Origin:

Founded at the 2nd International Congress on Cattle Diseases in Vienna (Austria) in May 17, 1962, the preliminary
meeting was held in Hannover (Germany) in October 6-10, 1960.

Aims:

• To organise meetings on diseases and production in cattle (buiatrics) in order to report and discuss the results of research work and other practical experiences associated with buiatrics.
• To discuss these topics in an international forum and thus promote all aspects of buiatrics in both science and practice
• Even though the emphasis is on buiatrics, small ruminants and other "non-domestic" ruminant species (such as zoo and exotic animal species) are also considered as species of interest to the association
• To provide an organization for qualified individuals who dedicate a significant part of their professional activities to research, educational or clinical aspects of buiatrics to exchange ideas.
• To issue, in compliance with the pertinent regulations, occasional or regular publications (circulars, conference proceedings, reminders, periodicals, newsletters) including materials on the topics outlined above.
• To promote international research on ruminant animals and to keep veterinary practitioners and all interested agricultural specialists informed about the results reported around the world.

Any Buiatrics or Veterinary Association wishing to join the WAB should submit their applications to the Secretary General of the WAB.   Such applications will be considered for eligibility for membership by the Executive Committee and the General Assembly of the WAB held at the time of the biennial buiatrics congresses.  Decisions will be made by majority vote. The membership of national buiatrics associations must be predominantly veterinarians.

Affiliated members of the WAB

• All Buiatrics or Veterinary Associations who have a bona fide structure within their country or region are eligible to become affiliated members of the WAB.
• Membership of the WAB will be through membership of National Buiatrics Associations.  All national associations accepted by the General Assembly of the WAB will be deemed to be affiliated members of the WAB.
• National Buiatrics Associations which have been accepted as affiliated members of the WAB at the time these statutes are adopted shall be deemed affiliated members of the WAB.
• Where no National Buiatrics Association exists, veterinarians or scientists working with cattle may apply for observer membership.  Applications must be made to the Secretary General and will be decided by the Executive Committee.  National Buiatrics Associations will appoint one to three representatives or correspondents whose responsibility will be to liaise with the WAB Secretary General, reporting on their national activities and relevant events and to be the national contacts for the Secretary General.  Each member association will have one vote at the General Assembly that is held at the biennial congress. The spokesperson for the affiliated member organisation should be one of the contact people registered with the secretary general or another person nominated by the respective organisation and recognised by the executive committee.
• The National Associations for Buiatrics should keep the WAB Secretary informed about the activities and other relevant events in their associations in order to enable the WAB Secretariat to maintain an up-to-date flow of information to all WAB members.

Affiliated  National Associations       

• Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Moldavia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain,   Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.                                      
• America: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, USA, Uruguay.                              
• Africa:  Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia
• Asia and Oceania: Israel, Japan, Korea Republic, Australia, New Zealand.                                                              
  

Regional members                                                

Euro Arabian Veterinary Association, Sociedad Latinoamericana de Buiatria, Union of Arabian Veterinarians 
  

Congress Languages:

English, French, German, Spanish.

Voluntary

Congress fee and sponsoring.

Biennial "World Buiatrics Congress": Hannover (Germany) 1960, Vienna (Austria) 1962, Copenhagen (Denmark) 1964, Zurich (Switzerland) 1966, Opatija (Yugoslavia) 1968, London, 1970, Philadelphia PA (USA) 1972, Milan (Italy) 1974, Paris (France) 1976, Mexico City (Mexico) 1978, Tel Aviv (Israel) 1980, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) 1982, Durban (South Africa) 1984, Dublin (Ireland) 1986, Palma de Mallorca (Spain) 1988, San Salvador da Bahia (Brazil) 1990, St Paul MN (USA) 1992, Bologna (Italy) 1994, Edinburgh (UK) 1996, Sydney (Australia) 1998, Punta del Este (Uruguay) 2000, Hannover (Germany) 2002, Quebec (Canada) 2004, Nice (France) 2006, Budapest (Hungary) 2008.

about 1500-2500 delegates and 150-300 accompanying persons
Average duration: 4 to 5 days

Opening ceremony, invited state-of-the-art presentations, free oral presentations, poster and video sessions, satellite symposia, workshops, practical tips, commercial exhibitions, award ceremonies, social programmes, general assembly

Congress proceedings (about 1000 pages) and a CD-ROM are available from the organising committee of each congress. The official journal of the association is "The Bovine Practitioner".

• The WAB is administered by the Executive Committee consisting of 10 - 20 members elected from the contact persons endorsed from the Buiatrics associations affiliated to the WAB.
• The members of the Executive Committee should be representative of all of the affiliated Buiatrics organisations. They should also be broadly representative of the different regions of the world (Europe, North, Central and South America, Africa, Asia, Oceania). 
• The Executive Committee is elected every 4 years by the General Assembly, which is convened on the occasion of the biennial scientific meeting.  Re-election is possible. Following the election, the Executive Committee will elect one president, two vice-presidents and one secretary general from its membership; all the other deputies will be "members of the Executive Committee". 
• A member of the Executive Committee whose position is declared vacant can stand for re-election at the general assembly.
• The Congress organisers shall become observer members of the Executive Committee.
• The administrative bodies of the WAB are the General Assembly, the Executive Committee, the Auditing Committee, and other committees.

Executive Committee

Consisting of 1 President, 2 Vice-presidents, 1 Secretary General and 12 Committee members from different countries and 3 Observers.

