11 Mar 2011
COCHRAN FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM PRIVATE VETERINARY BUSINESS TRAINING COURSE
From January 22 to February 5, 2011, USDA organized private veterinary business training course in the Preventive veterinary medicine department of Ohio State University, USA. Fernando Silviera, DVM Director of VPM Food Animal Services (dairy and beef production, reproductive biotechnology, population medicine, large animal surgery) conducted the training.
There were nine practicing veterinarians from Armenia and Georgia; among them Hunan Sargsyan (veterinary from Aragatsavan community of Aragatsotn marz), Hakob Margaryan (veterinary from Vardadzor community of Gegharkunik marz), Suren Gevorgyan (veterinary from Panik community of Shirak marz), as well as Levon Movsisyan and Sergey Chakhmakhchyan (CARD vet staff).
The main topics of the training were the level of veterinary education, the stages for obtaining DVM (Doctor of Veterinary medicine) degree, state veterinary system, U.S. methods of managing dairy and beef farms, and their veterinary risks, disease prevention, artificial insemination, bovine embryo transfer, ultrasonic imaging in cattle reproduction, swine disease diagnosis, etc.
Besides the theoretical part, serious attention was paid to the practical implementation of the above-mentioned issues. Visits were organized to a range of dairy and beeffarms, where hoof trimming, early pregnancy and obstetrics problems diagnosis with ultrasound were implemented, as well as demo embryo transfer, estrus synchronization new schemes, study of sperm activation diagnosis, etc.
After the completion of the training, it is envisaged to enlarge the private veterinary business in the frames of veterinary services. Veterinarians, especially CARD specialists intend to conduct trainings with farmers and veterinarians in Syunik, Tavush, Lori, Armavir and Shirak marzes of Armenia.