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At NMBU Sandnes, all veterinary students receive courses in lambing and necropsy.

About Section for Small Ruminant Research and Herd

The section has extensive expertise in diseases of small ruminants and pigs, and has researchers who are European specialists in small rudiments (ECSRHM) and pigs (ECPHM). Furthermore, the section is an approved internship for European specialist candidates in small livestock.

The section has its own experimental flock of 180 winter sheep, isolates for infection tests, a laboratory for experimental mice and a clinical pathology laboratory with equipment for, among other things, clinical chemistry, pathology, parasitology, immunology and molecular biology.

For the past 20 years, researchers at the section have worked particularly with gastrointestinal parasites on small ruminants, tick-borne infections and prion diseases. In recent years, a lot of work has also been done on diseases in pigs.

  • Research areas

    • Blood parasites Eperythrozoon, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma

    • Gastro-intestinal parasites

    • Mineral metabolism – blood parameters related to pasture and feeding

    • Abortion – toxsoplasmosis

    • Listeriosis 

    • Other CNS diseases

    • Cobalt / vitamine B12 deficiency

    • Fotosensibility (alveld)

    • Scrapie – prion diseases 


  • Teaching

    The purpose of the teaching at Høyland is linked to knowledge of small ruminant diseases, as well as herd medicine, counseling and supervision of production animals.

    We teach veterinary students in small ruminant diseases, as well as advanced courses in small ruminant practice and diseases surrounding lambing. In addition, we hold in-depth courses in herd counseling and supervision covering all animal species.

    In addition, pigs are housed at SEARCH in connection with courses and research activities.

    We teach

    • Clinic
    • Clinical pathology
    • Surgery
    • Necropsy
    • Reporting (to animal owner)
    • Herd medicine, advice (small ruminants, pigs, cattle, poultry) and supervision (Food Safety Authority)

    Courses:

    • 6. semester: Small ruminant diseases and herd medicine - (1 week x 2) – whole class
    • 9. semester: Practical meat inspection  - 1 week (5-7 students) – whole class
    • 10. semester: Small ruminant practices and diseases concerning lambing - (2 weeks x 2) – Differentiation students
    • 11. semester: Herd advice and supervision - (1 week + 2 weeks) – Differentiation students

    In addition we have courses in small ruminants and pig through NMBU's
    Centre for Continuing Education.

  • Analyses

    We receive blood samples and organ samples from small ruminants for examination.

    Email: sandsmafe@nmbu.no

    • Employees

      We have 16 permanent positions.

      • Fice researchers (one professor, four associate professors )
      • Three engineers working at the laboratories
      • Four engineers working with farming
      • One office employee
      • Two cleaning workers, both in 50% positions
      • One operations manager
    • The buildings at NMBU Sandnes

      The oldest building, the farmhouse on the old parsonage dates from approx. 1850, while the newest building (SEARCH) was inaugurated in 2018. The section at Høyland disposes of an apartment, two dormitories and three large apartments with a total of 45 beds.  

      The farm is around 650 decares, of which 130 decares is cultivated land.

      The garden at Høyland in Sandnes
      The garden at Høyland in Sandnes Photo: NMBU
    • Brief history

      1942: The state's veterinary experimental farm for small ruminant was established on Rennesøy in Rogaland

      1964: The experimental was moved tp Sandnes (Høyland parsonage)

      1991: The experimanetal farm became part of The Norwegain Veterinary College NVH (Department of small ruminant research)

      2003: The section became part of the Department of Production Animal Clinical Scienves (Prodmed)

      2014: Became the Sectiin for Section for Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health at NMBU

      2018: SEARCH was officially opened