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Issues faced by livestock farmers take spotlight in GADVASU’s pashu palan mela
During the pashu palan mela, PAU vice-chancellor (V-C) Satbir Singh Gosal emphasised on the emergence of viral diseases in humans, animals and plants.
Several aspects of livestock, poultry, fish farming and the mechanism, and procedures to overcome the common problems faced by live stock farmers were the highlight of the pashu palan mela of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) which kick started on Friday.
The two-day event was inaugurated by Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) vice-chancellor (V-C) S.S. Gosal. Addressing the farmers, the V-C emphasised the emergence of viral diseases in humans, animals and plants, and said further research in this direction needs to be focused for prevention and control.
Meanwhile, GADVASU V-C Inderjeet Singh, speaking on the occasion said, the mela is being organised on the theme “Eco-friendly livestock farming” so that not only all living beings can survive together on earth but complement each other.
GADVASU showcased all its research, education and extension programmes at the mela for the benefit of livestock farmers. Parkash Singh Brar, director of extension education revealed that a large number of people showed their interest in taking up goat, pig and fish farming, and especially enquired about their training programmes. University publications on different subjects of livestock farming were also available. Different departments of the university provided useful literature to the farmers. Special interactive session on livestock rearing in the scientific way was organised consisting of live lectures from experts and questions-answers for participants.
The excellent germplasm of the university such as cows, buffaloes, goats and poultry were demonstrated to the livestock farmers. Models of integrated livestock farming for enhancing profitability of farmers and their impact on the environment were also displayed.
Live demonstrations on the various aspects along with sale of milk testing kit, mastitis diagnosis kit, teat dip practice and acaricide drug application were also illustrated to the farmers.
Various carp fishes, ornamental fish, azolla, duckweed cultivation and integration of fish farming with other livestock farming were demonstrated in which farmers showed keen interest especially the saline water fisheries. Value added products of milk, meat and fish were also displayed on stalls for sale. Different mouth-watering vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies like sweetened and salted lassi, flavoured milk, yoghurt, sweets, whey drink, paneer, milk cake, dhoda barfi, meat patties, different types of meat pickles prepared by college of dairy science & technology and the department of livestock products technology were available for sale.
The stalls were arranged on five thematic areas of animal health, diagnostics, food processing, animal production, marketing and extension services, so that farmers get all information about a particular theme under one umbrella.
A large number of livestock farmers visited the stall put up by the animal nutrition department to purchase the area specific mineral mixture for pigs, by–pass fat and uromin lick prepared by the University which was sold at a nominal rate to the farmers. Different self-help groups trained by the vet varsity also put up their value added products for depiction, exhibition and sale. This has evoked excellent response among the aspiring farmers and visiting rural youth.
All the leading veterinary pharmaceuticals companies, dairy & livestock related equipment, feed related factories put their stalls in exhibition. The departments like animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries of Punjab state put up their stalls in the mela for demonstrating their activities. Different livestock associations established under the guidance of GADVASU also put up their stalls for enrolling the members.
The mela not only allured thousands of farmers from all the nook and corner of Punjab but also farmers from neighbouring states.
