60 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » NZ Veterinary Association NZVA celebrates centenary milestone Kim Newth In 2023, the New Zealand Veterinary Association is proud to be celebrating its 100th anniversary. Veterinarians from across the country will mark the milestone at the 2023 NZVA Centenary Conference in Wellington (28-30 June) and NZVA Centenary Dinner at Te Papa (Thursday, 29 June). “We’re encouraging veterinarians to organise class reunions for that week and to attend the centenary conference and dinner,” says Leanne Fecser, NZVA Operations and Education Manager. “It is going to be a big social event, with special awards presented and a 100th year birthday cake.” A centenary publication, edited by Phil Stewart, will be launched at the conference. Called ‘Veterinarians in Aotearoa – Celebrating 100 Years of NZVA (1923-2023)’, it will contain many historic photos and recollections. “We asked our members to share stories, photos and history with us and have had a great response,” says Chris Kelly, a former NZVA president who is chairing NZVA’s centenary advisory group and centenary book committee. “We see this as the ideal time to be looking back and capturing the history of what veterinarians have achieved in New Zealand.” Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor will open the conference, followed by a plenary session giving a snapshot of the profession. The second day will delve into current issues, such as anti-microbial resistance, animal welfare and the influence of policy making, as well the concept of One Health which links animal health, human health, and the health of the environment. The third day will focus on the changing landscape of veterinary education in New Zealand. Conference participants can take part in a Step Up Challenge raising funds for the Elizabeth Veterinary Benevolent Fund, which has been supporting veterinary clinics in cyclone affected areas with increased counselling services. (Following Cyclone Gabrielle, the NZVA has also been providing communication and education around the risks of water borne diseases, such as leptospirosis). Alongside the 2023 NZVA Centenary Conference, veterinary nurses will gather for the NZVNA Annual Conference. Both have full programmes catering for various special interest branches. Formed in 1923, the NZVA has its roots in the agricultural sector with many veterinary clubs set up to service dairy farmers in the early years. By the 1930s and ‘40s, a severe shortage of veterinarians was looming. New Zealanders returning from the war were actively encouraged to apply for a bursary to train as a veterinarian in an overseas jurisdiction, such as Australia. New Zealand finally got its own veterinary school in 1964 with the opening of the Massey School of Veterinary Sciences. Major advances in the control of parasitism and bacterial diseases were made from the 1960s and effective drenches developed, a game-changer for the farming industry. Having graduated as a veterinarian in 1969, Chris started out doing Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) testing in the Bay of Plenty and recalls the shock on farmers’ faces when told their herds were infected and would need to be destroyed. “It was a gruelling time – TB used to be so widespread but we’re now down to single figures of herds infected and are aiming to eradicate it from livestock completely within the next two to three years. Veterinarians have played a crucial role in that.” As well, veterinarians have played a lead role in food safety and biosecurity practices. “New Zealand is now regarded as one of the best countries for food safety and this is a huge advantage internationally.” Veterinarians today continue to make a significant impact through preventive medicine, herd and flock health and production programmes. SVS has been New Zealand’s leading clinical suppliers for 28 years. We are a close knit team who pride ourselves on providing our customers with excellent, friendly, knowledgeable and hassle-free service. Our buying power and our investment in the best of people and technology means that you can trust SVS to consistently deliver quality products at great-value prices. 0800 808 387 info@svs.co.nz www.svs.co.nz
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