[Developments in tropical veterinary medicine at the Utrecht Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (1915-2013)].

Education in livestock diseases in the tropics at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University started in 1915 at the Institute for Parasitic and Infectious Diseases. Subsequently, the Institute for Tropical and Protozoon Diseases was established in 1948 and here students and veterinarians were trained in tropical animal health. Research and training were mainly focused on African livestock diseases such as tick borne diseases and trypanosomosis.

On the origin of Indonesian cattle.

Background: Two bovine species contribute to the Indonesian livestock, zebu (Bos indicus) and banteng (Bos javanicus), respectively. Although male hybrid offspring of these species is not fertile, Indonesian cattle breeds are supposed to be of mixed species origin. However, this has not been documented and is so far only supported by preliminary molecular analysis.

[The relation of the faculty of veterinary medicine with the tropics: from developig assistance-projects to international cooporation 1987-2007].

In the introduction three stages are distinguished in the relation between the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the tropics: (1) Development of a veterinary infrastructure (research and education) in the former colonies, Netherlands-Indies, Surinam and The Netherlands Antilles (1850 - ca. 1949); (2) Developing Aid Assistance (1965-2000) and (3) Cooperation on the basis of bilateral treaties that express the mutual interests of the two countries involved (1993-today). The Faculty in Utrecht entered into such alliances with sister faculties in Thailand, South-Africa and Malaysia.

Potential of trypanotolerance as a contribution to sustainable livestock production in tsetse affected Africa.

Tsetse transmitted trypanosomiasis is possibly the major constraint on livestock and agriculture development in Subsaharan Africa. Control of the disease has been based on vector control as well as on the use of trypanocidal drugs to treat or prevent infection in animals. Both control methods are effective but have proven not to be sustainable.

Exposure of Ankole and crossbred cattle to theileriosis in Rwanda.

Susceptible Ankole (Sanga: Bos indicus/Bos taurus) and crossbred Ankole x Jersey (B. taurus) and Ankole x Sahiwal (B. indicus) cattle derived from a farm in Rwanda with no recent history of theileriosis, were infected with Theileria parva stocks from Rwanda either by feeding infected Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks on the ears, inoculation of tick derived stabilate or natural exposure to tick challenge.