Intensive Industries Portec Australia (1 week
rotation) Vet530 2009
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phone
As with any farm
visit we must take all the appropriate precautions to avoid introducing
pathogens into herds.
Biosecurity considerations
Each farm we visit
will have different biosecurity requirements.
The week will be structured to accommodate the clients’
biosecurity. It is essential that you have not been in the vicinity of another pig
or live poultry during the 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) prior to the start of
the rotation.
If you have been in
the vicinity of any pigs and poultry during the 2 days immediately prior to the
Monday morning visit, please inform the staff member in charge prior to leaving
Murdoch, you will not be able to complete the rotation. It is understood that mistakes happen, take
particular care at agricultural shows and fairs to avoid pigs and poultry
exhibitions.
Precautions
1.
It is necessary to shower (including washing your
hair) the evening before or the morning of the visit.
2.
Boots and overalls will be provided on the farms.
3.
Wear normal `street clothes’ – remember you are
professionals visiting a clients farm.
4.
Do not
wear overalls or other work clothes in the University vehicles.
5.
Practicals
at Murdoch– usual protective clothing will be required.
Personal requirements
Bring - your lunch (must NOT contain any pork products –eg.
ham, sausage, salami),
Work socks . Notebook and pen.
Calculator and PDA (if owned).
Visit duration
Departure times are
given in the PAM Rotation timetable. Occasionally these have to be changed at
the last minute. You will be notified of any changes the day before.
Visits last all day.
Return times cannot be guaranteed; they are often about 6 p.m. It may be
necessary to submit samples to Clinical Pathology on your return.
Over the week, the
students need to consider that during a farm visit they will need to write a
report. The practicals are designed to
cover the major sections of a farm visit report.
Visiting farms
The location of
Murdoch University in Perth means that there are limited numbers of local farms
available to provide any clinical experience.
Therefore, it is necessary to drive to farms. This is the reality of modern veterinary
work.
Objectives of the rotation
The course will cover
the basic farm visit to create a Herd Health Report. To complete the report you will need to be
able to perform basic disease recognition, preventative medicine protocols and
typical farm practice standards to maintain animal health.
You are
expected to have a basic
understanding of the pig.
Review the Portec web site
for each of the major areas and specific tasks – http://www.portec.com.au
In this
rotation pigs and poultry are used as the example animal for production
medicine. However, it is expected that the student will be able to adapt and
accommodate any species encountered during the week.
Major areas to be covered are:
|
|
Record analysis and farm targets |
|
Gilt
pool, breeding,
gestation,
farrowing,
nursery
and finishing |
|
Stock health |
Clinical examination of an individual
and group
of farmed animals. Recognition of
the general diseases of the pig. Sample
collection, blood
collection and post-mortem
examination. |
Specific tasks to be completed:
Instrumental
analysis of the environment concentrating on – Water, Food, Floor and Air
analysis. |
|
Reproductive |
Pregnancy
diagnosis. Reproductive
surgery. AI
collection and processing. |
Record Analysis |
|
Clinical examination |
The
normal pig. Individual
and group
analysis. Analysis
of the role stockpeople. Review of pig
microbiology. Post-mortem
examination. |
Medication |
|
|
|
Further reading/resource
The
Basic Veterinary Area on the Portec Web site.
Outline of a typical week
Suggested timetable
Note however, that
real life will dictate the actual events of the week. The rotation will be subjected to the normal
turmoil of practice life.
Date |
Venue |
Specific tasks |
Vet437 page |
Monday |
|||
All day |
Pig farm visit |
86 14 227 353 209 94 |
|
Tuesday |
|||
Morning |
Murdoch |
353 29 |
|
Afternoon |
Murdoch Pig Unit |
23 |
|
Wednesday |
|||
Morning |
Poultry farm visit |
Clinical
examination of poultry Blood collection
in poultry |
335 |
Afternoon |
Farm audit
checklist |
|
|
Thursday |
|||
Morning |
Portec Office |
Case studies |
|
Afternoon |
|
Industry issue
workshops Animal welfare –
codes |
327 |
Friday |
|||
All day |
Pig farm visit |
302 23 45 39 305 |