Manase P. Salema Director Deputy Director Animal Production and Health Section Martyn H. Jeggo Axel Colling John Crowther Andrew Cannavan Harinder Makkar Oswin Perera Zowinde Koudougou

Joint FAO/IAEA Division of NuclearTechniques in Food and Agriculture

and FAO/IAEA Agriculture andBiotechnology Laboratory, Seibersdorf

International Atomic Energy AgencyVienna

ISSN 1011-2529

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TO THE READER

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past few years, we have been part of aninformation revolution and we are now firmlyentrenched in the computer age. The use ofcomputers and electronic information technologyoffers many opportunities to develop, to manageand manipulate, and to disseminate informationmore rapidly, more extensively, and more cheaplythan is ever possible with paper-based systems.This development of the electronic informationera has been accompanied by the design of awhole range of electronic equipment that providesnew and innovative ways of managing theinformation and indeed, influencing the very waysthat we interact on a daily basis. The so-calleddigital revolution is here to stay and is continuingto rapidly evolve. As an example during the past12 months, the number of people in the worldowning a portable phone has quadrupled and inthe developed world over 35% of people now ownor daily utilize computers.

But this is now equally creating the so-calleddigital divide. The gap between what is availableto those in the developed world compared to thosein the developing world is rapidly growing andwill continue to do so unless something is done.In some ways, this is surprising. The hardwareneeded is relatively cheap, requires little in theway of complex infrastructure, is robust, requiresa low energy source and can comfortably linkwith other machines over considerable distanceswithout cabling or similar structures. The softwarethat manages the systems is as applicable in adeveloping country as it is in the developed worldand lends itself to distance learning for use.Despite this, the difference in uptake and usebetween north and south is considerable andcontinuing to grow.

Fortunately, this problem is recognized by manyand the United Nations is taking action. A WorldSummit on the Information Society (WSIS) is tobe held in Geneva in 2003, and preliminarymeetings are being organized to ensure that thisSummit will result in concrete proposals that willensure change and impact in the developingworld. Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General,recently in speaking on this topic described “atechnological revolution that is profoundlytransforming society. If harnessed and directedproperly, Information and CommunicationTechnologies (ICTs) have the potential toimprove all aspects of our social, economic andcultural life”.

Some three years ago, however, IAEA hadalready recognized this gap and through theprogramme of Technical Co-operation and withmajor support from the USA, initiated a regionalTechnical Co-operation project in Africa with theaim of using information communicationtechnology (ICT) to better implement national andregional activities already supported under theprogramme. The Animal Production and HealthSub-programme quickly identified two areas forwhich ICT could significantly contribute – thetraining of farmers and animal health workers inthe recognition of rinderpest, and the training offarmers and artificial inseminators in the effectiveuse of artificial insemination (AI). In both theseactivity areas though, it was clear that the real aimwas not to train local counterparts in thesespecific activities but to create a national capacityto utilize ICT, in these areas initially, butultimately to use this capacity to tackle a range ofdisciplines for which the use of ICT would bebeneficial.

In undertaking this approach, it was firstnecessary to develop the training material, toidentify and provide effective ICT equipment andto develop national “tele-centres” through whichfurther training and development could take place.CD-ROMs have now been prepared containing arange of information and training material for useboth for rinderpest surveillance and artificialinseminations. In parallel, tele-centres have nowbeen established in four African countries (Sudan,Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia) and currentactivities are focusing on developing the capacityin these centers to provide national training andthe preparation and dissemination of teachingmaterial for the trainers.

The WSIS will be looking for successes andinnovative ways of bridging the digital divide. Ithink that we have these already and I intend toensure that the excellent programme now beingundertaken in the four African countries in usingICT themselves, to address their own problems,are seen as the undoubted success that they are.

Enough now of computers, you will see in thisNewsletter that we are continuing to re-direct theSub-programme towards the use of biotechnologyand gene-based technologies. In particular, Iwould like to draw your attention to ourSymposium in 2003, and the need for you now tostart making plans to participate and attend. Wehope, through partnership with others, to have

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available a number of sources of funds so that asmany scientists as possible from developingcountries can be supported to attend. You needthough to apply early as resources available willnever be enough and there will be a limit!

Finally, at the end of this introduction, I usuallymention key staff changes but in this case there isnothing to report – the team supporting this Sub-programme remains the same and we sincerelyhope that we can continue to supply you with the

level of expertise and resources that you havecome to expect.

Martyn JeggoHead, Animal Production andHealth Section

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A. STAFF

IAEA Headquarters, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture,Vienna International Centre, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A–1400 Vienna, Austria,Telephone: +43 1 2600, Facsimile: +43 1 26007

Joint FAO/IAEA Division

James D. DargieManase P. Salema

DirectorDeputy Director

Animal Production and Health Section

Martyn H. JeggoAxel CollingJohn CrowtherAndrew CannavanHarinder MakkarOswin PereraZowinde Koudougou

Head of Section [email protected] Officer [email protected] Officer [email protected] Officer [email protected] Officer [email protected] Officer [email protected] Officer [email protected]

SecretariesRoswitha SchellanderRosario Léon de Müllner

[email protected]

[email protected]

FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory, Animal Production Unit of theAgency’s Seibersdorf Laboratory, A–2444 Seibersdorf, Austria

Christopher J. Rigney

Adama DialloAxel Colling

Head, Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory

Head, Animal Production Unit [email protected] Officer [email protected]

Mutasem KhadraMamadou LelentaBeata RogovicEva-Maria Winger

Laboratory Technician [email protected] Technician [email protected] Technician [email protected] Technician [email protected]

SecretaryAnna Schirnhofer [email protected]

The Animal Production Unit, Seibersdorf, is a collaborating Center for ELISA and molecular technologies inanimal disease diagnosis for both the OIE and WHO.

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B. FORTHCOMING EVENTS

RCA Training Workshop on the Standardized and Validated Nuclear-based Technologies, inParticular Those Based on Urinary Purine Derivatives, for Measuring Microbial Protein Supplyin Ruminants (RAS/5/035)

Technical Officer: Harinder Makkar

The Training Workshop will be held from 10to 21 June 2002 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, inco-operation with the Government ofMalaysia, MARDI and UPM. Fifteenparticipants from 13 countries will participatein the Workshop. The objective of the course isto provide training on the standardized andvalidated nuclear-based technologies, inparticular those based on urinary purinederivatives, for measuring microbial proteinsupply in ruminant. The course consists oflectures on the metabolism of nucleic acids,

basis for the use of urinary purine derivativesas markers for rumen microbial protein, andestimation of rumen microbial protein supplyto the animal from the measurement ofallantoin, uric acid, xanthine andhypoxanthine. These lectures will be blendedwith demonstration and practical laboratorywork on the methodologies, data analysis andinterpretation of results. This course will assistin increasing the capacity of participatingMember States to integrate the latesttechniques into research programmes.

National Training Workshop on Livestock Disease Diagnosis and Epidemiology (MON/5/011)

Technical Officer: John Crowther

This National Training Course dealing withepidemiology, diagnosis and molecularmethods applied to diseases of veterinary

importance will be held from 24 June to 5 July2002. Experts from Australia and the UK willlecture and demonstrate.

Training Workshop on Management and Utilization of Field and Laboratory Data for BreedingSupport Services to Livestock Farmers (RAS/5/035)

Technical Officer: Oswin Perera

The Workshop will be held from 7 to 11 July2002 at the Bangladesh Agricultural Universityin Mymensingh. The course director is Prof.Mohammed Shamsuddin. Nominations

received from participating RCA MemberStates have been evaluated and 14 participants(12 foreign and 2 local) have been selected.

National Training Workshop on Feed Supplementation Strategies and Reproduction of Camelsand Yak (MON/5/011)

Technical Officer: Harinder Makkar This Training Workshop will take place from15 to 26 July 2002 in Mongolia.

First Research Co-ordination Meeting of the Co-ordinated Research Project on theDevelopment of Strategies for the Effective Monitoring of Veterinary Drug Residues inLivestock and Livestock Products in Developing Countries

Technical Officer: Andrew Cannavan

This RCM was originally scheduled for June2002, but was postponed and will now be heldin Vienna from 2 to 6 September 2002. Workplans will be defined for the first phase of the

project, the development and validation ofmethods. Specific compounds and matrices ofimportance to each Contract holder will beselected, and the most appropriate analyticaltechniques for each identified.

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Workshop on Establishing Quality Systems in Veterinary Diagnostic Testing Laboratories(INT/0/060)

Technical Officer: Axel Colling

This Workshop will be held in Bogotá,Colombia, from 9 to 13 September 2002.

Prior to this Workshop, participants arerequested to submit:

� individual progress reports to monitorthe implementation of quality systems ineach laboratory according to the workplans as established during the lastmeeting in South Africa in July 2001.

� an action plan (draft format) how toexpand the TC project into their region(list of laboratories, nationalcommitment, status of implementation

of quality systems, and accreditationpathway, etc).

Expert visits to counterpart laboratories will beorganized as external audits and audit reportswill be produced. This will be a realisticexercise and give evidence whereimprovement is needed.

The document on Guidelines for establishingQuality Systems in Veterinary TestingLaboratories was updated in February, and thelatest version is available on the web underhttp://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/d3/public/guidelines.pdf

It is planned that the document will also betranslated into Spanish and French.

Regional Training Course on Foot-and-Mouth Disease (BOL/5/014)


A 3-week Regional Training Course for SouthAmerica is being planned inSeptember/October. This Training Course willdeal with the latest serological and moleculartechnologies for FMD diagnosis anddifferentiation. This Training Course will be

held at LIDIVET, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, andis open only to South American counterparts.Exact dates are to be established andinformation passed to the relevant agenciesinvolved.

Train the Trainers Workshop on Improved Breeding Data Management and Integration ofProgesterone-Based Farmer Services in AI Systems (RAF/5/046)

Technical Officers: Oswin Perera

The Workshop will be held at the ArtificialInsemination Centre Ain Jemaa in Casablanca,Morocco, from 7 to 11 October 2002. Thecourse director is Dr. Samira Manar. TheWorkshop is open to 15 participants fromAFRA Member States and is aimed at trainingstaff members of national institutes responsible

for the recording, analysis and reporting ofdata relating to AI in the use of a customizedversion of the Artificial Insemination DatabaseApplication (AIDA) and related aspects ofprogesterone-based non-pregnancy diagnosis(N-PD) services to cattle farmers. The closingdate for nominations is 15 July 2002.

Project Review Meeting to Prepare Results of Phases I and II for Publication as an AgencyTECDOC, and Plan Activities for 2003–2004 (RAS/5/035)

Technical Officers: Oswin Perera and HarinderMakkar

The meeting will take place from 11 to 15November 2002 in Hanzhou, China. AllNational Project Co-ordinators, who have been

officially nominated by RCA Member Statesparticipating in the project RAS/5/035, will beeligible to attend. Each participant will berequired to prepare and present a scientificpaper based on the work undertaken andresults obtained during the full period of the

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project. A draft of the paper must be submittedto the IAEA by 30 September 2002. Acceptedpapers will be published as an Agency

TECDOC. The meeting will also plan andfinalize activities for a final two-year period.

Sustainable Production of Kits in Southeast Asia (RAS/5/041)

Technical Officer: John Crowther The meeting will be held in November 2002.

Training Courses/Workshops on Strengthening Capacities for Implementing Codex Standards,Guidelines and the Recommended International Codes of Practice for Control of the Use ofVeterinary Drugs


Three sets of Training Courses will be held in2003. Each set will consist of a course aimedat decision makers and senior public healthofficials, and a complementary Workshop forscientists and technical staff. The TrainingCourses for senior officials will focus uponissues such as good veterinary practice in theauthorization and use of veterinary drugs, thedesign of national surveillance schemes,quality assurance and accreditation procedures.The Workshops will provide both theoreticaland practical training on screening andconfirmatory methodologies for veterinary

drug residues, validation procedures andlaboratory QA and accreditation. The first setof courses will be held in Vienna in early2003, and will be repeated in Asia and inAfrica later during the year. The dates andvenues have not yet been finalized. Thetraining material produced will also bepublished on paper and in CD format. Furtherinformation will be included in the next editionof the Newsletter, and details will be publishedon the Sub-programme website as they becomeavailable.

