HomeMy WebLinkAboutLucknow Sentinel, 2009-03-18, Page 27Farm Progress, March 18, 2009 - Page 11
Veterinarian's efforts rewarded for 20 years of volunteering
BY TROY PATI'ERSON
Kincardine News Staff
A local veterinarian's
efforts have been rewarded
for 20 years of volunteer-
ing his services in a man-
ner that had a personal
impact on himself and the
African nation he has dedi-
cated his time to.
Dr. Roger Thomson of
Kincardine was honoured
recently with the Ontario
Veterinary Medical
Association (OVMA)
Award of Merit at . a confer-
ence in Toronto.
The award is given in
recognition "for their prac-
tice of, or contribution to
animal welfare or veteri-
nary medicine."
Thomson. said he appre-
ciated the recognition from
his peers, but what really
matters is the progress he's
seen and the people he's
met over the time spent
within the community of
Rima, Tanzania.
"The big thing is the
friendship and connection
I've had to this family and
how we've been able to to
give back to the village,"
he said. "I get a, lot of satis-
faction that the money
that's raised and the work
I'm :doing is going directly
to the people that benefit
from it."
His most recent accom-
plishment, the Ilima
Poultry Project, has just
seen the first of three years
completed as they Work to
integrate the Rhode Island
Red .breed of chicken into
the free range flocks of the
region. The project, under
Veterinarians Without
'Borders (VWB), has been
implemented in three dif-
ferent African communi-
ties.
Their focus is ..almost
solely set on farm animals,
as domestic pets are virtu-
ally non-existent in this
region, he said.
Thomson said by adding
new genetics, their goal is
to increase egg production
and the overall size of the
flocks. But in order to do
that, a major education
process is underway to
train farmers to build
chicken .coops, fence off
areas for the birds and pro-
tect them from predators
and disease.
With six to 10 birds in a
flock on an average farm of
about 1.5 acres, chicken
eggs are the main source of
protein for their children.
They also act as part of a
micro -eco bmy, so the
more eggs that are laid, the
more chance they'll have to
sell them to help their fami-
nes.
With free range chick-
ens, there's no bio -security,
said Thomson, which
leaves the birds susceptible
to disease and allows them
to eat whatever they find.
The problem is the farmers
arenot used to changing
doing things,
their ways of ..... g g ,
which is a hurdle. in the
education process, he said.
Continued on page 12
Submitted photo
Kincardine veterinarian: Dr. Roger Thomson wasvre centl recognized for his work
building schools in Tanzania, alongside his efforts to improve the production' of the
local chicken populations through breeding programs.
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