Bareilly: An Entrepreneurship Development Programme on Animal Feed Technologies was organised at the ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar, jointly by the institute’s Agri-Business Incubation (ABI) Centre and the Department of Animal Nutrition.
The programme aims to equip farmers, livestock owners, youth and aspiring entrepreneurs with scientific and technical knowledge related to animal feed production, balanced ration management, utilisation of locally available resources for quality feed preparation and establishment of feed-based enterprises.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rupsi Tiwari, Joint Director (Extension Education), IVRI, said scientifically formulated balanced animal feed can significantly improve livestock health and productivity while contributing to higher incomes for livestock farmers. She highlighted interaction with successful entrepreneurs as an important feature of the programme, through which participants would gain practical insights into enterprise establishment, financial management and available credit facilities.
Participants were also introduced to IVRI’s digital services, mobile applications, educational videos, podcasts and online courses so that they can continue accessing scientific information and institutional resources after completing the training.
Dr Tiwari said the programme goes beyond imparting technical knowledge and seeks to develop participants’ ability to convert scientific knowledge into viable business opportunities. She encouraged participants to interact with scientists, raise questions and explore the adoption of the technologies in their respective areas to establish sustainable enterprises.
Dr Narayan Dutta, Head, Department of Animal Nutrition, said there is considerable potential to reduce livestock-rearing costs and increase farmers’ income through the scientific and efficient utilisation of locally available resources. He stressed that successful feed production requires an understanding of nutrient requirements, appropriate proportions and processing technologies rather than merely using agricultural products as feed ingredients.
During the programme, participants will receive expert lectures and practical guidance on balanced ration formulation for different categories of livestock, scientific utilisation of feed ingredients, feed processing, nutrient availability, probiotics and prebiotics, mineral mixtures, mycotoxin management, and animal health and productivity.
Dr M.K. Singh, Co-Principal Investigator of the programme, said the training would cover livestock nutritional requirements, the importance of balanced feed, preparation of different types of animal feed and feed supplements, nutrient balancing and modern animal feed technologies.
He said scientists and subject experts from various IVRI departments would conduct the training. The programme module includes balanced ration formulation for dairy enterprises, maintenance of feed plants and equipment, feed ingredients and packaging, management of metabolic disorders in dairy animals, production and preservation of green fodder, silage and hay preparation, milk processing and value addition, the importance of minerals in animal feed, non-conventional feed resources and strategies for reducing methane emissions.
The programme will also cover poultry economics and entrepreneurship, feed formulation for different categories of poultry, selection and breeding of dairy animals, ration formulation for different livestock categories, and the impact of feed processing on nutrient availability. Participants will also be provided practical knowledge related to feed production, product quality, packaging and marketing, as well as establishing and successfully managing an animal feed business.
Senior scientists Dr Anju Kala and Dr Sagar Chand, along with officials and staff of the Department of Animal Nutrition and the Agri-Business Incubation Centre, were present on the occasion.
Reported by Akhilesh Chandra Saxena, Bareilly
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