product development to
delivery. This will include: prioritising re-
search; developing project plans and
budgets; obtaining extemal funds; devel-
oping linkages with extemal research
groups to establish critical research ca-
pacity and with the private sector for
product development and marketing; and
developing appropriate linkages with na-
tional programmes to identify research
priorities and ensure effective delivery of
products and technologies. In order to de-
velop an integrated programme, close
collaboration will be required with other
research groups in ILRI including those
involved with: genetics and feeds re-
search, systems analysis and impact as-
sessment, socio-economic policy and pro-
duction systems.

Current research capacities that the Proj-
ect Coordinator will oversee include mo-
lecular biology, immunology, antigen
identification and delivery, genomics,
epidemiology, decision support systems,
and vaccineZ-diagnostics delivery. Re-
sources include advanced research labo-
ratories, electron microscopy, biometrics,
small and farm animal facilities, and
tsetse and tick rearing facilities.

A PhD or equivalent with sound knowl-
edge of tropical animal health, and appro-
priate specialisation in veterinary immu-
nology, parasitology, epidemiology, and/
or vaccine production are required. Suc-
cessful experience in funding proposal
development, research management and
team building and significant publication
record are essential. Good communication
and interpersonal skills, an ability to work
in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural
society and fluency in spoken and written
English are also essential.
The successful candidate should have
fieldwork experience in applying ap-
proaches described above; survey design,
implementation, and some manage-
ment/supervisory experience. Previous
experience working in Africa would be
desirable.

The initial contract for this position will
be for a three-year term with the possibil-
ity of extension. ILRI offers a competitive
compensation package, dependant on ex-
perience that is paid in US dollars.

Applicants should send a cover letter, cur-
riculum vitae and the names and ad-
dresses (including telephone, fax and e-
mail) of three referees who are knowl-
edgeable about the candidate\'s profes-
sional qualifications and work experience
to the Human Resources Manager, ILRI,
P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya.
Telephone: 254-2-630743; Fax: 254-2-
631499; email: ILRI-KENYA@cgiar. org
The name and reference number of the
position for which the application is made
should be clearly marked on the enve-
lopes of mailed, or on the fax or e-mail
applications. Screening of applications
will begin on 1 December 1999 and will
continue until the post is filled.

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer.
Qualified women and professionals from
developing countries are particularly en-
couraged to apply.

Domestic livestock in Africa are of
importance not only as a source of
milk and meat but also as a source of
animal traction enabling farmers to
cultivate larger areas with crops pro-
viding the staple foods. Trypanoso-
mosis, a parasitic disease transmitted
cyclically by the tsetse fly {Glossina
spp.), is arguably still the main con-
straint to livestock production on the
African continent, preventing full use
of the land to feed the rapidly in-
creasing human population. Sleeping
sickness, the disease caused in hu-
mans by species of Trypanosoma, is
an important neglected disease posing
a threat to millions of people in tsetse-
infested areas. Often wrongly thought
of as a disease of the past, the preva-
lence of human sleeping sickness is
increasing in many areas.
Although alternative methods to con-

Tsetse biology and ecology: Their role in the epidemiology and

control of trypanosomosis

By: S.G.A. Leak, International Livestock research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya

Published December, 1998, CABI Publishing (E-mail: orders@cabi.org), ISBN
0-85199-300-1, 592 pp.
(Hardbound price: USD 120 / GBP65)

trol the disease are being investigated,
such as immunological approaches,
use of chemotherapy or exploitation

of the trypanotolerance trait, it is only
control or eradication of the tsetse fly
vector which will remove the treat of
the disease rather than providing a
better means of \'living\' with it. As a
result of the economic impact of
tsetse-transmitted trypanosomosis, a
large amount of research literature has
been produced. This book provides a
comprehensive review of this litera-
ture. The text ids divided into four
parts: tsetse biology and ecology,
epidemiology, vector control and dis-
ease control.

Readership: The book is invaluable
for medical and veterinary entomolo-
gist, parasitologists and epidemiolo-
gists.

Content: Part 1: Tsetse biology and
ecology. Introduction; Classification
and anatomy; Biology; Physiology;
Genetics; Sampling tsetse popula-
tions; Ecology - distribution and hab-
its; Behavioural ecology; Population
dynamics; Odour attractants. Part 2:
Epidemiology. Host-parasite interac-
tions; Epidemiology of human sleep-
ing sickness; Epidemiology of try-
panosomosis of domestic livestock;
Estimation of disease risk - Models of
disease transmission. Part 3: Vector
control. Insecticidal spraying; Traps
and targets; Application of insecti-
cides to livestock; Non-insecticidal
methods of tsetse control; general
issues relating to the successful use of
tsetse control techniques. Part 4:
Control of trypanosomosis. Control of
trypanosomosis in domestic livestock.

The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative
aims to guide agriculture towards an
integrated sustainable framework,
where the combination of agricultural
practice with an increased under-
standing of the beneficial use of mod-
em appropriate technology can lead to
greater yields now and for the next
millennium. The purpose of the Sus-
tainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI)
Action Report is to have widespread
influence on the adoption of agricul-
tural practices and the use of modem
appropriate technologies throughout
developing countries. It is distributed
free of charge because this is the only
way to ensure that it reaches its desig-
nated audience. The distribution of
14,000 copies is fimded privately and
institutionally.

The papers contained within the Ac-
tion Report are therefore a series of
practical recommendations in all areas
that contribute to present and future
agriculture, and highlight the impor-
tance of maintaining environmental
frameworks for this; reforestation,
ground water management and deser-
tification, for example, and their im-
pact upon the sustainability of agri-
culture are dealt with in great depth.
The specific solutions recommended
refer to the most beneficial uses and
applications of appropriate technolo-
gies as having an integral role in the
future of agriculture in developing
countries.

