The growing demand for sustainable livestock farming and reduced antibiotic use requires a solid understanding of disease prevention and livestock health maintenance. However, complementary medicine is only taught to a limited extent in veterinary degree programmes and basic agricultural training. Consequently, there is often a lack of scientifically sound, practical and easily accessible reference material for day-to-day farm operations.
The project therefore involves updating and expanding the animal health manual, which has not been changed for 20 years. It will be updated with the latest research and practices, and supplemented with new findings on animal welfare, disease prevention, antibiotic resistance and complementary therapeutic approaches. This knowledge will be made available on an interactive digital knowledge platform and as downloadable PDFs. Translating the content from German into French will broaden the target audience in Switzerland. The course content is further developed in collaboration with lecturers from the Vetsuisse Faculty and practitioners of complementary medicine, and its scientific rigour and high practical relevance are ensured through pilot testing in clinical practice.
The updated manual will enable livestock farmers, students and veterinarians to make informed assessments of preventive measures and treatment options and to make evidence-based decisions. In this way, the project will contribute to improving animal health, reducing antibiotic use and creating more resilient livestock farming systems.
Project manager
