On the 12th – 15 April, the British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) will be making history with the launch of its first ever virtual conference – "The Challenge of Change – The New Normal?" With the BSAS annual conferences famed for uniting the greatest aspects from the world of animal science, this year’s virtual event is set to eclipse all previous successes.

The conference will cover cutting edge research in animal science, agriculture, policy, education, and knowledge exchange, making BSAS the leader of the international debate on the challenge of change and adapting to the new "normal", post COVID-19 and Brexit.

The virtual nature of the conference has allowed the Society to reach further than ever before, to engage and secure the presence of animal science experts from all four corners of the globe, to create a speaker panel, that includes well known and respected figures as, Dr Alexandre Berndt (Brazilian Agriculture Corp), Extension Specialist - Dr Van Eenennaam (Hammond Lecture), and the eminent Prof Yulong Yin, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. As well as encouraging lively debate and discussion around the conference theme, our speakers will also offer an invaluable insight into the latest ground-breaking research developments, practical solutions to underpin sustainable animal production, and what they feel the sector needs to do to unify its approach to improve the performance and wellbeing of animals.

Whether you’re in academia, industry or agriculture, the BSAS virtual conference offers a variety of incredible opportunities to enhance your career development, including unprecedented access to some of the finest minds in animal science. With over 200 speakers and 40 sessions across a range of specialties, from ruminants to cell-cultured meats, delegates can handpick the sessions they wish to attend, to create their own bespoke BSAS 2021 conference experience.

There will also be webinars with a specific agriculture focus on the topics of climate and biodiversity, future beef farms, developments in the dairy sector, managing the hyperprolific sow and the Society’s first ever Equine Symposium, where attendees will get to enjoy panel discussions with international equine scientists, as they address the challenge of change in an equine context.

Also, brand new for this year’s event, are sessions and workshops devoted to supporting and engaging those in the early stages of their career. Through a series of bespoke sessions and informative industry workshops, the "Developing Talent" day, will allow fledgling scientists to get abreast of the latest research, network with industry leaders, and learn the tips and tricks they need to help them stand out to future employers.