Upon invitation of the Australian Association of Cattle Veterinarians (AACV), the 20th World Buiatrics Congress was held in Sydney, Australia, from July 6 to 10, 1998.
More than 1200 delegates from 41 countries participated in the scientific and social programmes.

B. Scientific programme

10 keynote, 233 oral and 159 poster communications were presented on most topics related with buiatrics sciences. Several workshops, seminars and visits were also organised.
The proceedings (2 volumes with a total of 1167 pages) and the CD-rom can be ordered from the AACV (fax: +61-2-62853913; e-mail: <avacos@ava.com.au>)

C. General Assembly of the World Association for Buiatrics (WAB)

During the WAB Committee Meeting and the WAB General Assembly, the following developments were discussed and approve

C.1.Statement of account from July 2, 1996 to July 1, 1998 (in Belgian Franks) 

-) Balance on July 2, 1996	471.512
-) Receipts:	553.240
-) Expenses:	519.037
-) Balance on July 1, 1998:	505.715

C.2.

C.2. Thanks to the sponsor of the WAB secretariat  

 Merial was acknowledged for his financial support to the WAB secretariat.

C.3. Application of new Contact Persons to the WAB   

  
Dr E. Bouchard from Canada (e-mail: <bouchae@medvet.umontreal.ca>), has been proposed in replacement of Dr K. Leslie who has resigned.  

C.4. Venue of the 22nd World Buiatrics Congress in 2002

Hannover in Germany was proposed by the Committee as the official venue of 22th World Buiatrics Congress in 2002.
Further information can be obtained from Prof. H. Scholz or Miss G. Klapper (phone: +49-511-8567243; fax: +49-511-8567693;
e-mail:<rikli@rikli.tiho-hannover.de>)

C.5. Venue of the 23th World Buiatrics Congress in 2004

The candidatures and candidacy files must be sent in 15 samples to the WAB
Secretariat before April 1, 2000. The candidacy files must contain detailed information on:
-) organising committee, scientific committee, potential major sponsors
-) geographical localisation
-) local infrastructure for conferences, accommodations and social activities
-) scientific programme (invited and free presentations, satellite
symposia, joint meetings, professional visits and other potential proposals
-) social programme
-) marketing for the promotion of the congress
-) proceedings, CD-rom and simultaneous translation
-) balance of the finances including the fees to the WAB
-) any other topic of potential interest for the selection of this venue.
The final decision will be taken by the WAB Committee on December 2000 in Punta Del Este.

C.6. Amendments of The WAB  statutes.

The WAB general assembly has agreed to amend paragraphs 1 and 8 of the WAB
statutes.
In paragraph 1, the last sentence, i.e. meetings of the WAB shall not be held during the year of a World Veterinary Congress, has been cancelled.
The former paragraph 8 has been replaced by. The official organ of the WAB is the WAB website. The information of the WAB should also be published in veterinary journals like  The Bovine Practitioner and other national bovine veterinary journals.

1998 Pfizer Award

The winner of the 1998 Pfizer Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Advancement of Knowledge in the Origin and Treatment of Bovine Diseases Caused by Microorganisms (10.000 US$) is Dr. Lorne Babiuk (e-mail: <babiuk@sask.usask.ca>).
Dr Lorne Babiuk obtained his B.Sc, M.Sc. and D.Sc degrees at the University of Saskatchewan and PhD from the University of British Columbia. A Saskatchewan native, he became Professor of Veterinary Microbiology at the Western College of Veterinary medicine in 1973, Associate Director of the Veterinary Infectious Disease Organisation in 1984 and Director in 1993. Throughout his career he has studied the interactions between infectious agents and their hosts and has made pivotal discoveries on mechanisms of viral and bacterial pathogenesis as well as the host response to infection. These discoveries have resulted in his recognition as an international authority in veterinary virology and immunology. During the past 15 years, Dr Babiuk has focused his efforts on the rational design of vaccines and vaccination strategies, based on sound principles of viral and bacterial pathogenesis in cattle. Dr Babiuk's vision of the future of animal health technology is now in fact a reality, due to his perseverance and dedication. For example, in the early 1980's, he assembled a team which developed the world's first genetically engineered vaccine for any animal species when they developed a leukotoxin vaccine against Pasteurella haemolytica, a major respiratory pathogen in cattle. This has been followed up by other novel approaches to vaccine development and design, using live vectored vaccines, subunit vaccines and DNA vaccines.
His research achievements have been published in over 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 63 book chapters or review articles. He is the holder of 11 awarded patents, 8 patents pending and numerous scientific awards.

The winner of the 1998 Merial Gustave Rosenberger Memorial Award
(US$10.000) is Dr Tanu Piyopummintr, Director of the Nong Pho Large Animal Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Kamphangsaen, Nakorn Phatom, Thailand 73140.
(e-mail: <fvettnp@nontri.ku.ac.th>; fax: +66-34-351405).
Dr Tanu received his DVM degree from the Kasetsart University and his MSc and PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.
Since 1996, he is lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Kasetsart University.
Dr Tanu is author of 8 scientific papers published in international journals and has received two scientific awards.
The grant will be mainly used to organise continuing education for local bovine practitioners and to introduce some advanced technologies regarding dairy production.

F. 20th World Buiatrics Congress

Organisation: Uruguayan Buiatrics Association
Site: Punta Del Este, Uruguay
Date: December 4-8, 2000
Information: Dr R. Ugarte or Mrs Rohr de Shaw
(phone: +598-2-9161118; fax: +598-2-9160220; e-mail: <rjsu@adinet.com.uy>)

G. Specialisation in Buiatrics

Prof. W. Klee from Munich has been nominated for chairing a working group
on specialisation in Buiatrics in Europe.
(fax: +49-89-3151923; e-mail: <wolfgang.klee@med.vetmed.uni-muenchen.de>).

H. Further information

Any further information may be obtained from the WAB secretariat, c/o P.Lekeux, University of Liege, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bat. B.42, Sart Tilman, B-4000 Liege, Belgium. phone: 32-4-3664030
fax: 32-4-3662935
e-mail: <pierre.lekeux@ulg.ac.be>
WAB website:http://www.ulg.ac.be/fmv/wab.htm
WAB internet forum: <buiatrics@lists.ulg.ac.be>