3,500 Experts from 84 Countries to Meet in İstanbul for WBC 2026

The 33rd World Buiatrics Congress, one of the world’s most important scientific gatherings in the field of cattle and other ruminant animal health, will be held in Türkiye for the first time on 6-10 September 2026. The congress, which will bring together approximately 3,500 veterinarians, scientists, academics and industry representatives from 84 countries in İstanbul, will address topics shaping the future of livestock farming, ranging from foot-and-mouth disease to avian influenza, from antimicrobial resistance to climate change, and from artificial intelligence to robotic milking systems.

While there are approximately 1.6 billion cattle worldwide, Türkiye’s cattle population exceeded 17.5 million at the end of 2025. The scale of the sector makes not only cattle health but also sustainable livestock farming, food safety and continuity of production a strategic issue.

While transboundary animal diseases, climate change and antimicrobial resistance are among the main risks facing livestock farming on a global scale, sensor technologies, artificial intelligence and robotic systems are opening the door to a new era in animal health and herd management. This agenda will bring together the world’s leading experts within the scope of the 33rd World Buiatrics Congress (WBC 2026), to be held in İstanbul on 6-10 September 2026.

The World Buiatrics Congress, first held in 1960 and organized every two years, will be held in Türkiye for the first time in its 66-year history. Approximately 3,500 veterinarians, scientists, academics and industry representatives from 84 countries are expected to attend the congress.

TÜRKİYE WILL BRING THE GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN İSTANBUL
World Buiatrics Congress President Prof. Dr. Hasan Batmaz, drawing attention to the importance of the congress for Türkiye, said the following:

“Türkiye has significant potential in terms of ruminant health, with its strong animal population, developing modern farms and food enterprises. It is a great source of happiness for us, as well as an important responsibility, that Türkiye will host the World Buiatrics Congress—first held in 1960 and organized every two years—for the first time. At our congress, we will address cattle health, diseases and management, as well as issues affecting human and environmental health. With the approach of ‘Global Solutions for Animals and the Environment,’ we will bring together scientists and industry professionals from different countries around the world in İstanbul. We aim for the congress to present global developments not only in cattle health but also in the health of sheep, goats, buffalo and camels, and to offer participants and the sector valuable knowledge and new experiences.”

NEW-GENERATION VACCINES ON THE AGENDA FOR FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE
One of the congress’s prominent topics will be foot-and-mouth disease, one of the foremost transboundary animal diseases. Disease control, new-generation vaccine technologies and global control strategies will be evaluated by experts renowned for their international work.

Dr. Fabrizio Rosso, Deputy Secretary General of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD), will address the fight against foot-and-mouth disease from global approaches to local implementations. In addition to new scientific studies, international strategies for disease control will also be discussed at the congress.

THE EMERGENCE OF AVIAN INFLUENZA IN CATTLE BRINGS NEW RISKS TO THE AGENDA
The emergence of avian influenza in dairy cattle, which has taken an important place on the global agenda of animal health in recent years, is also among the notable topics of WBC 2026.

Prof. Dr. Juergen Richt will evaluate the changing host structure of influenza viruses, extending from birds to cattle, and the new risks this poses for animal health. The scientific program will also cover research on the inactivation of avian influenza virus in raw milk.

These topics once again demonstrate that animal diseases are not limited to production processes on farms alone, and that they must be evaluated together with food safety and public health.

THE “ONE HEALTH” APPROACH TO ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
Antibiotic use in livestock farming and the resulting antimicrobial resistance will be one of the congress’s important agenda items.

Antimicrobial resistance stands out as a global problem directly affecting animal health as well as food safety and human health. For this reason, the correct, controlled and needs-based use of antibiotics is among the core topics of the “One Health” approach, which addresses human, animal and environmental health together.

At the congress, Prof. Dr. Theo Lam will evaluate the current state of antimicrobial use in dairy cattle farming and the problems that may be encountered in the future. New approaches to reducing antibiotic use and current research on resistant bacteria found in cattle will also be shared.

HUMAN, ANIMAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TO BE ADDRESSED WITHIN THE SAME FRAMEWORK
Among WBC 2026’s international speakers will be Prof. Dr. Cezmi Akdiş, a world-renowned immunology expert from Türkiye.

Akdiş will address the relationship between deterioration in the protective barriers where the human body comes into contact with the external environment and allergic and autoimmune diseases, within the framework of the One Health approach, which evaluates human, animal and environmental health as a whole.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS TRANSFORMING LIVESTOCK FARMING
The effects of global warming on livestock farming will also be one of the congress’s important agenda items. In addition to the effects of rising temperatures on animal health, welfare and productivity, the environmental sustainability of livestock farming will be evaluated.

The scientific program will feature current research on the relationship between climate change and livestock farming, particularly heat stress, animal welfare and the reduction of enteric methane emissions.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ROBOTIC SYSTEMS ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF LIVESTOCK FARMING
Technological transformation in livestock farming is also among the prominent topics of WBC 2026.

Prof. Dr. Trevor DeVries will address the effects of robotic milking systems on herd management. The congress will also discuss next-generation applications such as real-time monitoring of animal health with sensor technologies, data-driven clinical decision-making processes, and animal welfare in the age of artificial intelligence.

These sessions will evaluate the opportunities offered by technology not only in terms of increasing productivity, but also in terms of early disease detection, improving animal welfare and creating more sustainable production models.

SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE FIELD
WBC 2026 will not be limited to scientific presentations alone. Practice-oriented workshops will also be held as part of the congress.

Hands-on studies to be carried out on topics such as fertility programs in dairy cattle, calving and management of newborn calves, and diagnosis via ultrasound, will ensure that current scientific knowledge is brought together with field applications.

3,500 EXPERTS, 868 PAPERS AND 3 HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS
The scientific program of the five-day 33rd World Buiatrics Congress will feature 59 invited talks, 220 oral presentations and 589 poster presentations. The program will also include 11 special presentations by the private sector and 3 hands-on workshops.

The World Buiatrics Congress, to be held in Türkiye for the first time in its 66-year history, will bring global developments regarding the health of ruminant animals—including sheep, goats, buffalo and camels in addition to cattle—to the agenda in İstanbul.

By bringing together scientists, veterinarians and industry representatives from different countries around the world, WBC 2026 will be an important scientific platform where global solutions for the future of livestock farming are discussed, at the intersection of animal health, food safety, human health, environmental sustainability and technological transformation.