ICAR-NRC on Mithun organises workshop on scientific cattle production

DIMAPUR — ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cattle, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, and ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun, Medziphema, in collaboration with Dimapur District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited (DIMUL), organised a state-level workshop on “Promotion of scientific cattle production in Nagaland” on Tuesday at ICAR-NRC on Mithunin, Medziphema.

Advisor of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Kazheto Kinimi, who attended the programme as the chief guest, conveyed his gratitude to ICAR-NRC Mithun and stressed the importance of the workshop in Nagaland context.

He suggested the participants to discuss and come up with specific strategy to address low milk yielding of local cattle, total mixed ration and to explore easy management of cattle production at the farmers’ level, stated a DIPR report.

He also suggested conserving ‘Thutho cattle,’ indigenous cattle available in the state. He specifically urged the ADG (Animal Health) of ICAR, Delhi, to address frequent outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), which is causing economic loss to the farmers.

In conclusion, he wished the workshop a grand success and expressed hope that it would go a long way in transforming cattle production in Nagaland.

In the first technical session, the director ICAR-CIRC Meerut, Dr. AK Mohanty, briefed on the role of cattle in food and nutritional security in India.

Common diseases of cattle and their control measures was delivered by Dr. Ashok Kumar, ADH (AH), ICAR, New Delhi, while feeding practices for maximising cattle production in northeast India was delivered by Dr. SK Verma, PS, ICAR-CIRC, Meerut.

In the second technical session, advanced reproduction technologies for augmenting cattle productivity in NER was delivered by Dr. Suresh Kumar Dhoop Singh, principal scientist and head of ICAR-CIRC Meerut, while the topic on valve addition technologies to enhance farmers’ income and promote entrepreneurship in NER was delivered by Rajeev Ranjan Kumar, scientist at ICAR-CIRC, Meerut.

A farmer-scientist interaction was also held where many farmers actively raised their problems in livestock. Report stated that input materials were also distributed to the farmers. 

Farmers from various parts of Nagaland, representatives from the milk union of Nagaland, officials from the department of Animal Husbandry, scientists and directors of ICAR, veterinarians, progressive farmers, service providers in the dairy sector and different experts attended the workshop.