IGA Blog

Dr. Jean Boyazoglu obituary

5/30/2018

We are sad to report the passing of Dr. Jean Boyazoglu who died on May 17th. His ashes will be spread on the Mediterranean Sea on June 1st at 11:00 am in Menton, France.

We mourn the loss of a dear friend, colleague and fellow goat enthusiast.

Jean served as IGA’s President from 1992 to 1996, and as Editor-in-Chief for Small Ruminant Research from 2005 to 2012.

Profile – Dr. Francisco de Asis Ruiz Morales

5/29/2018

Francisco obtained a Ph.D. in Animal Science and Sustainable Management as well a degree in Technical Agricultural Engineering from the University of Seville. He also received a degree in Environmental Sciences from the University Pable de Olavide.

Francisco’s research experience is focused in the field of sustainable management of small ruminant systems and the marketing of their products. He has developed his work in different research centers and universities, including the University of Seville (Spain), the Agency for Agricultural Research in Sardinia (Italy), the French Livestock Institute (France) and in his current research center, the Andalusian Institute of Agricultural Research and Training.

Profile – Dr. Sun Haizhou

5/28/2018

Country Representative for Northwest China and Inner Mongolia

Sun Haizhou is a researcher and the Director of the Institute of Animal Nutrition and Feed Research of the Inner Mongolia Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Sciences in Hohhot. He holds a Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition from the Inner Mongolia Agriculture University.

Want to learn more about our other Country Representatives? Click here

2017 IGA Achievement Awards

5/23/2018

Recognition of IGA’s Most Active CRs and RDs

As part of a new initiative, the International Goat Association wishes to officially recognize the most active Country Representatives (CR) and Regional Directors (RD). RDs and CRs are a very important part of IGA, and we greatly appreciate all that they do: promoting IGA and our International Conference on Goats, organizing in-country and regional conferences, soliciting new members, preparing country reports for IGA’s Newsletter, etc.

The Regional Director & Country Representative Committee recently selected the individuals who have done an outstanding job representing IGA in their region or country during the past year, and we wish to congratulate them for their involvement and successes.

The 2017 IGA Achievement Award recipients are Jackie Dunham, CR Canada; Venus Appel, CR Colombia; Héctor Mario Andrade-Montemayor, RD Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean; and Francisco de Asís Ruiz Morales, RD western Europe.

Profile – Dr. Yongju Zhao

5/22/2018

Country Representative for Southwest China

Yongju Zhao graduated with a Bachelors degree in Animal Science from Qingdao Agricultural University and received a Masters of Science in Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction from the Gansu Agricultural University. He obtained an MD from the Third Military Medical School University, focusing in Models of Transgenic Animals.

After his medical degree, he attended Northeast Wales Institute (NEWI), United Kingdom, as a Visiting Scholar in Forensic Science and Technology. Then, he attended Aarhus University, Denmark, as a Visiting Scholar in Molecular Genetics, as well as Purdue University, USA, as a Visiting Scholar in Animal Behavior and Well-Being.

Profile – Dr. Jun Luo

5/21/2018

Regional Director for Asia (China)

Jun Luo obtained his B.S. degree in Animal Husbandry, M.S. degree in Animal Production and Ph.D. degree in Animal Genetics and Breeding from Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University of China. He is currently a professor in the College of Animal Science and Technology of NWAFU and the director of the Dairy Goat Committee of the China Dairy Association. Jun Luo is a member of the Sheep and Goat Resource Committee.

Profile – Clara Viviana Rúa Bustamante

5/17/2018

Co-Country Representative for Colombia

Clara Viviana graduated with a Masters degree in Biology and an Undergraduate degree in Animal Science from the University of Antioquia, Colombia. She presently works as a Master Researcher for the Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research (Corpoica) at the Motilonia Research Center. Her lines of research are nutrition and animal feeds and the productive and socioeconomic evaluation of sheep and goat production systems.

Summary of the Workshop on the Control and Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants

5/16/2018

International Sheep Veterinary Congress
Wednesday, May 24 2017
Harrogate, United Kingdom

Workshop Goals:

To support PPR global eradication through understanding the epidemiology of the virus, vaccine technologies, and the political, social and economic context for eradication.
To identify best strategies for producers, veterinarians and other stakeholders to contribute to PPR eradication efforts.

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Foreword:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) have developed a programme to eradicate PPR and the virus that causes it, by 2030. This program is termed the Peste des Petits Ruminants Global Eradication Programme or the PPR-GEP[1]. This workshop was organized by the International Goat Association (IGA) to present multiple perspectives on the benefits and challenges of this massive undertaking. IGA has been the advocate of goat research, production and development to benefit humanity since 1982, and is a member of the PPR-GEP Advisory Council.

[1]http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Media_Center/docs/pdf/PortailPPR/EN_GEP_PPR_Finalweb.pdf

Summary from the Presenters
The participants congratulate FAO, OIE and other partners for the 2030 vision of global freedom of Peste des Petits Ruminants. Eradication will improve small ruminant production that can contribute to gender empowerment, food security, poverty alleviation and resilience as well as biodiversity conservation, if done correctly. We request each ISVC participant to advocate for this vision to donors and decision makers to financially support the implementation of PPR Global Eradication Programme.

PPR is the third viral disease targeted for global eradiation, after smallpox in humans, and rinderpest in cattle. The selection of PPR indicates the importance of small ruminants for human livelihoods and nutrition, and environmental impacts, and presents an opportunity for us to expand public knowledge and attitudes about sheep and goats for the future.

Mohair production (Meat & Livestock Australia)

5/15/2018

An introduction to the mohair industry:

Mohair is the fleece produced by Angora goats. The origins of the Angora breed can be traced to the Himalaya Mountains of Asia.

The breed was introduced to Australia from France in the early 1800s. However, the most significant genetic input to the Australian Angora has come from South Africa and America, or more specifically Texas.

Today, South Africa is by far the largest mohair-producing nation, accounting for over sixty percent of the world’s mohair clip. The United States of America is also a significant producer of mohair. Australia is currently only a small player on the world scene, contributing less than 5% of the world total.

Download a copy here.

Report from the launch of PPR-GREN, April 2018

5/14/2018

Beth Miller & Paula Menzies

IGA President Beth Miller and Board Member Paula Menzies attended the launch of the the Peste des petits ruminants Global Research and Expertise Network (PPR-GREN) in Vienna Austria from 17-19 April 2018. The PPR-GREN network was established and endorsed in 2015 to support a global strategy to eradicate PPR. Dr. Menzies also serves as co-chair of the PPR GEP Advisory Board.

Peste des petits ruminants, (PPR) was first identified in Côte d’Ivoire in 1942 but has continued to spread at an alarming rate affecting more than 70 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and Middle East. Over 80 percent of the world’s sheep and goat populations are at risk causing annual economic losses of up to USD 2.1 billion (OIE).

The PPR-GREN network, spearheaded by FAO and OIE, has been tasked with promoting and initiating an integrated, comprehensive research and expertise network that builds on synergies to eliminate the threat of PPR. The elimination of this disease will improve the livelihoods, food security, and health of people nationally, regionally and globally.