VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, NAMAKKAL

Department of Livestock Production and Management

Genesis and Objective

This Department was started during the year 1985, with the objective of teaching the undergraduate students of B.V.Sc., the methods and techniques of livestock handling, feeding, housing, breeding and disease management. In addition, this department has the mandate of rearing farm animals for the purpose of teaching, research and extension activities.
The following undergraduate courses are being offered to the B.V.Sc. students regularly, by this department.

S.No:	Course No.	Course Title	Credit hours
1	LPM 111	General livestock management	1+1
2	LPM 121	Animal housing and sanitation	1+1
3	LPM 311	Swine/ Equine production and management	1+1
4	LPM 312	Wild& zoo animal health care and management & Fish production	1+1
5	LPM 321	Sheep and goat production and management	1+1
6	LPM 411	Cattle and buffalo production and management	1+1
7	VPH 412	Environmental Hygiene	1+1
8	EVS 221	Environmental Studies

Under the new VCI syllabus following courses are offered by this department.

S.No:	Course No.	Course Title	Credit hours
1	LPM 111	Livestock Production and Management-I (General principles and ruminants)	3+1
2	LPM 122	Livestock Production and Management-II (Monogastric and laboratory animals)	1+1
3	LPM 222	Livestock Production and Management-III (Regional interest)	1+1
4	VPE 511	Environment and environmental hygiene	2+1
5	EVS 221	Environmental Studies	1+1

POST-GRADUATE ACTIVITIES
            This Department is offering M.V.Sc and Ph.D in Livestock Production and Management. As on March 2009, 14 M.V.Sc students have completed their degree successfully. All the post graduate students were worked on field problems with respect to livestock management. Some important findings are as follows:

1. Dead poultry birds can be composted in to manure along with poultry and cattle manure.
2. Poultry slaughter waste materials can be composted with poultry droppings.
3. Management practices of a nomadic sheep breed “Coimbatore” were studied and documented.
4. Hedge lucerne and mulberry leaves can be effectively to rabbits.
5. Raised platform sheds are found suitable to broiler rabbits.
6. The hardness of drinking water for poultry can be up to 3000 ppm without adverse effect on the health of the birds.
7. Fogging operation in poultry sheds reduce the microclimatic temperature and increases the relative humidity.
8. Water sprinkling and mineral mixture supplementation improves the milk yield and fat content in crossbred cattle.
9. Paddy straw and coir pith are proved good carbon sources for dead bird composting.
10. Liquid ammonia is proved to be a good disinfectant against coccidia infection.

LIVESTOCK FARM ACTIVITIES
            The Department of Livestock Production and management is maintaining a Livestock Farm which was started during the year 1989 with units of Jersey crossbred cattle, Mecheri sheep, Tellicherry and Jamnapari goat and a horse. Later on Large White Yorkshire pigs, Soviet Chinchilla and White Giant rabbits and Murrah buffaloes were added.
DAIRY UNIT: The present strength of cattle is 25 including 8 heifer calves. The animals are crossbreds of Jersey and Holstein Friesian. The animal are sent for grazing for 3 to 4 hours in the forenoon as there is vast grazing area available and supports the animals in monsoon and winter. Machine milking is followed since 10 years and the milk collected are sold to the card holders and others. The hostel of this institute is supplied with a standard quantity of milk daily. The animals are periodically vaccinated against Foot and Mouth disease, Haemorrhagic septicaemia etc.  The compounded feed is made available from the Department of Animal Nutrition of this institute.
BUFFALO UNIT:  Murrah breed is maintained. Presently 2 bulls, 6 she-buffaloes and 2 calves are being maintained. A scheme titled, “Assessment of oestrous specific pheromones with reference to kit development and enhancement of the reproductive efficiency in buffaloes, funded by DBT, New Delhi is in operation in the buffalo unit. The main theme of the scheme is to identify on the oestrous specific compounds in the urine, saliva and dung of she buffaloes and developing a pheromonal kit to identify the heat symptoms of the buffaloes. The buffalo are taken for grazing daily.
SHEEP UNIT: A total of 95 Mecheri breed of sheep is maintained in this unit. It is one of the best mutton breeds of India. The home tract of this breed is Salem district. This breed is remunerative as there is always a good demand for meat. With 8 hours of grazing, pregnant and lactating animals are fed with little quantity of concentrates. Flock mating system is followed. The average birth weight of lamb is 2.15 kg. These animals are vaccinated for enterotoxaemia, PPR, Johnes disease and blue tongue.
GOAT UNIT:  A total of 70 goats are maintained in this unit. Tellicherry and Jamunapari breeds are maintained in pure breeding. Tellicherry breed is maintained by large number of farmers in this area and is in good demand for breeding. These animals are vaccinated for enterotoxaemia, PPR, Johnes disease and blue tongue.
SWINE UNIT: A total of 105 Large White Yorkshire pigs are being maintained in this unit. It is one of the best exotic pig breed. Among the exotic breeds this breed is most widely utilized in our country for pure breeding and as well as for cross breeding. This breed is performing better both for growth and reproductive performance.
The growth and reproductive performance of Large White Yorkshire pigs were studied based on last five years data available at Swine unit, department of Livestock Production and Management. The reproductive criteria recorded were mean age at first mating (244.92 ± 9.53 days), age at first farrowing (403.84 ± 6.53 days), farrowing interval (205.22 ± 5.35 days), farrowing rate (1.97 ± 0.23), service period (68.52 ± 4.52 days) and period of post weaning oestrus (4.77 ± 0.28 days).  The average litter size at birth and at weaning was 8.92 ± 0.26 and 7.67 ± 0.22 respectively. Similarly, average litter weights at birth and at weaning were 1.29 ± 0.12 and 12.87 ± 0.43 kg, respectively. The overall percentage of preweaning mortality was 14.77 which was mainly due to crushing by mother, pneumonia, hepatitis and heamorrhagic enteritis. The daily weight gain from birth to weaning, 2 to 6 months and 6 to 12 months were 187, 360 and 349 gm, respectively. The adult weight at one year for male and females were 115.53 ± 4.21 and 121.4.25 kg, respectively.    
This swine unit is utilized for education, research and for imparts training to the progressive pig farmers in around and Namakkal District. The piglets produced from this unit are being supplied for teaching and research institute, progressive farmers and slaughter studies for the students.
RESEARCH WORKS - COMPLETED

