The IZSAM in Northern Ireland at the 67th EAAP annual conference

The Institute participated in the 67^th annual meeting of the European Federation for Animal Sciences (EAAP). The EAAP is an international non-governmental organisation aiming at improving knowledge and dissemination of research results about domestic animal farming. Since its foundation, in 1949, the number of Member States steadily increased, getting to be composed by 35 countries (from Europe, Middle East and North Africa) today.

About 1,500 delegates from more than 65 countries from across the world attended to the meeting, which was held in Belfast (UK) from August the 29^th to September the 2^nd. Central aim of the conference was the sustainability of animal production. Opening speeches to the meeting were given by the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland, Michelle McIlveen, and from the European commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, who welcomed the delegates and congratulated the initiative of hosting a conference on such a relevant and burning topic.

Dr Stefano Messori, of the Human-Animal Relationship and Animal Welfare Laboratory of IZSAM, participated in the event, presenting preliminary data from a ‘Young Researcher’ project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Health, aiming at assessing the impact of welfare conditions of meat chicken on food safety. Dr Messori also presented a poster on the European funded project ‘Transport Guides’, which aims at the definition of good practices for livestock transport, in an attempt to improve the welfare conditions of animals during travel.

During the conference, new delegated were appointed to be part of the EAAP Study Commissions. In this framework, Stefano Messori was elected as secretary of the Commission on Animal Health and Welfare. The position will have a duration of three years and will start, officially, at the end of 2016.