International Symposium on Application of Gene-Based Technologies for Improving AnimalProduction and Health in Developing Countries (CN-110)

Technical Officers: Martyn Jeggo andHarinder Makkar

This Symposium will be held from 6 to 10October 2003 in Vienna, Austria.

The basic structure of the Symposium will be:� Plenary lectures� Theme-specific sessions� Panel discussion/discussion forum

Detailed information on the Symposium isavailable at the Website.http://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/d3/index-symp2003.html

Some important dates:

September 2002: Announcement letter invitingextended synopsis and grant applications;End of January 2003: Receipt of extendedsynopsis and grant applications.

No registration fee will be charged toparticipants.

Suggestions and comments on the Symposiumshould be sent to: H.Makkar@ iaea.org

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C. PAST EVENTS .

Regional Training Workshop Update on Technologies for the Surveillance of RinderpestFreedom Supported under OAU/IBAR/PACE Programme RAF/5/053

Technical Officers: Mamadou Lelenta andMartyn Jeggo

The workshop was hosted by the "InstitutSénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA)","Lab. National d'Elevage et RecherchesVétérinaires (LNERV)", Dakar, Senegal, andwas held from 19 to 23 November 2001 at theconference room of ISRA and from 26 to 30November 2001 at the Virologydepartment/laboratory of the LNERV. It wasattended by 34 scientists from veterinarydiagnostic laboratories: Benin (1), BurkinaFaso (1), Cameroon (2), Côte d'Ivoire (1),Egypt (2), Gambia (1), Ghana (1), GuineaBissau (1), Guinea Conakry (1), Kenya (2),Mali (1), Mauritania (1), Niger (2), Nigeria (2),Uganda (2), Senegal (7), Somalia (1), Sudan(2), Tanzania (1), Chad (1), and Togo (1).

The Workshop was assisted by IAEA expertsfrom the International Laboratory of MolecularBiology University of Davis California (USA)(Prof. Yilma, and Dr. Shabbir) and theCIRAD/EMVT, Montpellier, France(Dr. Libeau), the IAEA regional expert atOAU/IBAR/PACE in Nairobi (Dr. Tounkara),lecturers from OAU/IBAR/PACE in Nairobi(Drs. Bessin, Bidjeh and Kock) and Bamako(Drs. Diop. Chardonnet, Maillard), from theOIE Regional Office for Africa in Bamako(Dr. Sidibe) and from IAEA (Dr. Diallo, HeadAnimal Production Unit, Seib.) and Mr. M.Lelenta.

The Workshop was organized as presentations,lectures, discussions and laboratory practical.Initially, the Technical Officer presented thebackground to the project and the objectives ofthe Workshop.

Following the formal presentations (on daytwo), the meeting concluded that at presentthere is no single rinderpest assay that issuitable to meet the needs for rinderpest sero-surveillance, a prerequisite activity forcountries wishing to be internationallyrecognized as free of this disease. Acombination of assays is therefore required.

A working group of eleven persons wasformed, chaired by Dr. Majiyagbe (Nigeria), todraft recommendations for the currentselection and use of diagnostic tests forrinderpest and PPR for cattle, small ruminantsand wildlife with respect to national sero-surveillance. These recommendations havebeen included into the overall Workshoprecommendations. It was stressed that there isa necessity to improve the available rinderpestdiagnostic tests and to continue to develop newand better (more sensitive and specific) assays.

The second week focused on presentation andtraining on the rinderpest ELISA kit fromILMB (International Laboratory for MolecularBiology, USA). This kit will be field validatedin 10 voluntary countries along with the H-cELISA (Pirbright), the NRGK-based cELISAand the PPR N-cELISA (Cirad-EMVT). It isexpected to complete this field validation bythe end of June 2002.

A full report on the Workshop containingoverall Workshop conclusions andrecommendations is available in the AfricaSection and the Animal Production and HeathSection.

Second Research Co-ordination Meeting of the Co-ordinated Research Project on the Use ofNon-structural Protein of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus to Differentiate Between Vaccinatedand Infected Animals (D3.20.20)


This RCM was held from 4 to 8 March inGeelong, Australia.

The meeting brought together ResearchContract holders, Agreement holders and the

representatives of the commercial firms withnon-structural (NS) ELISA kits already on themarket. Presentations were made by thecommercial companies dealing with theirassays (all Indirect ELISA systems). Thesewere: United Biomedical Inc. (USA);

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Bommeli Diagnostics (Switzerland, associatedwith INTERVET-Netherlands) andEMBRABIO. (South America associated withPANAFTOSA). A presentation was also madeby INTERVET who stressed the importance ofexamining the vaccine quality when using NStests since contamination with NS proteins cangive rise to antibodies associated not withinfection, but with vaccine proteins. Resultsusing the previously available reagents fromthe UK, Italy, Denmark and UBI, werepresented by the Contract holders. Theseillustrated that there were many serum samplescollected from various species representingdifferent disease situations. These sampleswere characterized with respect to bothepidemiological considerations (infected orpost-vaccinated) and through other tests (liquidphase blocking assays, VNT and VIAA) toallow them to be used in future exercises.Differences in the performance of the assayswere discussed. In general, the assays weresimilar in sensitivity and specificity and it wasagreed that there should be no definitiveconclusions from this study since the situationwith regard to the exact nature of the kits andthe affiliations of Institutions with commercialcompanies had changed considerably since thestart of the CRP. A successful competitiveassay using 3ABC baculo expressed proteinand a monoclonal antibody from Brescia wasdescribed. A competitive assay was describedbeing developed through Technical Contractsin Geelong and Vienna involving 3ABCbaculo expressed protein and chickenantibodies. It was expected that this would besufficiently validated to be compared to othertests by the end of 2002. Reference sera andsetting up a serum bank in the FAO/IAEALaboratory, Seibersdorf, were discussed andplans worked out to facilitate this.

Recommendations and Conclusions

It was concluded that tests to differentiatevaccinated from infected animals were crucialand that acceleration in producing validationdata on a wider front was essential.

It was agreed that the focus should be on kitsfrom commercial sources. A rapid exercisewas planned to allow harmonization of theperformance of such kits. Data will be all sentto the TO first, then examined by allAgreement holders and Commercial

companies, before a publication on the data issubmitted to the OIE.

• It was stressed that there should beimprovement in the internal qualitycontrol standards for use in examiningtests continuously, and also more helpshould be included in kits to describetheir use in different epidemiologicalsituations with regard to accepted cut-off values, which define the diagnosticsensitivity and specificity of theassays.

• It was agreed that the induction ofanti-NS antibodies followingvaccination should be examinedwherever possible, particularly where“local”, less well-purified vaccineswere used.

• It was agreed that there was a need toidentify both standard sera formeasurement of defined activity aswell as panels for the validation oftests. Dr. Dekker (Lelystad) offered apost-infection bovine serum of hightitre as a reference standard. This willbe made available to the CRP and beirradiated and diluted in Australianderived serum. This will be held at theFAO/IAEA Laboratory, Seibersdorf,in a serum bank and may be suitable asa gold standard for cattle anti-postinfection NS activity. The setting up ofa bank at Seibersdorf would be fullytransparent and links with the WorldReference Laboratory and otherreference laboratories. Each ResearchContract holder was given theresponsibility to look for sera from allspecies, in large volumes, to add to theserum bank.

• It was agreed that the presence of thecommercial companies was vital toestablish, as quickly as possible, assaycriteria acceptable to counterparts,International bodies and to allowagreement on the harmonization of thetests along OIE guidelines.

• The results from the first two yearswill be published in an extensivereport.

The organizers in Geelong should becongratulated for their excellent arrangementsand hospitality.

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Project Review, Co-ordination and Planning Meeting of the AFRA III-2 Project on Improvingand Increasing Milk and Meat Production (RAF/5/046)


This meeting took place from 4 to 8 March2002 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The meeting was hosted by the NationalArtificial Insemination Centre of Ethiopia andwas held at the Ministry of Agriculture inAddis Ababa. It was attended by 11 ProjectCo-ordinatorss from the following AFRAMember States (MSs): Algeria, Burkina Faso,Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa,Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda andZambia. Morocco was the only MS that did notattend. It was assisted by an IAEA expert (Dr.Peter Ball, UK), the IAEA Technical Officer(Dr. Oswin Perera), and the Project Officer(Mr. Prajesh Bhakta).

Presentations were made by the resourcepersons (Bhakta, Perera and Ball), followed bycountry presentations by all PCs describing theprogress and results obtained so far, thecountry work plans and arrangements forfuture project activities. This was followed bya SWOT analysis and a discussion on futurework plans, both on an individual and regionalbasis, and identification of needs for inputs.

Discussions were held on the AIDA computerprogram and supply of RIA reagents.

Individual and regional work plans weredrafted by the PCs with the assistance of theresource persons and inputs required from MSsand IAEA were identified. Conclusions andrecommendations were drafted and theregional work plan was modified accordingly.

A field visit was made to three medium andlarge dairy cattle farms in the region aroundKaliti, the National Artificial InseminationCentre at Kaliti, and the Field Station of theInternational Livestock Research Institute(ILRI) at Debre Zeit.

The full meeting report containing theproceedings, SWOT analysis, conclusions,recommendations, agenda, list of participantsand updated project work plan is availablefrom the Animal Production and HealthSection and the office of the AFRA ProjectsCo-ordinator.

We are grateful to Dr. Mulugeta Amha, Dr.Emiru Zewdie and Dr. Tsegaye Shiferaw forassistance in organizing this meeting.

First Research Co-ordination Meeting of the Co-ordinated Research Project on IntegratedApproach for Improving Small-scale Market-oriented Dairy Systems (D3.10.23)


This CRP was initiated in October 2001, withthe award of ten Research Contracts, fourResearch Agreements and one TechnicalContract. The first RCM was held at IAEA,Vienna, from 8 to 12 April 2002. It wasattended by all 15 awardees.

The objectives of the meeting were to: (a)present, discuss and finalize the detailed workplans of each participant, including theprotocols for field and laboratory studies; (b)provide guidelines and instructions onprocedures for conducting a participatory ruralappraisal (PRA) and on the use of a computerspreadsheet for an economic opportunitysurvey (EOS); (c) discuss future plans for adiagnostic and surveillance study (DSS); and(d) demonstrate a test version of the computer

database Livestock Information ManagementApplication (LIMA).

The Research Contract holders presentedinformation on the background to their projectand the future work plans. The ResearchAgreement and Technical Contract holdersmade presentations based on their specificexpertise of relevance to the project andprovided Research Contract holders withinformation and guidelines for activitiesplanned during the first two years of theproject. This was followed by furtherpresentations and discussions to provideinstructions on the PRA and EOS, and acomputer Workshop during whichdemonstrations were done on the EOSworksheet developed under Microsoft Exceland a beta version of the LIMA databasedeveloped under Microsoft Access. The hands-on practice by Research Contract holders,

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which had been planned, had to be curtaileddue to the limitations posed by the restrictedversion of Microsoft Windows 2000 installedon the computers in the Agency’s trainingroom.

Each Research Contract holder worked withResearch Agreement and Technical Contractholders to further develop and refine theirindividual work plans, including the protocolsfor the two field surveys (PRA and EOS). Inorder to foster close interaction and continuedassistance on technical and scientific matters inthe future, each Research Agreement andTechnical Contract holder was assigned twoResearch Contract holders.

The project work plan and schedule ofactivities as envisaged in the project documentwere reviewed and updated in accordance withindividual work plans and related practicalconsiderations. Finally, conclusions andrecommendations were drafted, presented andadopted.

Conclusions

• The participants endorsed the objectives ofthe CRP and agreed that the activities andexpected outputs described in the projectdocument were satisfactory. The scheduleof activities was fine tuned for the needs ofindividual countries.

• The RCM reviewed the preparatoryactivities conducted by each participant asoutlined in the proposal and confirmed thatsuitable Contract and Agreement holdershave been selected.

• The RCM was able to achieve thedevelopment of work plans in accordancewith each country’s requirements and theminimum resources and research capacity

available. However, some teams still needto incorporate specialists in socio-economics.

