Teaming up for animal health
GD-magazine - November 2018 - No. 2
update
FIND THE AGENT (FTA)
A new diagnostics line for samples worldwide
GD LAB IS NOW GLP COMPLIANT The benefits
PROFICIENCY TESTING AT GD
Now also includes IBR PTS
Teaming up for animal health
Which swab is suitable? GD has been asked regularly which swabs to use for detection of micro-organisms. The recommended swab type depends on the micro-organism involved and the technique used for its detection. Should it be with or without transport medium? This overview shows which swabs are recommended for the different culture methods (bacteria and virus) and PCR. Overview recommended swabs Bacteriology Type swab
Material
Core
Mycoplasma
Aerobic 1)
Anaerobic2)
Virus culture
PCR
wood3)
No
No
No
No
No
aluminum
No
No
No
No
Yes
plastic
No
No
No
No
Yes
flocked/nylon
plastic
No
No
No
No
Yes
gel
plastic
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
carbon
plastic
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
amies
plastic
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
ME boullion
plastic
Yes
No
No
No
No
virus medium
plastic
No
No
No
Yes4)
Yes
Dry cotton
With transport medium
1) Example: Pseudomonas (aerobic) or Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus, Staphylococci and Listeria 2) Example: Clostridium, Campylobacter, Brachyspira 3) Only suitable for Salmonella sampling
Please note, if you want to send samples for diagnostics from outside the EU, we recommend FTA cards. You can send this without a commercial document. For more information about the FTA cards see page 11.
GD, P.O. Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, the Netherlands, T. +31 (0)570-63 33 91, F. +31 (0)570-63 41 04 www.gdanimalhealth.com, info@gdanimalhealth.com
foreword
NEW OPPORTUNITIES Following recent events in China and Belgium (the outbreak of African swine fever), we are seeing an increasing awareness in the field of animal health and that this, the monitoring and biosecurity, fits into the scenario of good quality genetics, feed (additives), equipment and management. That offers new opportunities.
In the field of disease monitoring, GD Animal Health has taken some interesting steps in Vietnam with Plexus Pig, while in Ukraine we have embarked on a demonstration process with Plexus Poultry with two poultry farms. Through Plexus, we meet new businesses and get to thinking about broader subjects. GD Animal Health is moving from being a problem consultant to a real partner, with a deeper client relationship based on greater trust.
Through the many trade fairs, seminars and congresses we have attended in recent months, we get to talk to integrations and all the suppliers surrounding them. I notice that people are starting to think more about how they can optimally protect their business or brand against these threats. The role of GD as animal health partner will become key in this. Together with the client, we make an animal health plan and monitor animal disease.
Coming back to the subject of new opportunities: through GD Animal Health’s new role, we can also take new and different directions, thus creating new opportunities relating to disease monitoring and the reduction of the use of antibiotics. Jan-Willem de Vries, Manager Business Development
content 04 Custom made practical training
CONTACT INFORMATION GD ANIMAL HEALTH If you want to know more about what GD Animal Health can do for you, please contact one of our staff members, responsible for international sales:
05 GD at VIV Europe 06 GD Academy - Enhance your knowledge
Jan Willem de Vries Manager Business Development jw.devries@ gdanimalhealth.com
Ruth Bouwstra Manager CRC r.bouwstra@ gdanimalhealth.com
Eveline Peereboom Business manager e.peereboom@ gdanimalhealth.com
05
08 Profiency testing schemes 10 Healthy Cow seminar in Kiev 11 FTA cards - Find the Agent 12 GLP - benefits for all
Jarno Smit Product manager GD Academy j.smit@gdanimalhealth.com
Fanny Nieuwenhuis Senior account manager f.nieuwenhuis@ gdanimalhealth.com
Annemiek Kolkman Senior account manager a.kolkman@ gdanimalhealth.com
14 ‘Big data’ helps good diagnostics 10
15 News and communications 16 GD specialist: Frederik Waldeck
Anita Morelisse Coordinator GD Academy a.morelisse@ gdanimalhealth.com
Monique Kleinlugtenbeld Ellen Koetsier Sales support Sales support support@gdanimalhealth.com support@gdanimalhealth.com
Phone In the Netherlands 0900-1770, Outside the Netherlands +31 (0)570-63 33 91 | Fax + 31 (0)570-63 41 04 | E-mail info@gdanimalhealth.com | Website www.gdanimalhealth.com Mail ADDRESS GD, P.O. Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, the Netherlands | Delivery address for samples and post mortem material GD, CMD, Arnsbergstraat 7, 7418 EZ Deventer, the Netherlands.
