Pet food processing unit inaugurated

To develop skills in pet food preparation, and encourage students to take up it as a commercial venture, a pet food processing unit, established at a cost of Rs. 60.25 lakh, was opened at the Veterinary College and Research Institute here recently.

S. Thilagar, Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, inaugurated the facility at the Department of Livestock Products Technology (Meat Science).

K.A. Doraisamy, Dean of the institute, faculty, among others were present during the occasion.

The unit operates with the rationale of using spent hen meal, or meat bone meal in pet food manufacture and preparation of good quality pet food for different categories of pets according to their nutritive requirements.

The objective is to develop skills in quality pet food preparation, and impart training to students in order to help them take up it as a commercial venture, faculty said.

Appropriate manuals and guidelines will be developed for the preparation of pet foods.

Those interested will be given entrepreneurial training in pet food processing. The pet food will be sold through the Tanuvas units after the standardisation of pet food formulations, and processing procedures.