The End of Agri Research?
FFTC Deputy Director, Dr. Akio Takenaka recently attended the 49th annual meeting of the Japanese Society for Rumen Metabolism and Physiology (JSRMP) at Baji-Chikusan Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan.
According to Dr. Takenaka, in the said meeting, the most advanced and updated technologies and knowledge related to rumen microbiology were presented and discussed. As a scientist, he said it was important for him to be deeply involved in ruminant physiology and nutrition. The FFTC Deputy Director, who is also the vice president of JSRMP, was also invited by the society officials to attend the board of governors meeting in which the future activities of JSRMP were discussed.
Forty participants attended the annual JSRMP meeting in which seven presentations were delivered on the following subjects: 1) Metabolic changes in dairy cows induced by the heat stress; 2) Comparative metabolomics analysis of rumen fermentation products from sheep; 3) Amylolytic bacteria from the rumen of Japanese black cattle; 4) Oligosaccharides contained in bean husk as a new feed candidate; 5) Prebiotic materials for Japanese Black calf; 6) Lactose availability in Fibrobacter succinogenes, a major cellulolytic bacterium in the rumen; and 7) The effect of cattle manure polluted by radioactive cesium. In between presentations, discussions on various issues regarding the said subjects were exchanged and shared among the participants.
The FFTC Deputy Director also disclosed that in the said meeting, he was able to strengthen the network between and among the governors of the society. In fact, a network of governors has been set up and plans for JSRMP’s future activities were discussed.
Established in 1990, JRSMP aims to contribute to the development of the basic and applied research of investigators who are interested in a wide variety of rumen microbial functions from the standpoints of nutrition, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, microbial ecology, symbiosis, evolution and others in ruminant animals and the microorganisms, and the production of ruminant animals.
FFTC Deputy Director Dr. Akio Takenaka (3rd from left) joins the company of JSRMP, NARO and NILGS officials during the 49th JSRMP Annual Meeting. From (L to R) Dr. Tokumi Shinkai, NARO presentor, Dr. Makoto Mitsumori, NARO Chairman of JSRMP, Dr. Takenaka, Prof. Tatsuo Kobayashi, Hokkaido University, Pres. of JSRMP, Dr. Hisao Itabashi, former Pres. Of JSRMP, Dr. Satoshi Koike, Associate Prof of Hokkaido University, and Dr. Yoshiaki Izaike, OB of NILGS.