Over 1,300 delegates from around the world are expected to be in Belfast for the annual European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) conference, which will be held in Northern Ireland for the first time in the 67-year history of the organisation.

The event will be held in the Waterfront Conference and Exhibition Centre from 29 August to 2 September and will bring together experts to discuss the key role of livestock in providing a sustainable food source for a growing global population.

The plenary session on Tuesday 30 August is entitled Sustainable Food Production to 2050: the Key Role of Livestock, and will be the highlight of the meeting. It will feature four presentations from international keynote speakers, including Pat Dillon of Teagasc on the role of grassland as an essential resource for future food demand and environmental impact’.

As well as over 1,200 papers submitted by scientists from around the world, the conference has a very strong programme of industry relevant sessions. These include succession planning for livestock farmers in Europe, the increased potential of grazing in livestock production systems, knowledge transfer in practice, and management of the food chain. There will also be technical scientific sessions covering topics from genetics, animal nutrition, animal health and welfare across cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, horses and aquaculture.

The full programme is available at www.eaap2016.org.