Attendance exceeded expectations reflecting the quality of the speakers and the incredible value 4 program streams presented. With the ability to move between program streams of Milling & Nutrition, Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition, Equine and Flour, delegates maximised the value of their time and investment to attend.
Photo: Courtesy of SFMCA
By David Bray, Chairman, The Stock Feed Manufacturers’ Council of Australia — SFMCA
Engaging, insightful and productive best summarise the inaugural Advancing Milling & Nutrition Conference (AMN), held in conjunction with Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition — Australia and the Australasian Equine Science Symposium, held in Melbourne, Australia from 13-14 May, 2025.
This conference was established to highlight and support the technical and scientific advancements shaping our animal-related industries. Our founding committee envisioned an event that not only shares knowledge but fosters collaboration—bringing together researchers, scientists, and technical leaders across sectors.
The event hosted professionals from the stock feed, flour, technical milling, feed additive, nutritional, and equine industries—all under one roof—to hear from exceptional speakers on topics that matter deeply to our shared future.
Over 100 technical presentations in two days, 330 delegates from 11 countries, across 4 program streams, 52 sponsors and 33 trade displays, meant organisers were delighted with the incredible response and support for the new event.
Attendance exceeded expectations reflecting the quality of the speakers and the incredible value 4 program streams presented. With the ability to move between program streams of Milling & Nutrition, Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition, Equine and Flour, delegates maximised the value of their time and investment to attend.
As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, we are witnessing remarkable advancements in feed production, animal nutrition, flour milling, performance-enhancing additives, and precision formulation. In response to these developments, organisers targeted technical presentations from researchers and industry leaders to provide insights into new developments across multiple topics such as, understanding ingredients and what needs to change, environmental factors, gut microbiome, health and development, nutritional drivers of metabolism, operational management and decision making as well as operational efficiencies.
We recognize the growing pressures on time, training costs, and conference attendance. To address these concerns, our forum combined multiple events under one roof, offering both efficiency and cost savings.
Program Chair Alex Turney highlighted the need to pull together various conferences into one platform that delivers more cross species sharing of best practice, of science, of connections to drive advances. One that delivers the highest delegate value, and the best commercial return for all stakeholders, be it time, money and knowledge.
AMN Innovation Award Winner – Reid Stockfeeds Photo: Courtesy of SFMCA
The opening plenary session saw industry experts Prof Robert van Barneveld (CEO – SunPork) and Dr Geoffrey Annison, a renowned industry consultant, explore protein production in the future and the way consumer interactions are currently driving nutritional demands.
Esteemed international guest Constance Cullman, President and CEO of the American Feed Industry Association shared with an audience of 300, the Future Demands of the Feed Industry and how we embrace them.
Plenary 2 dove into the detail of how well we know the ingredients we are feeding our animals and do we have the right information needed to keep pace with other developments in optimising animal performance. Eminent scientist Prof. Gene Pesti from the United States of America questioned our reliance on the use of the proximate analysis system developed in the 19th century and brought us up to speed with the 21st century requirements. Prof. Wayne Bryden addressed the challenges still being posed by mycotoxins to the livestock industries, even after 50 years of knowledge gathering. Whilst Ian Sawyer of Feedworks explored what is new and relevant in the analytical world to ensure we have the right information to feed the world.
These six presentations were just the beginning of what was an enlightening and extensive technical program delivered by experts in their field.
AMN 2025 organisers SFMCA, FIAAA and ATMA, thank RAAN-A and AESS for their trust and vision to combine for the benefit of industry. We look forward to returning in 2027 for our combined conference to unite researchers, scientists, and technical leaders across multi specie sectors.
