[Development of nutrition science in veterinary medicine as an example of the School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover].

Abstract: Animal nutrition is not a main subject in veterinary medicine training, nevertheless it has been taught in the Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover since its foundation in 1778. In the very beginning only a few lectures about feedstuffs and toxic plants for horses and feeding technique have been presented. During the 19th century animal nutrition was taught about 20 h under the general topic: Gesundheitspflege or Dlätetik. Diätetik included in that time all factors which are important for health as soil, water, climate, stable, hamess and nutrition, too. Textbooks about "Gesundheitspflege" from that time, in particular HAUBNERs book (1st ed. 1845, 4th ed. 1881) give an impression about the extent and the level of the matter presented (table 2). The students had to learn about feedstuffs, feed deterioriation, poisonous plants or feeding techniques, accumulated by experiences during the last centuries. On the other side the informations about digestive physiology as well as the metabolism of nutrients were poor although the knowledge grew up very rapidly during the last part of the 19th century. The lectures touched mainly problems in horses, cattle and sheep, to a lesser extent to pigs. No other domesticated animals were mentioned. After the turn of the century the "Gesundheitspflege" was split in hygiene and feeding. The latter was then lectured by teachers for animal production, which included genetics, breeding, and housing, too. Altogether about 40 h (lectures and practicals) were given on animal nutrition (up to 1967). There was no time to demonstrate specific interactions to the tasks of a veterinarian. After a new training plan, established in 1967, students had to absolve about 120 h (lectures and practical courses) on animal nutrition. Parallelly the Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover established an own chair and institute about animal nutrition. In the lectures basic informations on nutrition of all domesticated animals (including horses, dogs, cats, cage birds etc.) were presented as well as aspects related to clinical problems (nutritional induced diseases), food quality, diets or animal welfare. In the practical courses the student should gain experience in: judging feed quality (which presumes knowledge about standards of normal feeds and food), estimating nutrient content of feeds, controlling and correcting rations, diagnosis of nutritional shortcomings, calculating rations for sick animals etc. In future in veterinary animal nutrition the last mentioned aspects will become greater importance in lecturing and research. Furthermore the nutritionists have to look for parameters to control a species specific correct nutrition especially in food producing animals.