LAHORE: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) on Thursday organised a daylong national symposium on “Bovine Brucellosis and Control Strategies” at its city campus. University Diagnostic Laboratory (UDL) and Institute of Microbiology organised the event to create awareness among professionals and livestock farmers about detection of brucellosis. UVAS Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Younus presided over the inaugural session of the symposium, while Prof Masood Rabbani, Director, Institute of Microbiology (IOM), Prof Aftab Ahmed Anjum, In charge UDL Lab, and Prof Amir Ghafoor Bajwa, besides researchers, stakeholders, health care professionals, dairy farmers and students were also present. Prof Younus said brucellosis is one of the most pressing zoonotic diseases badly affecting livestock production and causing economic losses to farmers. He urged Mphil and Phd scholars to choose topics for research thesis to address the livestock and dairy sector issues. He said the symposium is aimed at providing opportunities to professionals and livestock farmers to discuss the disease-related issues to boost dairy sector in Pakistan. He said that experts at the symposium will formulate guidelines for the control of brucellosis and discuss strategies for treatment of the affected animals. Mr Bajwa said the UDL is providing disease diagnostics services to livestock farmers. He said UDL is Pakistan’s first ISO 17025 accredited veterinary disease diagnostic lab that provides ISO-certified diagnostic tests for the identification and monitoring of emerging diseases.During the symposium, experts delivered lectures on impact of bovine brucellosis on dairy productivity and protability, diagnosis, and therapeutic challenges. They also discussed the latest advancements and research innovation in the field. It also featured a panel discussion attended by livestock farmers and experts.