Int'l biotech conference seeks to improve PHL livestock 

Through reproductive biotechnology, scientists have found a better way to solve some of the world's most pressing problems on food security, health and biodiversity.

 

In a convention of scholars, policy-makers, and scientists from around the world held from Oct. 23 to 28 at Edsa Shangri-la Hotel, Mandaluyong City, experts discussed ways of improving the livestock industry.

 

The event, dubbed the "9th Asian Reproductive Biotechnology Society (ARBS) conference," was organized by the Department of Agriculture's Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) and Biotechnology Program (DA-Biotech).

 

Representatives from the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, India, China, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Spain, Portugal, USA, and Australia shared information regarding advances in assisted reproductive technologies, genetics, and cloning techniques, among others.

 

Best of the best genes

 

DA-PCC Executive Director Dr. Libertado Cruz told GMA News Online that the main goal for studies about the advancement and applications of reproductive biotechnology in the livestock industry is to discover effective technologies which could produce the best genes for better-quality products, and more efficient production rates.

 

"'Pag natural (reproduction) lang, any animal can mate anybody, regardless of the quality. The objective of assisted reproductive technology is to produce the best of the best (genes)," said Cruz.

 

During the first day of the conference, Cruz presented his study, "Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Asian Livestock Industry."

 

"Intensification of production systems, imports of feed grains, and import of ruminant-derived products all contribute to environmental degradation," he wrote.

 

Cruz said that his study aims to provide insights on how to increase production efficiency while reducing environmental impact at the same time.

 

According to the study, "in the context of Asian livestock, artificial insemination (AI) and embryo technology (ET) and cryobanking or storing sperms are the most practical assisted reproductive technologies."

 

Cruz explained during the interview that these are the most practical and widely-used technologies, at least in the Philippines.

 

Wanted: more young scientists

 

Livestock remains one of major sources of food, and Asians comprise about 60 percent of the world's 7.0 billion-strong population.

 

But only a handful of students are taking up further studies in biotechnologyand other fields that could be applied to this industry, said Konkuk University (South Korea) College of Animal Bioscience and Technology Associate Professor Nguyen Van Thuan.

 

"(T)he main goal (of this conference) is the stimulation for young scientists in the field of biotechnology, for the stem cell research, cloning technologies, other reproductive biotechnologies, for the applied medicine..." said Nguyen.

 

The conference also seeks to "highlight the recent advancements in the different areas of reproductive biotechnologies, and the technological developments in increasing the productivity and profitability of livestock."

 

During the same conference, a total of 49 "poster studies" of young scientists from 18 participating countries qualified for the competition for the best study in reproductive biotechnology. 

 

Nguyen said that reproductive biotechnology is an emerging field in scientific research, noting that the latest Nobel Prize for Medicine winners Drs. Joseph Gurdon and Shinka Yamanaka were recognized for their stem cell research.  — TJD, GMA News