Faculty of Veterinary Science, Onderstepoort

14/04/2026

11/04/2026

10/04/2026

At the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital (OVAH) of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, patient care doesn’t stop at the end of the day.

Our hospital provides 24-hour observation, treatment, and ongoing monitoring, and our students play a meaningful role in making that standard a reality, always under appropriate supervision and as part of the wider clinical team.

Whether it is routine overnight checks, reassessing pain and comfort, supporting fluid therapy and medication schedules, keeping patients clean and settled, or noticing subtle changes that need escalation, our students consistently demonstrate what professional commitment looks like in practice.

What stands out most isn’t only their clinical growth, it’s the compassion. The quiet moments of reassurance, the attention to detail, and the willingness to go the extra mile when an animal needs it most.

That’s the heart of a teaching hospital and learning that directly strengthens patient care. We are proud of our OVAH students

* All photos published with permission from owners and students 🆚️

05/04/2026

Applications for 2027 open at the beginning of April. This is your time.

You’ve:
• Explored your options
• Checked your requirements
• Prepared your documents

Now get ready to apply early. The choices you make this year shape the life you live next. So, choose boldly. Choose smart. Choose UP: https://ow.ly/IENT50YrbMg

31/03/2026

INSECT BODY SIZE IS NOT CONSTRAINED BY ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN

A new study led by researchers in the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Faculty of Veterinary Science has been published in Nature Magazine, an international weekly journal publishing the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology.

The study, in collaboration with researchers from Adelaide University, compared how oxygen is supplied to high-energy tissues — specifically flight and cardiac muscle — across mammals, birds and insects. In this study titled ‘Oxygen supply through the tracheolar–muscle system does not constrain insect gigantism’ the researchers show that the energy transduction limits differ fundamentally between these groups.

Prof Edward (Ned) Snelling, an experimental physiologist in the Faculty of Veterinary Science and lead author, explains: “In mammals and birds, maximum energy transduction appears to be constrained by the space required for both oxygen-supplying capillaries and oxygen-consuming mitochondria — particularly in flight and cardiac muscle.

By contrast, insects are not subject to the same structural limitation: “In insects, the oxygen-supplying structures, called ‘tracheoles’, occupy only about 1% of flight muscle volume, meaning oxygen supply does not appear to limit the maximum rates of energy processes.”

This suggests that while mammals and birds may be operating near their upper limits of oxygen supply and consumption, insects retain substantial unused capacity. In principle, this could allow insects to sustain extreme metabolic rates during flight, even under much lower atmospheric oxygen levels — given sufficient evolutionary time and selective pressure.

These findings challenge a long-standing idea in science: that atmospheric oxygen has constrained animal metabolism and body size over time. However, the authors note that there is precedent. Over millions of years, bar-headed geese have evolved enhanced oxygen delivery systems in response to the challenges of high-altitude environments associated with the rise of the Himalayas. These adaptations enable them to fly at extreme altitudes, where oxygen partial pressures are a small fraction of that at sea level, and where the thin air makes generating lift especially demanding.

“This work was made possible by the world-class facilities in the Faculty of Veterinary Science, as well as the staff and students whose relentless questioning drives deeper insight into how animals function,” Prof Snelling added.

He also highlighted the contribution of collaborator Dr Antoinette Lensink, manager of the faculty’s Electron Microscopy Unit who led the imaging component of the study. “Antoinette’s advanced microscopy expertise was critical — her work was invaluable in making this study possible. I was extremely grateful to have someone with her skillset as part of the team, he said.”

Prof Joseph Chamunorwa, head of the department in which the research was undertaken added that “the work demonstrates how the departments, faculty and the university nurtures excellence in its research, and teaching & learning programs.”

Read more: https://ow.ly/KuS450YBsq4

Go to the full study here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10291-3

27/03/2026

UP EQUIPS 90 FARMERS TO TRANSFORM LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND STRENGTHEN RURAL ECONOMIES

Ninety small-scale livestock farmers from the North West and Limpopo provinces recently completed the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Small Scale Farmer Development Programme, run by the Faculty of Veterinary Science and funded by Sibanye Stillwater through Enterprise@UP.

The graduation ceremony, held on Onderstepoort Campus, recognised farmers who were equipped with the necessary skills to participate in formal agricultural markets as part of UP’s efforts to strengthen South Africa’s food systems and rural economies.

The programme delivers practical, solution-driven training in primary animal healthcare, enabling farmers to improve herd health, increase productivity, reduce disease risk and meet the standards required for formal and export markets. By addressing long-standing gaps in livestock quality and production practices, the initiative unlocks new pathways for small-scale farmers to enter and compete in the agricultural value chain.

“As the most advanced veterinary hospital on the continent, we are proud to equip farmers with the skills to improve animal health and productivity,” said Professor Vinny Naidoo, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science. “This programme supports family income, community nutrition and national food security, and we want to see graduates grow from small-scale operations into sustainable farming businesses.”

