Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana celebrated Livestock Nutrition Awareness Week from 22 to 26 February 2021. Dr. Parkash Singh Brar, Director Extension Education revealed that major chunk of dairy farming in Punjab is still in the hands of small farmers.
These farmers often lack awareness about nutritional requirements of their animals. However, lack of proper knowledge about compounding of balanced rations for different categories of animals, often, make the livestock rearing venture unviable.
Dr Inderjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor realized the need to make the farmers and other stakeholders aware of the importance of balanced nutrition. He informed that among all livestock operations, animal feeding costs around 70% of the total expenses incurred on the farm. Vet Varsity, thus, organized this Livestock Nutrition Awareness Week with the aim to equip the livestock farmers with optimum feeding of their animals with available resources.
The Awareness Week started with a one-day workshop on "Recent Trends in Livestock Nutrition to optimize their Productivity” organized at the campus. More than 120 stakeholders including dairy, poultry, pig farmers of the state, field officers from Milkfed, faculty members, and students attended this workshop. The next event was an Exposure visit to Feed Manufacturing Plant of Markfed in Kapurthala district. This visit was organized by Department of Animal Nutrition under the guidance of Dr Udeybir Singh.
A hands-on training was organized for farmers for manufacturing mineral mixture. During the chain of events, the Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education also organized a Refresher Training for Field Vets at Shiv Batalvi Auditorium, Batala.
Dr R K Sharma and Dr J S Hundal refreshed the knowledge of around 70 Veterinary Officers of Gurdaspur district about latest trends in animal nutrition. The last day of the Week witnessed a Training Program on Balance Nutrition for Dairy Farmers at village Manupur in Ludhiana district. Dairy farmers of the area were sensitized about inclusion of mineral mixture, uromin licks and bypass fat in animal feeds.
During this Week, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mohali, Barnala, and Tarn Taran also organized awareness camps and training programmes on the importance of balance nutrition for the farmers.
The stakeholders were also sensitized about issues related to animal nutrition through TV/Radio Talks, newspaper articles etc.
The Vice-Chancellor lauded the efforts of the Directorate in creating awareness regarding balanced nutrition among different stakeholders.
