Technical Workshops

Veterinary Pathology Workshop

National Training Needs & Mechanisms
8th-9th February 2007, University of Sydney, Camden

This workshop was convened with the Commonwealth Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Animal Health Australia.

More than fifty people attended the workshop in the new General Teaching Building at Camden over two days with practicing veterinary pathologists from the private sector, government laboratories and academia attending along with representatives from government and livestock industries. Mr David Palmer, Managing Director, Meat & Livestock Australia along with Professor Dan Gould DVM PhD Diplomat ACVP, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, presented industry and academie perspectives about the future of veterinary pathology. Professor Reuben Rose was appointed to facilitate the workshop.

The Australian community expects the highest standards of animal health. The support of a diagnostic laboratory system able to detect new and emerging diseases, exotic diseases and changes in prevalence of endemic diseases is required. Diagnostic laboratories need to offer accurate and relevant scientific interpretation of laboratory results to animal health industries. There is a need to employ people in diagnostic laboratories with specialist knowledge relevant to livestock industries and provide those people with both ongoing livestock disease training and a career path. Pathologists, microbiologists and parasitologists are an aging demographic in veterinary laboratories, with many approaching retirement. It is important that those leaving the profession pass their knowledge on to the next generation and that those entering the system are adequately trained. However, the number of laboratory diagnosticians currently in training programs is low and those employed have limited opportunity for continuing diagnostic training. The critical shortage of veterinary specialists is occurring in laboratories, but similar shortages are present in non-veterinarian scientists and both groups should benefit from training initiatives. Recommendations from the workshop informed the National Animal Health Laboratory Strategy.

Australian Animal Pathology Standards Program Workshop

10th - 11th May, 2007, University of Sydney, Camden

Dr Elizabeth Maudlin DVM, DACVP, DACD conducted a two-day training workshop on dermatopathology as part of the Australian Society for Veterinary Pathology/Australian Animal Pathology Standards Program (AAPSP). Dr Maudlin is a member of the Faculty in the Laboratory of Pathobiology and Toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

Attended by 20 practicing veterinary pathologists from the private sector, government laboratories and academia, the workshop provided intensive exposure to the latest developments in diagnosis of skin diseases. The Faculty temporarily relocated a new ten head Zeiss teaching microscope from the University Veterinary Clinic Camden to the new General Teaching Building, officially opened only a week earlier, to enable interactive sessions with actual case material. This workshop is part of an annual series held in each State which ensures that veterinary pathologists throughout Australia are kept up to date with international best practice and approaches to diagnosis of animal disease. Animal Health Australia (AHA) manages the AAPSP.

Aquaculture in the University of Sydney

12th August, 2005, University of Sydney

The College of Science and Technology hosted a strategic planning workshop organised by Professor Richard Whittington with representatives from NSW Department of Primary Industries, the School of Aquaculture University of Tasmania and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Guest speakers Dr Geoff Allan and Dr Barbara Nowak, outlined the state of development of the aquaculture sector in Australia and internationally and outlined opportunities in teaching and research. Activities and capacity at the University of Sydney were presented by academic staff from The Faculties of Veterinary Science, Agriculture Food and Natural Resources and the Schools of Biomedical Sciences and Biological Sciences. The outcomes of the workshop included a commitment to work with other organisations to develop complementary streams in undergraduate teaching for markets in Australia and overseas and collaborative research. Pathways of study will be developed at the University of Sydney to cater for students with an interest in aquaculture and fisheries.

MLA OJD Harvest Year Conference

8th - 9th December, 2005, Adelaide

The Faculty assisted Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) in the planning of the MLA OJD Harvest Year Conference, Adelaide, December 8-9 2005. The organising committee met at Camden on many occasions to create a major event with industry to showcase the outcomes of the 1998 – 2004 national research program. The Faculty’s post doctoral researchers, post graduate students and academics were prominent among the many scientific and industry presenters at this meeting.

Producers from each of the states enthusiastically supported the opportunity to discuss the latest technological developments with senior scientists, young researchers and representatives of government agencies.

Focus on Food Safety

23rd August, 2004, University of Sydney

Keynote Speaker
Professor Will Hueston, Director, Centre for Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota.

Other internationally-recognised experts included Professor Ian Gardner, Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, Dr Bob Biddle, Australian Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia, Canberra and Mr Ian Jenson, Food Safety Program Manager, Meat & Livestock Australia.

The workshop provided the Faculty with a clear message that it has a significant impact in ensuring the well-being of the community through the role of veterinarians in food safety. The workshop was sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Meat and Livestock Australia, Rabo Bank, Australian Meat Industry Council, Australian Biosecurity CRC and the Faculty’s Veterinary Public Health Management Program.

Achieving Sustainable Research Development & Extension Outcomes Workshop: Identifying, Understanding And Assessing Methods

1 September 2004, University of Sydney

An interactive workshop, attended by 20 participants from six organisations, designed to identify, understand and assess specific methods that enhance the achievement and sustainability of research, development and extension outcomes in agriculture was hosted in the Faculty by Dr Jenny-Ann Toribio. Presenters included Dr Alberto Taveros, Dr Agnes Taveros, Dr Fe Gabunada and Mrs Elenita Espinosa, Leyte State University, Richard Clark, Queensland DPI, Dr Fay Rola-Rubzen, Curtin University.

The workshop was based on presentations from researchers involved in the Leyte Livestock Improvement Program (LLIP). This is an ACIAR-funded program working with smallholder farmers in the Philippines to improve and innovate their pig and chicken production systems, in order to increase their outcomes in profit, environment and efficiency. The workshop presentations focused on three aspects of the LLIP work: the methods used; results achieved; and the contribution of methods to sustaining outcomes after project completion. Throughout the workshop time was allocated for participants to question the methods presented, offer suggestions for improvement and evaluate their potential application in other agricultural research settings.

Hosting of this workshop by Farm Animal Health demonstrated the interest in and ability of our group to contribute in innovative and applied ways to research, development and extension that will achieve sustained outcomes for livestock enterprises in developing countries.