Unhas-University of Arkansas Boost Poultry Research Collaboration

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Hasanuddin University (Unhas) in Makassar, Sotuh Sulawesi, and the University of Arkansas have launched a joint poultry research initiative on Monday, January 26, 2026, strengthening Indonesia-U.S. academic ties by conducting collaborative field studies and knowledge exchange aimed at improving disease prevention and productivity in broiler farming systems.

Unhas Rector Jamaluddin Jompa said the partnership reflects the university’s growing research capacity in animal husbandry. He highlighted Alope chicken, a poultry breed developed through Unhas research, as concrete evidence of the institution’s innovation.

“International research collaboration like this is crucial to strengthening scientific capacity and innovation, especially in poultry studies,” Jamaluddin said while welcoming the Poultry Breeding research team from the University of Arkansas at the Tamalanrea Campus in Makassar on Monday, as quoted by Antara.

He added that the cooperation is expected to enrich research development, technology transfer, and human resources in poultry science.

Director of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Breeding at the University of Arkansas, Douglas D. Rhoads, explained that the visit includes academic activities and field research conducted jointly with Unhas’ Faculty of Animal Science. The team is scheduled to visit several poultry development facilities managed by the faculty in the coming days.

The collaboration is carried out under a collaborative research scheme funded by the Thematic Research Group (TRG) Poultry Breeding program. During the visit, researchers are conducting field studies at Unhas-managed broiler production centers, focusing on the prevalence of lameness in broiler chickens.

The condition, known as Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO), is caused by bacterial infection and poses a significant economic risk to the broiler industry. The research aims to generate comprehensive scientific data on the prevalence and risk factors of BCO in Indonesian broiler farming systems.

Findings from the study are expected to support the development of evidence-based strategies for disease prevention and control, while also improving productivity and sustainability in the broiler sector.

The research activities involve two early-career researchers at postdoctoral and doctoral levels, Andi Asnayanti and Dang Trieu, reflecting cross-country and cross-generation collaboration. The TRG Poultry Breeding program is coordinated by Wempie Pakiding of Unhas’ Faculty of Animal Science, who oversees the implementation of the collaborative research and the strengthening of the poultry research ecosystem at Unhas.

The University of Arkansas research team is visiting Hasanuddin University from January 24 to 27 to carry out the academic and field research program. ***