Animal Science Program Coordination Committee

Animal Science Program Coordination Committee

Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Address: Experimental Center, Nong Lam University HCMC – Quarter 9, Linh Xuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

 Contact: Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai (Email: hai.nguyenthanh@hcmuaf.edu.vn)

• Introduction

The Animal Science Program Coordination Committee (ASPCC) serves as the academic unit responsible for coordinating the Animal Science discipline within the Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine at Nong Lam University Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Established on July 1, 2026, the ASPCC was formed through the consolidation of three former academic units: the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, the Department of Animal Nutrition, and the Department of Animal Production. This consolidation strengthens the coherence and integration of teaching, training, and scientific research activities in Animal Science while promoting expertise across genetics and breeding, animal nutrition, animal production techniques, herd management, and animal product quality.

The ASPCC plays an important role in coordinating, connecting, and ensuring the coherence of the training program across different academic disciplines throughout the educational process. Its mission is to develop graduates with strong professional knowledge, practical skills, and innovative thinking who can apply their knowledge to livestock production, management, and professional practice and can develop livestock development projects that support an efficient, safe, precise, sustainable, and climate-resilient livestock sector.

• Vision

To enhance the quality of animal science education by designing innovative, practical, and internationally relevant programs, cultivating exceptionally skilled graduates equipped with critical thinking, technical proficiency, and scientific research abilities essential for the modern livestock sector, and fostering significant industry involvement.

• Personnel

The ASPCC is led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Che Minh Tung as Head and Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai as Deputy Head. The ASPCC currently comprises 22 lecturers and 2 staff members, including 1 Professor, 2 Associate Professors, 7 lecturers holding doctoral degrees (PhD) and 12 lecturers holding Master’s degrees. Among the 12 lecturers holding Master’s degrees, 5 are currently pursuing doctoral degrees.

Drawing on faculty expertise across multiple fields of animal science, the ASPCC places strong emphasis on developing high-quality human resources and supporting the professional development of early-career faculty members in teaching, research, and other academic activities.

Overview of the Animal Science Program Coordination Committee

Members of Department

• Training and Teaching

The ASPCC is involved in teaching, coordinating, and managing a wide range of courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels in Animal Science.

At the undergraduate level, the ASPCC is responsible for three specializations: Animal Production Technology, Feed Production Technology, and the Advanced Program in Animal Science.

Learning outcomes and professional capabilities: Upon graduation, learners can apply professional knowledge and skills to livestock production and professional practice; organize, manage, and improve production systems; analyze practical needs; formulate, implement, and evaluate livestock development projects; provide technical advice and technology transfer; and solve practical problems faced by enterprises, farms, and communities.

At the graduate level, the ASPCC contributes to master’s and doctoral programs by offering courses and supervising research in swine, poultry, and ruminant production; animal nutrition; physiology and reproduction; genetics and breeding; biotechnology; meat science; biosecurity; animal behavior and welfare; growth and development; gastrointestinal health; and sustainable and climate-resilient livestock production.

• Facilities

The ASPCC operates a network of facilities supporting teaching and research, including three offices, three laboratories, three applied research farms, and one pilot feed mill. Available equipment includes centrifuges, magnetic stirrers, pH meters, water quality analyzers, barn microclimate monitoring systems, backfat thickness gauges, nutrient composition analyzers, PCR systems, microscopes, CASA (Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis) systems, and other specialized instruments. This infrastructure supports teaching, scientific research, professional services, applied research with practical relevance, and collaborative research with domestic and international partners.

• Research Directions

The ASPCC focuses its research activities on enhancing animal productivity, health, product quality, and production efficiency. Key research directions include:

– The relationship between nutrients and natural bioactive compounds and their effects on immune function and disease resistance in livestock;

– The impact of nutrition on gene expression;

– Evaluation of the nutritional value of novel feed sources and agricultural by-products;

– Research on and evaluation of feed additives to improve livestock productivity and health;

– Enhancement of the quality and value of meat, eggs, and milk;

– Assessment of product quality (meat, eggs, and milk) and genetic improvement of breeding stock;

– Animal feeding, husbandry and management techniques

– Solutions and strategies for sustainable livestock production and greenhouse gas emission reduction.

Beyond these core research areas, the ASPCC continues to develop applied research that connects scientific findings with production practices and societal needs. Ongoing and completed research activities include analysis of nutrient and amino acid composition in feed ingredients using NIRS technology; research on mycotoxins and their mitigation strategies; evaluation of enzyme activity and efficacy; studies on feed additives, including herbal extracts, probiotics, enzymes, and mycotoxin binders; and research on nutritional and amino acid requirements in swine, poultry, and ruminants.

• Development Orientation

Building on the expertise and strengths developed across its three former departments, the ASPCC aims to establish an integrated academic unit that connects training, scientific research, and practical application while leveraging interdisciplinary expertise in genetics and breeding, animal nutrition, animal production techniques, and herd management.

The ASPCC remains committed to improving the quality of education, developing faculty capacity, strengthening scientific research, and expanding collaboration with educational institutions, research organizations, enterprises, and partners at home and abroad. Through these efforts, the ASPCC seeks to contribute to the modern, efficient, and sustainable development of the Animal Science sector.