The inter-regional composition of the RCMenabled participants to appreciate the diversityand importance of dairy farming systems in thedifferent parts of the world, and to establishcontacts that will be valuable for the futureCRP activities.

Recommendations

• The CRP must be conducted for a full five-year period to achieve its objectives.

• All teams need to identify researchprojects which will address specific issuesof importance to the CRP for potentialfunding by other donors.

• The first phase (PRA, EOS and DSS)should be completed by December 2003.

• The Research Contract and Agreementholders should maintain regular contactwith the IAEA Project Officer and witheach other during the implementation ofthe project.

• The second RCM should be held in the lastweek of July 2003. Paraguay and USA arealternative sites. By this time, the PRA andinitial EOS will have been completed andthe DSS initiated. The use of LIMA andpartial budget analyses will be included inthe RCM.

• The second phase (interventions) mustcommence by January 2004.

• The third RCM will be held in 2005.• The final RCM will be held in 2006. The

final results of the CRP will be presentedand prepared for publication at this RCM.

RCA Workshop of National Consultants on Evaluation of Breeding Bulls and Semen QualityControl (RAS/5/035)


The Workshop was hosted by the University ofAgriculture, Faisalabad (UAF) and the NuclearInstitute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB),Faisalabad. It was held from 20 to 26 April2002 at the UAF and was attended by NationalConsultants (NCs) nominated from 10 RCAMember States (MSs) participating in theproject (Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia,Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri

Lanka and Thailand), as well as several localparticipants from the host institutes. It wasassisted by an IAEA expert (Dr. Nico Schutteof South Africa) and the IAEA TechnicalOfficer (TO).

The opening ceremony was addressed by theProject Co-ordinator for Pakistan, the Dean ofthe Faculty of Veterinary Science, the Directorof NIAB, the IAEA TO and the ViceChancellor of UAF as the Chief Guest.

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The Workshop was organized in the form ofplenary sessions, group work, field andlaboratory visits and round-table discussions.Plenary sessions commenced with apresentation by Dr. Perera on an overview ofthe project RAS/5/035 and the specificobjectives, activities and expected outputs forthe meeting. This was followed by reviewpresentations from Dr. Schutte and Prof.Munzoor Ahmad Qureshi on the current statusof AI activities in South Africa and Pakistan,respectively.

Each NC then made a presentation on apreviously assigned topic, dealing with an in-depth review on the current methodologiesbeing used in her/his country, a comparisonwith those recommended for AFRA countries,a comparative analysis of strengths andweaknesses, and suggestions for improvement.The presentations were followed bydiscussions to review the AFRA manualfurther and identify specific areas wheremodifications, additions and deletions werenecessary to adapt the technical content to theneeds of Asian countries. The participants thenworked in three groups, with each groupundertaking the drafting of an assigned sectionof the manual directly on a computer wordprocessor. This was followed by plenarysessions to present and review the drafts, toidentify further improvements necessary and tomake conclusions and recommendations.

A field visit was made to the main SemenProduction Unit of Punjab Province atQadirabad, and to the Livestock ProductionResearch Institute at Bahadurnagar, Okara.Visits were also made to several Departmentsin the Faculty of Veterinary Science and to thelaboratories dealing with animal productionand health at NIAB. The Workshop was closedby the Director of NIAB.

Conclusions and recommendations

• The presentations made at the meetingprovided a comprehensive overview of thecurrent practices being adopted forselection and management of AI bulls, useof semen technology and AI services in theparticipating RCA MSs.

• It provided an opportunity for participantsto discuss in detail the technical as well asprocedural issues, to exchange experiencesand to learn from one another. Theyappreciated the opportunity to discuss

strategies being adopted by differentcountries to improve the AI services forcattle and buffaloes, and to identify thelimitations and constraints.

• The major problems identified were: lackof a sound system for evaluation ofbreeding bulls; improper semen handling;inadequate and expensive supply of liquidnitrogen; poor heat detection, incorrecttiming of AI and poor hygiene; inadequateAI recording, follow-up and reporting;lack of clear breeding policies for cross-breeding; inadequate logistic support tofield services; and lack of incentiveschemes and accountability.

• It was clear that no universal remedy forthe identified problems was possible, butthere were common technical andprocedural aspects that can be improvedand standardized for application in theAsian region. The meeting, therefore,considered and reached consensus on themost appropriate techniques andprocedures for obtaining optimum resultsunder the prevailing conditions in Asia.

• The manual of guidelines that had beendeveloped under the IAEA TC projectRAF/5/046 for African countries wasreviewed, and it was concluded that themanual served as a good framework toundertake modifications necessary forneeds of Asian countries.

• The main modifications needed include thefollowing: addition of a table containingthe major breeds of cattle and buffaloesused for milk, meat and work in eachparticipating MS; inclusion of informationand guidelines relevant to buffalo breedingand AI; pointing out the hazards ofindiscriminate cross-breeding; inclusion ofa section on preparation and sterilization ofequipment; inclusion of examples oftypical extenders for chilled and frozensemen; outlining the role of Governmentsand organizations or committees ofstakeholders to promote and supportexpansion of AI; suggesting the provisionof incentives based on performance to AItechnicians to improve AI services, and asystem of better accountability; anddeletion of text and Annexes that are notrelevant to Asian conditions.

• Since some sections of the AFRA manualwill be used with little change in the Asian

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manual, the contributors to the formershould be fully acknowledged.

• The first draft of the manual was doneduring the meeting. The TO and the expertshould undertake technical and editorialimprovements and send the second draft tothe participants and the Project Co-ordinators (PCs) of the reproductioncomponent of RAS/5/035 by end of June2002.

• The participants and PCs should discussthe contents with colleagues in the AIservices of their countries and returncomments and suggestions for furtherimprovement to TO and the expert by endof July 2002.

• The third draft should be completed by endof September 2002, and distributed to allPCs. The Review Meeting of PCs, plannedfor November 2002 in China, shoulddiscuss the contents and recommend anyfurther improvements necessary for finaladoption as an RCA advisory document.

• The PCs should send a list of persons intheir countries to whom the documentshould be sent. The suggested distributionincludes: Ministries ofAgriculture/Livestock, Directorates ofLivestock and Veterinary Services, AICentres, Semen Distribution Centres, localauthorities responsible for livestockdevelopment services, Faculties ofVeterinary and Animal Sciences, andInstitutions for breeding research andtraining of AI technicians.

• IAEA should consider future support toprogrammes aimed at creating awarenessof AI service providers and dairy farmerson the improved practices recommended inthe manual, through pilot schemes andtraining activities.

We are grateful to Dr. Laeeq Lodhi forassistance in organizing this meeting.

Regional Co-ordination Meeting under the Regional IAEA Technical Co-operation ProjectRAF/5/053 and within the Auspices of the OAU/IBAR PARC Programme

Technical Officers: Mamadou Lelenta andMartyn Jeggo

The meeting was hosted by the NationalCouncil for Science and Technology andOAU/IBAR PACE Programme and was heldfrom 22 to 26 April 2002 at the Nairobi SafariClub in Nairobi. It was attended by 13 ProjectCo-ordinators (PCs) from Burkina Faso,Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana,Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan,Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.Of the Member States participating in theproject, only Egypt did not attend. An IAEAexpert (Prof. Yilma from the University ofCalifornia, Davis), a representative from FAO(Dr. Peter Roeder) as well as staff fromOAU/IBAR PACE attended the meeting.

The Project Officer (Mr. P. Bhakta) and theTechnical Officer (Mr. M. Lelenta)participated at the meeting and assisted inreviewing project achievements andweaknesses and in identifying future needs forthe TC cycle 2003-2004. They also reviewedthe progress made in the implementation offollow-up actions from the previous

Workshops and meetings and discussedactivities of the OAU/IBAR PACEprogramme.

Presentations were made by the Project Officerand OAU/IBAR PACE, followed by countrypresentations by all PCs describing theprogress and results obtained so far, thecountry work plans and arrangements forfuture project activities. As follow-up of theRegional Workshop in Dakar, some initialresults obtained from the validation exercise ofthe rinderpest iELISA were presented anddiscussed as well as agreement reached on thenext steps to complete the validation exercise.

Working groups held discussions on threemajor issues affecting the project: links withnational PACE projects, future technicaldirection of the project and diagnosis andsurveillance of rinderpest and other diseases.

The meeting report, containing detailedinformation on the proceedings, agenda, list ofparticipants is available in the offices of theAFRA Projects Co-ordinator and NAAL.

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Fourth Research Co-ordination Meeting of the Co-ordinated Research Project on the Use ofNuclear and Colorimetric Techniques for Measuring Microbial Protein Supply from Local FeedResources in Ruminant Animals (D3.10.22)


This meeting was held from 6 to 10 May 2002in Hue, Vietnam. Eight Research Contractholders, six Agreement holders, four observersand the Technical Officer attended themeeting. The purpose of the meeting was toreview the work conducted and to formulateconclusions and recommendations, which aregiven below. A summary of the significantachievements will be available in the nextNewsletter. This will also be posted at ourwebsite in July 2002. This project hasconcluded with this meeting.

Conclusions1. All participating groups have achieved goodprogress and completed all the work plannedduring the third RCM in Malaysia in 2000.

2. The TECDOC developed for use in thisCRP has proved to be a successful way ofhelping participants to collect, process andanalyze biological samples. Standardizedmethods and procedures, outlined in thelaboratory manual (TECDOC-945) haveenabled the participants to carry out theirexperiments confidently and produce resultsthat are scientifically valid.

3. The purine derivative (PD) excretionmethod has the advantage of being non-invasive, simple to use, and inexpensive. Themethod gives a good prediction of microbialout-flow from the rumen.

4. Digestible organic matter intake (DOMI)and PD: Creatine ratios corrected for metabolicweight (PDC index) are similar for differentspecies of cattle, and the data therefore can becombined to give a single prediction equationof DOMI from PDC index. This is a novelapproach for estimation of DOMI, especiallyfor grazing animals since the determination ofDOMI is difficult and reliable for grazinganimals.

5. Buffaloes have much lower (and morevariable) excretion of PD per unit DOMI thancattle that is neither related to lower supply ofmicrobial cells from the rumen, nor toabsorption of purines from the small intestine.This difference between buffalo and cattle

could be due to differences in tissuemetabolism for which mechanisms are notfully understood.

6. This project also reported unique data forcamels showing increases in PD excretion thatare closely related to DOMI, suggesting thatPD excretion can be used for prediction ofrumen microbial outflow in this species.Xanthine oxidase activity was not detected inblood plasma from camels and the enzymeactivity in all tissues examined was lower thanin other ruminants. Creatinine excretion wasabout one-third of that in other large ruminantsexamined in this project. The recovery ofpurine bases infused into the duodenum wassignificantly lower than that from otherruminants.

7. The PDC index developed in this project, ingeneral responded positively as expected tochanges in DOMI, and the creatinine excretionwas proved to be a robust means of predictingquantitative recovery of PD. The index haspotential as a research tool to optimize feedresources, and as a diagnostic tool tocategorize the animals into ‘bands’corresponding to their nutritional status.

8. A method for determination of urinarypurine derivatives based on Near Infra RedSpectroscopy (NIRS) developed under thisproject seems to have potential for fieldapplications.

Recommendations1. The papers should be published as an IAEA-TECDOC.

2. The tools developed in this project couldeffectively be used in the IAEA TC projectsfor promoting animal production in developingcountries.

3. The work to develop more rapid tests for PDfor diagnostic use, particularly in field, e.g.dipstick (paper-litmus type) tests, biosensor,easy-to-use kits, etc. should be undertaken.

4. Further research to elucidate mechanismsthat cause buffaloes and camels to be differentfrom cattle, sheep and goats with respect to PDexcretion should be supported. Work is also

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needed to exploit full potential of NIRS formeasuring PD excretion.

5. The PDC index and the use of ‘spot urinetest’ have been found to be a powerful tool forboth research and diagnostic purposes.Training Workshops should be organized toassist competence in use of the PD and relatedtechniques.

6. Success of this CRP was enhanced byattention to quality control approaches

throughout this project, and adoption of asimilar approach of integrating quality controlapproaches with other activities isrecommended for all future researchprogrammes.

7. The results of the project should be collatedand presented at an appropriate InternationalConference as achievements of the JointFAO/IAEA Purine CRP.