President
Dr Walter BAUMGARTNER
Klinik für Wiederkäuer (Clinic for Ruminants)
Veterinaermedizinische Universitaet Wien
Veterinaerplatz 1
A-1210 Wien
AUSTRIA
Tel.:     +43-1-25077-5200
Fax:     +43-1-25077-5290
E-mail: walter.baumgartner@vu-wien.ac.at

Vice presidents
Dr Recaredo UGARTE
Baldomir 2448 P. 6 Apto. 603
C.P. 12 200
URUGUAY             
Tel.:       +598 2 708 8107- +598 72 20901
Mobile: +598 99 72 4722 (The principal)
Fax:       +598 2 401 4234
E-mail: recaredo.ugarte@gmail.com
           recaredo.ugarte@hotmail.com

Dr Bob RHEINBERGER
BTJ Veterinary Services
Lot 3 Old South Rd
Alpine 2575
AUSTRALIA
Tel.:       +61248895366
Mobile: + 61 412 506689
Fax:      +61248895377
E-mail: patricia@hinet.net.au

Secretary General
Dr Ottó SZENCI
Szent István University
Faculty of Veterinary Sciences
P.O. Box 2
H-1400 Budapest
HUNGARY
Tel.:  +36-29-521-301
Fax:   +36-29-521-303
E-mail : Szenci.Otto@aotk.szie.hu

Committee members
David H. BLACK
Paragon Veterinary Group
Carlisle House
Townhead Road
Dalston
Carlisle CA5 7JF
UK
Tel.:   +44 1228 710208
Mobile:   +44 77343 88900
E-mail: david.black@paragonvet.com

Dr. Emile BOUCHARD                                                                       
Développement et relations avec les diplômés            
Faculté de médecine vétérinaire      
3200 Sicotte
Saint-Hyacinthe, Qc
CANADA  J2S 2M2
Tel.:     +450 773-8521 #18469
Fax:     +450 778-8120
E-mail: emile.bouchard@umontreal.ca                                                 

Dr Joao CANNAS DA SILVA
LMV LDa
Lugar da Sorrateira
Atalaia. Almoster
2005-115 Santarem
PORTUGAL
Tel.:     +351-917210361
Fax:     +351-243491277
E.mail:  joao.cannas@mail.telepac.pt

Dr. Ali EL-SEBAIE
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Assiut University
Assiut
EGYPT
Tel.:     +20-088-2314890
Fax:     +20-088-2366503
E-mail :elsebaie@hotmail.com

Dr. Mauricio GARCIA
Rua Enjolras Vampre, 146
04290-070 Sao Paulo/SP
BRASIL
Tel.:     +55-11-5061-6402
Fax:     not available
E-mail: mauricio.garcia@mgar.com.br

Dr. Arcangelo GENTILE
Dipartimento Clinico Veterinario - Università di Bologna
Via Tolara di Sopra 50
40064 Ozzano Emilia – Bologna
ITALY
Tel.:     +39 051 2097306
Fax:     +39 051 2097593
E-mail: arcangelo.gentile@unibo.it

Dr. Nils JESSEN
Oestervej 15
4243  Rude,
DENMARK
Tel.:     +45-5545-9735 (private)  or 00 45 5545 9105 (clinic)
Fax:     +45-5545-9224
E-mail:  nils.jessen@vetmail.com

Dr. Theo J.G.M. LAM
Deldenseweg 15
NL-7251 PN Vorden
THE NETHERLANDS
Tel:      +31-570-660405
Fax:     +32-575-555062
E-mail: Theo.Lam@WXS.nl

Dr. Kerstin E. MÜLLER
Klinik für Klauentiere
Königsweg 65
14163 Berlin
GERMANY
Tel.:     +49-30-83862261
Fax:     +49-30-83862512
E-mail: Kerstin Mueller <K.E.Muller@t-online.de> 

Dr.  Toshihico Nakao
Laboratory of Theriogenology
Faculty of Agriculture
Yamaguchi University
Yoshida 1677-1
753-8515 Yamaguchi
JAPAN
Tel:       +81-83-9335935
Fax:      +81-83-9335935
E-mail : tnakao@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp

Dr. Luis POO
Los Cardenales 1576
CHILE
Tel.:           +56-64-243180
Mobile:     +56-9-98733102
Fax:           +56-64-232327
E-mail: buiatria@telsur.cl

Dr. M. GATZ RIDDELL, JR.
American Association of Bovine Practitioners
P.O. Box 3610
Auburn, Alabama 36831-3610
USA
Tel:      +1-334-8210442
Fax:     +1-334-8219532
E-mail: mgriddell@aabp.org

Observers
Dr. Bo HAN
Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine
College of Veterinary Medicine
China Agricultural University
No.2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian district
Beijing 100094,
CHINA
Tel.:       +86-10-6273-3801(o)
              +86-10-6273-7865(F)
Mobile: +86-136-6106-1552
E-mail: hanbo@cau.edu.cn
           drhanbo2002@yahoo.com

Dr. Doo KIM
School of Veterinary Medicine
Kangwon National University
Chuncheon, 200-701
REPUBLIC  OF KOREA
Tel:     +82-33-250-8655
Fax:    +82-33-244-2367
E-mail: kimdoo@kangwon.ac.kr

Dr. Amarjit S. NANDA
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University
Ludhiana-141004,
INDIA
Tel.:        +91-161-2553346 and 47
Mobile:  +91-9876113129
E-mail: Amarjit Singh Nanda <asinghnanda@gmail.com>

HONORARY PRESIDENTS:
H.E. AMSTUTZ, U.S.A.
H.J. BREUKINK, THE NETHERLAND
S.P.D. VIDELA, ARGENTINA