More than 700 scientists from 52 countries were expected at University College Dublin for the week-long conference.

The programme includes presentations and discussions on topics ranging from the latest developments in livestock genotyping to the genetics of Irish badgers and “editing the future of the domestic pig”.

Bird flu

Thematic sessions will focus on a range of livestock species or diseases, with one talk examining the genetic basis for resistance to bird flu in chickens. Tuesday afternoon’s conference will focus on cattle molecular markers and parentage testing, including a presentation on genetic identification and parentage verification of cattle by the ICBF.

Tours will take delegates to the Irish Equine Centre/Weatherbys and the Irish National Stud as well as sites demonstrating the BDGP scheme.

The International Society for Animal Genetics Conference was last held in Dublin in 1976. It is organised by Weatherbys Scientific in association with the Department of Agriculture, ICBF and Teagasc.

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One million cattle genotyped