The Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University is taking up 136 research projects in various fields to help animal farmers, Vice-Chancellor C. Renuka Prasad said here on Thursday.
“We have got a total grant of Rs 76.61 crore for research projects to bring out new hybrids, new treatment techniques, detection and prevention of epidemics, fodder development, use of food waste and other fields,” he told presspersons.
The grants were instituted by the State government, Union biotechnology department, Indian Council for Agriculture Research and private agencies. Some foreign firms are also funding us, he said.
A software tool has been developed to track and document the fish production in inland areas, sea and salt water regions in Karnataka. A cell culture-based vaccine against sheep pox is being developed. Field trials are on and the vaccine will be available to farmers soon. Four new disease testing laboratories have been set up in Bagalkot, Sira, Kolar, and Sirsi, apart from the existing nine diagnostic centres. A state-of-the-art laboratory has been set up in the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals in Bengaluru.
A proposal for developing a Gokula Grama under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission for strengthening the native Deoni breed of cattle has been forwarded to the State government. A project to develop Malenad Gidda variety is under progress.
A project to strengthen native sheep breeds by inculcating the characters of Dorper and Boyer breeds by artificial insemination is reaching conclusion. A project to express characters of Nari Suvarna sheep in Kenguri by cross-breeding is in progress. A project to identify white dot disease in prawns has been developed and the technology transferred to a private healthcare company. An organic fish food production technology has been developed using farm waste.
KVAFSU scientists have given advice to 16,742 farmers in animal farming. The university’s laboratories have tested 49,358 animal, bird and fish samples for diseases and other purposes.
The Veterinary Council of India has accorded permission to the colleges in Hassan and Shivamogga to admit students for this year. As many as 48 additional postgraduate students will also be admitted (Hassan-24, Bengaluru-15 and Bidar-09) this year.
