Education & Young scientists

ICAR Brian Wickham Young Persons Exchange (BWYPEX) Program: Supporting Excellence and Knowledge Exchange

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Abstract

The Brian Wickham Young Persons Exchange (BWYPEX) Program was established in 2022 by the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) to promote and support knowledge exchange, skills development, and networking among young scientists in the ICAR community.  The name refers to Dr Brian Wickham, for his dedication to fostering knowledge exchange. The objective of this presentation is to show how the program works, the interest of young scientists and mentor institutions in participating, and the impact and lessons learned from the program in the first 3 years of implementation. The BWYPEX Program intends to propose a wide range of topics. Surveys were conducted to identify the priorities of ICAR members, revealing a strong interest in new sensor technologies for animal health and welfare and best management practices for sustainable production. Sustainability was explored through several traits, including automated feed-intake measurements, feed efficiency, and methane prediction. Other topics of interest included beef-on-beef-on-dairy strategies, international genetic evaluations for sustainability traits in ovine breeds, and the management of genetic defects in cattle. The program has supported 12 young researchers worldwide. The presentation will also provide conclusions from their experiences, including the impact on young scientists beyond increased technical knowledge, education and networking development.

Keywords: 2026

How to Cite:

Burke, M., Granados, A., Lefebvre, D., Newton, J. & Orlandini, S., (2026) “ICAR Brian Wickham Young Persons Exchange (BWYPEX) Program: Supporting Excellence and Knowledge Exchange”, World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production Digital Archive 2026(1): 2295721. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/wcgalp.24363

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