The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : “Harness potential of livestock sector”

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Saturday, Nov 21, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

“Harness potential of livestock sector”

Special Correspondent

Photo R. Shivaji Rao

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE: Governor Surjit Singh Barnala presenting a medal to G. Tamil Selvam, who won 14 medals, at the TANUVAS convocation on Friday. (From left) Dr. Christopher Miles Brown, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University; Dr. S. Ayyappan, Deputy Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research; Pongalur N. Palanisamy, Minister for Rural Industries and Animal Husbandry, are in the picture. —

CHENNAI: Breed improvement, quality feeds and health management are of paramount importance in livestock and fisheries sector, said S. Ayyappan, Deputy Director General (Fishery and Animal Sciences), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, here on Friday.

Delivering a convocational address of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), Dr. Ayyapppan said new aspects of bio and nano-technology, gene prospecting and allele mining, bio-remediation, bio-processing and bio-molecules needed to be addressed for harnessing the full potential.

The livestock sector contributed four per cent of the Gross Domestic Product and 25 per cent of the agricultural GDP. The overall growth rate in livestock sector was steady and this was achieved despite very low investments in the sector, he said.

Milk production in the country remained stagnant during 1950-70, registering a growth at the rate of one per cent per annum. Thereafter, it witnessed a rapid growth, reaching 104.8 million tonnes in 2007-08, Dr. Ayyappan said. The poultry sector, which was considered a backyard venture during 1960s, had now become a major farming activity. Egg production in the country had touched 55.53 billion in 2007-08. The sector, with total output exceeding Rs.15,000 crore, was providing direct and indirect employment to over 3 million people.

P. Thangaraju, Vice-Chancellor, TANUVAS, said the university was poised for a leap in infrastructure developments. Office buildings, staff quarters, students hostel, modern animal house, laboratories, farmers hostel, hatchery facility were coming up at a cost of Rs.7.86 crore.

In order to get global exposure, the university had sent nine of its undergraduate students to Michigan State University for 45 days’ internship. The university had started a counselling and placement cell. Within a short period of time, the cell had assisted in 162 placements, Dr. Thangaraju said.

Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, who is also Chancellor of the university, presented the degree certificates to toppers. An honorary doctor of science degree (Honoris Causa) was conferred on Dr. Christopher Miles Brown, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, US.

Pro-Chancellor and Animal Husbandry Minister, Pongalur N. Palanisamy, announced the creation of two endowments one in the name of the Governor and the other in the name V. Gnanaprakasam, former V-C, TANUVAS.

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