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Contact: Julie Navejar
kajam03@tamuk.edu or 361-593-2590

Lukefahr visits Vietnam to assist animal scientists

KINGSVILLE (October 7, 2005) — Even though Dr. Steven Lukefahr has spent a lot of time in developing countries, he said he had some reservations before accepting an invitation to Vietnam. One reason for his reservation was because of being an American asked to work in the vicinity of Hanoi. “My father was a Navy pilot during the Vietnam era. He might have conducted missions where I was to visit.” The second reason was because of the Asian bird flu epidemic.

Lukefahr, Regents professor of animal science in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, received an invitation to spend several days in Vietnam to present lectures on genetics and statistics to animal scientists and to help them develop a data base system for their livestock breeding programs.

In 1998, Lukefahr was a guest lecturer at the University of Tropical Agriculture, located in the Ho Chi Minh City area (formerly Saigon), but this was before the Asian bird flu disease was discovered. “Outbreaks of Asian bird flu have recently killed people in the Hanoi area.”

But after studying the WHO (World Health Organization) and CIA websites and talking to fellow researchers in the area, he decided to take the chance. He did not handle birds or eat chicken meat while he was there. He later learned that because of Asian bird flu, there is now a very strong demand for rabbit breeding stock by farmers who have abandoned their chicken operations. Many rabbit meat markets already exist in Vietnam.

“The genetics and statistics training course I conducted took place at the Hatay Goat and Rabbit Research Station, located about an hour and a half from Hanoi,” Lukefahr said. This station is one of seven in the country that conducts national research programs for their major livestock species that also include buffaloes, cattle, chickens, ducks, horses and swine. The scientists also learned how to use computer-based programs that help to identify the animals with the best genetics as selection candidates for breed improvement.

It took Lukefahr nearly 48 hours to travel to Hatay. At the station, he said there are three rabbit breeds, Californian, New Zealand White (two imported breeds from the United States) and a local breed, and several goat breeds. “They have a large number of goats and rabbits at the research center and they take extremely good care of their animals, but the scientists needed some additional technical assistance to better monitor the breeding and selection efforts to continue the progressive development of these breeds,” Lukefahr said.

Reflecting on his trip, Lukefahr was most impressed by the genuine kindness and hospitality of the people. No questions were ever asked about the Vietnam War.

Lukefahr graduated from Texas A&I University with honors in 1978 and then went on to Oregon State University where he received his master’s and doctoral degrees in animal genetics while conducting research with rabbits.

In 1983, he began his international work with Heifer International and was assigned for two years to Cameroon, West Africa where he established meat rabbit projects in rural villages suffering from malnutrition.

Prior to coming to A&M-Kingsville, Lukefahr was a faculty member at Alabama A&M University where he established the renown International Small Livestock Research Center, served as a consultant in numerous overseas rabbit projects, provided leadership in organizing international rabbit conferences and coordinated rabbit research and student training programs.

Lukefahr has been at Texas A&M-Kingsville since 1994.

In 1997, Lukefahr received the prestigious International Animal Agriculture Bouffalt Award from the American Society of Animal Science, which recognized his overseas rabbit humanitarian programs.

He received the Javelina Alumni Association’s Distinguished Researcher Award in 2001 and was chosen to give the annual Faculty Lecture in 2003.

In addition to professional groups already mentioned, he is a member of the American Society of Animal Science, the European Association for Animal Production and the World Rabbit Science Association. Lukefahr is the current president of the World Rabbit Science Association.

He is the author or co-author of two rabbit books, three manuals and over 100 refereed papers published in national and international journals and conference proceedings.

This page last updated 7 October, 2005