3. CEPI Summer School on Poultry Health & Nutrition in Vienna
Despite the restrictions caused by Covid-19, poultry enthusiasts from the partner country, Hungary as well as other countries made their way to Vienna. We could welcome scientists and practitioners from several European countries and Africa. Thus, a total of 18 persons from 8 countries attended the 3rd CEPI Summer School.
In addition to lecturers from the two organizing institutions, renowned and experienced experts from the fields of veterinary medicine and agriculture were invited to give lectures on current developments in their fields. The veterinarians Dr. Peter Mitsch (Austria) and Dr. László Körösi (Hungary), both specialized in poultry, gave interactive and practice-oriented lectures on the challenges in veterinary practice and in the field, and discussed possible solutions and prevention measures with the participants.
Prof. Michael Hess, Dr. Dieter Liebhart and Dr. Wageha Awad from the Clinical Unit of Poultry Medicine at VetmedUni Vienna gave lectures on infectious diseases of the intestine, histomorphological changes in the digestive tract, and the effects of pathogens and mycotoxins on the intestinal health of poultry.
Various aspects of poultry nutrition were discussed during the presentations of Prof. Károly Dublecz, Dr. László Pál and Dr. Andor Molnár, all from the Department of Animal Sciences of the Georgikon Faculty. Their presentations covered topics such as potential nutritional improvement through more efficient protein supply, the effects of additional embryo nutrition in the egg, and early feeding immediately after hatching, as well as the relationship between feeding and gut health in poultry species.
The series of lectures on animal nutrition was complemented by Prof. Martin Gierus from the Institute of Animal Nutrition, Livestock Products, and Nutrition Physiology of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, who focused his presentation on the feed structure and its consequences on the performance of poultry.
However, not only theory was included in the curriculum: The summer school participants conducted sections under the guidance of Dr. Claudia Hess. Afterwards, Dr. Ivana Bilic and Dr. Merima Alispahic gave an introduction on advanced diagnostic methods such as PCR and MALDI-TOF MS. Astrid Hrdina introduced the requirements of quality management in a diagnostic laboratory to the participants. This programme block was rounded off by a lecture on biosecurity in poultry farms by veterinarian and scientist Dr. Beatrice Grafl.
Excursions usually form an important part of CEPI training events to combine theory with practice. However, as it is well known, life is different in 2020 because of the corona virus, and the program outside the VetmedUni campus had to be cancelled. Instead, the managing director of the Austrian Quality Poultry Association (QGV), Mag. Harald Schliessnig introduced the Poultry Health Service and its programs to improve animal health and food safety to the participants.
At the end of the 3rd CEPI Summer School, some participants gave us an entertaining insight into their fields of activity by means of short presentations. There is no doubt that the newly established or refreshed contacts will enhance future knowledge transfers and exchange of experiences in topics of poultry health and poultry nutrition.
