Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources

Animal Science Days 2018, 26th – 28th of September, Piestany, Slovakia – Symposium for „Young Scientists and Young Minds“

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This years ‘cycle organisation of 26th conference ASD 2018 fall to Slovakia. Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding Biology together with steering committee, including partner universities from Kaposvar (HU), Zagreb, Osijek (HR), Ljubljana (SLO), Vienna (AT), Padova (IT), Prague (CZ) approved location and date of conference, which was held from the 26th – 28th of September in Piestany. Pre-conference program was filled up with post-doctoral courses, one oriented on analysis of genomic data supervised by Dr. Moravcikova from Slovakia (co-lecturers: Dr. Mészáros, Dr.  Khayatzadeh) and second on welfare evaluation of intensive milk production farm under supervision of prof. Sturaro from PAdsova University (co-lecturers: Dr. Berton, doc. Kasarda). Courses were held on 25th of September 2018 with altogether 35 participants. Course of genomic data was oriented on identification of selection signatures as well as on global and local admixture. Foreign participants in second course admired level and management of dairy farm PD Kocin – Sterusy, which was visited as part of practical welfare evaluation.

Whole conference was held in Piestany, in hotel Magnolia, who professionally managed organization of all the needs of organizers and participants.

Scientific program of the conference was divided into 3 specialized sessions and poster session. Total number of participants was 85, who presented their contributions in form of 27 oral and 33 poster presentations. Conference opening was made by dean of Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources doc. Ing. Peter Ondrisik, PhD. Conference itself held two plenary sessions, with 6 lectures. First made by doc. Candrak (SK) about future of selection and genomic breeding value estimation, followed by lecture of prof. POtocnik (SLO) about present and future of genetic evaluation in horses as well as third mady by doc. Vostry (CZ) presenting important results from diversity evaluation in horses. Plenary session invited than prof. Nagy from Hungary with lecture on recent achievement if rabbit breeding. At the end of plenary session sponsor lectures were presented by genomic company NEOGEN and nutrition company BIOMIN, which were in accordance with overall conference topics.

Most important topics of the conference were: genomics, animal breeding, biodiversity, food quality, environmental and economic aspects, milk, meat, egg production, from either consumer, producer or industry point of view covering 9 species (cattle, sheep and goat, pig, horses, poultry, rabbit, deer, bees). Conference was leaded by 14 chairpersons.

Steering committee formaly established management board: Radovan Kasarda (SK) – executive coordinator, doc. Vostry (CZ) – 1st vice-coordinator, prof. Cassandro (IT) 2nd vice-coordinator. Location and date of meeting has been approved for next year, Prague, Czech Republic, 18th – 19th September 2019.

Our thank goes to dean of the Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources for support, all colleagues from the department as well as to colleagues, who were not scared and presented their research results or listened to colleagues from abroad: from Department of Veterinary Disciplines, Deaptment of Animal husbandry, Department of Animal Nutrition, and Department of poultry and Small Animal Breeding.

It was challenge for everybody as well as opportunity to present not only itself, but Slovakia, University and Faculty. Based on feedback from abroad, we succeeded.

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