JAMMU, Nov 12: The two-day International Conference of the Association of Mastitis (AOMCON-2026), along with the Annual Convention of the Association of Mastitis, commenced at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (FVSc & AH), Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-Jammu), R.S. Pura.
The conference is being organised by the Association of Mastitis in collaboration with SKUAST-Jammu on the theme, “Advancing Mammary Health for Sustainable Dairy Production: Innovations in Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Clean Milk and AMR Navigation.”
Javid Ahmad Dar, Minister for Agriculture Production, Finance, Mining and Cooperatives, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, attended the inaugural ceremony as the Chief Guest, while Prof. B.N. Tripathi, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu, presided over the function. Dr. N.A. Sudhan, former Director Research, SKUAST-Jammu, and Dr. Sung-Jin Lee, Dean, Kangwon National University, South Korea, attended as Guests of Honour.
The inaugural ceremony began with a traditional invocation, followed by the National Song, National Anthem and lighting of the ceremonial lamp. Dr. Neelesh Sharma, Organising Secretary of AOMCON-2026 and Founder General Secretary of the Association of Mastitis, welcomed the dignitaries and delegates. He highlighted the association’s activities and contributions towards promoting mastitis research, improving udder health and ensuring clean milk production. Dr. M.S. Bhadwal, Associate Dean, FVSc & AH, SKUAST-Jammu and Convener of the conference, delivered the welcome address.
The conference compendium was formally released during the inaugural ceremony, followed by the presentation of various Association of Mastitis Awards recognising outstanding contributions to veterinary science, research, dairy development and animal healthcare. Prof. B.N. Tripathi was conferred the Prof. A.K. Srivastava Excellence Award, while Dr. S.K. Rana, former Head of Animal Health at NDDB, Anand, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Sung-Jin Lee was honoured with the Special Recognition Award for his contributions.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Guest Javid Ahmad Dar stressed the need to strengthen the dairy sector through scientific interventions, improved animal healthcare, quality milk production and farmer-oriented initiatives. He emphasised closer coordination among universities, research institutions, government departments and other stakeholders to improve livestock productivity and ensure sustainable growth of the dairy sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
In his presidential address, Prof. B.N. Tripathi reiterated SKUAST-Jammu’s commitment to quality education, innovative research and extension activities for the welfare of livestock farmers. He highlighted the importance of scientific mastitis management, early disease diagnosis, judicious use of antimicrobials and adoption of modern technologies to enhance dairy productivity and ensure safe and quality milk production. He also stressed the significance of international scientific collaborations and industry-academia partnerships in addressing emerging challenges in animal health.
Dr. N.A. Sudhan highlighted the need to strengthen research and institutional linkages to address emerging challenges in livestock production. Dr. Sung-Jin Lee emphasised the immense potential of international collaboration, scientific exchange and technological innovations in advancing mammary health and promoting sustainable dairy farming. Dr. Sujit Kumar, Vice-President, Association of Mastitis, also addressed the gathering.
The conference has brought together eminent scientists, academicians, veterinary professionals, researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and postgraduate students from different parts of India and abroad. International participation includes experts from Brazil, South Korea and Croatia, alongside leading researchers from premier veterinary and agricultural institutions across the country.
The inaugural session proceedings were conducted by Dr. Ankur Rastogi, Professor of Animal Nutrition, who also presented the vote of thanks. Directors of various line departments of Agriculture and Allied Sectors, faculty members, research scholars and students of the faculty were also present on the occasion.
The conference is expected to provide an important platform for scientific deliberations, knowledge exchange and collaborative research on mastitis prevention and management, antimicrobial resistance, clean milk production and sustainable dairy development.