11
Update, November 2018 - 3
education
GD AND ZOETIS JOIN FORCES
Custom made practical training GD Academy welcomed two advanced training groups for customers of Zoetis Africa Middle East: Zoetis BRD & Sheep School and Zoetis Dairy Udder Health School. In late spring 2018, GD and Zoetis jointly organised a four day training on ‘Bovine Respiratory Disease’ (BRD) and ‘Sheep Health and Disease’ and a three day ‘Dairy Udder Health training’. Participants, mostly veterinarians at an advanced level, came from Egypt, Lebanon, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Iran, Uganda and Nigeria. The two training programmes were custom made with cooperation by Mohamed Abdeen Technical and Marketing Manager Zoetis AfME. The topics of the sheep training varied from respiratory disease to gastrointestinal parasites and liver fluke. After
“This course is very important to improve the veterinary services in our country”
two days of interactive and lively theory, the participants went to the island of Texel for a practical, hands-on farm visit. Texel is well known as a magnificent sheep island, home to the famous Texel breed.
“Speakers with great knowledge and experience. Overall course was good and the city of Deventer is excellent” During the BRD training, the main focus was on Mycoplasma bovis and other bovine respiratory pathogens. The advanced Dairy Udder Health Course offered state-of-the art scientific input on transition management, udder health control programmes, immunology of the udder, (robotic) milking and the mammary micro biome. The farm visit offered an opportunity to put theory into practice. The participants went home with useful scientific and practical information which they could immediately use on the farm when they returned home.
“Good and fast explanations, a lot of information in a short amount of time and very useful and meaningful” MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TRAINING COURSES WWW.GDANIMALHEALTH.COM/ACADEMY
4 - Update, November 2018
trade fairs & seminars
GD AT VIV EUROPE
VIV EURO
PE
GD can look back on a successful VIV Europe 2018. The key theme of its 2018 edition in the Netherlands was Sharing Data = Better Poultry. GD Animal Health was present in the Innovation Gallery with Plexus, hosted lectures and welcomed people to the stand. Teun Fabri, DVM, poultry veterinarian at GD and Ruth Bouwstra DVM, PhD, poultry health manager at GD, hosted a lecture on how animal health is monitored by using big data. Manon Houben, DVM, dipl. ECPHM, porcine health manager at GD, gave a lecture about Monitoring Pig Health in the light of sustainable production and the reduction of antibiotics.
HOSTING, LECTURING AND DEVELOPING into production processes and the animal health situation. The growing global demand for safe and affordable food presents an enormous challenge. Customers not only demand high quality meat; they want a transparent production process and a better price for antibiotic free meat. With healthy livestock, you can turn this opportunity into more profit. Monitoring by field experts and routine sampling are essential steps towards better animal health. Plexus makes this possible. Lab visit During VIV Europe, several delegates travelled from Utrecht to Deventer to visit our lab, one of the largest and most modern laboratories in the world.
