Efim Liskun is rightly called the founder of domestic zootechny. He was ahead of the time for many years and realized that the future of livestock breeding is behind the improvement and metization of domestic breeds.
Heading the section of animal breeding in All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences named after Lenin, the academician led a number of major scientific works on feeding of farm animals, issues of breeding selection work in cattle breeding, pig breeding, horse breeding, poultry farming. Under his leadership, feeding norms were developed both for adult farm animals and for young animals.
The scientific life of the scientist was inextricably linked with Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, of which he was a graduate and professor. Efim Liskun headed the Department of Private Zootechny (1923–1936), the Department of Cattle (1936-1958), he also held the positions of Dean of the Faculty and Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.
Academician Liskun collected a unique craniological collection of farm animals, which he donated to Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. In 1950, the State Museum of Animal Husbandry, which bears his name, was organized on the basis of the collection.
On behalf of Rector of Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Vladimir Trukhachev, Alexey Vladimirovich Zhuravlev, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovative Development, addressed the participants of the symposium.
– During the years of his life Efim Liskun created a huge scientific and pedagogical school. More than 70 thousand zootechnicians of the highest qualification, as well as 75 candidates and 26 doctors of agricultural sciences came out of it. Relying on the traditions established by the illustrious academician, teachers and staff of Timiryazev Academy continue to make a significant contribution to the development of agriculture in Russia, – said the Vice-Rector. – I wish all participants of the conference fruitful work, open dialog, and innovative ideas!
A great merit of Efim Liskun was the creation of the All-Union Institute of Animal Husbandry in 1929, which he headed for many years. The Institute became the main scientific center of animal breeding in the Soviet Union, and to this day holds leading positions in Russia.
In her report, Natalia Zinovieva, Director of the Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry – L.K. Ernst Livestock Research Institute, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor, told how the works of Efm Liskun influenced the current activities of the scientific institution. The contribution of the Institute to the development of domestic livestock breeding is appreciated by the leadership of the state, as evidenced by the instruction of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on the establishment on the basis of the Institute. Putin on the establishment of a national bioresource center for farm animals and their wild related species on the basis of the Institute.
Acting Director of the Institute of Zootechny and Biology Sergey Akchurin read out the congratulatory address of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
– I wish the participants of the symposium, especially young scientists, to direct their work to the development of breeding, introduction of high technologies, creation of digital platforms, to widely disseminate and implement the experience of advanced farms and scientific achievements. To do everything to make Russia a leader in the global food market and to ensure food security of the country, – he said in the address of the Deputy President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Pyotr Chekmarev.
The participants of the plenary session of the symposium were presented a documentary film and an exhibition dedicated to the life and work of Efim Liskun. Their inspirer, Director of the State Museum of Animal Husbandry Oksana Boronetskaya presented a report on the historical heritage of the outstanding scientist.
The moderator of the plenary session was Professor Yusupzhan Yuldashbaev, Professor of the Department of Private Animal Science, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the speakers were representatives of the academic community, leading scientists from universities of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Within the framework of the symposium, a number of international scientific conferences will be held at two venues at once - Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy and L.K. Ernst Livestock Research Institute.
