Indonesia
Malang, March 9, 2024- UNISMA marked a significant academic milestone by formally appointing Prof. Dr. Badat Muwakhid, MP., IPM as Professor in Animal Nutrition and Feed Science. The inauguration ceremony was held in a solemn setting at the Abdurrahman Wahid Hall, attended by university leaders, faculty members, students, and invited guests.
Prof. Badat Muwakhid has made substantial contributions to the advancement of animal nutrition and feed science. Serving as Vice Rector for Student Affairs, he has also actively developed his expertise through professional organizations, including the Indonesian Association of Animal Husbandry Engineers and Scholars (ISPI), and remains engaged in social organizations such as MATAN and JATMAN.
Optimizing Agricultural Waste as Animal Feed Through Fermentation
In his inaugural address, Prof. Badat Muwakhid presented a scholarly paper titled “Optimizing the Quality of Agricultural Waste as Animal Feed Through Fermentation Processes.” The study addresses the limited availability of high-quality feed materials, which are often prioritized for human consumption as plant-based protein sources rather than for livestock.
Agricultural waste in Indonesia originates from various sources, including: (1) plant residue such as straw; (2) by-products of the food industry, including coffee husks, bagasse, and cassava residue (onggok); and (3) agricultural waste containing anti-nutritional compounds such as cyanide, gossypol, and mimosine.
Through fermentation processes, such agricultural waste can be transformed into high-quality animal feed. Microorganisms such as Aspergillus niger, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trichoderma viride, Rhizopus sp., and Endomycopsis burtonii play a key role in enhancing the nutritional value of feed, particularly by increasing protein content.
With appropriate methods, this approach offers the potential to produce affordable, high-quality feed. Accordingly, the newly appointed professor strongly recommends the utilization of fermented feed as a sustainable solution.
In his remarks, Prof. Badat Muwakhid expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him by UNISMA and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing research in animal nutrition and feed science, as well as contributing to the improvement of education and research quality at the university.
Meanwhile, UNISMA Rector Prof. Dr. Maskuri, M.Si., called for continued academic development, emphasizing the importance of building a strong academic environment and integrated agriculture-livestock systems. “Let us foster a robust academic ecosystem and develop integrated agricultural models. I am confident that our professors at UNISMA can establish exemplary models in this field,” he said.
Alongside Prof. Badat Muwakhid, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mudawamah, M.Si., ASEAN Eng was also inaugurated as Professor in Genetics and Animal Breeding.
The appointment of Prof. Badat Muwakhid as Professor of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science further strengthens UNISMA’s position as a higher education institution committed to advancing knowledge and delivering meaningful contributions to society.
