Training 



In the early years of Federal work in animal 

 disease eradication, the responsibilities of the 

 employee were limited to the eradication of 

 contagious bovine iileiiropneumonia. Use of 

 a greater portion of the authority contained in 

 the ori^nnal Animal Disease Eradication legis- 

 lation, plus additions to it, has since increased 

 the complexity of programs and the duties of 

 employees. 



A Division veterinarian today must have a 

 sound, basic knowledge of communicable ani- 

 mal diseases and the i)roblems in\()l\ed in their 

 control and eradication. In most cases he must 

 also be a supervisor and a manager. These 

 factors have made it necessary for the Division 

 to design special training programs to meet its 

 specific needs. 



Veterinary Administrator Development 

 Program 



In 1960, lo veterinarians participated in the 

 Veterinary Administrator Development Pro- 

 gram. This activity provides training in the 

 administration of ADE programs and helps 

 prepare the trainee for a position of greater 

 responsibility. The length, type, and place of 

 training vary to meet the needs of the indi- 

 vidual. Usually it comprises 9 months at 

 designated Animal Disease Eradication and 

 Animal Inspection and Quarantine stations, 

 divided as follows : 2 weeks at the port of 

 New York ; 2 weeks at Laredo observing live- 

 stock export-import activities and Texas fever 

 tick eradication; 2 weeks at the Chicago stock- 

 yards; 5 months at one ADE field station; and 

 2 months at another. 



The trainee observes all phases of the tech- 

 nical programs as well as the administrative 

 operations necessary for their implementation. 

 During the periods at the two Division field 

 stations the trainee frequently acts in the 

 capacity of veterinarian in charge. This helps 



provide undei'.standing of the problems and 

 responsibilities in the operation of a station. 



Epidemiology 



During 19G(), 15 ADE veterinarians received 

 training in the basic principles of ei)idemiology 

 at the United States Public Health Service 

 Communicable Disease Center, Atlanta, Ca. 

 In the year ahead, it is i)lanned to make simi- 

 lar training available to approximately 100 

 Division veterinarians. Thorough understand- 

 ing of the basic principles of epidemiology — 

 broadly defined as the eff'ect of a disease on 

 a community — is essential to the development 

 and efficient operation of ei'adication programs. 



Blowfly identification 



With the eradication of .screwworms from 

 the Southeastei-n United States, animals mov- 

 ing from the Southwest to the Southeast must 

 be inspected to determine that they are not 

 infested. Larvae or flies found within the 

 eradication zone, and suspected of being screw- 

 worms, mu.st be immediately identified and 

 appropriate eradication efforts -stalled. To 

 this end, 25 personnel, including stockyard 

 veterinarians, livestock inspectors, and serolo- 

 gi.sts, attended blowfly identification courses at 

 the Sebring screwworm eradication head- 

 quarters — another example of a program de- 

 signed to meet a specific need. 



Radiology 



Approximately 50 veterinarians received 

 training in 1960 to qualify them as radiologi- 

 cal monitoring instructors. They, in turn, will 

 conduct monitoring training courses in their 

 respective States so that all employees will 

 ultimately have a basic understanding of the 

 liroblems involved in radiological defense. In 

 1961, it is hoped to train sufficient personnel 

 in the use of I'adiation measuring devices so 



59 