Third Research Co-ordination Meeting of the Co-ordinated Research Project on theEffectiveness of Vaccination Strategies Against Newcastle Disease and Gumboro Disease UsingImmunoassay-based Technologies for Increasing Farmyard Poultry Production (D3.20.19)

Technical Officer: Martyn Jeggo

The third RCM of this CRP took place inQuatre Bornes, Mauritius, from 6 to 10 May2002. Twelve Research Contract holders, fourAgreement holders, three observers and theTechnical Officer attended the meeting.

The meeting produced a detailed set ofrecommendations for studies to be undertakenduring the final 18 months of this CRP. Thefollowing summarize these.

1. Improving village poultry production ishighly feasible and can have a significantimpact on poverty alleviation and foodsecurity in impoverished ruralcommunities. Given that in most casespoultry are managed by the women invillages, this also has a significantpotential to raise their profile.

2. Whilst Newcastle disease is the singlebiggest killer, vaccination is highlyeffective in preventing this disease at thevillage level. Good, thermostabile andlocally produced vaccines are available. Itis not necessary to further demonstrate thissimple fact in research studies under thisCRP, although linking decrease inmortality to production data is essential.

3. Supplementary feeding as an adjunct toscavenging is highly cost-effective butshould be based on locally available feedresources. Where possible, these should bebalanced and augment what is available

from the Scavenging Feed Resource Base(SFRB). A guidelines document on how toundertake this should be prepared as partof this CRP.

4. Losses through predation are significant,and particularly with chicks, can be easilyprevented through the provision of low-cost locally produced chicken houses.FAO/DANIDA will publish a guidelinesdocument on how to design such housingwithin three months.

5. It is essential that the data collected underthese studies be as accurate as possible inorder to provide substance to the reportsand to enable subsequent widespreadpublication. This will require weekly visitsat a minimum to village study sites.

6. Final reports must include a partial budgetanalysis in order to link the interventionsto productivity gain. This will be highlyimportant in ensuring widespread uptakeof these interventions.

7. Given the potential impact on the well-being of rural communities in Africa thatthe approaches being developed under thisCRP could have, it is recommended thatevery effort be made to develop and gainsupport for a follow-on extensionprogramme to establish the widespreadadoption of these simple interventionsstrategies.

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Training Course on PCR


The course on PCR indicated in the lastNewsletter, was held at Onderstepoort, SouthAfrica (6–31 May 2002) and run by Dr. G.Viljoen. This was partly supported by the JointFAO/IAEA Division. It is intended to organizethis course each year. Those interested in thecourse should contact Dr. G. Viljoen([email protected]) as well as Dr. J.Crowther ([email protected]) in Vienna as

soon as possible. If submissions are made intime, we can organize support much earlier,than this year and not disappoint people. Forthis year, the applications for TC fellowshiptraining to support the attendance of the coursewas affected by late delivery of applicationforms and a lack of funds available by TC fortraining, particularly for African countries. Areport on the PCR course will be given in thenext Newsletter.

National Training Workshop on Livestock Disease Control (YEM/5/004)


This Workshop was held from 11 to 22 May2002 at the Directorate of Animal Health,Sanaa,Yemen. It was run with Yemen staff andby Dr. H. Unger, Vienna VeterinaryUniversity, Dr. R. Geiger, and the TechnicalOfficer.

The major transboundary diseases are still oneof the most important constraints to thedevelopment of the livestock sector in Yemen.The last case of rinderpest was reported in1995, and consequently in 1999 vaccinationsagainst rinderpest were stopped. All rinderpestvaccines were drawn together at theDirectorate of Animal Health and Yemenembarked on the OIE pathway. The emergenceof RVF in Yemen in September 2000, leadingto 145 human deaths and 20,000 abortions,was the first time the disease was reportedoutside Africa. The disease was successfullycontained. Now it is essential to establish acountry-wide disease surveillance system and arapid response/emergency preparedness systemto react rapidly to newly occurring outbreaksor re-emerging foci of the disease. Crucial to adisease surveillance/reporting system is thecapacity to confirm the disease at thelaboratory level, and that the laboratoryservices and the veterinary field services arefully integrated.

The presence of many other epizootics inYemen was confirmed (PPR, FMD, RVF,brucellosis) or is suspected (CCPP) but theprevalence and the distribution of thesediseases is unknown and there is a strong needto establish a country-wide diseasesurveillance system for the majortransboundary diseases. The establishment of a

rinderpest surveillance and reporting systemshould now form the backbone for thesurveillance of other epizootic diseases.

At the laboratory level, a comprehensiveELISA-based diagnostic capacity for thediagnosis of rinderpest and PPR is already wellestablished and the diagnostic techniques forthe other epizootics, including PCR, will beintroduced shortly. In combination with anactive clinical surveillance and samplesubmission system, this will form the core ofthe national disease surveillance system todevelop control and surveillance strategies forRP, PPR, FMD, RVF and brucellosis.

The Workshop was held in two parts. The firstpart introduced the participants to theepidemiology, the diagnosis and differentialdiagnosis, and the concepts for the control ofthe major transboundary diseases. TheWorkshop assisted with the kick-off of anational disease surveillance system, whichintegrated the laboratory and the veterinaryfield services.

Background on disease reporting systems,sample submission systems and the operationand control of such systems, based onperformance indicators, was covered duringthe Workshop. Emphasis was put on basicepidemiological investigation techniques at thefield level using rapid appraisal systems andinterview techniques.

The second part of the Workshop covered thelaboratory aspects of the diagnosis oftransboundary diseases, testing strategies andinterpretation of the laboratory results.

The Workshop consisted of a series of formalpresentations, followed by discussions on the

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needs for the development of a national systemfor disease surveillance and to agree on theoperation of such a system. Practical sessionsin sample taking, preparation and submissionto the laboratory for confirmation were

included. Epidemiological investigationtechniques and rapid appraisal systems wereintroduced and practiced during several fieldvisits.

AFRA Task Force Meeting to Update and Customize the AIDA Database for Integration withExisting Data Recording and Management Systems, for Use by National AI Services (AFRA III-2, RAF/5/046)


This meeting was hosted by the KenyaAgricultural Research Institute (KARI) andwas held from 13-17 May 2002 at the UtafitiHall of the Crop Management Research andTraining (CMRT) Project on the campus ofEgerton University at Njoro, Nakuru. Theobjectives were to:

• Review the results and experiencesobtained in the use of AIDA (ArtificialInsemination Database Application) byparticipants.

• Consider the current systems of recording,analysing and reporting AI data in nationalAI programmes of five selected AFRAMember States (MSs).

• Review the structure and content of AIDAAsia which were developed under theRCA project RAS/5/035, and determinefeatures that are applicable to Africanconditions.

• Define a suitable “Minimum Data Set”(MDS) and individual cow record sheet tobe adopted for AI recording in the field.

• Identify and document the modificationsnecessary for customizing AIDA forroutine use in AFRA Member States.

The meeting was attended by four of the fiveinvited Project Co-ordinators (PCs) fromAFRA MSs (Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda andZambia) and the PC for Kenya who was thelocal organizer. There were over ten localparticipants, representing the National BeefResearch Centre of KARI at Lanet in Nakuru,the Central Artificial Insemination Station(CAIS) in Kabete, Provincial and DistrictLivestock Services in Nakuru, and EgertonUniversity. The meeting was supported by anIAEA expert (Dr. Mario Garcia, Peru) and theIAEA Technical Officer (Dr. Oswin Perera).

The Opening Ceremony was addressed by thePC for Kenya (Dr. Douglas Indetie), the IAEATechnical Officer, the Secretary, National

Council for Science and Technology (Prof.King’oria) and the Deputy Director of KenyaAgricultural Research Institute (Dr. EphrahimMukisira) representing the Director as ChiefGuest.

The meeting was organized in the form ofplenary sessions, group work, field visits andround-table discussions. Plenary sessionsincluded presentations by Dr. Perera,Dr. Garcia and each PC. This was followed bya general discussion to summarize strengthsand weaknesses of current methods, identifyneeds for improvement and determinecharacteristics of an optimum system. Factorssuch as routes of data flow from periphery tocenter, analysis and reporting back to fieldunits and farmers, and need for compatibilitywith other systems were considered.

Field visits were arranged to observe theoperation of different components of thecurrent data management system in Kenya.This included medium and large dairy farms(Pokea and De La Mere farms) and the CAISat Kabete. Visits were also made to theheadquarters of KARI in Nairobi and theNational Beef Research Centre at Lanet inNakuru.

Subsequent group activities and round-tablediscussions were focused on defining the“core” and “optional” fields to be included inthe database, specification of variables to berecorded, and listing the reports required ateach level of AI organization. Finally,conclusions and recommendations wereformulated, discussed and adopted. Themeeting was closed by the Director of AnimalProduction, Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment (Mr. S. Chabeda).

Conclusions

• Improvement of the recording, reportingand use of AI data in AFRA MSs is anurgent need.

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• AIDA Asia contains much of the basicrequirements for use in AFRA MSs andcan be suitably modified for the purpose.

• The modifications and improvementsagreed on during this meeting should beused in developing a new applicationnamed “AIDA Africa”.

Recommendations

To Governments

• Governments and other institutionsresponsible for AI services should supporttheir development and improvement inAFRA MSs. This would include theadoption of a reliable field recordingsystem, conduct of follow-up pregnancydiagnosis (PD) in order to assess results,and the compilation and reporting of data.

• Governments should support theapplication and use of AIDA Africa inorder to improve the recording,compilation and reporting AI data.

• The hardware necessary for datamanagement should be provided, togetherwith the required in-country training forpersonnel.

• Greater emphasis needs to be placed onextension services for providing farmerswith the information required to motivatethem to keep adequate records.

• Sustainability of AI services and improveddata management should be ensuredthrough appropriate policies, creation ofinfrastructure and promoting awareness.

• AI services and AI Centres should aim tobe self-sustaining.

To the Agency

• Support should be provided to completethe programming necessary to developAIDA Africa in accordance with theschedule below, through a contract to theexpert who developed AIDA Asia.

• A test version of AIDA Africa should beready by end of August 2002 anddistributed to all PCs.

• The test version should be used for thetraining workshop planned for October2002 in Morocco.

• The final version of AIDA Africa shouldbe compiled based on the feedback fromPCs and the experience gained during the

training workshop, and distributed to PCsby end of January 2003.

• The wider application of AIDA Africa inAFRA MSs should be promoted throughfurther assistance during the years 2003and 2004, until a new project proposal isformulated for the subsequent programmecycle (2005-2006).

• Support should be provided for furthertraining on data management andevaluation using AIDA Africa, and for itsincorporation with progesterone RIA forfarmer services.

• The AFRA Field Management Committeeshould emphasize the need for AFRANational Co-ordinators to support theseactivities.

To the Project Co-ordinators

• The PCs should ensure that their nomineesattending the training workshop in October2002 in Morocco bring with them the datafile from AIDA Africa with a minimum of100 AI records entered.

• They should ensure that a minimum of 500AI records is entered and the data filereturned to IAEA and the expert by end ofNovember 2002.

• Feed-back provided on the test versionshould include comments on theusefulness and application of AIDAAfrica, together with specificrecommendations for modifications orimprovements.

• PCs should further strengthen linkageswith AI services at all levels and activelycollaborate in promoting the widerapplication of AIDA Africa.

• PCs should emphasize the need to conductfollow-up manual PD at 60-90 days afterAI in at least a proportion of theinseminated animals.

We are grateful to Dr. Douglas Indetie andstaff of KARI for assistance in organizing thismeeting.

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Workshop on SADC Veterinary Laboratory Capacities and Accreditation Procedures(RAF/5/053)


This Workshop took place from 27 to 31 Mayin Pretoria, South Africa, and brought togetherheads of national veterinary laboratories fromSADC to discuss current capacities for thediagnosis of the major diseases affecting

livestock trade in the region and to furtherconsider progress in each laboratory towardsinternational veterinary laboratoryaccreditation.