Sjaak de Wit, EBVS European Specialist in Poultry Veterinary Science at GD hosted the GD Animal Health Seminar on IBV control, theory and practice. Dairy Learning Centre GD specialists Paul Wever and Annet Velthuis took part in the Dairy Learning Centre, which gave participants practical insights and explained new developments in reproduction, nutrition and animal health management. The Dairy Learning Centre was moderated by the University of Wisconsin River Falls and AERES. Paul Wever participated in a panel presentation on Animal Health Monitoring in the Netherlands and Annet Velthuis talked about responsible antibiotic use on Dutch farms. Plexus At VIV Europe 2018, GD introduced Plexus, a software tool to administer all your data in one place. Plexus provides insights
Ruth Bouwstra during her lecture
Update, November 2018 - 5
Enhance your knowledge 6 - Update, November 2018
education
Tanja Slagter, editor
GD Animal Health makes progress with GD Academy. The organisation possesses lots of expertise and is happy to share this with others, in the interests of animals, livestock farmers and society. Achieving these goals has been an aim for nearly a hundred years, not only in the Netherlands but also worldwide. The activities of GD Academy correspond with this. But what exactly are these activities? Jarno Smit explains what GD Academy wants to achieve in the upcoming years. Jarno has been product manager of GD Academy since last June. In that capacity, he is responsible for streamlining the programme and designing training in consultation with the animal sectors. “GD Animal Health has lots of expertise and a good international reputation in the field of applied research, education and consultancy. We are keen to share that knowledge.” Through the education and training institute GD Academy, GD therefore organises training on animal health for livestock farmers, their vets and the pharmaceutical and animal feed industry. Guiding role GD Animal Health is a leading organisation in animal health and animal production, says the product manager. “People can learn a lot from us. We see that during our seminars and visits abroad. Together with the livestock farmer or the vet, we explore areas which could possibly be improved.” In this process, GD does not adopt a critical attitude, he explains. “We don’t tell people what they are doing wrong or what they should do. We present possible alternatives, based on their situation.” Client oriented institute GD Academy is for everyone wishing to broaden or deepen theiknowledge in the field of animal health. “These may be Dutch vets or foreign vets, but also managers of big integrations abroad,” Jarno explains. The content of the training is tailored to the participants. “We do our utmost to provide high-quality training with a good balance between theory and practice, for example by adding a company visit, providing training in the autopsy room or by adding a lab training to the programme. Our participants love that practical element,” says Jarno.
Since June, GD Academy has its own practice room for lab training. “Here specialists teach the participants how to perform an examination and how to interpret it correctly,” Jarno explains. “The training sessions are designed in consultation with the client. There is always scope for interaction during the training and courses at GD. It is in the ambition of GD Academy to be a client-oriented institute.” Various opportunities “We offer open training sessions, but also very specific customised training for pharmaceutical companies from all over the world,” Jarno says. “In addition, there’s a need for our knowledge worldwide, so we also provide training or consultancy services on site. Sometimes it’s more practical to send a few GD trainers to China than to bring a large group of Chinese to Deventer.” The trainers are one of the strengths of GD Academy. “When presented with practical cases or questions from participants, you see how excited and passionate the trainers are. The enthusiasm with which they are willing to share their knowledge with others is catching,” Jarno reports.
Training and courses 14-16 November, 19-21 November: Technical Laboratory Training: Serology and PCR (application is open)
Contact 19-23 November: Dairy training (application is open)
26-30 November: Poultry Health, Climate and Feed Training (application is open)
If you have any questions, contact GD Academy at gdacademy@gdanimalhealth. com or call +31 (0) 570 633391. Stay up-todate and subscribe to our newsletter via www.gdanimalhealth.com/news/newsletter.
Update, November 2018 - 7
Participate in proficiency testing schemes Proficiency testing is an inter-laboratory study to determine the performance of individual laboratories for specific tests and to monitor laboratories’ continuing performance. GD Animal Health offers laboratories the possibility to participate in international proficiency testing schemes. Why participate? 1 Evaluate the performance of the laboratory 2 Maintain/achieve accreditation to ISO 17025 3 Provide additional confidence 4 Identify inter-laboratory differences 5 Identify problems How does it work? Proficiency testing schemes (PTS) are based on defined sets of highly characterised test materials. These sets are simultaneously sent to participating laboratories for analysis. The test results are collected and analysed against the results of all participants and the intended result in order to determine the capability of a participating laboratory to conduct a diagnostic test and produce correct results. The PTS process contains the following steps: 1 Application – you can apply for a PTS via an online application form on our website www.gdanimalhealth.com/PTS. If you have previously participated in a PTS, you will also receive a personalized invitation via email. 2 Samples – you will receive a set of coded samples and details about sample volumes, together with instructions on storage and how to report your results. 3 Analysis – the samples should be tested under normal routine test conditions. The sample volumes will be sufficient to perform the required tests in duplicate.
