Education & Young scientists

Innovations and sustainability in Animal Science: an undergraduate-student-driven initiative for scientific training and integration

---

Abstract

Climate warming directly affects tropical regions in South America. In alignment with the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties held in Belém, Brazil, the Academic League of Animal Breeding and Genetics and former students of the Animal Breeding course at the Federal University of Uberlandia organised the event 'Innovations and Sustainability in Animal Science'. This extension-oriented initiative targeted undergraduate students and professionals, aiming to foster dialogic discussions on technological innovation, sustainability, and advances in animal breeding. The program was scheduled for November 8, 2025, and included two in-person lectures by professionals from private companies, one online lecture by a professor from a United States university, and a panel discussion. The themes addressed were: the use of artificial intelligence (AI), computational algorithms and automated phenotyping; sustainability and selection for feed efficiency and methane emission; and the role of genomics and animal breeding in sustainable selection practices. Participants were encouraged to ask questions, and a perception survey was administered after the program. Results showed an increase in participants' understanding of the role of genetics and animal breeding in livestock system sustainability, as well as greater interest in scientific projects and in joining academic leagues and research groups. The event attracted 53 in-person attendees. Digital promotion resulted in approximately 54,000 visits to the official Instagram profile, with an average of 70 likes and 7 comments per post. Analysis of these metrics indicated that 80.60% of the reached audience was from Uberlandia. The number of visits exceeded the total follower counts of the invited speakers (5,712), indicating that the event's reach was amplified by both the speakers' audiences and the coordinated sharing efforts of the organisers across their networks. These results suggest that social media substantially increased visibility and interest in the event themes. Although high reach alone does not guarantee engagement or conversion into meaningful participation, the increased visibility can be leveraged in future editions by using online or hybrid formats that facilitate access for geographically diverse audiences and help reduce participation barriers in a large country like Brazil. Nonetheless, these data highlight the importance of monitoring engagement and impact metrics, such as the proportion of social media interactions that lead to registrations in future extension activities. During the roundtable, 16 questions were received, of which 46.00% related to the first theme, 26.00% to the second, 13.00% to the third, and 15.00 % addressed all three speakers. The discussions on sustainability and innovation prompted participants to adopt a more critical perspective of animal science's role in addressing global challenges such as climate change, production efficiency, and animal welfare. The event exemplified an effective strategy for preparing future professionals with heightened awareness of contemporary issues.

Keywords: 2026

How to Cite:

Maiorano, A., dos Santos, M., Santiago, B., Arikawa, I., Quadros, I., de Souza, E., Messias, G., Santos, N., Ribeiro, L., H.S. Costa, H., Chaves, G., Costa, A., Silva, T., Morais, L., Souza, E., Mendes, L. & Teodoro, M., (2026) “Innovations and sustainability in Animal Science: an undergraduate-student-driven initiative for scientific training and integration”, World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production Digital Archive 2026(1): 2284593. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/wcgalp.24561

Rights: 1