Environmental hygiene tasks of the veterinarian in practice]

Apart from his direct tasks like treating diseased animals, preservation of animal health, recognition of mal-feeding and failures, recognition of unsuitable keeping systems and acknowledgement of animal welfare the veterinary practitioner can be the environmental-hygienic consultant of the farmer in following areas in particular: management and technique of feeding; management and technique of water supply; management and technique of air quality and ventilation; management and technique of manure handling and hygiene; cleaning and disinfection; deratting and pest control. The aim of these tasks is to diminish the risks/hazards for food products (food control act), the air (emission control act), surface water (law on the water household), ground water (waste control act, law on the water household) and vegetation and soil (waste control act, nature conservation act). Some examples will be given and comments are made on how to run a practice in an environmentally friendly way.