4 Reporting your findings – you will receive an email with a personalized link to the online results form. You will also receive a login and password to enter the form and report your results online. 5 Statistical analysis – within a PTS, the precision and accuracy are calculated; i.e. inter-lab reproducibility as well as intralab reproducibility (at a minimum of 6 participants using the same test kit). 6 Final report and certificate – after participating in a PTS you will receive a final report via email stating your coded results as compared to the other participants and a certificate stating your participation in the PTS. 7 Confidentiality – you will be provided with a unique and confidential code. All results will be reported using this code, so you can easily verify your results and discreetly compare them to others. ISO 17043:2010 GD Animal Health is accredited according to the ISO 17043:2010 for the organisation of most proficiency testing schemes for antibody detection and molecular biology (registration number R016). This accreditation ensures the technical competence of GD Animal Health as your PTS provider. Please check our website to see which PTS are accredited. Which PTS do we offer? See the schedule for 2019 on the next page. GD Animal Health can also set up proficiency testing schemes for third parties or in cooperation with third parties. Interested? For more information, contact Annemiek Kolkman via a.kolkman@gdanimalhealth.com. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PTS WWW.GDANIMALHEALTH.COM/PTS
8 - Update, November 2018
lab matters
Annemiek Kolkman, senior account manager
Proficiency testing scheme
Closing date for registration
Shipment of the samples
Submission of test results
Final report + certificate
January 4
Week 4
March 15
Week 19
February 1
Week 8
April 12
Week 23
March 1
Week 12
May 10
Week 27
March 22
Week 15
May 31
Week30
April 26
Week 20
June 21
Week 31
August 16
Week 36
October 25
Week 51
September 6
Week 39
November 15
Week 3 2020
September 27
Week 42
November 22
Week 2 2020
Round 1 PTS PRRSV antibody detection PTS PRRS virus detection PTS IBV antibody detection PTS IB virus detection Round 2 PTS App antibody detection PTS PCV2 detection PTS Mycoplasma (Mg/Ms) antibody detection PTS Mycoplasma (Mg/Ms) bacteria detection Round 3 PTS MAP antibody detection (milk and/or serum) PTS MAP detection PTS NDV antibody detection PTS ND virus detection PTS EDS antibody detection Round 4 PTS IBDV antibody detection (Gumboro) PTS IBD virus detection (Gumboro) PTS BVD virus and antigen detection PTS SRLVs (MVV/CAEV) antibody detection Round 5 PTS Bacterial Identification cattle PTS Antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial strains cattle PTS Bacterial Identification poultry PTS Antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial strains poultry PTS Bacterial Identification companion animals PTS Antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial strains companion animals Round 6 PTS aMPV antibody detection (TRT) PTS ARV antibody detection (REO) PTS ILT antibody detection PTS CAV antibody detection NEW PTS IBR antibody detection (milk and/or serum) Round 7
PTS AI antibody detection PTS AI virus detection PTS Salmonella poultry antibody detection PTS Salmonella porcine antibody detection PTS SIV antibody detection Round 8 PTS Bacterial Identification cattle PTS Antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial strains cattle PTS Bacterial Identification swine PTS Antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial strains swine
Update, November 2018 - 9
trade fairs & seminars
Tanja Slagter, editor
HEALTHY COW SEMINAR
Sharing knowledge worldwide GD Animal Health was present at the Healthy Cow seminar in Kiev at the beginning of June. Scientists and veterinary practitioners shared their knowledge and the latest news on the control and prevention of cattle diseases. GD specialists Frederik Waldeck and Ryan van Egmond talked about BVDV, IBR and mastitis.
He trained veterinarians and farm managers on the importance of the production of low cell count milk: how to achieve it and how to use antibiotics as effectively as possible, with the ultimate goal of good udder health. “I like to combine theory and practice, with a farm workshop to put theory into practice,” Ryan looks back on his visit to the farm.
Around hundred veterinarians were present at ‘Babushkin sad’ for the theoretical part of the seminar. Frederik Waldeck (veterinarian, GD Animal Health) told participants about the programme of control and eradication of BVD in European countries and the positive experience of the IBR eradication programme. “I noticed that it was an eye opener for them to hear about the importance of protocol-based working at company level for tackling IBRBVD,” Frederik remembers his visit to Kiev. “Ukraine has many large farms, employing many people.” Once working protocols are documented, Frederik is sure that the IBR-BVD approach will be successful. “And protocol-based working is actually what our certification programme is all about.”
