Ludhiana gets new veterinary college

Named after the Sikh guru, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), the eighth veterinary university of the country, has come up on Ferozepur Road, Ludhiana.

The university has been set up on 135 acres and is supposed to promote livestock production, health and prevention of diseases through integrated teaching, research and extension programmes.

It was inaugurated by Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh on June 2. The university, an offshoot of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, was originally the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at PAU.

The Punjab Agricultural University Teachers Association (PAUTA) initially opposed the formation of GADVASU and even moved the court against it, but on April 21, 2006, PAUTA lost that case. From time to time, the veterinarians at PAU kept demanding the formation of a separate veterinary university in the state as they felt Punjab had a huge potential in various livestock programmes.

Studies have also indicated that the income from dairy was higher on all farm sizes than from crops indicating that dairy has expanded on all farm size categories.

Dr O S Parmar, Director of Extension Education, GADVASU said that Punjab contributes 10 percent to the total milk production of the country.

``Here, more than 70 percent of our cattle population is from cross-bred varieties as compared to the national average of approximately 15 percent. So the university will also develop cross breeding techniques for piggery, cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goat, fisheries and many more to consolidate the livestock base.''

Dr Parmar further said that GADVASU would soon provide technical support to a Gulf based company called Allansons, who are all set to open up an abattoir near Chandigarh.

``Buffalo meat is in huge demand in Gulf countries and Punjab has a potential for providing good quality buffalo meat to such countries. Punjab is having a population of 6.5 lakh surplus male calves and if they are bred only for meat, they can bring good remunerative returns to the farmers. We will also encourage contractual system of buffalo meat farming amongst farmers. Even the local breed of goat `Beeten' will be cross-bred with South African `Boer' breed for getting milk and meat. We are planning to import Boer Bucks (male) from Australia and have also procured Boer Buck semen from Kerela Livestock Board.''

"With the help of Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), Pashu Vigyan Kendra's (PVK) will be opened in all the districts of the state so that farmers can be benefited from them. In addition to all the facilities, we will also make demonstration centres of all important species of that particular area. We have also tied up with two Canadian universities for various exchange programmes.''

On the inaugural function held on Friday, Capt Amrinder Singh has announced a grant of Rs10 crore for the University against the budgetary provision of Rs 4 crore for the infrastructure up-gradation and Rs.20 lakh for the research and reference.

He also announced to set up a Regional Centre of the University at Patti in Tarn Taran district to give a fillip to the production of milk and improve the quality of livestock in the Majha belt.

To reach the masses, GADVASU will also have time slots for various educational programmes on Doordarshan as well as All India Radio.