VET SC 7223RW - Veterinary Public Health and Biosecurity

Veterinary Public Health has been defined by Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, World Health Organisation/ World Organisation for Animal Health as "the sum of all contributions to the physical, mental and social well-being of humans through an understanding and application of veterinary science". Veterinary Public Health thus embraces the following areas of knowledge: diagnosis, surveillance, epidemiology, control, prevention and elimination of zoonoses and of diseases that threaten food security and social cohesion; protection of food (including meat and milk) for human consumption; food and meat science; environmental protection; animal welfare standards; and the social, behavioural and mental aspects of human-animal relationships. Veterinary Biosecurity is intrinsically linked to Veterinary Public Health and covers specific aspects on disease prevention, disease surveillance at the national, regional, state and enterprise (farm) level. In order to understand food production including welfare and food safety issues, students will attend field trips to abattoirs.