The challenges of meeting increasing demand for livestock products with limiting resources prompted FAO to convene a one day symposium on Optimizing Feed Use Efficiency in Ruminant Animal Production Systems at the AAAP ANIMAL SCIENCE CONGRESS held recently in Bangkok. This symposium, attended by over one hundred and fifty policymakers, scientists, extension workers and students, brought together renowned speakers from around the world to consider the need and strategies to improve the conversion of feed into human food by ruminant livestock.