Jan H du Preez matriculated at the Merensky Agricultural High School near Tzaneen in 1966, after which he obtained a BVSc degree from the University of Pretoria (1971); the post-graduate diploma in veterinary public health (DVPH) (1978); the post-graduate diploma in tertiary education (DTE) (1981); and the MMedVet(Hyg) degree (1981); after which he registered as a Veterinary Specialist in Public Health. In 1985, he obtained the DVSc (Doctor in Veterinary Science) degree and in 1994 a PhD degree from the University of Pretoria. He is a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (Great Britain). From 1972 to 1978 he practised as a private veterinarian in Letsitele, and from 1979 to 1988 he taught, first as a senior lecturer and later as professor at the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science. From 1989 to 2000 he conducted full-time research as a senior specialist at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute. He is currently the managing director of the Institute for Livestock Technology in Pretoria. He serves on various official committees and boards and has published more than 500 scientific and popular scientific articles. He is the author/co-author of academic books and is a frequent speaker (nationally and internationally) on mastitis and udder health in dairy cows, impermissible tissue in boerewors, zoonoses and heat stress in food animals.