Gezonde veehouderij

History of Wageningen Bioveterinary Research

2016 Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR)

On 6 September 2016, Wageningen university and its different research institutes took on the brand name Wageningen University & Research (WUR). The name of our institute then became Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR).

2008 Central Veterinary Institute (CVI)

On 1 January 2008 CIDC-Lelystad and the Infectious Diseases Division of the Animal Sciences Group, both part of Wageningen UR, merged into the Central Veterinary Institute (CVI) of Wageningen UR. The research institutes in Lelystad joined forces to create a broader basis for their scientific expertise. Moreover, the new institute is now in a better position to meet the increasing demand for research.

2003 Animal Sciences Group

On 1 June 2003 the Animal Sciences Group of Wageningen University and Research Centre was created from: ID-Lelystad, Practical Research Institute for Animal Husbandry in Lelystad and The Department of Animal Sciences of Wageningen University. Because of the intensive collaboration between science, application and actual practice, and the interaction of all the disciplines available in our group, we were able to enlist the best people to work on inquiries from customers.

2002 CIDC-Lelystad and ID-Lelystad

On 1 January 2002 the department of statutory research tasks were split off from ID-Lelystad and accommodated in an independent institute: CIDC-Lelystad. This took place on request of the government and parliament that wanted a clear separation between public, statutory tasks and commercial contract research activities.

1999 ID-Lelystad: Institute for Animal Husbandry and Animal Health

From 6 September 1999 the name of ID-DLO changed to ID-Lelystad. The reason for this change was the combining of forces of the DLO Foundation and Wageningen University into Wageningen UR (Wageningen University and Research Centre) under one Executive Board. ID-Lelystad is part of the Animal Sciences Group of Wageningen University and Research Centre, together with the Department of Animal Sciences of Wageningen University and the Practical Research Institute for Animal Husbandry.

1994 ID-DLO: Institute for Animal Husbandry and Animal Health

On 2 November 1994, four research institutes from DLO (Agricultural Research Department) merged into ID-DLO (Research Institute for Animal Husbandry and Animal Health). The four institutes were:

  • DLO-Central Veterinary Institute (CDI/CVI)
  • DLO-Schoonoord Research Institute for Animal Production (IVO)
  • DLO-Institute for Livestock Feeding and Nutrition Research (IVVO)
  • DLO-Spelderholt Centre for Poultry Research and Extension (COVP)

History of the four institutes:

1959 CDI: Central Veterinary Institute

CDI, Centraal Diergeneeskundig Instituut (Central Veterinary Institute) was created in 1959 from the merger of the RSI (Rijks Serum Inrechting - National Serum Establishment) of Rotterdam (1904) and the SVOI (Staat Veeartsenijkundig Onderzoekinstituut - Veterinary Medicine Research Institute) of Amsterdam. The institute undertook fundamental and application-based veterinary research, and developed vaccines with their accompanying diagnostic tests, which made it possible to combat and eliminate animal diseases. The development of marker vaccines was an important breakthrough here, enabling animals infected in the field to be distinguished from vaccinated animals. The institute was also the reference institute for the provincial animal health services.

RSI was set up to carry out research into animal husbandry, diagnostics in particular, and also the production of means to control animal diseases. SVOI was set up specifically for research into foot-and-mouth disease. The research was established on the premises of the naval base in the heart of Amsterdam, as far away from FMD-sensitive animals as possible. The high containment building where the institute came to be housed was specially designed for research into the highly infectious FMD virus. In 1982 the RSI also moved to spacious accommodation in Lelystad where it has an extensive complex for housing the laboratory animals.

1939 IVO: Research Institute for Animal Production

IVO (Instituut voor Veeteeltkundig Onderzoek - Institute for Animal Husbandry Research) or “Schoonoord” started off as zoological laboratory of the University of Utrecht. It was the university endocrinology study group, started in 1939, which undertook research into hormonal effects with bitterlings as laboratory species. Later, in 1945, the study group on artificial insemination was set up. In 1951 both study groups were merged into IVO as part of the TNO agricultural organisation and housed at the agricultural organisation of TNO. In 1963 the Schoonoord estate was acquired in Zeist, and the institute building as well as the experimental facility “De Bunsing” were built. In 1961 the “Bantham” was bought as a pig experimental farm and in 1971 “'t Gen” in Lelystad was added as a facility for large-scale and long-term experiments in breeding and meat production for cattle and sheep.

1921 COVP: Centre for Poultry Research and Extension

From 1921 the COVP (Centrum voor Onderzoek en Voorlichting voor de Pluimveehouderij - Centre for Poultry Research and Extension) was established on the Spelderholt estate. Its predecessor was the Association for the Promotion of Poultry Farming in the Netherlands, an experimental breeding station set up in Amersfoort during the First World War. It was closed shortly after that war and the government set up a National Experimental Station in Beekbergen.In 1921, "Het Spelderholt" was set up as a research station for poultry farming; later there was “Het Spelderholt”, the Institute for Poultry Farming, and later it was renamed the Institute for Poultry Research. Originally the focus was very much on an approach geared to the practical situation, but eventually there was also fundamental and scientific research.

1890 IVVO: Institute for Livestock Feeding and Nutrition Research

The history of the IVVO (Instituut voor Veevoedingsonderzoek - Institute for Livestock Feeding and Nutrition Research) goes back to 1890. In that year three government research stations were opened, one of which was in Hoorn. These formed the basis for the future Institute for Livestock Feeding and Nutrition Research, which originally had a double function: testing and carrying out scientific research (analyses of manure and feedstuffs). In 1916, due to a complete reorganisation of the government research stations, all testing activities were relocated, and research in Hoorn could concentrate completely on the field of dairy and animal feedstuffs. In 1977 the IVVO moved to Lelystad.