There were five invited presentations during this hybrid session:

Nutritional strategies to mitigate heat stress in pigs; What we have learnt in Australia that can be applied overseas? was presented by Professor Frank Dunshea, co-authored by Dr Jeremy Cottrell (University of Melbourne). Frank and Jeremy highlighted the the latest advancements in managing the nutritional aspects of heat stress in pigs and emphasised the importance of implementing a comprehensive nutritional management approach to counter the challenges posed by heat stress in pigs.

Exposure to bushfires impacts sheep health and beef meat quality was jointly presented by Professor Robyn Warner and Dr Caitlyn Pfeiffer (University of Melbourne) who shared the findings of their research which delved into the intricate relationship between bushfire exposure and its impact on livestock health and meat quality. Robyn and Caitlyn found that exposure to bushfires is linked to elevated pH levels in the beef loin and sheep exposed to bushfires exhibited a slight increase in pneumonia incidence, adding another dimension to the complex interplay between bushfires, livestock health, and meat quality.

Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs – Building resilience in Australian farming systems” was presented by Lu Hogan (University of New England). Lu outlined the purpose and objectives of the Australian Government’s $5 billion Future Drought Fund initiative, which aims to provide consistent and secure funding for drought resilience initiatives in preparation for the impacts of drought.

The physiology of heat stress in beef cattle presented by Dr Angela Lees, co-authored by Professor John Gaughan (University of Queensland) delved into the physiology of heat stress, emphasizing its significant impact on animal industries worldwide, leading to production losses and negative welfare outcomes.

Comparative heat tolerance in different sheep breeds; Heat waves and their impact on sheep production and meat quality was jointly presented by Dr Surinder Singh Chauhan and Dr Aleena Joy (University of Melbourne) and compared the heat tolerance and meat quality of Dorper, and 2nd Cross (Poll Dorset x Merino/Border Leicester) lambs by assessing various physiological, biochemical, hormonal, and molecular responses to heat stress and the impact on meat quality .