Agriculture University to help Gaddis during migration

Palampur, April 10

HK Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, said the university was planning to extend mobile advisory services to the Gaddis farmers during migration. He was interacting with goat farmers after distributing 19 superior Gaddi breeding bucks among them.

Chaudhary said these breeding bucks were being provided to the farmers with the objective to bring overall breed improvement. He said the scientists of the department of animal genetics and breeding, Dr GC Negi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (COVAS), had raised these bucks after two stages of selection and scientific management. They were free from any disease that could be transmitted to progeny through the bucks, causing heavy economic losses to the farmers, he said. He advised the farmers to fully utilise the potential of the bucks because the superior ones would pass on the desired production traits in the progeny and ultimately improve the income of farmers.

The Vice-Chancellor also talked about various welfare schemes for gaddi farmers and said an elaborated programme would be organised during the golden jubilee celebrations of HP statehood.

Mandeep Sharma, Dean, COVAS, emphasised the utility of the project to the farmers. MM Singh, Director, extension education, highlighted the role of breeding bucks for improving the overall productivity of the flock.

Dr PK Dogra, head, department of livestock farm complex, said the ongoing ‘’All India Coordinated Research Project on Goat Improvement’’ was being implemented under the umbrella of the Central Institute for Research on Goats at Makhdoom, Mathura.Till date, more than 250 superior breeding bucks had been provided to the farmers. He said more than 1,600 pure Gaddi goats were being monitored under the project. — OC