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D. STATUS OF EXISTING CO-ORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Use of Nuclear and Colorimetric Techniques for Measuring Microbial Protein Supply from LocalFeed Resources in Ruminant Animals (D3.10.21)


This CRP has concluded. It aimed at developing asimple method, which can readily be used byextension workers or farmer advisors to identifymajor problems of nutrition that result in a grossly

inefficient rumen digestion of feed and a low levelof microbial supply to the host animal. A detailedreport will be available in the next Newsletter.The final RCM was held from 6 to 10 May 2002in Vietnam.

Use of Nuclear and Related Techniques to Develop Simple Tannin Assays for Predicting andImproving the Safety and Efficiency of Feeding Ruminants on Tanniniferous Tree Foliage (D3.10.22)


This CRP was initiated in 1999. The SecondResearch Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) was heldfrom 19 to 23 November 2001 to review theresults obtained so far on development,refinement, standardisation and validation oftannin assays to seek correlation with animalperformance indicators; and to plan future studies.The meeting was hosted by the Centro de EnergiaNuclear na Agricultura (CENA), Universidade deSao Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil. It was attended by10 Research Contract and Agreement holders, theScientific Secretary of the Project, and 10-15 staffmembers and students of the host institution.

Conclusions

� All participating groups have achievedgood progress and completedapproximately 95% of the work plansformulated during the first RCM. Lack oftime prevented completion of analysis ofurinary purine derivatives which will becompleted during the second phase. AllResearch Contract holders were able toestablish a set of eight different tanninassays, including the 125I-labelled BSAmethod for characterization of tree leavesand browses for tannin levels and activity.

� All Research Contract holders used thesame protocols and standards for tanninassays which enabled comparison of theresults and provided meaningfulinformation. The training on tannins assaysgiven by one of the Technical Contractholders provided essential skills to theContract holders to allow successfulcompletion of the first phase of the CRP.The Joint FAO/IAEA Working Manual onTannin Assays compiled by the TechnicalOfficer was found highly useful.

� A total of 48 species of tree leaves andbrowses were characterized for tanninlevels and activity. Ten of them were alsoevaluated in in vivo studies. The apparentdigestibility coefficients of N correlatedbest with the following tannin assays: totalphenol, total tannins, condensed tannins,radiolabelled BSA method, and percentageincrease in gas on inactivation of tanninsusing polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the invitro method for measuring gas production.When these tannin values were adjustedaccording to the N level in the forages(tannin %/N%), correlations remained highbut were not improved. None of thesevalues was a good predictor of feed intakein the short term in vivo studies. Under theconditions of these short-term studies, usinga seven-day adaptation period, the intakedata should be interpreted with caution. Theintake data gave variable relative values butthere were indications that tanniniferousforages need a longer adaptation period.

� Total phenols and tannins correlated bestwith the percentage increase in gasproduction on inactivation of tannins bypolyethylene glycol (PEG) in the in vitrogas production method, suggesting thatthese assays, which are the simplestamongst the group of assays used in thefirst phase, provide useful information onthe biological activity of tannins in therumen and also in the whole gastrointestinaltract. In one study using leaves from 37 treeand browse species, it was concluded thatsamples containing total phenols andtannins levels (measured according to theJoint FAO/IAEA Working Manual onTannin Assays) up to 4 and 2%respectively, are not expected to precipitateprotein nor cause increases in gas

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production on the addition of PEG in the invitro gas production method, and therefore,are not likely to adversely affect ruminantproductivity.

� A spectrophotometric method based onrhodanine and an HPLC method forgallotannins have been compared for 38tree and browse samples. The specificityand sensitivity of the HPLC method washigher than those of the rhodanine method.However, similar results were obtained bythe two methods for the samples containingconsiderable levels of gallotannins ofphysiological significance. Using the HPLCmethod, 24 samples had negligiblegallotannin levels (as gallic acid equivalent)(<0.1%), 9 samples between 0.1 and 0.5%,Dichrostachys cinerea 0.73%, Acaciagiraffae and Calliandra calothyrsus 2% and1.6% respectively, Eucalyptus macrophylla3.6% and A. hockii 14%.

� A new and simpler spectrophotometricmethod, based on methanolysis ofhydrolysable tannins to methylgallate andfollowed by its reaction with potassiumiodate, has been developed under theproject.

� The 125I-labelled BSA method for tanninassay is being simplified under a TechnicalContract and will be available for use bythe Research Contract holders in the secondstage.

� The work plan and project frameworkmatrix have been formulated for theparticipating groups.

� The venue for the next RCM will beTurkey.

Recommendations

� A battery of tannin assays: total phenols,total tannins, condensed tannins,radiolabelled BSA method, and percentageincrease in gas production on inactivationof tannins by PEG is required to predict thebiological response of feeding tannin-containing diets to ruminants.

� For initial screening of a large number ofsamples, the two simple assays: totalphenols and total tannins could beundertaken.

� The second phase of the CRP should beinitiated as of December 2001. The main

thrust in the second phase should be onusing the above mentioned validated tanninassays to evaluate strategies to detanninifytannin-rich tree leaves and browses usingsimple and economically viable approaches,and to exploit the full benefits oftanniniferous plants as animal feedsupplements and as strategic feed reservesin situations of fluctuating nutrient supply.All participating groups should undertakework on this common theme. High tanninforages of economic importance for theregion should be selected for these studies.Other nutrients and anti-nutrients areimportant factors which should beconsidered while studying the effects oftannins in vivo. Three groups should alsoconduct studies on: mechanisms ofadaptation to tannins by ruminants(Tunisia); fate of tannin-inactivating agentPEG, PEG-tannin and PEG-tannin-proteincomplexes in soil using 14C-PEG (Brazil);and development of a radiolabelled BSA-based model to investigate the mechanismof tannin interactions in the gastrointestinaltract (Australia). Further work will continueon the development of the chick model forby-pass protein utilization under anarrangement with an Agreement holder’slaboratory.

� A Technical Contract should be awardedfor development of the radiolabelled-basedmodel. This model will enable exploitationof various tannins for enhancing proteinavailability in ruminants.

� The potential of tannins for use asanthelminths was recognized by the group,but it was not included as a mandatorycomponent in the second phase due to theneed to focus our efforts and the timeconstraint.

� The new method for determination ofhydrolysable tannins (methanolysisfollowed by reaction with potassiumiodate); and the simpler radiolabelled BSAmethod, being developed at present, shouldbe included for use in the second phase.

� The protocols for the new method forhydrolysable tannins should be included inthe Working Manual on Tannin Assays andthis manual should be published as anIAEA-TECDOC.

� The relationship between tannin contents,with intake, should be further investigated.

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� At least four new Research Contractholders should be sought for the secondphase of the CRP. Training on tanninassays should be provided to the newContract holders to enhance theirknowledge and skills on the tannin assaysto the same level as the current ResearchContract holders, thus ensuringstandardization of results acrosslaboratories.

� The work plan developed during this RCMis both resource- and time-demanding. Atleast US$ 9,000 per annum should beallocated to each Contract holder, and the

final RCM should not be held before March2004.

� Data in a common format should becirculated to all participants at least twomonths prior to the next RCM.

� The Research Contract holders shouldsubmit a progress report every 6 months.

Integrated Approach for Improving Small-Scale Market Oriented Dairy Systems (D3.10.23)

Project Officer: Oswin Perera

This CRP now has a full complement ofparticipants and no further awards are possible.The first RCM was held from 8 to 12 April 2002

in Vienna, and the second RCM is scheduled for21-25 July 2003.

The list of participants is given below:

Research Contracts Country Name11806/RB Bangladesh Mohammed Shamsuddin11807/RB Cameroon Henri Dieudonné Bayemi Pougue11809/RB Pakistan Abdul Ghaffar11877/RB Paraguay Nidia Balbina Ferreira11811/RB Peru Carlos Gómez11812/RB South Africa Leon Prozesky11813/RB Sri Lanka Harischandra Abeygunawardena11814/RB Tunisia Jamel Rekhis11878/RB URT Beda M. Kessy11818/RB Venezuela Pablo Herrera DíazResearch Agreements11808/RB Malaysia Canagasaby Devendra11815/RB United Kingdom David Whitaker11816/RB Uruguay Daniel Cavestany11817/RB USA William GoodgerTechnical Contract11810/RB Peru Mario García-Podesta

Standardized Methods for Using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Related MolecularTechnologies for Rapid and Improved Animal Disease Diagnosis (D3.20.17)


This is the final year of the CRP and the setting upof routine PCR for the diagnosis anddifferentiation of vesicular viruses in the ResearchContract holders’ laboratories can be regarded ascomplete. Full reports of the work will be made aswell as a set of working protocols based on theexperience of the Research Contract holders. Thiswill be published as an IAEA-TECDOC in 2003.

The technology was transferred and is nowavailable. The main problem in most laboratoriesis the sustainability of the technology and the lackof field activity and sending of appropriatesamples for examination.

A manual dealing with all fundamental aspects ofPCR applied to veterinary diseases will bepublished and will include contributions fromResearch Contract holder donations.

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The Monitoring of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Africa Using Enzyme Immunoassays(D3.20.18)


This CRP has eleven Research Contracts, threeResearch Agreements and one Technical Contractfor penside test development. The main objectiveof the CRP is to validate, standardize and utilizethe competitive ELISA for the detection of

antibodies to contagious bovine pleuropneumonia(CBPP) through field studies in different Africancountries. The next and final RCM will be held inMali in 2003 in conjunction with an FAO CBPPprogramme in West Africa.

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Vaccination Strategies against Newcastle Disease and GumboroDisease Using Immunoassay-based Technologies for Increasing Farmyard Poultry Production inAfrica (D3.20.19)


The third Research Co-ordination Meeting tookplace in Quatre Bornes, Mauritius, from 6 to 10

May 2002. A report of this meeting is given onpage 15 of this Newsletter.

There are currently twelve Research Contract andfive Agreement holders.

The Use of Non-structural Protein of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) to Differentiate BetweenVaccinated and Infected Animals (D3.20.20)

Technical Officer: John Crowther The RCM took place from 4 to 8 March 2002, inGeelong, Australia. A report of this meeting isgiven on page 8 of this Newsletter.

Developing, Validating and Standardizing Methodologies for the Use of PCR and PCR-ELISA in theDiagnosis and Monitoring of Control and Eradication Programmes for Trypanosomosis (D3.20.21)


The Universal primers ITS1 primers to allowdetection of trypansomes have been evaluated bythe Brazilian Research Contract holder and thesequences sent to Seibersdorf. The primers havebeen synthesized and are being evaluated. JohnEnyaru (Uganda) has received the primers directlyfrom Brazil.

Kits to measure antibodies against T. congolenseand T. vivax utilizing denatured antigen pre-coated plates have been sent to various

laboratories in the CRP. Kits have also beensupplied to Haute Guinea, and are being usedconstantly with great success under a TC projectin Ethiopia.

Zablon Njiru has taken over the ResearchContract at Ketri, Kenya. He is evaluatingwhether the technology for the kits produced atSeibersdorf can be transferred to Ketri in the nearfuture.

Reference DNA for Seibersdorf laboratories,Vienna, has been promised from Brazil. .

The Development of Strategies for the Effective Monitoring of Veterinary Drug Residues in Livestockand Livestock Products in Developing Countries (D3.20.22)


Research Contracts have currently been awardedto participants from Barbados, Brazil, Indonesia,Kenya, Namibia, Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand andTurkey. Research Agreements have been awardedto researchers in Germany, UK and Sweden. Thefocus of the CRP is on the development ofsampling procedures, the application of screeningtechnologies such as ELISA and RIA, post-screening methods such as HPLC, and approaches

towards laboratory accreditation. Initial work hasalready commenced at the laboratory of one of theResearch Agreement holders on the application ofsolid-phase, 125I RIA methods to drug residuesanalysis. The application of an optical biosensorto residues analysis is currently being investigatedat the Agency’s laboratories at Seibersdorf.Currently, the most common compound in termsof drug residues is probably chloramphenicol(CAP), which is affecting trade mainly from East

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Asia, but which will undoubtedly have a globalimpact. CAP will, therefore, be one of the maincompounds to be included in many of the work

plans formulated at the first RCM, which will beheld from 2 to 6 September 2002 in Vienna.

