Largest conference in its history with 2,200 pig veterinarians

President Henning Bossow and Piglet Freddy at the medieval market

The congress marks a shift in veterinary medicine. International scientists have submitted 850 research papers that will be published for the first time at the congress. “Never before has there been such a high proportion of papers dealing with health care, animal protection and management,” said IPVS president Bossow at today’s opening press conference, “Just a matter of years ago you would have had to search for scientific papers on such subjects with a magnifying glass.”

The congress bears the motto “healthy pigs for wholesome pork.” With more than 2,200 advance registrations, this year’s event will be the largest in the congress’ 35-year history by a long way. “Our motto really has hit the mark,” Bossow continues.

Even before the congress officially starts, veterinarians from around the world have a lot to talk about - the get-together at the medieval market

The congress is being held in the Congress Center Hamburg (CCH) and opens at 8.30 am. Alongside the representatives of the German national and Hamburg municipal governments, representatives of the European Commission, the World Organization for Animal Health (O.I.E) and Institute for Spatial Analysis and Planning in Areas of Intensive Agriculture (ISPA) will be speaking in the course of the morning.

250 of the 850 research papers will be presented as talks between Tuesday and Thursday. 615 papers will be presented in an exhibition. On Thursday the congress participants will decide where the 2008 congress will be held. The applicant countries are China, Japan, Canada and South Africa. The competition at the congress two years ago was won by Denmark, meaning that the 19th IPVS congress in 2006 will be held in Copenhagen.