Uruguay will host the 10th World Merino Conference CONFERENCE to be held from 7th to 15th April 2018 in Uruguay, with pre- and post tours visiting the major Merino studs in the country as well as show and judging, besides the Conference activities.
This Conference is organised by the Uruguayan Merino Breeders Society with the support of the World Federation of Merino Breeders. The World Conference convenes every four years the International community related with the Merino breed. One of the main objectives is to encourage the participation and massive networking of researchers, breeders and companies or institutions related to the breed as well as encourage the participation of students from different areas as they will be the future Merino breeders.
The World Federation member countries are Argentina, Australia, France, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Uruguay and USA. Interest in the Conference has also already been received from other countries such as Turkey, Canada and Chile.
The previous Conference was held in South Africa with over 200 international visitors joining a similar number of South African breeders, scientists and other industry personnel. An inaugural interim conference, World Merino Insight, was held in Adelaide, Australia in September 2016. The World Merino Conference 1994 which was held in Uruguay was a most successful event which everyone still remembers creating great expectation for this next 10th Conference gathering.
The official activities for the 10th World Merino Conference will start on Saturday 7th April with a 5 day technical tour visiting the best Uruguayan Merino studs, the industry, plants, and wool mills. We will head up center-north of the country finishing in Salto where the best Merino area is. We will be staying at the Thermal area at the Altos del Arapey Hotel, and we will also have a day of show and judging, returning to Montevideo through the west bordering the Uruguay River which divides Uruguay from Argentina.
We will be arriving in Montevideo on Wednesday evening for the Conference on Thursday 12th and Friday 13th at the Sheraton Hotel with keynote speakers on meat and wool markets, breeding, marketing, textiles, genetics and production as well as reports from Federation member countries. Optional sightseeing tours will be organised to Punta del Este and Colonia on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th. Pre and post tours will also be proposed to Argentina and Chile.
We expect a great attendance from the neighbouring countries, as well as from researchers, industry members and Merino breeders from Uruguay, besides a great attendance from the Federation breeders from all over the world, estimating at least 300 attendees.
This Conference will certainly allow exchange of opinions over the breed and its genetics, world meat and wool markets, trends for the future, and scientific knowledge in a friendly atmosphere of the Merino world family which helps strengthen bonds between our associations. We look forward to your participation at this important event in our country. It will be a great opportunity to appreciate not only our Merino breed but also our land and agriculture production, our culture and also show you our Uruguayan hospitality.