The reactions to Ryan’s story were very positive. He gave the workshop twice to a group of 25 to 30 participants and. “I found that the participants were incredibly interested and were looking for information to improve. On several occasions, there was an open discussion and we concluded that we don’t differ that much and can learn a lot from each other.“
The next day participants visited the UkrZalizbud farm with 800 dairy cows and received veterinary advice from Ryan van Egmond about udder health and mastitis. “A seminar is one side of the story,” Ryan says, “but farm visits are a big part of the programme.”
10 - Update, November 2018
Ryan is enthusiastic about the visit to Kiev. “With our knowledge and vision, we try and help our Ukrainian colleagues, but ultimately they have to do it themselves. We don’t tell them how to do it, but how they can do it. We try and point out the benefits for the company, to increase their return on investment.”
MORE INFORMATION WWW.DUDC.INFO/EN
Tanja Slagter, editor
lab matters
FIND THE AGENT (FTA)
A new diagnostics line During EuroTier 2018 (13 to 16 November in Hannover, Ger many), GD Animal Health introduces the new diagnostics line ‘Find the Agent’ (FTA). With this diagnostics line, it becomes possible for samples from all over the world to be sent to GD for molecular diagnostics. At the same time, the client can indicate whether additional diagnostics or advice is desired. “The FTA card itself is not new,” says Annemiek Kolkman, senior account manager at GD Animal Health, “but the total line is. With the diagnostics line, we want to offer the most requested tests for other countries via the FTA card.” GD does this among others via pharmaceutical companies, food (additive) manufacturers, integrations and governments. Low threshold The FTA card is a card with which samples can be sent for DNA and RNA analysis. Through the chemical processing of the card, the samples become inactive and can therefore be sent safely. Until now, sending sample material from abroad was a complicated and expensive affair. An import permit is required, a local agent needs to organise transport to Schiphol Airport, at Schiphol it has to be cleared by the NVWA (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) and only then may it be transported to GD. Because the sample material sent via an FTA card is inactive, it can be sent by post, without requiring special permission.
“We notice that people abroad are keen for GD to perform the tests, but that it’s often not financially feasible. With the Find the Agent diagnostics line, we lower the threshold for foreign clients.” The diagnostics line consists of an FTA card, a clear instruction form, a submission form, swabs and a return envelope. “So it’s a complete set. Our clients can give these sets to their vets in the field. Another advantage for the client is that an FTA card does not have to be sent the same day. They can therefore collect several samples and only send them when they have enough.” Complete portfolio The introduction of the complete diagnostics line also means that the portfolio is more complete. “We are expanding the number of tests that can be sent via an FTA card. Together with our clients, we’re going to explore how we can further improve the service,” says Annemiek. The expansion of the service is a logical step for GD. GD’s knowledge of animal disease monitoring and diagnostics is unique. GD experts are asked worldwide to help get animal diseases like IB, Mycoplasma, PRRS and mastitis under control. With the FTA diagnostics line, GD can perform molecular diagnostics more easily and give veterinary advice where necessary. MORE ABOUT FTA CARDS WWW.GDANIMALHEALTH.COM/FTA
Update, November 2018 - 11
GLP compliant: benefits for all
12 - Update, November 2018
Anne Taverne, editor
For years, GD Animal Health has been a leading organisation in animal health research. This is thanks to the wide range of services and products delivered by GD. It is important to continue seeking opportunities to expand these services. The recently awarded ‘Endorsement of Compliance for Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)’ is a valuable addition to GD’s portfolio. Such an award doesn’t happen overnight, Study Director Gert Jan Boelm tells us. In 2016, GD started introducing procedures and facilities in compliance with GLP. As Study Director, Gert Jan is responsible for all aspects of a GLP study. ‘The demand for safety studies based on the principles of GLP has existed for years,’ he says. And GD can fulfil that need and deliver an even broader package of services to the developers and producers of veterinary medicines. Quality guaranteed Hans van Dasler is the Quality Assurance Officer responsible for safeguarding the quality of the GLP studies. This is achieved through facility audits unrelated to a specific study and through study audits that examine the critical aspects of a specific study to establish whether the work complies with GD procedures and GLP principles. GLP is not the only quality system used by GD. Another important standard is ISO 17025. GD’s QHSE employees, who are responsible for GLP and ISO 17025, monitor the high quality standards used by GD every day. But why GLP? ‘We can now offer everything, which means that clients (sponsors) can come to us for all their tests. That’s easier for the sponsor, and for us too,’ says Gert Jan. ‘This is particularly important for complex research projects.’
