Prof Jannes van Ryssen
~ Jannes van Ryssen obtained a BSc (Agriculture) at the University of Pretoria, and an MSc (Agric) and PhD at University of Natal in Animal Science. He started his career as a researcher at Cedara Agricultural Research Institute in Natal and then joined the Department of Animal Science & Poultry Science at the University of Natal where he was a lecturer for 27 years. His teaching commitments included ruminant nutrition and applied animal breeding. In 1995 he moved to the University of Pretoria as a lecturer in the Department of Animal & Wildlife Sciences, teaching ruminant nutrition and management. He retired in 2002, but is still on a part-time basis active in the Department - as a lecturer and as quality controller of the UP Nutrilab.
In 1998 Prof van Ryssen became the Secretary of the South African Society for Animal Science, and since 2002 also the Editor of the Society’s journal, the South African Journal of Animal Science, positions he is still holding. He is registered as a Professional Animal Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientists and was awarded a Silver medal from the South African Society for Animal Science in 2000 and the SASAS President’s award from this Society in 2002.
Prof van Ryssen’s research interests focused on mineral nutrition of livestock, with emphasis on copper and selenium nutrition. He published 65 peer-reviewed publications, 87 scientific conferences presentations and 35 technical reports and popular-scientific articles. Twenty three students obtained their M degrees under him and 5 their PhDs