To the graduates, he said: “Today is just the beginning. Share your knowledge and experiences within your communities so that we can collectively grow and strengthen our farming systems.”

For many graduates, the training is already delivering results. One graduate noted that improved animal health practices have led to stronger, more market-ready livestock, opening opportunities to supply local buyers and formal markets for the first time.

Professor Sunil Maharaj, UP Vice-Principal for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education, positioned the initiative as a model for impactful, partnership-driven development.

“Today is a celebration of empowerment and the transformative power of knowledge,” he said. “Universities must serve society beyond lecture halls, reaching farms, villages and communities where impact is most needed.”

He noted that the programme directly contributes to addressing structural challenges across the continent.

“Africa continues to grapple with poverty, unemployment and inequality. Through initiatives like this, we are equipping farmers with the skills to strengthen livelihoods and build resilient food systems. Partnerships between universities, industry and government are essential to unlocking sustainable development.”

The programme also advances inclusive development, with 30% of participants being young people and 35% women, highlighting agriculture’s role in empowering underrepresented groups and revitalising rural economies.

“Agriculture is the future and the new platinum,” said Executive Vice-President of Sibanye Stillwater Thabisile Phumo. “As long as there are people, there will be a need for food. The opportunity now is for farmers to use their skills to access markets, supply value chains and build sustainable businesses.”

Phumo emphasised the long-term vision behind the investment.
“Mining will not last forever. Our responsibility is to help create sustainable economies that will continue to thrive beyond the life of the mines. With the land, livestock and now the knowledge, farmers are positioned to participate meaningfully in the economy.”

Matshediso Mangoathe, MMC for Agriculture and Local Economic Development in the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, commended the graduates’ discipline and commitment.

“You have demonstrated dedication and purpose by completing this programme. That commitment is what will set you apart and drive success in your communities,” she said. “We must support small-scale farmers to improve standards through better feeding systems, reproduction practices and stronger value chains. This is how we build a competitive and sustainable agricultural sector. The government cannot do this alone. Partnerships like this must expand to reach more communities and deepen impact.”

The graduation reflects a solution-driven approach to rural development, linking education, industry investment and community engagement to unlock economic participation. With their new qualification, graduates are equipped not only to improve livestock production, but to build viable enterprises, create employment and contribute to a more inclusive agricultural economy.

Sandra Mphahlele, one of the beneficiaries of the programme, said her journey into small-scale animal production began with a passion for food security, sustainability and community development. “I got into animal production for reasons like food security, my love for animals, and wanting a sustainable lifestyle,” she said.

She explained that challenges such as climate change, disease management and limited market access pushed her to adopt more resilient farming methods, including regenerative practices and niche production. “The skills I’ve learned will help me drive positive change in my community by improving food security and creating jobs,” she said 🆚

23/03/2026

2025 GRADUATE AND THEILER MEDAL RECIPIENT'S VRE RESEARCH PUBLISHED IN HIGH-IMPACT JOURNAL

Paul-Hendri van der Merwe, who as final year student in 2025 finished his studies as veterinarian at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, and recipient of the Theiler medal, has just had his 2025 VRE study project published in the Journal of Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology (April 2026 edition), titled “The pharmacokinetics of tolfenamic acid in Himalayan Griffon vultures. A better understanding for the safety of the drug in old world vultures.”

VRE is the research module the faculty's students do in their final year known as the Veterinary research elective.

Under the guidance of his study leader, Prof Vinny Naidoo, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Paul-Hendri, and the three other members of the research team used data from 38 Himalayan Griffon vultures (Gyps himalayensis), to further evaluate how tolfenamic acid (TA) is absorbed, distributed, and eliminated after oral exposure, from information generated in an earlier study.

Overall, TA appears far safer than other NSAIDs previously linked to mass vulture mortality, due to a different mechanism of action.

The breakthrough study clarifies why a drug with a long half-life—typically associated with toxicity—does not cause widespread harm in vultures. It also strengthens evidence that the mechanism underlying NSAID toxicity in these species is a combination of:

• COX 1–mediated reductions in renal perfusion, and
• species-specific susceptibility linked to defective CYP2C19 metabolism.

This deeper mechanistic understanding guides safer veterinary practices and strengthens conservation policy. Click below for more about the study:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1382668926000554

Vultures are among the world’s fastest declining bird species, with catastrophic losses in Asia due largely to toxicity from diclofenac and other NSAIDs found in livestock carcasses. Understanding which drugs are safe is essential for preventing future population collapses.

Paul-Hendri, who will officially receive his BVSc degree at the University of Pretoria graduation ceremony in May this year is currently placed at the Malekutu State Veterinary Clinic near White River in Mpumalanga for his Compulsory Community Service (CCS).

