Department of Animal Genetics & Breeding

The Department of Animal Breeding & Genetics came into existence in the year 1950. Earlier it was one of the constituent units of Animal Husbandry Department, the major department of the college, which includes the Department of Animal Breeding & Genetics, Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. After implementation of Minimum Standard of Veterinary Education as per Veterinary Council of India act 1984, the name of the Department became Animal Genetics & Breeding since 2016.
Since its inception, the Department of Animal Genetics & Breeding is actively engaged in teaching, research and extension. With the initiation of B.V.Sc. & A.H. degree programme at Bihar Veterinary College, Patna in 1950, the Department of Animal Genetics & Breeding used to teach basic Principles of Genetics and Animal Breeding as per syllabus framed by the then Professors and Scientists of Animal Genetics & Breeding Department. With the establishment of Rajendra Agriculture University in 1971 at Pusa, the Bihar Veterinary College, Patna became the constituent College of that University and UG course curriculum was started as per ICAR syllabus. Since the implementation of Minimum Standard of Veterinary Education at BVC, Patna in the year 1997, the Department of Animal Genetics & Breeding started teaching of UG courses as per VCI syllabus. Accordingly, Computer Application was added in the syllabus.
The Post-Graduate (PG) programme was introduced in Animal Genetics & Breeding in the year 1960. The first M.V.Sc. degree was awarded to Dr. R. J. Prasad in the year 1962 and first Ph. D. degree was awarded to Dr. R. L. Singh in the year 1973.
Besides teaching, the Department of Animal Genetics & Breeding has under taken various ICAR research projects including estimation of chromosome number and their karyotyping in cattle. The department was actively engaged in progeny testing programme of Tharparkar herd maintained at Bihar Veterinary College, Patna. The scientists of the department have been engaged to render their extension services to the livestock farmers through Kisan Mela and Animal Health Camp organized by the College/University for genetic improvement of cattle in the state of Bihar either through Crossbreeding or Grading up programme.