STAFF REPORT LHR: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha has said that the university is developing a feed formulation software to facilitate farmers in scientifically catering to the nutritional needs of their livestock.
“The feed formulation software could be used by famers for nutritional analysis of feed, its ingredients, palatability to animals, digestibility and to check the presence of anti-nutritional factors,” said the VC while chairing a meeting of the Punjab Livestock Advisory Forum which discussed feed, fodder and nutrition availability for livestock in Punjab.
He said that majority of livestock feeding is improper and imbalanced which was causing huge losses to farmers. He said that 42 per cent of feed was from crop residues because farmers were always interested in growing cash/grain crops at their farms.
The Vice-Chancellor called for devising a comprehensive strategy for development of livestock sector with focus on all types of farmers, including those having small herd holdings. He suggested minimum involvement of labour and maximum use of technology. He also stressed on improving extension services at government livestock farms across the province. He said that he wanted to see the government livestock farms as the hub of activities as well as the centre for technology transfer to farmers at grass-root level.