Teaching

The aim of the field of production animal clinical science at NVH is to educate students to become professional veterinarians, as well as key reference personnel for promoting good health, welfare and production of cattle, small ruminants, fur animals, pigs and fish. The School therefore trains students to become skilful in making an accurate diagnosis and in employing the correct treatment of sick animals. It is also important to educate students how to relate their knowledge on animal diseases to relevant facts about the actual herd, in order to give advice on efficient herd health management. 

Teaching related to production animal medicine is to a large extent based on  real clinical cases of disease. These consist partly of patients brought to the clinic at NVH, and partly of animals that the students examine at farms after a request from the animal owner. The NVH also hosts a small herd of healthy cows that serve as normal reference and for training of specific tasks, such as reproductive control, rectal examination and udder examination.

From spring term 2006 students in the 8th semester will have the opportunity to specialise in production animal medicine in the last two semesters (10th and 11th semesters).

 

 

 

Research

Contemporary and future research on production animals is conducted by researchers at NVH in close contact with a range of collaborating partners from the farm animal industry and breeding associations and the government. The main focus of research in this area concerns the acquiring of knowledge of animal health, animal welfare  and the interaction between the individual animal, the environment and foreign agents as risk factors. A central  idea for this research is to detect and measure parameters of  health and welfare in order to prevent future health and welfare problems in animal husbandry.

Research on production animal diseases also represents an important contribution to human health, due to the fact that several animal infections such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and  vero-toxin producing E.coli represent a potential risk for human health through food. The main goal is to secure high quality and safe foods for people through focussing on production animal health and welfare.

Services

NVH's stationary production animal clinic annually receives several hundred cattle, small ruminants, and pigs for hospitalisation, diagnosis and treatment within a wide spectre of diseases mainly for educational purposes. Infections in the respiratory tract, fractures, poisonings and problems connected to reproduction and delivery are some examples. Approximately 600 dogs and 30 horses are accepted annually on a policlincial basis for assessment of reproductive soundness or artifical insemination.

At NVH's stationary clinic students learn how to examine and observe patients in order to formulate a diagnosis as accurately as possible. Students are also taught examination and treatment in order to assess and improve reproduction for not only production animals, but also horse, fur animals and small companion animals. All the students, as well as animal technicians, are taught artificial insemination techniques in cattle and swine. The clinic also teaches students how toassist female animals with difficult births  

On Farm services (Ambulatory clinic)
Teaching in ambulatory clinic provides the students with efficient training and practical experience in diagnostics, treatment, herd health management and preventive medicine in the field. The daily organisation and enterprise of this clinic is principally close to a regular veterinary practice on production animals and horses. The clinic serves 7 counties in the Oslo area and offers a 24-hour-service to farmers in this area.

The field of forensic medicine includes legal and professional aspects of veterinary professional conductance and animal welfare issues. The NVH hosts the secretariat for the Veterinary Medical Forensic Council which is an advisory council to the government, the courts, the police, insurance companies and individual clients on matters concerning forensic medicine and law.