1. A case report on “metritis – mastitis – agalactia syndrome in post partum sows
2. Effective utilization of wastes to growing pigs
3. Data analysis at swine unit: The growth and reproductive performance of Large White Yorkshire pigs were studied based on last five years data available at swine unit. The analysed data made in to a research paper has been sent for publication to– Livestock Research for Rural Development.

RESEARCH WORKS - ONGOING

1. Efficacy of pungan and Ivermectin against mange infestation in pigs is ongoing at Swine Unit.
2. Utilization of food wastes up to 50 per cent level in swine diet for breeding females and its progeny is on going
3. Utilization of Hedge lucerne up to 25 % level in swine diet (50 % concentrate + 25 % food wastes) for fattening stock is ongoing. Utilization of concentrate, swill feed and hedge lucerne at different levels.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAMME
            A fully ICAR funded scheme entitled “Experiential Learning Programme - Setting up of Facilities for Hands on Training on Commercial pig rearing” is in operation in this farm on self sustaining basis with a financial out lay of Rs. 20 lakhs.
            The first batch was started on 01.03.2009 with 20 students of third year B.V.Sc.
& A.H  (2006 – 2007 batch). During start of the scheme 30 piglets were purchased (2 to 3 months of age). The piglets were reared up to marketable age (7 to 8 months of age). Pigs were sold to the progressive farmers as breeding stock to establish the pig breeding unit in the field. The receipts towards this sales was Rs.1,28,150/-.
            The fattened pigs were slaughtered by the students at the Department of Meat Science and Technology to know the slaughter methods and to study the carcass traits. The receipts towards this sales was Rs.22,668/-.
           During the course of the work the students were allowed to work in the swine farm. Hands on training was imparted to the students during the study period regarding tail docking, identification, castration, heat detection and breeding. The students were also taught on weight recording to calculate the weight gain, feed formula for pig ration, methods to reduce feed cost by introducing waste and greens in the pig ration and disease management, preparation of project report and marketing strategy.
             The first batch training ended on 31.08.2009.  At the end of the scheme the students were trained to calculate the economics. Proper system of accounting was followed and maintained and managed by the students. As per ICAR guidelines, 50% of the Net profit generated during this period has been distributed to the students.  A sum of Rs.1684/- was distributed to each student.
             Second batch of 20 students of 2007-2008 batch were selected and 33 piglets were purchased and the work was started in November 2009.
            The livestock farm is very much useful in teaching and hands on training for both students and farmers. Students from other colleges, schools and rural youths and farmers from various parts of Tamil Nadu are visiting this farm frequently.
            Depending upon the availability, breeding stocks are being supplied on cost basis to the needy farmers.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

1. An ICAR sponsored scheme on “Experiential Learning – Setting up of Facilities for   Hands on Training on Commercial Pig Rearing” is in operation from 01.12.2006.
2. A collaborative research project with Bharathidasan University, Thiruchirapalli is in operation from 24.11.2008 entitled “Assessment of oestrous specific pheromones with reference to kit development and enhancement of the reproductive efficiency in buffaloes”.
3. A meteorological observatory is maintained by this department and climatic data from the year 1996 has been recorded and maintained.

OTHERS
            As a part of silver jubilee celebrations of Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal a National seminar on “Wealth from livestock and agriculture waste” was organized on 12th and 13th of November 2009 at VC&RI, Namakkal, jointly by this department and Dept. of Meat Science and Technology.

Faculty Members

Name	Designation	Email & Tel No.
Dr. V. Ramesh Saravana Kumar	Professor and Head	lpmramesh1@yahoo.com 9443544351
Dr. K. Sivakumar	Associate Professor	lpmsiva_69@yahoo.co.in 9443515336
Dr. D. Anandha Prakash Singh	Associate Professor	lpmsingh@ yahoo.co.in 9443551629
Dr. V. Ramesh	Associate Professor	@yahoo.com 9443515328