Prof. Nikolay Todorov initiated the publishing of the Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science and became its first Editor-in-Chief. He has been a longtime member of the Board of Editors and the principal force in improving its quality.
The 80th anniversary of Prof. Todorov coincided with the 20th anniversary of the scientific journal he created. On this occasion, the Board of Editors congratulates him on his perseverance in overcoming all obstacles in the face of the sluggish administration and lack of understanding of the necessity of the existence of such a journal in Bulgaria at the beginning of the 90s of the past century. He never gave up the fight for his idea until the emergence of the journal at the beginning of 1995. Being an eminent Bulgarian scientist of worldwide reputation, Prof. Todorov was perfectly aware that Bulgarian agricultural science should become part of the world science and one way to achieve that was to publish the most important studies in a widely popular foreign language, such as English.
We would like to express our appreciation of his efforts to constantly improve both the quality of the articles and the journal design throughout the 20-year period of its existence until it received international recognition and impact factor.
We also congratulate Prof. Todorov for 55 years of ongoing scientific research that has continued after his retirement. He is the author of 254 scientific works, over 60 of which had been published in renowned foreign magazines, more than 184 popular science and problem issue articles, more than 55 monographs, textbooks and books, six of which had been published by international publishers.
Prof. Todorov was the mentor of seventeen young scientists for their PhD theses - a whole school of animal nutrition and feed technology. He is the author of the new systems of energy and protein nutrition value of feedstuffs for ruminants as well as of the modern Bulgarian feeding norms for cattle, water buffalo, sheep and goat. Moreover, Prof. Todorov has developed animal nutrition schemes, adjusted to the current conditions. He developed the only Bulgarian computer software for feed mixtures (Comfu) and rations (Rumex) for farm animals. He introduced criteria for nutrition control and regulation – evaluation of the body condition of separate animals and urea content of milk as an indicator of sufficient protein supply as well as a number of other indexes. He developed methods of silage and hay preparation, including the addition of chemical preservatives and carbohydrate additives. He substantially contributed to the methods of improving energy and protein nutrition values of roughage. He developed methods for estrus synchronization in sheep, early weaning of lambs and their rational and inexpensive feeding as well as other measures for the speedy improvement of the economy of dairy sheep farming.
Presently, he continues the research in optimizing the use of protein sources (old and new) in the rations of high yielding livestock for the use of lactocrine and hormonal methods in increasing the productivity of dairy animals. The energy and enthusiasm of Prof. Todorov, who continues his active research despite his age, are remarkable. After retiring, he commenced a second work cycle. In 15 years, he published 74 scientific works, 15 monographs and textbooks, 66 popular science and problem issue articles and mentored 7 PhD candidates.
Prof. Todorov's contribution in founding the Institute of Grain and Feed Industry, developing and modernizing the Thracian University Agricultural Faculty, founding the Union of the Zooengineers of Bulgaria, creating the Organization of animal professors and scientists on the Balkan peninsula - Balnimalcon and organizing a discussion club for livestock nutrition for all scientists, regardless of the institutions they work for, should not be overlooked.
We should not forget his international activity in four big international scientific projects, the numerous
reports at international conferences and symposiums, conclusion speeches at several symposiums, in which he summed up the development of science in a given sphere and charted the directions of future development, his participation in organizing a number of international symposiums, in the management of the European Federation of Animal Science and in the editorial boards of a number of international and foreign magazines, etc.
The activity of Prof. Todorov is vast and varied, which makes it difficult to point out his overall contribution to the Bulgarian and international animal science. We wish him health and strength to continue his activity for the benefit of science and the development of young specialists as well as his efforts for the evolving of the Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science.
On behalf of the Editorial Board