Domenico Vecchio

Domenico Vecchio is graduated in Veterinary Medicine (2004), Ph.D. in ?Animal Breeding? (2007) and Specialization ?Animal Nutrition? (2010 at University of Naples ?Federico II?. In 2014 he was enabled as Associate Professor in ?Animal Science? and in 2013 in ?Surgical clinical and veterinary reproduction?. Actually he work at the Iistituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno- Italian National Reference Centre on Water Buffalo Farming and Productions Hygiene and Technologies Unit (CReNBuf) (2014 to date). During his professional training, he became interested in several aspects of breeding techniques: the influence that breeding techniques have on the quality and quantity characteristics of the milk and meat, biotechnology of reproduction, Welfare and Biosecurity levels evaluation for the buffalo and bovine species. In one health perspective, the main interest of the research is on adaptability of farm animals to the environmental stressors and the consequences on humans and the environment health. He currently works on the following research areas: a) Identification of predictive metabolic biomarkers in transition period of disease state in dams and in offspring b) biomarkers of Acute Stress Responses in animal breeding c) interaction between biosecurity leves and animal welfare d) effects of the breeding environment on technopathy and antimicrobic resistance e) animal welfare and sustainability of the dairy buffalo production chain through a multidisciplinary approach f) study of animal-based measures in buffalo breeding system g) precision livestock farming and potential effects on animal welfare.

Domenico Vecchio was born in Rome on March, 3th ,1977 and obtained the Degree in Veterinary Medicine in 2004, July at the University of Naples ?Federico II?. Between 2004 and 2007 he performed a Ph.D. in ?Animal Breeding? and spent 6 months at the University of São Paulo (Brazil), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics. In December 2007 he obtained the Ph.D. title in ?Animal Breeding? at the University of Naples ?Federico II?. In 2009 he was hawarded by Herculaneum Academy for Best Doctoral Dissertation Research degree from the University of Naples ?Federico II? and Second Univeristy of Naple (SUN) in the Academic years 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, XX and XXI cycle. In 2010 he obtained the title of Specialist in ?Animal Nutrition? at the University of Naples ?Federico II? and was appointed as Expert of Subject in "Special Animal Husbandry and farming" techniques at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II". In 2013 he was awarded with "Young Scientist poster presentation Award 10th World Buffalo Congress"released by the International Buffalo Federetion and the Asian Buffalo Association. In 2014 he was enabled as Associate Professor for the disciplinary sector 07 / G1- Animal Science and in 2013 as Associate Professor for disciplinary field 07/H5 - Surgical clinical and veterinary reproduction. During his professional training, he became interested in several aspects of breeding techniques in particular: on the influence that breeding techniques have on the quality and quantity characteristics of the milk and meat, on biotechnology of reproduction in several domestic species (cattle and buffalo, in particular) on welfare and Biosecurity levels evaluation for the buffalo and bovine species. Since 2014 he has been working at the Iistituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno- Italian National Reference Centre on Water Buffalo Farming and Productions Hygiene and Technologies Unit (CReNBuf). From 2015 he is member of Technical committee as Expert of Buffalo's Specie for the Ruminant Welfare Project for the "Development and Management of Welfare and Biosafety Assessment Systems in the Different Types of Breeding of Cattle, Buffalo, goat and sheep. He deals with the development and application of welfare and biosecurity protocols for the buffalo species in collaboration with the Italian National Animal Welfare Reference Centre of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell? Emilia Romagna (CReNBa). These activities led to the development of a checklist on the evaluation of the welfare of the buffalo based on the risk assessment. This tool has been approved by the ministry of health and is available on the dedicated portal (www.classyfarm.it.). To date by this tool, on a voluntary and experimental basis, about 350 buffalo farms have been evaluated, for a total of about 119,000 heads equal to about 30% of the Italian buffalo population. Since 2018 he is Principal investigator of the research project ?Study of animal Welfare and Sustainability of the dairy buffalo production chain through a multidisciplinary approach? CUP C75B18000630001, financed by Ministry of Health ?100.800,00 (start of activity 28/12/2018, duration 24 months). From 2018 he is national trainer of veterinarians for the evaluation of animal welfare and biosecurity for the buffalo species with the classyfarm system, and member of the technical board for the drafting of guidelines on the correct use of the antibiotic in buffalo breeding. He was involved in several national and international research project in the field of buffalo breeding techniques, welfare and biosecurity. His research activity is summarized in more than 65 Scientific publications, whose results have been communicated in National and International Conferences and published on National and International Journal with Impact Factor.