VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, NAMAKKAL
BACKGROUND OF THE DEPARTMENT
Started in 1985, to offer undergraduate courses in Animal Nutrition. Post graduate courses were offered from the year 1994. In the year 1994, an independent unit for analysis of feed and feed ingredient was started in the name of “Animal feed analytical and quality control laboratory” to cater the need of the poultry farmers. In the year 2007, a separate feed manufacturing unit was started to cater to the needs of livestock and poultry feed of the college and university centers.
OBJECTIVES
- To impart undergraduate and postgraduate education to students.
- To undertake research on the problems and the future needs of the livestock and poultry industry.
- To fine tune the technologies to suit the farmer and advise them in using the technologies
COURSES OFFERED
B.V.Sc. courses
As per the old VCI Syllabus for Under graduate courses
ANN 211 - Principles of Animal Nutrition, 2 + 1
ANN 212- Evaluation of Feedstuff and Feed Technology, 1 + 1
ANN 221- Applied Nutrition –I, 2 + 1
ANN 222- Applied Nutrition –II, 1 + 1
As per the new VCI Syllabus for Under graduate courses
ANN 111 - Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, 2 + 1
ANN 121- Applied Nutrition - I, 2 + 1
ANN 211- Applied Nutrition – II (non –ruminant, poultry and Laboratory animals), 2 + 1
M.V.Sc. courses
ANN 601 -Mineral and Vitamin Nutrition, 2+1
ANN 602- Feed Analysis and Quality Control, 1+2
ANN 603- Ruminant Nutrition, 2+0
ANN 604- Evaluation of Energy and Protein Feeds, 2 + 1
ANN 605- Non-Ruminant Nutrition, 2+0
ANN 606- Feed Technology, 2 + 1
ANN 607- Avian Nutrition, 2 + 1
ANN 611- Intermediary Metabolism, 2+0
ANN 608- Unconventional Feeds and their Utilization, 2+0
Ph.D courses
ANN 801- Modern concepts in feeding ruminants, 2 + 0
ANN 802- Modern concepts in feeding monogastric animals, 2 + 0
ANN 804- Advances in micronutrients, 2 + 0
ANN 805- Advanced techniques in Nutritional research, 1 + 2
ANN 806- Feed Technology, 2 + 1
ANN 807- Forage unitization by ruminants, 2 + 1
ANN 809- Toxicants of feed and fodders, 2 + 0
ANN 811- Clinical nutrition, 2 + 1
- Separate laboratory for undergraduate and post-graduates students and a laboratory for “Feed quality evaluation”
- Post graduate lecture hall and Interactive hall for feed manufacturing technology
- Feed manufacturing unit with following facilities –
a. feed godown cum milling unit
b. feed supplement preparation room and
c. Room for preparation of value added feeds.
- Experimental sheds:
a. One deep litter poultry shed
b. One cage type chick cum grower shed
c. One cage type layer shed
d. One poultry metabolic trial unit
ACHIEVEMENT / EXCELLENCE
Education
- Imparting hand on experience on feed manufacturing techniques and management of feed manufacturing units.
- Training of students on assessing the nutritional status of the animal and guiding them to solve the field oriented feed problems.
- Motivating the students to identify local available agro-industrial waste products and to review the research carried out in them.
Research
So far 33 M.V.Sc and 7 Ph.D thesis research works have been completed. Sixty two research papers have been published from this department. Four student’s projects sponsored by Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology have been completed.
External funded schemes completed:
1. “Strengthening of special sub-station Namakkal”
2. “Model Unit of Agro-forestry Scheme for North-Western Zone of Tamil Nadu”
3. “Use of alternative tanniferous, saponin and antioxidant containing material as means of improving health and project on desi poultry”- Extension component is continued.
Schemes in progress
- Feed manufacturing technology
Schemes proposed for funding:
- “Niche Area of Excellence in Poultry Nutrition” has been submitted to Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi.
- The following research project proposals have been submitted to Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology, Chennai under student project scheme.
S.No |
Title of the project |
Name of the PI |
1 |
Study on effect of cotton seed meal (Bt-cotton and commercial cotton) on the performance of broiler chicken |
Dr.C.Kathirvelan, |
2 |
Nutritional Evaluation of Guar meal in poultry |
Dr. P.Vasanthakumar, |
3. |
Inclusion of distillers grain in dairy cattle ration |
Dr. C.Kathirvelan, |
The following research projects have been completed by this department
1. Poultry droppings / sugarcane bagasse pith as a feed for sheep and Lannea coromandelica as a feed for goats. Feeding of Yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on rumen fermentation and production performance in sheep. Nutritive value of Cenchrus ciliaris, Stylosanthus hamata and their combination (3:1 ratio) in sheep and goat.
2. Wheat waste / rice waste / tamarind seed meal / mango seed kernel / little millet / pearl millet (local and hybrid varieties) / sorghum / ragi as a replacement for maize in poultry ration. Tapioca leaf meal / tapioca peel meal / gliricidia leaf meal and fermented caged layer manure and their feeding value for poultry. Rapeseed and sesame cake as a replacement for conventional vegetable protein source for broilers. Squilla meal /sardine fish and fish head / meat and bone meal / silkworm pupae meal as a replacement to fishmeal in poultry diets. Utilization of acidulated rice bran oil, palm oil, tallow, palm kernel, sunflower seed, maize germ for broilers and soya lecithin for broiler ducks. Evaluation of cheap mineral mixture using super-phosphate for di-calcium phosphate. Evaluation of Lactobacillus acidophillus and organic acids as alternatives to antibiotics.
3. Efficiency of silicates in binding aflatoxin-B1 in the ration of broilers and measures to ameliorate ochratoxin toxicity.
4. Dietary energy and protein requirement of broiler’s and protein requirement of egg type chicken. Comparing the efficiency of NRC and ISI specifications of mineral requirement for broilers.
5. Enzyme supplementation on the performance of broilers and layers and enzyme production from Trichoderma viridae
6. Detection of adulteration of fish meal with leather meal.
Outreach
1. The farmers are advised regarding feeding of livestock and poultry through radio talks, pamphlets, mass contact programme, field demonstrations etc. Technical advices on feed formulations are provided to feed industries and farmers.
2. Three trainings were conducted on feed analysis and feeding of livestock and poultry for field veterinarians and private entrepreneurs and two national level summer schools conducted for university teachers and research workers in field of Animal Nutrition and allied subjects.
3. Lectures are being delivered regularly to trainees of self-help groups on feeding management of animals and guest lectures are being delivered to participants of training programmes organized by Centre of Advanced Studies in Poultry Science, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal. Under DFID scheme, the rural farmers are trained on managemental and feeding practices of desi birds. Scientists, field Veterinarians and farmers are benefited through various training programmes.
CURRENT FOCUS
- Training of undergraduate students for self employment in feed production
- Development of software packages by the working teams of the Department of Animal Nutrition on “Nutrient requirement and feeding of livestock and poultry”.
- Method standardization for the detection of adulterants in feed ingredients.
Dr.D.Chandrasekaran |
Professor and Head | chanda22@gmail.com |
| Dr.M.R.Purushothaman |
Professor | m.r.purushothaman@tanuvas.org.in |
| Dr.P.Vasanthakumar | Associate Professor | p.vasanthakumar@tanuvas.org.in |
| Dr. S. Senthilkumar | Assistant Professor | annsenthil@yahoo.com |
| Dr. P.Sureshkumar | Assistant Professor |