IPVS 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City: A landmark congress for global pig health and sustainable production
Under the theme "Caring for the Pig – Achieving a Healthy & Sustainable Global Environment," IPVS 2026 served as an international platform where researchers, veterinarians, producers, industry partners, and policymakers exchanged the latest scientific knowledge and practical solutions to address the evolving challenges facing the global swine industry.
Years of preparation culminated in a successful congress
Vietnam was officially awarded the right to host IPVS 2026 in 2023 after presenting its proposal to the IPVS Council. Since then, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), together with international partners and the Scientific Committee, spent more than two years preparing every aspect of the congress—from scientific programming and sponsorship to international promotion and logistics. The congress represented a significant milestone not only for Vietnam but also for Southeast Asia, demonstrating the region's growing role in global pig production, veterinary science, and One Health initiatives.
An outstanding scientific programme
IPVS 2026 delivered an extensive scientific programme covering the most important topics in modern pig production, including infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, reproduction, nutrition, animal welfare, precision livestock farming, sustainability, and emerging technologies.
The programme featured:
- Two plenary sessions featuring four outstanding plenary lectures delivered by internationally renowned experts, providing comprehensive overviews of the most critical issues in the swine industry and shaping future directions for global development.
- 18 keynote lectures delivered by internationally renowned speakers, each addressing a specific congress theme through in-depth scientific insights.
- 16 parallel scientific sessions featuring more than 123 oral presentations, showcasing the latest research findings across the congress's scientific themes.
- 816 electronic posters featuring specialized research, with 147 abstracts selected for live presentation during the congress's e-poster sessions.
In addition, the congress featured 14 industry-sponsored satellite symposia, providing a platform for sharing the latest innovations and practical advances in swine health and production.
The scientific committee received 961 abstract submissions from researchers worldwide. Following a rigorous peer-review process involving 1,959 reviews, 940 abstracts were accepted for presentation, contributed by 2,814 authors. The broad geographical representation highlighted the truly international nature of the congress. Nearly half of all accepted abstracts originated from the Asia-Pacific region (46.5%), followed by Europe (39.9%), the Americas (12.2%), Africa (0.8%), and Australia (0.7%).
Strong global participation
IPVS 2026 welcomed 4,615 delegates over four days, making it one of the largest editions of the congress to date. Participants travelled from every major pig-producing region of the world. Vietnam, as the host country, contributed the largest delegation with more than 2,000 participants, while strong attendance was also recorded from China, South Korea, the United States, Thailand, Taiwan, Germany, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Poland, Brazil, Spain, Russia, and many other countries. The diverse international participation created valuable opportunities for scientific collaboration, networking, technology exchange, and future research partnerships.
More than science
Beyond the scientific programme, IPVS 2026 offered an opportunity for delegates to experience Vietnam's hospitality, culture, and rapidly developing livestock sector. The congress fostered meaningful interactions between academia, industry, government agencies, and young professionals, strengthening international cooperation for the future of pig health. Industry partners also played an important role through satellite symposia and exhibition activities, showcasing innovations in diagnostics, vaccines, nutrition, precision farming, and digital technologies that are shaping the future of swine production.
Looking ahead
As the congress concluded, IPVS 2026 left a lasting legacy for both Vietnam and the global swine community. The event demonstrated that international collaboration remains essential to addressing shared challenges such as transboundary diseases, antimicrobial resistance, sustainability, food security, and animal welfare. By successfully hosting one of the world’s premier scientific meetings on pig health, Vietnam has further established itself as an active contributor to global veterinary science and swine production.
The knowledge shared, collaborations established, and friendships formed during IPVS 2026 will continue to support innovation and progress in pig production worldwide, reinforcing the congress theme of “Caring for the Pig – Achieving a Healthy & Sustainable Global Environment.” And with that, the Organizing Committee extended its heartfelt farewell to all participants, expressing sincere gratitude for their presence and contributions, and looking forward to reuniting at the next IPVS Congress in Spain in 2028.