African Swine Fever


Technical Contract 11294 (D3.00.00)

Production and distribution of Indirect ELISAkits for the detection of antibodies againstAfrican Swine Fever (ASF) virus

The kits have been developed by Mariame Diop,Institut Sénégalais de Recherches AgricolesISRA, Laboratoire National de l'Elevage et deRecherches Vétérinaires (LNERV).

Indirect ELISA kits for the detection of antibodiesagainst ASF are now circulated and compriseantigen and control sera from CISA –INIA, 28130Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain and protein Aconjugated to horse radish peroxidase. Validationdata for the ASF kit is available. The kits will bedistributed to selected laboratories and can be alsopurchased from the Senegal laboratory byarrangement with M. Diop. This is an encouraginglandmark in the sustainable supply of kits inAfrica.

E. NEW CO-ORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Development and Use of Rumen Molecular Techniques for Predicting and Enhancing Productivity


1. Introduction

The world’s livestock sector is amidst a massivetransformation, fuelled by high demand for meatand milk, which is likely to double over the nexttwo decades in developing countries. The majordriving force behind this soaring demand forlivestock products is a combination of populationgrowth, urbanization and income growth,especially in developing countries. The challengeis to enhance animal productivity without anyadverse effects on the environment.

The major limitation to ruminant production inmany tropical regions of Africa, Asia and LatinAmerica is poor nutrition. The productivity ofanimals is restricted by the low nitrogen and highfibre content of the native grasses and cropresidues which form the basis of the diets in theseregions. Chemical treatment of fibrous feedstuffs,supplementation of tropical roughages withleguminous fodder trees and shrubs (FTS) andlow-cost nitrogenous sources, and use ofagricultural by-products are promising methods toalleviate nutrient deficiencies associated withthese basal diets. FTS often contain secondarycompounds (e.g. tannins, saponins, phenolicglycosides) which can affect discrete populationsof micro-organisms in the rumen.

A large proportion of the global ruminantpopulation are located in tropical environmentswhere animals feed predominantly on low qualityhighly fibrous forages. Recent studies in

respiration chambers have confirmed that methaneemissions from ruminants fed on fibrous diets arehigher than outputs from better quality temperateforages. The excretion of methane from the rumencan represent a loss of 8–10% of the digestibleenergy depending on the type of diet. Therefore,reducing methane production could benefit theruminant energetically provided the efficiency ofruminal metabolism is not compromised. Animaltrials involving agents that specifically inhibitmicrobial enzymes associated with methaneproduction probably provide the most reliabledata for interpretation of the effects of inhibitionof methanogenesis on digestive and animalperformance parameters. This data indicates that areduction in methanogenesis in the rumen can beassociated with improvements in feed conversionefficiency without affecting intake. Furthermore,any attempt to reduce methane emissions fromlivestock is unlikely to be adopted unlessproduction efficiency is at least maintained if notenhanced. The challenge, therefore, is to devisestrategies which reduce methane emissions fromruminants and improve production efficiency.

2. Rationale

Current approaches to the evaluation ofdigestibility and nutritive value of feed resourcesusing conventional in vitro feed evaluation andanimal studies have resulted in a large body ofinformation about nutrient composition, digestionkinetics and digestibility. However, thesetechniques are unable to describe the mechanismsinvolved in ruminal digestion, and are unlikely to

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result in the development of innovativetechnologies to improve animal productivity fromavailable feed resources.

Gene-based technologies have the potential toimprove the nutritive value of ruminant feedstuffsthat are fibrous, low in nitrogen and contain anti-nutritive factors. Until recently, our knowledge ofrumen microbiology was primarily based onclassical culture based techniques (isolation,enumeration and nutritional characterization)which probably only account for 10 to 20% of therumen microbial population. New gene-basedtechnologies are being employed to examinemicrobial diversity through the use of 16S rDNAanalysis and to understand the function ofcomplex microbial ecosystems such as the rumen.These technologies have the potential torevolutionize our understanding of rumen functionand will enable us to overcome current limitationsin rumen biotechnology, which include isolationand taxonomic identification of strains importantto efficient rumen function. The future of rumenmicrobiology research is dependant upon theadoption of these research technologies. However,the challenge is how we utilize these technologiesto improve ruminant production through a betterunderstanding of microbial function and ecology.

These molecular based ecology techniques arelikely to provide insight into the interactionsbetween methanogens and the other rumen micro-organisms, which should lead to strategies forimproving production by reducingmethanogenesis. The impact of reduced methaneproduction on rumen fermentation has not beenclearly elucidated, although it appears that thedegree of inhibition of methane production is animportant determinant of the associated effects onfeed intake, feed digestibility and animalproduction efficiency. A consequence ofinhibiting methanogens is the accumulation of H2

in the rumen that is a major metabolic end-product of forage digestion. The management ofH2 accumulation in the rumen under thesecircumstances is a critical factor, which willdetermine the efficiency of digestion and animalperformance. When hydrogen accumulates in therumen, bacteria shift their fermentation pattern toacetate from more reduced end-products such aspropionate. The adaptive changes in rumenmicrobial ecology to inhibition of methanogens isrelatively unknown, although enhancedpropionate production is a consistent response andconsequence of disruption to interspecieshydrogen transfer. One strategy to prevent H2

accumulating in the rumen is to provide dietarysubstrates that are precursors for propionateproduction by fermentative bacteria. Increase in

the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis hasalso been observed with decrease in methaneproduction.

3. Overall objective

To improve ruminant performance through areduction in methane production.

4. Specific research objectives

4.1. Reduce the level of methane production byup to 50% in animals fed roughage diets.

4.2. Increase microbial protein and energy supplythrough reduced methane production usingapproaches such as inhibitors of methanogens,dietary approaches (e.g. use of polyunsaturatedfatty acids or ingredients containing these acids),supplementation strategies, etc.

4.3. Build in-country capacity to develop and usemolecular techniques for studying rumenfunction.

Develop molecular probes for quantifyingpopulations of methanogens, fibre degradingbacteria, fungi and protozoa.

Correlate methane production to methanogennumbers.

Determine effects of reduced methanogennumbers on fibre degrading bacteria, fungi andprotozoa.

Identify naturally-occurring plant secondarycompounds that inhibit methanogens.

5. Expected research outputs

� Feeding strategies and/or supplements thatreduce methane production and improveproductivity in ruminants on tropical diets.

� Development and application of molecularprobes and techniques for studying rumenmicrobial ecology and effects of novel feedadditives and dietary approaches.

� Increased capacity of NARS to integratemolecular rumen techniques into researchprogrammes on ruminant nutrition.

� Improved knowledge of ecology of rumenmicro-organisms, particularly methanogenicarchaea and their interaction withpredominant rumen micro-organisms.

� Published and disseminated research results.

Proposals

Scientists working in countries in Africa, Asia,and Latin America, where novel feeding strategiesare being evaluated for improving ruminant

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production, are requested to submit researchproposals using the appropriate forms (ResearchContract Proposal). The closing date forsubmission of proposals has been extended until30 April 2003. A Training Workshop onmolecular and nuclear techniques required forachieving the objectives of the project will beorganized in 2004. The contents of the proposalsubmitted will form one of the criteria forselection of candidates for the TrainingWorkshop. The project will become operational inJanuary 2005.

Proposals should describe the expertise of thegroup in rumen microbiology and biochemistry,

availability of laboratory equipment andcapability in the areas of anaerobic microbiologyand molecular techniques, experimental design(for example number of samples, number ofanimals, geographical area, parameters, samplingtechniques, experimental animals, etc.) forevaluation of feeding systems and approaches toimprove production and reduce methane. Inaddition, the expected output and benefits (for thelaboratory, the farmers and the country) should beindicated.

For further information on Co-ordinated ResearchProjects, please see “General Information” onpage 27.

Improvement of Animal Productivity in Developing Countries by Manipulation of Nutrition in utero toAlter Gene Expression

Technical Officers: Oswin Perera and HarinderMakkar

1. Rationale

1.1. Demonstrated scientific basis of concept:Solid and well validated recent research inhumans, rats, mice and sheep has shown thatnutritional status of the pregnant mother/dam caninduce life long changes in gene expression ofmany key metabolic systems in the progeny.

1.2. Demonstrated impact of concept: Impact ofabove interventions on glucose metabolism inhumans and rodent models is so extensive that itcan result in metabolic diseases such as diabetesleading to substantial effects on morbidity.

1.3. Applicability to farming systems indeveloping countries: Research has shown thatnutrition in utero under practical (un-supplemented) commercial farming conditionsdoes induce changes in gene expression of theinsulin axis in sheep at an age when these animalswould be in the economically important finishingphase. The nutritional interventions required caneasily be implemented at village level.

1.4. Potential impact for farming systems indeveloping countries: Concept is new and wellvalidated in model species and humans but hasnever been applied in livestock productionsystems. Impact in livestock is unknown butabove evidence suggests the impact in ruminantscould be even more extensive because

a. this species has a precarious glucose/insulinmetabolism (glucose supply is critical formany metabolic processes such as lactation,pregnancy, fattening, because very littleglucose is absorbed, particularly in forage-based developing country nutritional systems)

-> potential to improve milk yield and meatquality via simple nutritional manipulationthat changes gene expression of insulin andother key metabolic regulators ofhomeorhesis;

b. gene expression of the insulin/glucose axis iscritical for synthesis/utilization of endogenousadipose energy reserves, the metabolism ofwhich impacts on reconception and puberty -potential to improve reconception via simplenutritional manipulation that changes geneexpression of insulin and other key metabolicregulators of homeorhesis;

c. gene expression of the immune system ->potential to improve disease resistance viasimple nutritional manipulation that changesgene expression of key regulators of theimmune system;

d. characterization of gene expression responsesto nutrition will lend functionality to studiesof genetic diversity;

e. capacity in physiological genomics indeveloping country NARS will be initiatedand developed; protocol has flexibility toenable powerful gene-related techniques suchas cDNA microarrays to be introduced asthese technologies mature and becomeavailable.

1.5. Ease of implementation in farming systemsin developing countries: This project would utilizesimple and proven IAEA nutritionalsupplementation strategies, but would extend theinvestment made thus far by exploring a hithertounexploited dimension that has potential toincrease uptake.

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2. Overall objective

To improve animal productivity in developingcountries by manipulation of nutrition in utero toalter gene expression.

3. Specific research objectives

� Proof of concept: Provide a definitiveanswer to the question: Does plane ofnutrition in utero alter gene expression ofkey metabolic hormones and enzymes for along period after birth in cattle?

� Quantify the relative impact of pre vs. postnatal supplementation strategies in cattle.

� To build in-country knowledge andcapacity in the use of gene-relatedtechniques for measuring gene-expression,physiological genomics andradioimmunoassay.

4. Expected outputs

4.1. Improved knowledge of the effects ofnutrition during pregnancy on foetal programmingin ruminants.

4.2. Improved knowledge of the relativebenefits of supplementary feeding duringpregnancy vs. lactation.

4.3. Increased capacity of NARS to integratetechniques for measuring gene expression andRIA into research programmes.

4.4. Published and disseminated researchresults.

4.5. Collaborative linkages established.

5. Outcomes and impacts

� Supplementary feeding strategies forpregnant animals implemented by farmers.

� Increased animal productivity throughaltered gene expression.

Proposals

Scientists working in countries in Africa, Asia andLatin America are requested to submit researchproposals using the appropriate forms (‘ResearchContract Proposal’). The closing date forsubmission of proposals is 30 April 2003. ATraining Workshop on molecular and nucleartechniques required for achieving the objectivesof the project will be organized in 2004. Thecontents of the proposal submitted will form oneof the criteria for selection of candidates for theTraining Workshop. The project will becomeoperational in January 2005.

Proposals should describe the expertise of thegroup in gene expression and gene-relatedtechniques, radioimmuno assay; availability oflaboratory equipment and capability in the areasof anaerobic microbiology and moleculartechniques; experimental design (for examplenumber of samples, number of animals,geographical area, parameters, samplingtechniques, experimental animals, etc.). Inaddition, the expected output and benefits (for thelaboratory, the farmers and the country) should beindicated.

For further information on Co-ordinated ResearchProject, please see “General Information” below.

