Expert speakers set to impress at ISVC 2025

The International Sheep Veterinary Congress (ISVC) is only 5 weeks away. To be held in Wollongong, New South Wales, from 27–31 October 2025, the congress makes its long-awaited return to Australia after many years abroad. 

Sheep Camelid and Goat Veterinarians (SCGV) Special Interest Group President, Congress co-organiser and keynote speaker Professor Emeritus Peter Windsor highlighted the scale and global significance of this year’s event, which will showcase 170 papers on the broad theme of ‘Healthy Sheep to Feed and Clothe the World’, from experts representing 32 countries. 

“It's increasingly important to engage with progression of global world livestock agriculture, particularly in the developing world where control of many ‘transboundary infectious disease’ (TAD) issues is challenging due to under-resourced veterinary services, threatening the disease status of developed countries,” Professor Windsor said. 

Having attended ISVC Congresses since 2005, Professor Windsor explained that the conference has always included a strong focus on issues affecting producers from most parts of the world and is increasingly including work in developing nations.  

“Of approximately 570 million farms globally, the vast majority (~84%) are smallholders in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Asia and Africa, with many struggling with poverty, keeping livestock as their bank accounts,” he said. 

“We are aiming to increase the role of the conference into encouraging work in that demographic, with the International Sheep Veterinary Association providing a fund to help sponsor delegates from lower income countries.” 

This year’s congress will also feature an impressive lineup of plenary speakers including Dr Ed Dunn, Professor Richard Eckhart and Professor Mark Hutchinson. Professor Windsor said he is especially looking forward to hearing from Australian Chief Veterinary Officer (ACVO) Dr Beth Cookson, who will share her expertise on Australian preparedness for managing transboundary disease threats. 

“There are global programs to control Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Peste des Petits (PPR), important viral TADs that are endemic in Africa and Asia (and) FMD has spread into Indonesia in recent years increasing the potential risk for Australia. The concern with FMD in small ruminants is that the clinical signs are more difficult to detect than in cattle and pigs. This is an issue as early detection and response to an outbreak of FMD is critical for our national economy. 

“We need to find ways for Australian veterinarians to be interacting more closely with our sheep industry and sheep producers so that we can improve disease surveillance, emergency responses, animal welfare and all those things that help keep our sheep, goat and camelid animals, farmers and industries safe.” 

Professor Windsor will present 2 papers at ISVC 2025:  'An Australian small ruminant outback odyssey’ and ‘Is mitigation of rumen methane a priority for sustainable small ruminant production?’ 

"The first paper is on the important role of merino sheep in the development of post-European settlement of Australia. With Dr Bruce Watt, I’ll be sharing some of the learnings we’ll gain from our ISVC pre-conference tour in outback NSW and Victoria, when we’ll be visiting numerous farms and other sites including, weather permitting, the important indigenous place of Mungo National Park. We expect to gain a deeper understanding of the history, geographical range and different adaptions required to manage and progress the small ruminant production systems that have contributed so much to the socioeconomic development of the Australian nation.  

“The second paper discusses the question of whether, in meeting the challenges of adapting our livestock production systems to climate change, should we also be including mitigation of methane production from small ruminants? This extends from successful work we have been conducting on methane mitigation of cattle and buffalo systems in Southeast Asia, where this question is occasionally raised.”  

While webinars and online meetings have become increasingly common since COVID emerged, Professor Windsor emphasised the irreplaceable benefits of in-person congresses.  

“Congresses are so important to keep researchers, practitioners, industry personnel and policy makers up to date and for identifying areas that need more research and development, on-farm and industry services, and importantly, progression of policy in the future.  

“And then of course, networking and social interaction is so very important. 

“I have numerous colleagues in Asia, Europe and Africa that I’ve been working with in recent years and being able to sit down for a coffee, lunch, dinner and a chat, or being in the same room to talk, share ideas, and build connections, makes a huge difference to building trusted international relationships.” 

Registrations for ISVC 2025 must close on 3 October. With global experts, cutting-edge research, and critical discussions on the future of sheep health and production, this year’s congress promises to be an unmissable event. Register here.