IPB University Professor Attends AAAP Congress in Melbourne, Reviewing the Importance of Omics Studies on Cattle Sperm

Prof Bambang Purwantara, Professor of IPB University from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (SKHB) attended the Asia-Australasian Association of Animal Production (AAAP) and the Australian Association of Animal Science (AAAS) in Melbourne Australia, on July 9-12, 2024.

This international gathering in the field of livestock/animal production specifically for the Asia Pacific region is the largest of its kind and has been going on for decades. The congress is a gathering place for academics, researchers, practitioners, including business people to discuss global livestock developments.

The theme this time is “Embracing Disruption as an Opportunity for Animal Science”, discussing various aspects including genetics, reproduction, nutrition, animal health, behavior and animal welfare and their relation to the livestock business, animal health and food.

“This congress is very important to support the development of science and technology (science and technology) in the field of animal husbandry so that it can be a driving force for the growth and development of science and technology and animal husbandry businesses in Indonesia,” said Prof Bambang.

In the congress, Prof Bambang presented a scientific paper with the title “Relative expression of sperm protamine 1 (Prm 1) mRNA as a prospective marker of bull may be breed-dependent fertility”.

The paper showed the importance of omics studies on bovine sperm in determining the quality of superior males, complementing parameters in the form of sperm physiology evaluations that are routinely carried out in artificial insemination centers.

In addition to the oral presentation, he and his team also displayed a poster entitled Sperm nuclear molecules (mRNA and protein contents) characteristics and association with conception rate and semen quality of Aceh bulls (Bos indicus).

Over the past five years, Prof Bambang and his team including postdoctoral researchers and students have conducted proteomic and transcriptomic studies on the sperm of Indonesia’s superior cattle.

During the congress, several opportunities for cooperation between IPB University and potential partners were discussed, including with colleagues at universities in Australia, Korea and Japan. Indonesia is also encouraged to host the AAAP Congress in 2030 after Hanoi (2026) and Bangkok (2028). (IAAS/ZQA)