Govt determined to revolutionise livestock sector

Islamabad : Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) organised a seminar focusing on the Genetic and Economic Impact of Norwegian Red Dairy Cattle, says a press release.

The seminar provided a platform for experts and stakeholders to explore the potential of Norwegian Red Cattle in enhancing genetic and domestic breed improvement in the dairy industry of Pakistan. Following the seminar, Holstein Research Management (HRM) Dairies (Pvt) Ltd. Pakistan and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at boosting collaboration to enhance the livestock sector of Pakistan. Under this partnership, both organizations have pledged to provide technical support for capacity building and to conduct training programmes in Theriogenology, animal breeding, and genetic research and development. PARC’s institutions, the National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB) and the Animal Sciences Institute (ASI), will jointly facilitate research on genomic testing and Theriogenology to optimize the utilization of improved Norwegian Red Cattle semen.

In his address, Federal Secretary for MNFS&R, Captain (R) Muhammad Asif, highlighted the diversity of domestic livestock breeds and underscored the importance of breed improvement and the genetic advancement of domestic cattle breeds. He emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to revolutionize the livestock sector through genetic breed improvement, recognizing it as a crucial component in ensuring national food & nutritional security. Ms. Noor Khan, the Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan, emphasized the considerable potential for knowledge exchange between Pakistan and Norway in the livestock sector.