The Hindu

Poultry, fodder development and bio-village initiatives taken up Focus on poultry, fodder development, bio-village projects 

• University has built integrated farms for Amruta Mahal breed in Tiptur taluk
• Over 3,200 women trained in fodder production under dairy development programme

Mangalore, Nov 25: Fisheries College Mangalore has won research projects to the tune of Rs. 14 crore and some of the research products produced by the college have become popular in the industry said Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka Veterinary and Fisheries Sciences University of Bidar R.N. Sreenivas Gowda.

Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of the "Fisheries Field Day" organised by the college here on Friday November 24, Prof Gowda said the university had cleared a grant of Rs. 50 lakh to the college this year. Prof. Gowda said the Fishery Microbiology department of the college developed a scientific kit. He was happy that the college could generate research grant on its own from recognised institutions like ICAR, DBT and some organisations in the European Union.

The university was now planning to advise the Government to include the fisheries course in the CET platform. Owing to technical snags in the professional education circuit the fisheries and animal sciences were not attracting enough students. He said it was partially owing to the delay in settling the issues pertaining to professional college admissions in the COMED-K circuit. He said the university would ask the Government to include fisheries as a subject in CET repertoire.

Prof. Gowda said the university was evolving a bio-village concept in Bidar district where research was on for producing "Azola", the magic nutrients for livestock. He said special tanks have been prepared to grow Azola on a trial basis. A daily input of 25 grams of Azola with the fodder for livestock will keep them healthy and yield more milk. At Kondalli in Tiptur taluk the university had taken up the breeding of Amruta Mahal breed for which integrated farms have been developed on a plot of 1,380 acres. Over 3,200 women have been trained in producing fodder under dairy development programme of the university Prof Gowda added.

The university has also taken initiatives in research in poultry.