ECPLF & PDC 2022

From August 29^th to September 2^nd, the “10^th European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming” and the “3^rd International Precision Dairy Farming Conference” took place at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna. Around 370 participants from different disciplines came together in the Banquet Hall of the Vetmeduni.

In addition to numerous scientific lectures, workshops and poster presentations, the congress program also offered an field trip to the VetFarm, a central teaching and research facility of the Vetmeduni.

The Covid-19 pandemic of recent years has shown how closely the health of animals and humans, but also their common environment, are linked. In this context, Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) offers the potential for prudent use of resources and for early detection of diseases so that transmission of diseases within and between species can be reduced or even avoided. Prevention and early treatment of diseases can further help to reduce the use of pharmaceuticals and to minimize the risk of antibiotic resistance in animals.

Precision livestock farming is therefore considered one of the key technologies within the "One Health" initiative to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN and makes a sustainable contribution to improving animal health and animal welfare.

The 10th “European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming” (ECPLF) and the 3rd “International Conference on Precision Dairy Farming” (PDC) took place as joint event from August 29th to September 2nd at the Vetmeduni.

More than 150 scientific lectures by renowned scientists and more than 50 poster presentations dealt, among other things, with the growing importance of digital technologies in the housing of cows, pigs and poultry, but also with the social relevance of the use of these technologies in modern animal husbandry.

During the conference, Vienna proved to be a melting pot for almost 370 international participants from 28 nations, who promoted the exchange of experiences from the perspective of science, industry, agriculture and veterinary medicine. In addition to internationally recognized speakers, scientists from the Vetmeduni also presented the latest scientific findings and innovations.

Experts from the PLF-Hub at the Vetmeduni, a research group of the Institute for Animal Welfare Science and Animal Husbandry at Vetmeduni and the Clinical Unit for Herd Health Management in Ruminants presented the latest findings from research on Precision Lifestock Farming, which deals with the automated real-time monitoring of health, welfare and production or reproduction of farm animals busy.

The education of young scientists in this exciting and interdisciplinary field of research is essential for the further development and introduction of new technologies in livestock husbandry.

This topic was also a adressed within scientific meetings and workshops. During the conferences, participants had the opportunity to visit the VetFarm, a research site of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna at Kremesberg in Lower Austria.