Vet wins medal for global service

An Indooroopilly veterinarian who brought in vitro fertilisation to Australia and Brahman cattle to the Top End, has won one of the nation’s premier vet science awards.

Allan Baker, 67, received the Kesteven Medal at an awards dinner at the Gold Coast International Hotel on Saturday night (July 2).

The award is for contributions to international veterinary science through technical and scientific help to developing countries.

It is jointly presented by the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists.

Since 1989, Dr Baker has been a freelance veterinary consultant, teaching and leading animal production projects in Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa and Nepal.

“There was also a lot of veterinary training, because they’re not as up to date as we are so you try to train them for the particular jobs that are applicable in their countries,” Dr Baker said.

“In Nepal for example, the average indigenous cow would produce about a litre of milk a day, that’s not much but by crossing with a Jersey or a friesian you could get them producing up to 20 litres a day.”

Dr Baker has had a long association with The University of Queensland`s School of Veterinary Science — almost three decades.

He graduated in 1961, earned his doctorate in 1968 and went on to be a senior lecturer in reproduction, pastoral veterinary school director and continues as a guest lecturer on animal reproduction.

He said he always enjoyed teaching and researching and one of his proudest veterinary achievements was to bring embryo transfer to Australia in 1970.

He was also the first vet to transfer embryos non-surgically and take pictures of a cow’s ovaries while the animal was alive.

He encouraged the use Brahman cattle in the Gulf Country of Northern Queensland and the Northern Territory.

“When I first started it was mainly shorthorns up in the Gulf Country.

“Brahmans were something you saw in zoos, they weren’t things that you had out in the paddock.”

The AVA, of which Dr Baker is now secretary, says the Kesteven Medal is the top veterinary award in Australia for international vet science service.

Media: Dr Baker (07 3378 0460, allanbaker1937@hotmail.com), Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (3365 2619)