According to him it is a very busy clinic with a mixture of small animal cases as well as production animals (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs). “I enjoy the challenge of day-to-day cases and procedures in the clinic although I prefer production animal work and call outs out in the field a bit more. It is good to finally get some hands-on experience and putting theory into practice especially when it comes to new surgeries and complicated medicine cases,” he says.

He adds that it is also very rewarding to see improvement in a patient that he treated and that he enjoys serving the community and making a difference in their pets' welfare and the livelihoods of households that depend on the health of their livestock.

Commenting on his possible future endeavours he would prefer to be involved in mixed practice and have a mentor that can walk a road with him, guiding him to be the best vet that he can be.

“I enjoy improving my knowledge by reading articles, journals and textbooks. I think that is why I also enjoyed the research so much because I like to know more about a subject, even more so if that knowledge can make a difference with regards to animal health.”

According to Paul-Hendri further studies is definitely on the cards for the future and he just needs to find the topic that interests him the most.

* Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology journal publishes the results of studies concerning toxic and pharmacological effects of (human and veterinary) drugs and of environmental contaminants in animals and man.

** The prestigious and annual Theiler Medal award is honouring the best final-year veterinary science student at the University of Pretoria's Onderstepoort Faculty.

18/03/2026

STEM MentHER UP invites teachers and principals to nominate Grade 11 female learners who wish to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers.

Successful learners will receive tailored mentorship and guidance from UP academic mentors.
Nominations close: 31 March 2026.

Nomination link: https://forms.gle/a3kmx1iiLmKjhj369

Enquiries: [email protected]

18/12/2025

UP’s FACULTY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND HEMMERSBACH RHINO FORCE ACHIEVE SA’s FIRST SUCCESSFULL EQUINE PREGNANCIES WITH IN VITRO-DERIVED EMBRYOS

In a significant joint research effort, the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Section of Reproduction in the Department of Production Animal Studies (PAS), together with the Cryovault section of Hemmersbach Rhino Force, have successfully achieved South Africa’s first pregnancies in horses using intracytoplasmic s***m injection (ICSI), followed by the transfer of frozen embryos.

In vitro embryo production in cattle, for which the ICSI procedure isn’t required, has been commercially available in South Africa for the past decade. The first ICSI-derived equine embryos and foal were reported in 1996, and since then, relatively few laboratories around the world have carried out successful procedures.

“In South Africa, the options for horse breeders were limited to artificial insemination or embryo transfer, where the uterus of a donor mare was flushed and the embryo transferred into a synchronised recipient mare,” says Dr Janine Meuffels-Barkas, Extraordinary Lecturer at the Faculty of Veterinary Science and Rhino Force veterinarian. “The research team is proud to bring the specialised ICSI procedure to South Africa.”

Over the course of 2025, following training and advice from veterinarians from Belgium’s Ghent University, the team of clinicians and embryologists regularly performed o**m pick-up procedures in mares to retrieve oocytes.

Additionally, oocytes were harvested from euthanased mares postmortem. After transport to the Section’s In Vitro Fertilization Laboratory (IVF) at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Onderstepoort, the oocytes underwent in vitro maturation, followed by ICSI with frozen-thawed s***m to produce blastocyst-stage embryos.

In November, five embryos were transferred into recipient mares, resulting in three pregnancies, all viable at approximately six weeks of gestation (12 December 2025); these will hopefully produce live foals in October 2026.

“This achievement is a significant advance in veterinary medicine in South Africa, aligning equine-assisted reproductive technologies with international standards,” says Prof Martin Schulman, Head of the Section of Reproduction at the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

For horses, ICSI rather than in vitro fertilisation is the method of choice for reliable in vitro production of embryos. It entails injecting a single, selected s***m into a mature oocyte; this requires specialist equipment and the skills of an embryologist. In the horse breeding industry internationally, ICSI has become an invaluable tool to overcome fertility problems in stallions and mares, overcomes challenges of age and sporting schedules and allows for breeding independently of season and oestrous cycle stage.

Additionally, the availability of in vitro embryo production allows for breeding from mares and stallions in cases of fatal disease or injury by using s***m and oocytes collected postmortem and preserving and potentially exporting valuable embryos.

The success of this initiative supports the collaborators’ broader, long-term objective of developing and refining equine-assisted reproductive technologies for use in conservation programs for threatened African rhinoceros' species due to the close phylogenetic relationship between the species.

The research was funded by Hemmersbach Rhino Force and the Faculty of Veterinary Science’s In Vitro Fertilization Laboratory, and conducted by veterinarians Dr Su-Mari Hoogenboezem, Dr Janine Meuffels-Barkas and Dr Maria Melchert; embryologists Jana van Selms and Mario Smuts; and Prof Martin Schulman. It was supported by the laboratory’s Prof Dietmar Holm, and Stefan Bauer and Ute Schramm of Rhino Force.

For more information on Hemmersbach Rhino Force, please visit www.rhino-force.org