HESONA vetnet is an application of teacher and student mobility, intensive courses and supporting network activities between the Veterinary Faculties of University of Helsinki (UH), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania and University of Nairobi (UoN) in Kenya.

“From Farm to Table” was a two week course held at Sokoine University as from 4^th to 17^th. August. 2013 organized by the HESONA Vetnet (Helsinki-Sokoine-Nairobi Veterinary Network).

The course covered the whole production chain of milk and meat from the production unit (farm) to the table of the consumer, highlighting the critical points in the production chain with respect to food safety. The course focused on cattle, small ruminants, swine and poultry.

The steps of the food production chain covered included: Primary production, slaughtering, processing of the food, and retail. In addition, the food safety risks that are linked with serving the food at home were covered as well as the measures for food safety control. The differences between the predominant risks in food production in participating countries were considered as well as compared.

This intensive course combined the know-how of a veterinary practitioner and a hygienist veterinary surgeon giving an overall and comparative view of the food production in Kenya, Finland and in Tanzania. The course consisted of lectures, practical work in groups and field excursions.

List of participants

The attendees were:

1. Two Kenyan instructors (Prof. Kitala and Dr. Gathuma)
2. Three Finish instructors (Dr. Niemi M., Dr. Joutsen S., and Dr. Pekkala A.)
3. Ten Tanzanian instructors (Prof. Batamuzi, Prof. Wambura, Dr. Mushi, Dr. Kashoma, Dr. Katakweba, Prof. Muhairwa, Prof. Ngomuo, Dr. Ngowi, Prof. Karimuribo, and Prof. Kurwijila)
4. Five Kenyan students (Momanyi Kelvin Nyariaro, Wamaitha Moses, Patricia Wandia, Malenje Everisto and Grace Kaiba)
5. Two Finish students (Heidi Jarvimaki and Joni Pulliainen) and
6. Ten Tanzanian students (Titus Erick, Ng’umbi Nickson, William Robert, Kiwale Isaya, Bura dafay, Choga Jeremia, Richard Samson, Mngumi Samwel, Yuster Lucas, and Mutakyawa Eliud)

The various topics that were covered during the course were:

• Meat (beef): Kenyan perspective, meat inspection (Prof. Kitala)
• Meat (beef)-Slaughter of cattle and meat inspection-Tanzanian perspective (Prof. Kazwala)
• Slaughter of cattle and meat inspection-Finnish perspective (Dr. S. Joutsen/Dr. A. Pekkala
• Meat, General-Meat quality and factors associated with it (Dr. Mushi)
• Visit to Nanane exhibitions (All)
• Meat, General-Foodborne illnesses caused by meat products; zoonoses originating from meat-Tanzanian perspective (Prof. Kazwala)
• Foodborne illnesses caused by meat products; zoonoses originating from meat-Finnish perspective (Dr. S. Joutsen)
• Meat, Beef-Feeding of beef cattle; body condition scoring (Dr. M. Niemi)
• Animal welfare issues (Dr. M. Niemi)
• Meat, Excursion to slaughterhouse and meat shop both cattle and pigs (Dr. Kashoma)
• Use of antibiotics, public health point of view, Residues –Tanzania (Dr. Katakweba Abdul)
• Finnish control system for antibiotics (Dr. S. Joutsen)
• Meat, pork-European view of pig welfare (DVM A. Pekkala)
• Castration Tanzanian perspective on pig welfare (Prof. Muhairwa)
• Water hygiene (Prof. Gathura)
• Excursion to water treatment plant (Moruwasa) (All-Dr. Mshamu to coordinate)
• Poultry, meat and eggs: Management of broilers including feeding and genetics and management of laying hens including feeding and genetics (Prof. Ngomuo)
• Poultry slaughter; Pig slaughter and meat inspection in Tanzania (Dr. Ngowi)
• Poultry, meat and eggs: Zoonotic diseases in poultry-Salmonella and Campylobacteria-in Africa and Europe (TBA and Dr. S. Joutsen)
• Factors affecting the shelf-life of eggs (TBA)
• Milk-Milk, mastitis, milk borne diseases-Tanzanian perspective (Prof.Karimuribo)
• Milk, mastitis, milk borne diseases-Finnish perspective (Anni Pekkala and DVM Mari Niemi)
• Milk-Influence of feeding on quality and composition of milk (DVM A. Pekkala, DVM M. Niemi

One of the training session

A visitation to Moruwasa dam

At Mikumi national Park

At Mikumi National Park

A section of the Nanane exhibition by the Department of Anatomy of teh Sokoine University of Agriculture-FVM

Some of the training instructors having a chat during the last day of training.