Readership: Agriculture departments
of donor aid agencies and develop-
ment banks; Agriculture ministries;
Fisheries forestry and mral develop-
ment ministries; Central and sectoral
agriculture agencies; Agriculture co-
operatives; Major agricultural priva-
teers; Agricultural programme ad-
ministrators and NGOs; Agricultural
research institutes.

Content: The Action Report contains
nine chapters of which Chapter 5
deals with livestock, covering the
following subjects: 1. Animal feeds

Sustainable agriculture solutions:

the sustainable agricultural initiative action report

Edited by: A.J. Fairclough, Sustainable Agricultural Initiative, London, UK.

Published July, 1999, The Novello Press Ltd (E-mail: novellopress@msn.com),
317 pp.

(P. Osuji, Intemational Livestock
Research Institute); 2. Animal dis-
eases (D. Preslar, Animal Health,
Emerging Animal Diseases Project);
3. Breeding (K. Oldenbroek, Breeding
and Genetics, ID-DLO, the Nether-
lands); 4.Sustainable mral livestock
management (T. Ogbom, Heifer Proj-
ect Intemational); 5.Ruminants and
bio-regional food self reliancy (A.
Fredeen, Nova Scotia Agricultural
College, Canada) and 6. Sustainable
mminant production systems (B.
Mullen, University of Queensland,
Australia).

9-11 January, 2000
26\'^ Annual Conference of the
Intemational Embryo Transfer
Society. Information: lETS.
(E-mail: iets@assochq.org: http://
www.iets.uiuc.edu).

1 March - 27 May, 2000
22quot;^^ Intemational animal feed
training programme (AFTP).
Organised by: IPC Livestock
Intemational, Bameveld College.
Fees including board and lodging:
NLG 14,500. Information: IPC
Livestock Bameveld College,
Dep. of Intemational Studies and
Co-operation Programmes, P.O.
Box 64, 3770 AB Bameveld
(Telefax: 31. 342.492813,
e-mail: io@ipcdier.hacom.nl).

20 - 23 June, 2000
2quot;\'\' Latin American and Carib-
bean Conference on the veteri-
nary management of disasters;
2nd Intemational Workshop on
reagents used in veterinary mi-
crobiology;nbsp;Intemational
Workshop on progress in veteri-
nary education. Information: Dra.
Adela Encinosa Li^ero, Consejo
Cientifico Veterinario de Cuba,
Paseo N° 604 e/ 25 y 27, Apdo.
14400, Vedado, C. Habana.
(Telefax: 537.30.3537; e-mail:
scmvcd@infomed.sld.cu).

14\'\'\' Intemational Congress on
Animal Reproduction. Informati-
on: Dr Hans Gustafsson, Swedish
University of Agricultural Scien-
ces, P.O. Box 7039, S-750 07
Uppsala (Telefax: 46.18.
673545, e-mail: hans.Gustafsson
@og.slu.se).

10\' Intemational Conference on
Trichinellosis Information: Doc-
teurs Soulé et Booireau, Unité de
parasitologic Laboratoire central
de recherches vétérinaires, CNE-
VA Alfort, PO Box 67, 94703
Maison-Alfort cedex (Telefax:
33.1.43 68 97 62, e-mail: vaalll
@calvacom.fr).

30quot;^ Intemational course on poul-
try husbandry and 30quot;^ Inter-
national course on pig husbandry.
Organised by: IPC Livestock
Intemational, Bameveld College.
These courses will run at the
same time. Following these
courses participation is possible
in the 23\'quot;\'\' Intemational animal
feed training programme (AFTP),
which mns from 26 Febmary to
25 May, 2001. Direct entry in this
last course is also possible. Fees
including board and lodging:
Poultry course: NLG 25,500; Pig
course: NLG 25,500, Feed
course; NLG 13,000 or 15,500
(direct entry). Closing date: 1
May, 2000. Information: IPC
Livestock Bameveld College,
Dep. of Intemational Studies and
Co-operation Programmes, P.O.
Box 64, 3770 AB Bameveld
(Telefax: 31.342.492813,e-mail:
io@ipcdier.hacom.nl).

Intemational MSc programme of
the Graduate School of Animal
Health, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Utrecht University and
ID-DLO Institute for Animal
Science and Health, Lelystad.
Programme: (1) MSc Course
\'Animal Pathology\', duration 2
years (fee: NGL 35,000); (2) MSc
Course \'Modem Approaches in
Veterinary Microbiology and Im-

Munology\', duration 18 months
(fee: NGL 68,500); (3) MSc
course \'Veterinary Epidemiology\',
duration 18 months (fee: NLG
25,000); (4) MSc course \'Veteri-
nary Anaesthesiology\', duration
18 months (fee: NGL 35,000).
Registration before 1 July, 2000.
Information: Office for Intematio-
nal Co-operation, Faculty of
Veterinaiy Medicine. P.O. Box
80.163, 3508 TD Utrecht (Fax:
31.30.2531815, e-mail: bic@
vet.uu.nl).

11-15 September, 2000
17th Pan-American Congress of
Veterinary Sciences. Information:
Asociacion Panamena de Medi-
cos Veterinarios, Apartado Postal
6-2198, El Dorado, Panama
(Telefax: 507.223.9689, e-mail:
apmv98@cwp.net.pa).

20 - 22 September, 2000
South African Veterinary Asso-
ciation Congress. Information:
Izani Event Specialists (Telefax:
27.31.563 3348; e-mail: izani@
iafrica.com).

4-8 December, 2000
XXI World Buiatrics Conference.
Information: Gabriela Rohr,
Cerrito 307, Montevideo 11.000
(Telefax: 598.29160220, e-mail:
grohr@rohrsa.com).