interview GLP originally emerged from human medicine and was designed to tackle fraud, Hans explains. ‘In the last century, fraud with study results led to the use of medicines that resulted in health problems in people. The researchers could have prevented this if they had recorded and reported everything. You naturally don’t want such incidents, and that’s why GLP was set up.’ To achieve the endorsement of compliance, a lot of hard work took place within GD by many departments, says Hans. ‘We needed the involvement of all these people to do GLP studies. So there were celebrations at GD when the inspectors told us in August that we fulfilled the GLP requirements.’ This is something GD has wanted for years, and Gert Jan and Hans, along with the colleagues involved, are very proud of the result. Valuable addition Achieving GLP status is not just a valuable addition for GD itself, sponsors also reap the benefits. ‘European law stipulates that testing a vaccine for safety for registration purposes must be performed under GLP, and our laboratory now offers that possibility,’ says Gert Jan. ‘It’s essential that the many different disciplines required to conduct GLP studies are present at GD in one location. This is very valuable for our sponsors and for GD and it distinguishes GD from many other CROs.’ The combination of a wide range of research and GLP status is fairly unique in European veterinary laboratories, Hans adds, especially for studies in farm animals. ‘We are confident that we will thus become an even more important partner for the veterinary pharmaceutical industry.’
Hans van Dasler (QA officer) and Gert Jan Boelm (Study Director)
Update, November 2018 - 13
interview
Tanja Slagter, editor
“IF YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, YOU CAN PLAN AN INTERVENTION”
‘Big data’ helps good diagnostics How can data help you monitor pigs and improve their health? That was the key question in the talk given by Dr Ruth Bouwstra, poultry sector manager at GD during CAHE (China International Animal Husbandry Expo), the biggest ‘livestock show’ in Asia. GD had a stand at the trade fair and Dr Bouwstra gave a talk about pig monitoring. In her talk, she explained how animal health is monitored by using ‘big data’. “Recording data and defining problems is necessary for diagnostics. Because if you know what the problem is, you can plan interventions, like vaccination or the effective use of antibiotics.” According to Dr Bouwstra, monitoring is important. “Good interventions help improve production, the return on investment.” During CAHE, GD once again showed it has a unique contribution to make. “We have a great deal of know-how and experience relating to animal health monitoring and how you can apply data registration in your production column.” An important message here is that diagnostics doesn’t cost money but can actually earn you money at the end of the process. “If you use diagnostics in the right way and on the right animals, you can improve how you tackle disease. And healthy animals are more profitable.” According to Dr Bouwstra, the Chinese visitors to CAHE were interested in GD’s message. The software tool Plexus, which GD introduced at the trade fair, also generated a lot of interest.
14 - Update, November 2018
“Plexus is an application which can help them with diagnostics. It doesn’t resolve every problem, but it helps improve insight into the problem and find solutions. If you enter the right data and study it with the right expertise, Plexus has great potential.” GD not only has a lot to offer international businesses in the field of data registration. It also has a great deal of experience with respect to antibiotics. The Netherlands is ahead of the field when it comes to regulations relating to antibiotics. “Since 2009, we have been working on a plan to reduce the use of antibiotics and in the poultry sector this has already led to 70 percent less antibiotic use in broilers. China is still starting out in this field and can do with our expertise.” Dr Bouwstra feels that CAHE was a useful trade fair for GD. “We returned with a list of leads. We now plan to explore whether we can set up partnerships with a number of these parties. We’ve done a good job putting GD on the map.”
news & communications
GD introduced at Thailand Lab Int. Thailand LAB INTERNATIONAL 2018, one of the alternative trade exhibitions and conferences for laboratory technology, biotechnology, chemicals and safety in Southeast Asia, was held at Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC) between 12 and 14 September 2018. It attracted more than 9,000 trade visitors and international buyers from over 40 countries. Chakmartin Intervirontech, a GD Animal Health distributor in Thailand, had a stand at this event and presented both diagnostics (biological reagents) and proficiency testing schemes (PTS). Every day, many local buyers and trade visitors from neighbouring countries visited the Chakmartin stand and were introduced to GD products and services.