General information applicable to all Co-ordinated Research Projects

Submission of ProposalsResearch Contract proposal forms can be obtainedfrom IAEA, National Atomic EnergyCommissions, UNDP offices or by contacting theTechnical Officer. The form can also bedownloaded from the Website:http://www.iaea.org/programmes/ri/uc.html

Such proposals need to be countersigned by theHead of the Institutions and sent directly to theIAEA. They do not need to be routed throughother official channels unless local regulationsrequire otherwise.

Complementary FAO/IAEA SupportIAEA has a programme of support through nationalIAEA Technical Co-operation Projects (TCP).These are concerned with aspects of animalproduction and diagnosis of animal diseases.Through such projects, additional support may beprovided for the activities planned under theindividual Research Contracts. This would providefurther equipment, specialized training throughIAEA training fellowships and the provision oftechnical backstopping through visits by IAEAexperts for periods of up to one month. Suchsupport is available to IAEA Member States.

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F. TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION PROJECTS

Operational Projects in 2001/2002(Number, Title, Technical Officer)

ARG/5/010, IMPROVING TUBERCULOSISDIAGNOSIS IN RUMINANTS USING PCR,John Crowther

BGD/5/023, DEVELOPMENT OFAGROFORESTRY-BASED LIVESTOCKPRODUCTION SYSTEMS, Harinder Makkar

BKF/5/002, DEVELOPMENT OF AVETERINARY MEDICINE TO COMBAT THEFOWL POX IN POULTRY FARMING, MartynJeggo

BOL/5/014, DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OFFOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE, John Crowther

CMR/5/009, NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES FORIMPROVING LOCAL RUMINANTPRODUCTIVITY, Harinder Makkar

COL/5/020, USE OF PROTEIN BANKS FORIMPROVING PORK PRODUCTION, HarinderMakkar

CPR/5/014, INCREASING PRODUCTIVITYOF CROP-LIVESTOCK PRODUCTIONSYSTEMS, Harinder Makkar (Associate Staff)

CYP/5/019, ACCREDITATION OF LABORA-TORY FOR CONTROL OF FOODS OFANIMAL ORIGIN, Andrew Cannavan

ELS/5/009, IMPROVING CATTLEPRODUCTION AND QC FOR MONITORINGOF ANIMAL DISEASES, Oswin Perera, AxelColling

ETH/5/012, INTEGRATING SIT FOR TSETSEERADICATION, Martyn Jeggo

INS/5/029, SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING ANDREPRODUCTIVE MANAGEMENT OFCATTLE, Oswin Perera, Harinder Makkar

INS/5/032, IMPROVING BEEF AND DAIRYCATTLE PRODUCITON IN YOGYAKARTA,Oswin Perera

MAL/5/025, FOOD SAFETY MONITORINGPROGRAMME FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS,Andrew Cannavan

MAT/5/003, SURVEILLANCE OFPROGRAMMES FOR CONTAMINANTS INFOODS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN, AndrewCannavan

MEX/5/036, IMPROVING THEREPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OFPELIBUEY SHEEP IN TROPICAL MEXICOUSING LOCAL FEED RESOURCES, HarinderMakkar

MON/5/011, INTEGRATED APPROACH FORFIELD MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALPRODUCTION AND HEALTH, John Crowther,Harinder Makkar

MOR/5/027, MONITORING OF VETERINARYDRUG RESIDUES, Andrew Cannavan

MYA/5/011, DEVELOPMENT OFSUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING STRATEGIESBASED ON LOCAL FEED SOURCES, HarinderMakkar

MYA/5/012, DIAGNOSIS AND CONTROL OFSWINE VESICULAR DISEASE AND SWINEBRUCELLOSIS, John Crowther

NAM/5/006, MONITORING OF VETERINARYDRUG RESIDUES IN LIVESTOCK, AndrewCannavan

PAK/5/041, SETTING UP IMMUNOASSAYAND MOLECULAR-BASED METHODS TOMONITOR AND SURVEY RINDERPESTDISEASE, John Crowther

POL/5/010, INCREASING PIGPRODUCTIVITY THROUGHRADIOIMMUNOASSAY TO DETERMINEMETHODS FOR ADVANCING PUBERTY INGILTS, Oswin Perera

RAF/5/046, INCREASING AND IMPROVINGMILK AND MEAT PRODUCTION, OswinPerera

RAF/5/053, ASSISTANCE TO OAU/IBARPACE PROGRAMME FOR THE CONTROLAND ERADICATION OF MAJOR DISEASESAFFECTING LIVESTOCK, Martyn Jeggo,Mamadou Lelenta

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RAS/5/035, BETTER MANAGEMENT OFFEEDING & REPRODUCTION OF CATTLE(RCA), Oswin Perera, Harinder Makkar

RLA/5/046, SUSTAINABLE ANIMALPRODUCTION ON LANDSCAPES OFVENEZUELAN-COLOMBIAN ORINOQUIA,Harinder Makkar

SRL/5/035, MONITORING AND CONTROLOF RESIDUES IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS,Andrew Cannavan

SUD/5/025, IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY OFGOATS, Oswin Perera

SUD/5/027, CONTROL OF TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES USING ELISA, Martyn Jeggo

URT/5/021, LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT INZANZIBAR AFTER TSETSE ERADICATION,Oswin Perera, Harinder Makkar, Martyn Jeggo

VEN/5/021, SUSTAINABLE ANIMALPRODUCTION, Harinder Makkar

YEM/5/004, IMRPOVING THE DIAGNOSISOF ANIMAL DISEASES, John Crowther

RAF/0/013 – ICT-BASED TRAINING TO STRENGHTEN LDC CAPACITY

Information and communication technologies(ICT) and, in particular, the internet hold a greatpotential for the training of scientists indeveloping countries who have only limitedaccess to scientific and other information throughregular scientific journals and circulars.

The main focus of the IAEA Technical Co-operation Project – RAF/0/013 – “ICT-BASEDTRAINING TO STRENGHTEN LDCCAPACITY” is to use ICT technologies to helpcounterparts in least developed countries to bridgethe digital divide. Roland Geiger worked for thelast six months as a consultant within the AnimalProduction and Health Section and in co-operation with IAEA’s Department of TechnicalCo-operation, and two CDs were produced whichcontain training material in a web-based format.

One CD is aimed at AI technicians to improvetheir performance in the field aspects of AI whichare essential for the effective use of thistechnology in rural areas, and to contribute tomore efficient, sustainable and cost-effectivenational AI services leading to improved livestockproductivity through the successful introduction

of advantageous genetic characteristics inindigenous and cross-bred animals.

The other CD is aimed at field veterinarians,animal health workers and decision makersworking on the eradication of rinderpest to givebackground information on the surveillance anddiagnosis of rinderpest and the OIE pathway.

Online access to the Internet is still difficult andslow in many developing countries. That is themain reason that these training packages areinitially distributed on CDs making their useindependent of Internet access. This includes alsothe establishment of “telecentres” which containcomputers, printers, publishing and multimediaequipment. The ICT support for eradication ofrinderpest is focused on Ethiopia and Sudan, andthe support for the AI services is focused onTanzania and Uganda. In these pilot projects,telecentres were established in these countrieswhich will serve also as a resource for extensionand training activities in AI and the diagnosis andsurveillance of rinderpest. Full details of the twoCDs are described below.

CD for the Diagnosis of Rinderpest andPreparation for the OIE Pathway

The training CD is linked to further IAEA supportto establish telecentres for training activities. Acopy of the CD can be obtained from the AnimalProduction and Health Section.

This CD contains three different modules. Onemodule is targeted at field veterinarians andanimal health workers to assist with therecognition and investigation of rinderpestoutbreaks.

The second module assists decision makers toplan the activities of the national veterinaryservices to proceed on the OIE pathway.

A third module contains the backgroundinformation in connection with the diagnosis ofrinderpest and the OIE pathway such as manuals,protocols and the OIE Code.

• Module for veterinarians and animal healthworkers

o Clinical diagnosis of rinderpest;o Collection and submission of samples

for the diagnosis of rinderpest;

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o Diagnosis of other viral diseases.• Module for decision makers to prepare for the

OIE pathwayo Rinderpest surveillance and the

components of the OIE Pathway;o The OIE Pathway – stages of the OIE

Pathway;o Preparing for the OIE Pathway.

• Module with background informationo Manual on the preparation of

rinderpest contingency plans;o Disease Strategy Rinderpest,

AUSVET PLAN;o Disease Strategy Rinderpest;o Rinderpest - peste des petits

ruminants ELISA kit;

o Rinderpest ELISA kit;o Guidelines for the use of Performance

Indicators;o The World Without Rinderpest;o Guide to epidemiological surveillance

for rinderpest;o International Animal Health Code –

Rinderpest;o Manual of standards for diagnostic

tests and vaccines – Rinderpest;o Recognizing peste des petits

ruminants;o Veterinary Epidemiology, An

Introduction;o Emergency Preparedness Plan –

Rinderpest.

Training CD on artificial insemination of cattle

A training package was produced to help artificialinsemination (AI) technicians to improve theperformance of the AI and to improve the fieldservices provided to farmers. This CD can beobtained from the Animal Production and HealthSection.

The following modules are contained on this CD:

1. General aspects of reproduction, describingthe background of the reproductive cycle andgiving details on the reproductive organs.

2. Heat detection, describing how the farmercan detect whether his cows are in heat andwhether they are ready for insemination.

3. Semen handling, describing how to handlethe semen which is stored in liquid nitrogenprior to the insemination.

4. Timing of AI, describing the optimal timingof the artificial insemination.

5. Insemination, describing the correctinsemination technique and the placement ofthe semen in the cow.

6. Non-pregnancy diagnosis, describing thebackground of NP diagnosis and the use ofthe progesterone assay in NP diagnosis.

7. Limitations of heat detection, describing theproblems and constraints in heat detention.

8. References, a collection of resources anddocuments on AI which are contained on theCD.

9. Links, a collection of links on the WorldWide Web with further information on cattlereproduction and AI.

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G. ACTIVITIES OF THE ANIMAL PRODUCT UNIT (APU) AT THE FAO/IAEA AGRICULTUREAND BIOTECHNOLOGY LABORATORY

Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Kits

Development of a new FMD serological testbased on the use of the FMDV non-structuralprotein (NS). In the Frame of the CRP on the Usethe NS-based ELISA to differentiate FMDVvaccinated from infected animals, the AnimalProduction Unit (APU) of the FAO/IAEAAgriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory,Seibersdorf, has started collaboration with theUniversity of Vienna to develop a cELISA-basedtest. APU is in charge of producing the

recombinant NS protein to be used as antigenwhile the test itself will be developed at theUniversity. By recombinant technology, aHistidin-tagged FMD NS protein has beenproduced in the baculovirus vector. Work isunderway to purify this protein. Dr. Blesilda C.Verin from the Philippines, who has been granteda 6-months fellowship from IAEA, is participatingin this work.

Rinderpest/peste des petits ruminants diagnostic tests (RP/PPR)

In the frame of the Pan-African Campaign againstEpizootics (PACE) supported by the EuropeanUnion (EU), a research proposal has beensubmitted to OAU/IBAR to develop new andspecific RP/PPR diagnostic tests, RP and PPRmarked vaccines. The Animal Production Unit(APU) will be a partner in that project along withCIRAD-EMVT (France) and the Institute ofAnimal Health-Pirbright Laboratory (UK). APUwill be involved mainly in the development ofnew diagnostic tests by producing newmonoclonal antibodies and also new recombinantantigens. This work has started already. The fullgene of the rinderpest virus nucleocapsid proteinhas been introduced into the baculovirus genometo produce recombinant antigen. The followinghave also been produced in the same:

� the full length of PPRV NP protein,

� the PPRV Np protein deleted betweenamino-acids numbers 120 and 145,

� the PPRV NP protein deleted betweenamino-acids numbers 420 and 525(fragment corresponding to c-terminal ofthe normal protein).

This c-terminal fragment deleted in the aboveprotein has been expressed separately in an-vitrotranslation system as a fusion protein to a Hist-tagtail. This peptide will be inoculated very soon tomice in view to produce hybridomas andmonoclonal antibodies.

It is expected to produce 6-7 deleted recombinantPPRV NP proteins to be tested as suitable for PPRspecific serological diagnosis.

Dr Charles Bodjo, from Côte d’Ivoire, who hasbeen awarded a 1-year training grant by TC inAPU is working on this project.

