I am thrilled to have received the Christopher Wathes Travel Award, which allowed me to attend the annual BSAS conference in Galway, Ireland from 8 April to 10 April 2025.

As a PhD student, this opportunity was invaluable for expanding my knowledge, presenting my research, and engaging with experts in the field of animal science. The conference opened with a keynote by Michael Lee, which set the tone for three days of thought-provoking talks on agricultural science, production, and sustainability. He highlighted the need for broader metrics to assess agriculture’s environmental impact, beyond carbon alone. Reducing other greenhouse gases, he argued, can buy time to address carbon emissions more effectively. He emphasized the complexity of agricultural systems and the need for context-specific approaches, especially when evaluating the contributions of livestock. His discussion on nutrient quality (e.g. bioavailability and micronutrients) and livestock’s role in circular systems resonated strongly with my own research interests. He made a compelling case for moving away from linear models toward circularity, which presents both a challenge and an opportunity for researchers across disciplines.

Themes of circularity and sustainability continued throughout the conference. In the pig session, Ramon Muns identified knowledge gaps around circular diets and the lack of data on the bioavailability of alternative feed ingredients. Another presentation raised a crucial point that not all farms contribute equally to emissions, so targeting those with the worst outcomes, the “low-hanging fruit”, may be a more effective strategy than blanket approaches. These ideas tied into presentations and discussions around frameworks like One Welfare, particularly in under-researched systems such as outdoor pig farms. Standard welfare and sustainability assessments developed for conventional systems may not be suitable here, highlighting the need for tailored approaches and better support for stakeholders in this emerging sector. Additionally, there’s a need for more education and support for the stakeholders in this novel, but growing, area. Although my work focuses on pig welfare, I appreciated the opportunity to engage with researchers in cattle welfare.

Presentations on social and feeding behaviour offered transferable methodologies and insights that I can apply to my own research. The conference also gave me the chance to present my work on oral fluid biomarkers and ear necrosis in pigs, which was my first time sharing this topic publicly. Presenting helped me refine my communication skills and led to valuable discussions. A researcher from Portugal introduced me to the potential of proteomics in oral fluids, opening new avenues I may explore in future work. As I approach the end of my PhD and begin looking toward postdoctoral opportunities, being exposed to new research areas and building connections was particularly meaningful.

Attending BSAS reinvigorated my passion for animal science and strengthened my confidence as an early-career researcher. I am sincerely thankful to BSAS for making this experience possible through the Christopher Wathes Travel Award.