Jammu, Nov 12: The two-day International Conference of the Association of Mastitis (AOMCON-2026), along with its annual convention, commenced at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-Jammu), R.S. Pura, on Thursday.
The conference, organised by the Association of Mastitis in collaboration with SKUAST-Jammu, is being held on the theme “Advancing Mammary Health for Sustainable Dairy Production: Innovations in Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Clean Milk and AMR Navigation.”
Minister for Agriculture Production, Finance, Mining and Cooperative Departments, Javid Ahmad Dar, formally inaugurated the event. SKUAST-Jammu Vice-Chancellor Prof. B.N. Tripathi presided over the inaugural function, while former Director Research SKUAST-Jammu Dr. N.A. Sudhan and Dr. Sung-Jin Lee, Dean, Kangwon National University, South Korea, attended as Guests of Honour.
Dr. Neelesh Sharma, Organising Secretary of AOMCON-2026 and Founder General Secretary of the Association of Mastitis, highlighted the association's contributions towards advancing mastitis research, udder health and clean milk production. Dr. M.S. Bhadwal, Associate Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, delivered the welcome address.
The conference compendium was released during the inaugural ceremony, followed by the presentation of awards recognising outstanding contributions to veterinary science, research, dairy development and animal healthcare.
Prof. B.N. Tripathi received the Professor A.K. Srivastava Excellence Award, while Dr. S.K. Rana, former Head of Animal Health at NDDB, Anand, was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Sung-Jin Lee received the Special Recognition Award.
Addressing the gathering, Javid Ahmad Dar stressed the need to strengthen Jammu and Kashmir's dairy sector through scientific interventions, improved animal healthcare, quality milk production and farmer-oriented initiatives.
He called for closer coordination among universities, research institutions, government departments and other stakeholders to improve livestock productivity and ensure sustainable growth of the dairy sector.
The Minister emphasised the need for a comprehensive and sustained village-level awareness campaign to prevent, detect, treat and control mastitis among dairy animals across Jammu and Kashmir.
He directed the concerned departments to strengthen field-level outreach, educate farmers about preventive measures and scientific livestock management practices, and ensure timely veterinary interventions to protect dairy farmers from economic losses.
Dar said safeguarding animal health, enhancing milk productivity and improving the economic well-being of dairy farmers remained key priorities of the government. He also reiterated the administration's commitment to strengthening research facilities, institutional support and opportunities for research scholars and students.
Prof. B.N. Tripathi highlighted the university's commitment to quality education, innovative research and extension services for livestock farmers. He stressed the importance of early disease diagnosis, scientific mastitis management, judicious use of antimicrobials and modern technologies for improving dairy productivity and ensuring safe milk production.
Dr. N.A. Sudhan underscored the need for stronger research and institutional linkages to address emerging challenges in livestock production.
Dr. Sung-Jin Lee highlighted opportunities for international collaboration, scientific exchange and technological innovation in advancing mammary health and sustainable dairy farming. Dr. Sujit Kumar, Vice-President of the Association of Mastitis, also addressed the gathering.
The conference is witnessing participation from eminent scientists, academicians, veterinary professionals, researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and postgraduate students from India and abroad. International participation includes experts from Brazil, South Korea and Croatia, besides researchers from leading veterinary and agricultural institutions across the country.
Directors of various line departments dealing with agriculture and allied sectors, faculty members, scholars and students of the university were also present.
The conference is expected to provide a platform for sharing scientific knowledge, discussing emerging challenges in animal health and exploring innovative approaches to sustainable dairy production