The DA-PCC recently underscored research-driven innovations to address and mitigate the impact of the pandemic in livestock during an international symposium held last October 27-28.

The Department of Agriculture-Livestock Biotechnology Center (DA-LBC), in cooperation with the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) - Division XIII has recently concluded the 5th International Livestock Biotechnology Symposium, which enables local and international researchers and scientists together with representatives from the government/public and private sector, non-government organizations, and academe to convene for the strengthening of agricultural outputs amidst pandemic. The ultimate goal is to foster a more competitive, profitable, and sustainable livestock industry.

With the recent outbreak of global pandemics such as COVID-19, African Swine Fever (ASF), and Avian Influenza, this year’s symposium theme was “Research-Driven Innovations Addressing and Mitigating the Impacts of Global Pandemic in the Livestock Industry”. It has brought together various experts from the USA, Thailand, Japan, Australia, and Philippines. The two-day virtual webinar symposium was attended by some 400 participants from different countries, mostly from the Philippines.

Dr. Claro N. Mingala, chief of the DA-LBC and OIC-Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC), said the emergence and resurgence of different global pandemic threatens biodiversity. He added that lives and livelihoods are harmed with the current pandemic impacting on global population in various levels. With globalization, he said, the persistence of animal diseases poses a serious risk to public health and causes damage to businesses and the economy at large.

Dr. Roger Merkel, an Associate Professor from Langston University, Oklahoma, USA shared that to replace antibiotics, one should promote growth of the animal, enhance its GI tract health, feed efficiency, and immune function, and reduce pathogenic bacteria found in animals.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sukolrat Boonyayatra of Chiang Mai University in Thailand lectured on antimicrobial resistance of Bovine Mastitis pathogen while Dr. Rangsun Parnpai talked about the utilization of reproductive biotechnologies for production of genetically elite cattle and buffaloes.

Prof. Shin-Ichiro Kawazu of Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine in Hokkaido, Japan, presented studies on the development of Babesia parasites using gene manipulation and bio-imaging analysis. The main goal of his Plasmodium and Babesia research is to understand the basic cellular mechanisms of these apicomplexan parasites.

Another speaker was Ms. Rowena Aguilar-Sino, a Fermentation Scientist from Australia. She talked about animal vaccine accessibility in the regional areas. The last speaker for this year was Dr. Saturnina Halos from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She discussed the regulatory issues on animal biotechnology in the Philippine perspective.

Symposiasts raised questions during the last part of each session. Results of the feedback poll show that 83% of the participants believe that biotechnology is essential in mitigating the pandemic.