Industrial Attachment Report at ZIMVET Laboratory,Zimbabwe), August 2014
This report documents the practical and theoretical experience that was attained during the
internship period at Irvine’s Zimbabwe-ZIMVET Laboratory. ZIMVET is the only ISO/IEC
17025 Accredited private veterinary laboratory in Zimbabwe. It boasts of five departments that
are Bacteriology, Feed Analysis, Serology, Post Mortem and Hygiene. Departments attached to
were Bacteriology, Feed Analysis and Serology for three months each. In Bacteriology tests
conducted included Bacterial culture and identification, antimicrobial sensitivity tests, fungal
isolation and 5 day Salmonella testing. Feed Analysis conducts chemical and biochemical
analyses on raw materials and finished poultry feed. Serology conducts serological tests on blood
sera to monitor the effectiveness of vaccination as well as to check on viral disease exposure to
poultry. Tests conducted included ELISA for diseases such as Newcastle Disease virus and
Avian Influenza. Rapid Plate Agglutination test was also carried out for Mycoplasma
gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae and Salmonella gallisepticum. The Hygiene department
was yet to be visited. It however conducted microbiological tests that indicate the effectiveness
of cleaning and hygiene related services. The internship was greatly beneficial and was an eyeopener.
It enabled the student to have a vital feel of the real on-hands practical aspect in industry.