Trypanosomosis

1) CRP on the Developing, Validating andStandardizing Methodologies for the Use of PCRand PCR-ELISA in the Diagnosis and Monitoringof Control and Eradication Programmes forTrypanosomosis (D3.20.21)

To build up a bank of reference TrypanosomaDNAs, samples have been received in Seibersdorffrom Colombia, Brazil, Uganda and Burkina Faso.

The partner from Brazil has developedtrypanosoma universal primers (ITS1) and has

sent their sequences to Seibersdorf. They havebeen synthesized and successfully tested, butusing conditions that were different from thoserecommended by the partner.

2) Trypanosoma ELISA kit

The ELISA kits which have been developed inAPU for the serodiagnosis of infections caused byT. congolense and T. vivax have been distributedto partners involved in the above CRP.

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Veterinary Drug Residues

The Animal Production Unit is currently beingequipped with instrumentation for techniques suchas HPLC to support both training and technicalback-up activities for TCPs and the CRP onveterinary drug residues. Work has commencedon the development of simplified HPLC methodsfor the detection and quantitation of residues ofthe widely used, broad-spectrum antibacterial,tetracycline compounds. A simplified method forthe measurement of chlortetracycline, tetracyclineand oxytetracycline in milk has been producedand further investigations will be carried out tooptimize the chromatography in terms ofanalytical performance, ease of application andcost. An optical biosensor has been evaluated togauge its applicability to residues testing inMember States. The instrument was tested using acommercially available kit for the measurement of

the aminoglycoside antibiotics, streptomycin anddihydrostreptomycin, in various matricesincluding honey, muscle and kidney tissue. Thesecompounds are of current interest since residueshave been found in honey products originating inChina. This was a contributory factor in the EUdecision to suspend imports of products of animalorigin from China due to concern over the lack ofcontrols on these and other veterinary drugs andhighlights the increasing need for veterinary drugresidues monitoring programmes in MemberStates to support international trade. Thebiosensor instrument performed well in theanalysis of these compounds and, if the initialhigh cost of the instrument can be offset by highsample throughput, this technology may provesuitable for use in such programmes.

Quality Assurance Programme for Animal Disease Diagnosis.

Discussions about the implementation ofINT/0/060 “Establishing Quality Systems inVeterinary Testing Laboratories” where held withcounterparts and experts from Peru, Malaysia,Philippines, Thailand and Australia during aninternational FMD conference in Geelong,Australia.

It was agreed that:

1) An updated version of the “Guidelines forEstablishing Quality Systems in VeterinaryTesting Laboratories” will be translated intoFrench and Spanish. This version includeschapters about a) Estimation of MeasurementUncertainty and b) Occupational Health andSafety. The latter ones are not part of the OIEstandard but are recommended as part of goodlaboratory practice.

2) The implementation of the project wasaccording to the work plans as established at themeeting in South Africa, July 2001.

3) Individual progress reports will be produced tomonitor the implementation of quality systems ineach laboratory according to the established workplans.

4) Participants will give inputs (list oflaboratories, national commitment, status ofimplementation of the quality system,accreditation, etc.) regarding laboratories in theircountry and region, which have a suitableinfrastructure to establish quality systems withinthe extension of the TC project in each region.This information is crucial for the elaboration ofthe proposal for a project extension.

5) A proposal for an extension of TC projectINT/0/060 for 2003/2004 into suitablelaboratories in each region will be presented to theDepartment of Technical Co-operation.

6) Forthcoming expert visits will be carried out asexternal audits and audit reports will be produced.This would be a realistic exercise and giveevidence where the laboratory still needs toimprove its quality system.

7) Two EQA rounds are planned in 2002 for theparticipants of INT/0/060. These rounds focus onELISAs for brucellosis and FMD.

Proficiency test rounds are planned for the CRPsconcerned with the use of PCR for animal diseasediagnosis and in the area of veterinary residues.

The following EQA interim reports and other QArelated documents are now available on thewebpage of the Animal Production and HealthSub-programme:

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA indirectBrucellosis ELISA, Interim Report(BRA/1999b) 2000.

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA indirectBrucellosis ELISA, Interim Report(BRA/1999a) 2000.

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA indirectBrucellosis ELISA, Interim Report(BRA/1998b) 1999

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• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA indirectBrucellosis ELISA, Interim Report(BRA/1998a) 1999

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA indirectBrucellosis ELISA, Interim Report(BRA/1997a) 1998.

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA indirectBrucellosis ELISA, Interim Report(BRA1996a)1997

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA indirectBrucellosis ELISA, Interim Report(BRA1995a)1996

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA FMD AntibodyELISA, Interim Report (FMD/1998a) 1999.

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA FMD AntibodyELISA (FMD/1996a) , Interim Report(incomplete)

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA RinderpestCompetitive ELISA, Interim Report(RP/1998a) 1999.

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor use with the FAO/IAEA RinderpestCompetitive ELISA, Interim Report(RP/1997a) 1998.

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor Use with FAO/IAEA RinderpestCompetitive ELISA, Interim Report(RP/1996a), 1997.

• The External Quality Assurance Programmefor Use with FAO/IAEA TrypanosomosisDirect Sandwich ELISA for the Detection ofAntigens of T.Brucei, T. Congolense andT.Vivax., Interim Report (TRYP/1996a),1997.

• QA-questionnaires for FMD, Rinderpest andBrucellosis

• The FAO/IAEA External Quality AssuranceProgramme (EQAP) and Movement Towardsa Generic Veterinary Diagnostic TestingLaboratory Accreditation Scheme.FAO/IAEA Consultants Meeting, IAEA,Vienna (1998)

• Establishment of External Quality AssuranceProcedures with FAO/IAEA ELISA Kits,Consultants Meeting, IAEA, Vienna (1994).

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H. GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Software

ArcGis version 8.1 is now available in the Sectionwith 3 Extensions, which are Spatial Analyst, 3DAnalyst and Geostatical Analyst. This completevector-oriented GIS system involves morepowerful computers in term of fast CPU and morememories (RAM and Hard disks). The fullcompatibility between ArcView 3.1 and ArcGISin term of goereference data allows a wider rangeof possibilities for data processing.

Land use land cover survey

Avia-Gis (Belgium private company) conducted aconsultancy on ‘Land Use Monitoring in AreasSelected for Area-wide Tsetse Elimination inWest Africa’. A series of meetings have been heldto support the studies during the presence of theAvia-Gis expert in the Agency (from 28 Januaryto 8 February 2002). Two full months are requiredfor the GIS Unit to process 72 Landsat satellitesimages scenes for Land use and Land coversurvey in West Africa. The coming months willbe focused on Remote Sensing data processing.

Training course in Ouagadougou

From 6 to 24 May 2002, a Regional Trainingcourse on the Use of GIS in Tsetse Interventionand Land-use Planning in Tsetse Free Areas washeld in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Prior to this

Workshop, a meeting was held in Rome (from 4to 8 March 2002) to prepare the manual of thecourse.

Tsetse flies project

Twelve Landsat satellite TM images have beenacquired covering the Mali tsetse fly project(MLI/5/0170). Using bands 4, 3, 2 some Falsecolour composite images have been produced.These output highlighted drainage pattern andvegetation in two different seasons of the year(dry and wet season). In order to extract morespatial information from the images, a proposalfor land use and land cover survey has beensubmitted to TC.

Following field surveys using traps, data has beencontinually overlaid on satellite images in theproject area; this has provided an overall view ofthe state of survey and to manage the location ofthe traps.

Fruit flies project

The projects EGY/5/025, IRS/5/010, JOR/5/009and PAL/5/002 obtained 11 Landsat satellite TMimages. Using existing survey data some outputshave been produced using satellite images.

– 35 –

I. PUBLICATIONS

Published:

Proceedings of the second RCM of the Co-ordianted Research Project on “The Assessmentof the Effectiveness of Vaccination Strategiesagainst Newcastle Disease and Gumboro DiseaseUsing Immunoassay-based Technologies forIncreasing Farmyard Poultry Production inAfrica” held from 4 to 8 September 2000 inMorogoro, Tanzania.

Report on the Workshop on strategic planning ofarea-wide tsetse and trypanosomiasis control inWest Africa held from 21-24 May 2001 inOuagadougou, Burkina Faso.http://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/d3/public/bfaso.pdf

Development and field evaluation of animal feedsupplementation packages, IAEA-TECDOC-1294

In Press:

External Quality Assurance Programme for theFAO/IAEA/P4-24 Exercise, for the determinationof progesterone in skim milk and plasma of farmlivestock, Report (EQAP/November 2000). M.Khadra, O. Perera.

External Quality Assurance Programme for theFAO/IAEA/P4-23 Exercise, for the determinationof progesterone in skim milk and plasma of farmlivestock, Report (EQAP/August 2000). M.Khadra, O. Perera.

In Preparation:

A Joint FAO/IAEA TECDOC on ‘Quantificationof tannins in tree foliage’. The Working Manual isalready available on the Website:

http://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/d3/crp/pubd31022manual-tannin.pdf

The Establishment of Quality Systems inAgriculture Laboratories in Developing Countries,IAEA Centered Issue for the Journal'Accreditation and Quality Assurance - ACQUAL'

Proceedings of the third RCM of the Co-ordinatedResearch Project on “The Rinderpest Sero-monitoring and Surveillance in Africa UsingImmunoassay Technologies” held from 16 to 20October 2000 in Vienna, Austria.

Proceedings of the third RCM of the CRP entitled“Diagnosis and Control of Contagious BovinePleuropneumonia (CBPP) in Afrca” held from 18to 22 June 2001 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The manuals describing the use of Chartingmethods as aids to Internal Quality Control inIndirect and Competitive ELISAs will beproduced as IAEA-TECDOCs.

A guidebook dealing with practical aspects ofPCR technologies as applied in the veterinarysphere, is being prepared by Professor GerritViljoen, DSc. Head: Applied BiotechnologyDivision, Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute,South Africa, and colleagues. The manuscript isnow being edited and should be available by theend of 2002.

CD-ROMs

A CD Rom is available dealing with trainingmaterial for the diagnosis of rinderpest and for thepreparation for the OIE pathway. It was producedunder an IAEA Technical Co-operation projectRAF/0/013 “ICT based training to strengthen

LDC capacity”. Contact J. Crowther([email protected]) for further information.

Information on New FAO titles:

To be regularly informed on FAO new titles,subscribe to FAO-Bookinfo, the free electronicNewsletter from the FAO Sales and MarketingGroup. All you have to do is to send an E-mail to

[email protected], leave the subjectblank and then put in the first line of the messagethe following: Subscribe FAO-Bookinfo-L.

J. WEBSITES

� The web page of the Section is being updated on a regular basis. Please feel free to look at the webpages and make comments.http://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/d3/index.html

� Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture Homepage:http://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/

� FAO Homepage: http://www.fao.org/

� FAO/IAEA Guidelines for Establishing Quality Systems in Veterinary Diagnostic TestingLaboratorieshttp://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/d3/public/guidelines.pdf

� Web-based interactive programme about ISO/IEC 17025http://www.aplactraining.asn.au

� International Symposium on Application of Gene-Based Technologies for Improving AnimalProduction and Health in Developing Countries, 6–10 October 2003,Vienna, Austria.http://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/d3/index-symp2003.html

� It is hoped to start a web page designed to deal with test validation. It is envisaged that the site will beinteractive in some sections allowing data to be examined and discussed, as well as presentingvalidation data for kits as supplied, as well as allowing continuous data on the field performance of thekits to be examined. Validation data of tests involving rinderpest, PPR, FMDV, CBPP, ASF,trypanosomosis, brucella and NDV will be considered. It is hoped that this will lead to better qualityof kits and reagent sets and help define the state of play on a more continuous basis.

Animal Production and Health Newsletter

Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniquesin Food and Agriculture

International Atomic Energy AgencyP.O.Box 100, A–1400 Vienna, Austria

Printed by the IAEA in AustriaJuly 2002

02-01465

Documents

Manase P. Salema Director Deputy Director Animal Production and Health Section Martyn H. Jeggo Axel Colling John Crowther Andrew Cannavan Harinder Makkar Oswin Perera Zowinde Koudougou