ATHENS - Bat brains, cattle herds and baboons are among the things veterinary students study in a new international program at the University of Georgia. <br>
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The two-year-old program shows students how veterinary medicine applies to global issues. <br>
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Veterinary student Gaby Flacke has studied with international experts in Argentina how to prevent foot-and-mouth disease from coming to the United States. Flacke has been to three countries in as many summers, working with spider monkeys, elephants, rhinos and African buffalo. <br>
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Other students have tested bat brains for the Ebola virus in Cambodia, studied cattle herds of the Masai tribe of Africa and watched baboons in Kenya. <br>
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Corrie Brown, a professor in the pathology department and an international activities coordinator, said an understanding of foreign diseases is critical to protecting American agriculture. <br>
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Brown told The Red and Black student newspaper, ``Agriculture represents a huge part of U.S. economic health. About 17 percent of all jobs are based in agriculture. If we get a disease we haven't had before, no one will buy from our market.'' <br>
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Brown said the free flow of information and trade, as well as technology, have tripled the international traffic of animals and animal products. But veterinary medicine has moved away from dealing with agriculture and disease.
