In the Army’s Veterinary Military Centre of the city of Grosseto, the new surfaces made with recycled rubber have been inaugurated during the Commemoration ceremony of the 158thanniversary of the Army’s Veterinary Service. These surfaces have been made possible thanks to the contribution of Ecopneus.
Optimal surfaces to limit animals’ injuries and pathologies: this has been confirmed also by some research carried out by the University of Perugia.
The commemoration ceremony for the 158th anniversary of the Army’s Veterinary Service.
The Army’s Logistics Commander, General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, has attended the commemoration ceremony of the158th anniversary of the Army’s Veterinary Service today. This service was founded on 27th June 1861 when, just after the Unification of Italy, all the Military Veterinarians of the various pre-unification armies were united into a single body. The Ceremony was held in the headquarters of the Veterinary Military Centre, “M.O.V.M. Tenente Villi Pasquali”, in the presence of the standards of the city and of the Province of Grosseto. Also the Military, Civil and Religious Authorities have taken part to the ceremony, as well as the Head of the Veterinary Department of the Army’s Logistics Command, Colonel Giovanni Rucco.
During the event, which started with the laying of a laurel wreath on the War memorial, the Army’s Logistics Commander highlighted how the work of the members of the Veterinary Service is fundamental for the Army’s logistics from a hygienic-sanitary point of view, both in Italy and abroad. The passion, the love for medical practices for animals’ care and training, and the great professional knowledge certainly represents an important element that will lead this Service to reach more and more important objectives for the Army’s health and logistics.
20 students attending the 37th military campus of veterinary studies were also present to this event. They come from all Veterinary Medicine faculties of our country.
Today’s ceremony closes two intensive weeks the students have spent at the Veterinary Military Centre. These weeks have been characterised by training events that have enriched their knowledge and experience in a military context. The didactic formula provided for the alternation of theoretical and practical activities under the supervision of University Professors and Veterinary Officers operating in sectors of excellence, such as: clinics, surgery, gynaecology, and alimentation of both dogs and horses. This witnesses the synergies existing between Military Veterinary Medicine and Academic Veterinary Medicine.
The Military Veterinary Centre is an articulated reality that unites specialist components such as: The Dog Unit, that trains the couple “dog-handler” used in operative contexts both in Italy and abroad, the horses’ breeding and training units, and the veterinary infirmary that supports all clinical, diagnostic, and surgical activities for dogs and horses. The Armed Forces’ veterinary Service is also responsible for the definition, the coordination, and the control of the measures aimed at guaranteeing the protection of animals’ health for all the contexts they are employed in.
Also the activities of study and research of methodologies, materials, and equipment that may improve the animals’ hygiene and wellbeing, as well as the breeding techniques and daily management are present within this context.
The surfaces in recycled rubber made at CEMIVET
The project in collaboration with ECOPNEUS is the expression of an important synergy set up with the world of research by CEMIVET. This has allowed to dispose of spaces where the impact on animals’ health and wellbeing with reference to the use of rubber recycled from End-of-Life tyres (ELTs) can be better evaluated, also by the means of scientific evaluations carried out in cooperation with the Department of Veterinary Studies of the University of Perugia.
The rubber surfaces in Grosseto cover seven horse stables, the obstetric-gynaecological visit Centre, and the area for dogs’ reproduction. The puppies of Cemivet are trained to become operative Army’s dog units. They are assigned to a specialised soldier whom they develop a symbiotic relationship with. As adults they then work in international missions for the research of explosives in minefields. The horses, instead, are bred and trained for the Armed Forces’ representative functions (military parades, fanfares, etc.).
In the stables and in the horse riding centres, the typology of flooring represents a crucial factor for animals’ health, comfort, and overall wellbeing. Indeed, the potential development of problems to articulations and ligaments, respiratory pathologies, but also all general hygienic- sanitary conditions of the stable depend on the quality of the floor.
Moreover, such surfaces guarantee duration in time and in all weather conditions; they also contribute to sound proofing with the reduction of footfall noise in the stables.
Giovanni Corbetta, General Manager of Ecopneus, has made an evaluation of what has been done so far and has expressed his wish for the future: “For some years now, we have been using anti-slippery floors and other products in recycled rubber in all those situations where it is necessary to protect animals from the risk of slipping. We are proud that also a centre as prestigious and highly-specialised as CEMIVET has adopted this technology and we hope that many other bodies will follow their example in the future.”
The recycled rubber flooring for stables are non-slip. Moreover, they offer greater comfort to the animal and they noticeably reduce the need of hay or wooden chips, thus simplifying the cleaning of the stables: greater health and less management costs. The University of Perugia has carried out a research project promoted by Ecopneus with the support of Uisp (Unione italiana sport per tutti – Italian Union Sports for Everybody). This research has confirmed the reduction of injuries to horses’ limbs and a lower incidence of respiratory pathologies thanks to the use of recycled rubber floorings and outdoor training areas.
To learn more, read the Comunicato Stampa and the Scheda Ecopneus sulle superfici per il benessere animale del Cemivet
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