Introduction - Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation | Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management

The Institute’s Organizational Units

The Institute comprises the following departments:

• Department of Animal Husbandry,
• Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology,
• Department of Conservation Zoology and Wildlife Management.

The Institute is responsible for coordinating the following undergraduate and postgraduate programmes:

• Stud Manager Higher Education Vocational Training,
• Bachelor of Science in Equine Breeding and Equestrian Sport Organisation (full-time),
• Bachelor of Science in Nature Conservation Engineering (full-time, part-time),
• Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management Engineering (full-time, part-time),
• Master of Science in Animal Husbandry Engineering (full-time, part-time, distance learning),
• Master of Science in Nature Conservation Engineering (full-time, part-time),
• Master of Science in Animal Husbandry Engineering (English-language, full-time).

The Institute also oversees registered specialised postgraduate programmes, including the Fisheries Engineering Specialist Programme and the Nature Pedagogy Specialist Training.

Animal production and the related sciences have not faced challenges comparable to the current ones since the post–World War II period. Moreover, several of today’s expectations and trends directly contradict one another. For example, by 2050 global demand for animal protein, and thus milk and meat consumption - particularly in developing countries - is projected to increase by 60%. Meeting this growing protein demand may involve alternative sources such as insect protein or laboratory-grown products. At the same time, livestock - especially ruminants - are increasingly blamed for contributing to greenhouse gas emissions (25%), water pollution (notably in pig production), the rise of zoonotic diseases, and the alleged negative health impacts of consuming animal-derived proteins.

What is certain, however, is that animals themselves are also victims of climate change. Rising temperatures, the emergence of new diseases (e.g. bluetongue, lumpy skin disease, West Nile fever), and the increasing contamination of forage crops with toxin-producing fungi all threaten livestock production. The area of arable land is shrinking, reducing available feed-producing land. Clean freshwater supplies are diminishing due to climate change, pollution, and rising industrial and household water use. Input prices are continuously increasing, while the availability of skilled labour is decreasing. These factors drive larger farm sizes and the spread of precision technologies that can substitute manual labour. Lean, circular farming principles - reducing losses in production, processing, and consumption - and the growing demand for traceability all build upon these trends. At the same time, biosecurity has become indispensable. Reducing reliance on antibiotics is now essential for maintaining animal health. Animal welfare and protection have become major social issues.

In breeding, increasing productivity and ensuring efficient resource use remain key goals, which are achieved through biotechnical and biotechnological tools in both feed processing and breeding. Genomic selection is now a routine practice, and a deeper understanding of reproductive physiology, as well as the potential application of gene editing, are at the forefront of innovation.

Human-driven biodiversity loss and its impacts on human health, framed even within the One Health concept, alongside the growing presence of wildlife in urban areas and society’s increasing detachment from nature, all call for scientific action and public awareness. Many people seek to restore biodiversity and food production within their own environment through ecological farming, permaculture, or other nature-based approaches. The EU estimates that organic products will account for 25% of consumption by 2030.

We must also acknowledge that for 2 billion people today, livestock farming remains the foundation of their livelihood, and by 2050, approximately two-thirds of the world’s animal production is expected to take place in developing countries. These facts underline the many scientific challenges ahead.

Our Institute is fully prepared to address these challenges. Our academic and research staff are highly committed and professionally experienced. We maintain strong cooperation with national sectoral research institutes, university faculties, and research groups. Our international relations and outlook are extensive (e.g. with BOKU, Novi Sad, Timișoara, Košice, Zagreb, Montpellier, Białowieża, DAGENE, HIF, among others), and our research achievements (D1, Q1) are recognized worldwide.

We maintain strong partnerships with the agricultural sector, supported by several external departments. We actively participate in the leadership of animal husbandry organisations, and our approach is integrated, interdisciplinary, and species-inclusive, from molecular genetics to nutrition and product quality.

We can report significant research results in the following areas:

• genetic diversity (classical and molecular),
• breeding of indigenous breeds,
• proteomics,
• breeding programmes,
• breeding value estimation,
• aquaculture,
• assessment of natural populations,
• urban wildlife management,
• pollinator research.

Our infrastructure for fish biology, nutrition, proteomics, and reproductive biology is advanced and of international standard.