Speakers

Zulkifli Bin Idrus

Place of Birth : Singapore
Born : 1965
Position : Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia
Field of study : Animal stress biology and welfare
H. Index : 24

Prof. Dr. Zulkifli Idrus completed his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and MS degrees in poultry science at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) (previously known as Universiti Pertanian Malaysia). He later enrolled at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and earned his Ph.D. in poultry science. He started his career as a lecturer at the Department of Animal Science, UPM in October 1994. He has been recognized internationally for his research in animal stress biology and welfare. He has been awarded more than USD 4.25 million worth of research grants and consultancies from various national and international agencies and industries. His publications include 180 peer-reviewed manuscripts. His scholarly contribution to poultry welfare research has earned international recognition from Food and Agriculture Organisation for the United Nations (FAO) (Rome, Italy), and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (Paris, France). He was selected by FAO as an expert panel to develop global guidelines and policy options promoting sustainable animal feeding that enhance animal welfare, animal productivity, animal product quality, and profitability. He was invited by OIE as a panel of expert representing Asia in broiler chicken welfare (2009 and 2010), and humane slaughter and killing of animals (2015 and 2018). He was the associate editor of Poultry Science and currently an editorial board member of European Poultry Science. He was recognized as one of the Top Research Scientist Malaysia by the Academy of Science Malaysia in 2012, 2018 and 2019. He has served as the Chairman of the Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee of the Malaysian National Zoo. The committee is involved in the acquisition of live animals including the participant to animal ratio; management, husbandry, nutrition, veterinary care, and enrichment programs of live animals. He has served his profession as president of the World’s Poultry Science Association (Malaysia Branch) from 2007 to 2012. Currently, He is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) of UPM.

Dr. Idrus has devoted his professional career to the advancement of excellence in poultry and livestock teaching and research. He has become known worldwide for his expertise in stress biology and animal welfare. His work in animal stress and welfare encompasses physiological and behavioral, and immunological reactions to various stressors; enhancing tolerance to both physiological and psychological stressors; genetic variation of stress responses and fear-related behaviour; effects of handling, transportation, stunning and slaughter on physiology, behaviour and meat quality; nutrient requirements under stressful conditions; human-animal interaction; regulation of adrenocortical function; and the role of heat shock proteins HSP and acute phase proteins as modifying factors in stress physiology. His work has been designed to be practical and to solve industrial problems while defining fundamental principles. He has gathered evidence and pioneered the arguments necessary to improve welfare standards of farm animals and particularly poultry in Malaysia.

The results of his research findings have been published in more than 180 peer-reviewed journal articles. He has been awarded more than USD 4.25 million worth of research grants and consultancies from various national and internal institutions and industries including those from Singapore, Korea, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, United States, Australia, and New Zealand. He led the Ministry of Higher Education top-down Long-Term Research Grant Scheme program (Food Security niche area) entitled “Enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the poultry industry through improved feedstock”. The amount of grant awarded for the program is USD 2,920,883. At present, a policy paper on the use of palm kernel cake as poultry feed produced from the programme has been adopted by the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry in its strategic plan for 2019-2020. The programme has also provided practical solutions to reduce feed cost and enhance the productivity of poultry. He also led a collaborative project on cattle stunning and halal slaughter with the Malaysian Department of Veterinary Services, and JAKIM. Findings from the project were presented to the Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Department and JAKIM in 2018. The findings will have significant implications on the Malaysian Fatwa Council decision on the acceptability of stunning procedure in Australian cattle.

Prof. Dr. Zulkifli Idrus started his career as a lecturer at the Department of Animal Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) (formerly known as Universiti Pertanian Malaysia) in 1994. Having diligently carrying out his main responsibilities in the areas of teaching, research and professional services, he was promoted to Associate Professor in 1999 and Professor in 2004. He was the Director of the Research Management Centre, UPM from March 2005 to September 2010. From October 2010 to March 2018, he was the Director of the Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, UPM. Currently, He is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) of UPM.