Next year, Tropical Animal Health and Production will be fifty years old. It was originally formed by Professor Sir Alexander Robertson, as part of the publishing wing of the then Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Tropical Animal Health, Edinburgh University. The first issue appeared in March 1969. The journal’s remit, both then and now, is to publish the results of original research, investigation, and observation in all fields of animal health, welfare, and production which may lead to improved health and productivity of livestock and better utilization of animal resources in tropical, subtropical, and similar environments.

My direct involvement with the journal started in 1998 when I was invited by the then Editor-in-Chief Professor M.M.H. Sewell, to act as one of the group of Consultant Scientific Editors. Then, when Dr. A.G. Luckins retired as Editor-in-Chief at the end of 2006, I was invited to take over that role. The journal went online in February 2007, a process which, with the help of the Springer Editorial staff, went remarkably smoothly and greatly improved access for our authors and readership.

It is a pleasure, now that I am stepping down as Editor-in-Chief on June 30, to be able to take this opportunity to thank all the authors, reviewers, the Consultant Scientific Editors, Associate Editors, and the Springer Editorial staff for their excellent support of the journal over the last eleven years. I am now continuing with the journal as an Associate Editor.

I was delighted when André M. de Almeida agreed to take over the role of Editor-in-Chief. He has, of course, been acting as an Associate Editor since 2011. I would like to wish him, his new editorial team set-up and the journal every success in the future.

Leslie JS Harrison