Buffalo moot calls for tech-driven production

LAHORE: The two-day international buffalo congress 2019 recommended transformation of buffalo production from population driven to technology driven and from fragmented to more organise commercial model.

“Transformation of subsistence to commercial farming needs input of technology packages combining breeding, feeding, disease control, management and marketing instead of piece meal approach, so an integrated approach similar to the model of Swedish project in Sri Lanka be adopted,” read the recommendations of the congress which was organised by the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore in collaboration with the Livestock and Dairy Development Department.

It was further recommended adopting successful methods of buffalo breeding such as ‘Fixed Time AI’ in smallholder buffalo farms and alternate non-conventional local feed resources be explored using R&D to make these safe for cost effective use in buffalo feeding.

The concluding ceremony of the congress was chaired by Governor Punjab Ch Mohammad Sarwar. The governor said livestock has huge potential which was under-utilised and we need to increase per animal yield. He said the Punjab government was working on various strategies to overcome the challenge of ensuring availability of sufficient, safe and secure food to the masses. He said our scientists were working to create foot and mouth disease-free zones in and incentivize saving and calf fattening programmes. He said livestock was raised as an easily ‘convertible currency’ and a reliable ‘living bank’ to provide day-to-day financial needs of the masses.

Buffalo farming is playing a pivotal role in the national economy by producing significant proportion of milk and meat and we have to develop it further, the governor said.

Appreciating the participation of Indian professors, the governor said Pakistan wants good relations with all its neighbours, joint efforts for peace and in defeating terrorism. He was all praise for Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his visit and confidence on Pakistan and for the investment of $20billion.

Punjab Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development Sardar Hasnain Bahadar Dareshak called for genetic improvement of animals with better management strategies to increase their productivity. He said, “Cattle are like our mother which give us food. If we take care of it, it will feed us.” He said that the congress recommendations will help government in further growth and development of the livestock sector.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha said the congress was aimed to review and update the work in the thematic areas of nutrition, reproduction, genetics, management, health, and socio-economics of buffalo with its main “Subsistence to Commercialisation”.