Ludhiana- 14 September 2024-Two days Pashu Palan Mela of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana concluded with a message to achieve prosperity and health through value addition of livestock products. Mela attracted a huge gathering of farmers to learn new techniques for livestock farming through integration. Dr. Kamal Kumar Garg, IAS, Additional Secretary, Food & Civil Supplies, Consumer affairs was chief guest of the concluding and award giving function. Sh. Kuldeep Singh, Director Dairy Development Department was guest of honour on the second day.

Dr. Jatinder Paul Singh Gill, Vice-Chancellor, presided over the function and urged farmers to develop their entrepreneurs by value addition of livestock products for higher returns. He underlined activities of all the colleges and centres of university for better reach to the farming community. He encouraged the farming community that scientists are with them and on their beck and call, so the farmers should come forward to restore the pristine of the farming culture.

Dr. Kamal Kumar Garg said that farmers should take the benefits of different govt. schemes for establishing or uplifting their endeavours. Sh. Kuldeep Singh described different schemes and policies of the dairy development department.

Dr. Parkash Singh Brar, Director of Extension Education said that some of our departments are providing services for rearing livestock whereas others are in the field of value addition of livestock products. These professions help them to earn good income. Women can do these professions easily with their household responsibilities. He revealed that ornamental fish, Aquarium making, flavoured Milk & Lassi, Cheese, Meat Pickle, Meat patties, Meatballs and a number of fish delicacies come in these professions. He said that Young entrepreneurs can earn decent returns in goat & pig farming. In this mela College of Dairy & Food Science Technology, Department of Livestock Products and Technology displayed a variety of value added products of milk, meat and eggs. The College of Fisheries also displayed a rich number of value-added products of fish meat. There was a great response to these stalls. Farmers were highly enthusiastic to be trained for the development of milk and meat products.

Dr. Brar revealed that a large number of farmers visited the stalls and showed keen interest in the measures to be adopted for the control of parasitic diseases of livestock. The department of Animal Nutrition has developed a number of nutritional technologies for the dairy animals of the state, which were displayed in the Mela. Good quality mineral mixture and uromin lick prepared was sold at an economical price.

Department of clinical Veterinary Medicine addressed the commonly prevalent diseases of the dairy animals of Punjab which are mastitis, mineral disorders, foot lameness and fore-stomach disorders. The college of fisheries displayed different varieties of fish like carp fish, catfish and ornamental fishes.

Farmers purchased University publications entitled Dairy Farming, Package of Practices, University Handbook, different types of calendars like calf calendar and animal diet calendar for brushing up their knowledge. Farmers registered their names for monthly magazine.

Different publications and brochures prepared by scientists of vet varsity were released by the dignitaries. Book on ‘Sooran di Sambh Sambhal’, ‘Value Added Fish and Shrimp Products’, ‘Kisan Uttpadak Sangathan’, ‘Punjab Vich Lahewand Bakri Palan’ and a video film on Azolla Kashat ate is di Aarthik Upyogita, were released. Pinnis developed by a farmer from goat milk was also launched in the fuctinon. The Judgment committee of the university adjudged all the stalls and in the industry category and declared Paras Nutrition Pvt. Ltd. first, Olympic Overseas second. S. Well Engineering third and Anaya Feed Pvt. Ltd. for the consolation Prize. In the university category College of Fisheries declared first, Dept. of Livestock Production Management second, College of Dairy & Food Science Technology third and Centre for One Health got consolation prize. KVK Booh, Tarn Taran was honored for maximum sale of mineral mixture. Dignitaries honored Dr. Kamal Kumar Garg, Sh. Kuldeep Singh, Dr. Rajesh Kasrija, Dr. P K Singh, Dr. Kewal Arora, farmer Hareram from Siwan, Bihar and Ishmeet Singh Music Institute.

The Pashu Palan Mela concluded with a new hope for a brighter future in livestock rearing.