CEPI student exchange programme in December

At first, Prof. Dr. Michael Hess, head of the Poultry Clinic at the Vetmeduni Vienna introduced the history of the university and the clinic. Prof. Hess explained the participants the main fields of activities, the examinations carried out and the related infrastructure of the clinic. The introduction included a guided tour through the molecular biology-, parasitology-, bacteriology-, histology- and serology laboratories of the clinic. The MALDI-TOF MS equipment presented during the visit enables the clinic to open up novel areas of research and apply innovative diagnostic methods to make the poultry clinic one of the leading institutions of the field in Europe.

The guided tour of the poultry clinic at Vetmeduni Vienna was followed by a site visit to the Pöttelsdorfer Putenspezialitäten GmbH, a turkey slaughterhouse in Burgenland. The slaughterhouse is a part of an integration of several local enterprises. Dr. Bärbel Mägdefrau-Pollan, veterinarian of the company, explained the structure of the integration and pointed to the key issues of poultry health, and other recent challenges of the Austrian turkey sector.

The programme was continued by a site visit of one of the suppliers of the integration, a turkey farm in Kleinfrauenhaid. Franz Haider, owner of the farm, presented the 4-5 weeks? turkey stocks in the two houses as well as the service facilities. Participants of the programme heard a comprehensive description and several interesting stories about the practical aspects of Austrian turkey breeding.

Students of the exchange programme and practicing professionals of the field participated in the programme jointly, which brought significant benefit for the students. Several questions brought up during practical activities, rather than emerging during theoretical education were raised during the joint visits. Another advantage of the joint programme arose from the fact that Hungarian students were able to gain first-hand information regarding the recent challenges and endeavours of the Hungarian poultry sector from Hungarian professionals working in the field.

The exchange programme was closed by a joint meal at the Liszt Heurigen, a family-run enterprise processing local products in Leithaprodersdorf, Burgenland.