What Is the ISVC?
The ISVC is a major international scientific congress for professionals, researchers, faculty members, students, and institutional representatives working in Veterinary Medicine, Animal Production, and Agricultural Sciences, with a central focus on sheep veterinary medicine and related topics.
Target Audience
The congress serves a diverse and highly qualified audience, including researchers and faculty from universities and research centers in Brazil and abroad; clinical veterinarians and technical consultants working in sheep production; undergraduate and graduate students in Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, and related fields; professionals and managers from public and private agricultural institutions; and representatives of scientific and professional associations connected with sheep health and production.
History
The International Sheep Veterinary Congress has been held in different countries since 1985. Initially organized by the Sheep Veterinary Society, it later came under the coordination of the International Sheep Veterinary Association (ISVA), an international nonprofit scientific association that brings together national societies, academic institutions, and veterinarians specializing in sheep health, production, and welfare worldwide.
The main purpose of the ISVC is to bring together professionals interested in sheep health, productivity, and welfare, fostering learning, scientific exchange, international collaboration, and lasting professional relationships.
The two most recent editions were held in Australia (11th ISVC 2025 – Wollongong) and Spain (10th ISVC 2023 – Sevilha). The history of the International Sheep Veterinary Association and further information about the congress are available at:
https://intsheepvetassoc.org/
The ISVC in Brazil
Choosing Brazil provides an opportunity to highlight tropical and semi-arid production systems, which are especially relevant to discussions of innovation, health resilience, sustainability, and climate adaptation. In this context, the Northeast region offers a strategic setting in which to integrate scientific knowledge, production realities, and local experience.
ISVA currently brings together national associations of veterinarians specializing in sheep production from 27 countries worldwide. In Brazil, the Associação Brasileira de Buiatria appointed Prof. Huber Rizzo as the country’s official representative to ISVA and Dr. Mário Felipe Balaro as alternate representative, roles they have held since 2022. From 2013 to 2021, Brazil was represented in the association by Prof. Lilian Gregory (FMVZ/USP).
Event Format
The 12th ISVC 2028 will be held in person, with four consecutive days of scientific programming, as well as pre-event (X days) and post-event (X days) technical-scientific, cultural, and institutional activities designed as integral parts of the congress and aligned with the traditional ISVC format.
The main scientific program of ISVC 2028 will take place over four days, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with activities in different formats and at varying levels of depth, held concurrently in parallel rooms in keeping with the congress’s international standard. The official language will be English, with simultaneous interpretation into Portuguese to broaden access and participation for Brazil’s scientific community.
