From March 13 to 15, 2026, Volodymyr Ivanovych Ladyka, Head of the Department of Production and Processing of Livestock Products and Cynology, Advisor to the Rector, Academician of the NAAS of Ukraine, and Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, together with Anastasiia Serhiivna Belchenko, Assistant at the same department, conducted a working visit to Germany.
Representatives from the university were joined by key stakeholders of the Faculty of Biology and Technology – leaders of prominent agricultural enterprises who actively collaborate with the faculty, participate in shaping educational programs, and provide internship opportunities for students. These included:
- Bohdan Dumenko – Director of the “Vitaliia” farm (Konotop district, Sumy region);
- Andrii Zakharov – Owner of “Avers International” LLC (Sumy);
- Volodymyr Zubko – Director of the “Komyshanske” private agricultural enterprise (Okhtyrka district, Sumy region);
- Viktor Pakhnenko – Director of the State Enterprise “Experimental Farm of the Institute of Agriculture of the North-East of the NAAS of Ukraine”;
- Viktor Sobol – Director of the Sumy Breeding Center.
Stakeholders of the SNAU Faculty of Biology and Technology play a key role in the development of educational programs and practical training. They bridge the gap between science and production, provide students with access to modern enterprise practices, participate in the revision of educational programs, and facilitate the integration of cutting-edge technologies into the learning process.
Highlights of the Visit
At the invitation of the international company GGI-SPERMEX, the visit aimed to explore modern technologies in dairy cattle breeding, genetics, and selection.
- Farm Visits: The delegation visited leading Bavarian farms – Matthias Brauchle, Schoellhorn GBR, Burkart GBR, and Stefan Ostheimer – to study contemporary approaches to housing, feeding, and selecting dairy cattle.
- Genetic Centers: A visit to the artificial insemination station in Memmingen provided insights into modern cattle reproduction methods.
- National Exhibition: The delegation participated in the National Brown Swiss Exhibition at the ProRind exhibition center in Unterthingau. The event brought together leading breeders and experts. During the event, the SNAU team met with Johann Ertl, Head of the Bavarian State Institute of Animal Breeding, and representatives of the European Brown Swiss Breeders Federation.
- Expert Presentations: Participants attended a presentation on the export prospects of the German Brown Swiss breed, delivered by Frank Stumpenhusen from GGI-SPERMEX.
The visit served as a platform for professional meetings, discussions on international cooperation, and the exchange of experience in cattle genetics and breeding. Participation in such international events fosters scientific and production ties, strengthens SNAU’s cooperation with European partners, and facilitates the implementation of advanced practices in the Ukrainian livestock sector.