European Symposium on Porcine Health Management This spring, the European Symposium on Porcine Health Management was held in Barcelona from 9 to 11 May. It was the tenth edition with nearly 2,000 participants attending this year’s conference. Important subjects were African swine fever and biosecurity. GD Animal Health’s contributions to the symposium consisted of posters by veterinary pig health specialists Tom Duinhof, Manon Houben and Theo Geudeke and laboratory staff members Jos Dortmans, Rianne Buter and Remco Dijkman on a variety of topics such as stomach lesions in slaughter pigs and sows, Streptococcus suis type 9 infections, antimicrobial reduction and genetic diversity of PRRS virus isolates in the Netherlands. Our new colleague Linda Peeters gave two presentations on her salmonella research project at Ghent University. The 11th edition of the ESPHM will be held next year from 22 - 24 May in Utrecht, the Netherlands. GD is one of the sponsors of the symposium in 2019, which coincides with the celebration of the centennial of GD.
New academy room for GD Academy Since September, GD Academy has a new academy space for courses and training. GD Academy has entered into a partnership with Zone.college, a regional training centre where paraveterinary staff are trained. Students on this course use our academy room every week to broaden their knowledge about laboratory work. They then use our autopsy room, where they learn more about doing autopsies. The academy room is also used by GD specialists to provide customised lab training to participants from all over the world. In July, GD welcomed a group of Brazilian pig vets for lab training in combination with a visit to the autopsy room. MORE ABOUT GD ACADEMY WWW.GDANIMALHEALTH.COM/ACADEMY
Plexus introduced in Vietnam At the beginning of September, Plexus-Pig was introduced in the Vietnamese Veterinary Service and in several pilot companies. In Vietnam, they eat a lot of pork. The meat is mainly produced by small family-run firms which slaughter a couple of hundred pigs every year. There are around 30 million pigs in Vietnam, an important source of food for the 95 million Vietnamese. With Plexus, the Vietnamese government wants to get more control over the use of antibiotics in pig farming. The introduction with the farm managers was very successful. MORE INFORMATION WWW.GDANIMALHEALTH.COM/PLEXUS
Update, November 2018 - 15
GD specialist: Frederik Waldeck Every day, the specialists at GD Animal Health focus on gathering and spreading their extensive knowledge of animal diseases. In each edition of the GD Update, we pay special attention to a specific sector. This time: Frederik Waldeck, cattle veterinarian. He specialises in IBR and BVD. Recently he visited Ukraine and Japan to give a talk about these diseases. Frederik Waldeck spent ten years working in a practice as a cattle veterinarian before joining GD in 2014. Here he provides technical veterinary support for the animal health programme for IBR and BVD. “In the veterinary practice, I was a sort of General Practitioner for cows. Now I only do IBR and BVD.” He sees it as his mission to eliminate IBR and BVD from the cattle sector. Until recently, the Netherlands had a voluntary control programme for IBR and BVD. Since 01 April, however, dairy farmers in the Netherlands are obliged to tackle IBR and BVD. “But that doesn’t reach all livestock farmers. My ideal is to get everyone taking part and that we eliminate the disease from the country.” For IBR, that wish will probably be fulfilled on 01 January 2019. For BVD, however, Frederik will need to be patient and put his faith in the new European Animal Health Law. “Fortunately, voluntary participation is already very high but, to get the entire cattle sector free of IBR and BVD, it’s important that the last farms follow too. It’s also important that other countries besides the Netherlands actively tackle the disease. Due to international trade, it’s good if all European countries take a structural approach to IBR and BVD. For that reason, Frederik also consults foreign colleagues. Frederik receives questions from veterinarians and cattle farmers and he is also involved in changes to the veterinary content of the various certification programmes for IBR and BVD. ICT is another part of the job. “That’s something I had to get used to. As a veterinarian, I can imagine how something should work, but sometimes you come across technical problems. The programmes need to be workable for the larger group and they have to be affordable.” And that’s been successful: GD’s IBR-BVD programmes are cost efficient and offer livestock farmers support, says Frederik.
P.O. Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, the Netherlands, T. +31 570 633 391, F. +31 570 634 104 www.gdanimalhealth.com, info@gdanimalhealth.com