Last Friday, the Institute of Animal Science (IAS) of the University of the Philippines-Los Banos formally opened a renovated animal nutrition research laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment the academe thought were stuff only for their dreams.
Existing laboratory equipment which were acquired in the early 80s have definitely seen better days although they remain in operation for want of any other facility.
UP Los Baños Chancellor Wilfredo David said other departments under the institute have expressed interest in using the facilities. UPLB has an inter-disciplinary animal agriculture systems analysis and policies development studies group.
"Most of all, the two most important concerns of animal nutrition and health could be addressed more effectively with the new laboratory," David said.
The renovated laboratory and the state-of-the-art research equipment came from a philantrophic assistance from Progressive Laboratories, manufacturer of veterinary products.
"The old facilities is an unfair reflection of the importance of the field," company officials said.
The laboratory is utilized to study and develop not only feeds but other nutritional requirements and additives for livestock and poultry stocks. These include testing on enzymes and hormones, which should result in greater productivity for farm animals.
"We look for the best feed formulation for feed efficiency with minimum costs," Dr. Nimfa P. Roxas, IAS director explained. "With the new facilities, we could look for different conventional feed ingredients like corn with indigenous ingredients like rice barn and ipil-ipil," Roxas added.
The laboratory facilities could also be used by the private sector for certain researches, which could be undertaken by the institute staff and graduate students. In turn, the research and its end result could turn into the thesis of graduate students.
Thus it benefits the students, the institute, agriculture sector, and the national economy in a broader sense.