Successful Joint Congress: 2,700 Veterinarians at the IPVS & ESPHM 2024
From 4th to 7th June 2024, 2,700 veterinarians from 65 countries gathered at the Leipzig Trade Fair for IPVS & ESPHM 2024 to exchange ideas on ground-breaking topics in swine health. For the first time in eight years, the two most internationally renowned congresses for swine veterinary medicine, the International Pig Veterinary Society (IPVS) Congress and the European Symposium for Porcine Health Management (ESPHM), were held together at one location.
"We can look back on an extremely successful scientific event with inspiring cross-border exchanges. The congress provided a unique platform to pool expertise and innovations from experts and scientists from all over the world. This contributes significantly to the promotion of international cooperation,” says Prof. Dr. Johannes Kauffold, Head of the Swine Division of the German Veterinary Association, Professor of Swine and Reproductive Biology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Leipzig University and Congress President of this year's event. “The extensive program addressed both the central traditional and newer areas of pig health and production,” adds Prof. Dr. Kauffold.
"It was a pleasure to host this first-class and highly international event," said Martin Buhl-Wagner, Managing Director of the Leipzig Trade Fair. "The lively discussions and extensive networking of professionals from around the world made the congress an unforgettable experience for the participants. The high international participation and positive feedback from attendees once again confirm that Leipzig is an ideal location for global trade conferences."
The IPVS & ESPHM 2024 welcomed guests from a total of 65 countries. Participants from Spain, Brazil, China, Denmark, and Thailand were particularly well represented.
Broad Range of Topics and International Exchange
Intensive knowledge transfer and international networking were at the heart of the IPVS & ESPHM 2024. 16 top-class keynote speeches formed the core of the four-day congress programme. These were complemented by more than 100 scientific lectures by renowned experts and over 800 poster presentations, which enabled an intensive professional exchange. An international team of speakers provided information on the latest findings, technologies and innovative approaches in the areas of nutrition and reproduction, animal and consumer protection, crisis and disaster management, parasitology, bacteriology and bacterial diseases, vaccination and immunology, precision livestock farming and herd health management as well as sustainability and human resource management.
A special highlight was the ‘Tom Alexander Memorial Lecture’, which was given by Prof. Jeffrey Zimmerman from Iowa State University (USA) as part of the opening event on 4th June. The lecture is considered a tradition of the IPVS and honours Tom Alexander's contribution to pig medicine.
Two ‘Best Oral Presentation’ awards were presented during the congress. These went to P.P. Pwint Thu for her topic ‘Economic implications of anemia-related productivity losses in farrowing sows’ and to M. Rémond for her topic ‘Descriptive study of the carriage of Streptococcus Suis and serotypes 2, 1/2 and 9 in two french farms presenting clinical cases of streptococcosis’. The ‘Best Poster’ was awarded to Lorenzo Fraile for his scientific poster on the topic ‘Screening DNA markers to improve resilience to porcine respiratory disease complex outbreaks’.
Accompanying Industrial Exhibition
Alongside the congress, industrial partners from around the world presented the latest products, technologies, and research results. Interested participants were able to learn about innovative solutions and trends in the areas of animal nutrition, animal health, animal husbandry, and breeding. The event was supported by 44 sponsors and supporting companies from 15 countries. The platinum sponsors included Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany), Farmabase Animal Health (Brazil), HIPRA (Spain), Merck/MSD (USA), and Zoetis (USA).
Social Programme: From Boat Tour to Congress Party
The event was enriched by a varied social programme: various activities allowed the participants of IPVS & ESPHM 2024 to experience the city of Leipzig and the state of Saxony up close. The activities included a boat tour on the Leipzig canals, a brewery tour, a tour of the Porsche factory, a city tour in Dresden, and the official congress party at the KONGRESSHALLE at Zoo Leipzig with the opportunity to visit the Leipzig Zoo and enjoy a traditional Bavarian Oktoberfest.
About IPVS and ESPHM
The IPVS Congress is organised by the International Pig Veterinary Society and is held every two years alternately in South and North America, Asia/Africa/Oceania, and Europe. The next edition, the 28th IPVS Congress, will take place from 16th to 19th June 2026, in Leipzig's partner city, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The 29th IPVS Congress will take place in 2028 in Minneapolis, USA.
ESPHM is organised by the European College of Porcine Health Management and the Veterinary Practitioner Council and is held annually in Europe. The 16th ESPHM will take place from 21st to 23rd May 2025 in Bern, Switzerland.
About the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Leipzig
The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Leipzig is one of five veterinary education institutions in Germany. Alongside its extensive teaching responsibilities, the faculty is distinguished by its diverse research, which is both nationally and internationally networked. Located on the “An den Tierkliniken” campus, the faculty comprises twelve institutes and four independently managed animal clinics (Clinic for Small Animals, Clinic for Horses, Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Clinic for Birds and Reptiles). The faculty’s teaching and research facility is situated in Großpösna near Leipzig. Currently, 43 professors and private lecturers teach and conduct research at the faculty, which is accredited by the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE). Additionally, about 100 scientists and 150 non-academic/technical staff members are part of the faculty.
The education of future veterinarians across all fields of the veterinary profession spans 11 semesters and is conducted in accordance with the Veterinary Licensing Regulation (TAppV). At present, around 840 students are enrolled at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to the undergraduate education of veterinary medicine students, the faculty guides approximately 50 scientists to their doctoral degrees each year.
About the Leipzig Trade Fair
The Leipzig Trade Fair is one of the top ten trade fair companies in Germany and among the top 50 worldwide. It organises events in Leipzig as well as at various locations both domestically and internationally. With its five subsidiaries, the Congress Center Leipzig (CCL), and the KONGRESSHALLE at Zoo Leipzig, the Leipzig Trade Fair provides comprehensive services covering the entire event business spectrum. Thanks to this extensive offering, customers and visitors named the Leipzig Trade Fair the service champion of the trade fair industry in Germany’s largest service ranking for the tenth consecutive year in 2023.
The Leipzig exhibition centre comprises 111,900 square metres of exhibition space and 70,000 square metres of outdoor space. Annually, more than 270 events—fairs, exhibitions, and congresses—are held, featuring over 15,300 exhibitors and attracting over 1.2 million visitors. Leipzig was the first German trade fair company to be certified according to Green Globe standards, with sustainability being a guiding principle of its corporate actions.
More information: www.ipvs2024.com
