Author Description

Production (EAAP) Annual Meeting held in Budapest, Hungary, on the 26th-29th August 2001. It contains abstracts of the invited papers and contributed presentations. The meeting addressed in particular subjects relating to science and innovation, socio-economic reform, genomics, regionalisation and the restructuring of the livestock sector in Central and Eastern Europe. It also discussed important problems during the sessions of EAAP's eight Commissions: Animal Genetics, Animal Nutrition, Animal Management and Health, Animal Physiology, Cattle Production, Sheep and Goat Production, Pig Production and Horse Production. In addition joint sessions on topics interesting several disciplines and species were included in the programme. A total of 1 658 authors (711 abstracts) contributed to this publication. Until a decade ago, the main interest concern scientists and professionals had was to secure ample animal protein foods and good quality fibres for the consumers, while insuring the livestock farmers decent incomes. In recent years, consumers have shown some concern about the impact of farming systems on the environment, the possible dangers resulting from the application of new techniques, as well as the introduction of advanced biotechnological methodologies. In the light of multiple crisis, animal agriculture has been all along the past year at the centre of public debate; on the marketing side, globalisation has tended to create further inequities for the livestock producers. Safe food supplies, demand for specific quality products and growing health awareness, became key-terms, directly influencing research and innovation. It was thus normal that the public's perception of production systems and product quality, GMOs, the food chain and the safety and traceability of products, be at the centre of this year's EAAP annual meeting.