Department of Animal Nutrition
About
The Department of Animal Nutrition was established in the year 2023 as an independent unit with the opening of College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Arrabari, Kishanganj, on August 24, 2022. The importance of Nutrition for animal health, animal welfare and quality of animal products from the point of nutritional value for humans came to the forefront. Feed is the largest single cost item for livestock and poultry production, accounting for 60-70% of the total cost. Therefore, the department focuses on studying the dietary needs of the animals, conventional and unconventional feed and fodders, metabolic diseases, feed technologies and provides exceptional undergraduate instructions and guidelines.
Animal nutrition laboratory (FEEDS AND FODDER ANALYSIS LAB. AND ENERGY METABOLISM LABORATORY) is equipped with all the equipments required for practical classes of First and Second Professional B.V.Sc. & A.H students as per VCI norms. It also provides opportunity for students to learn about nutrient analysis of locally available feed and fodders, hay making, urea ammoniated straw preparation, area specific mineral mixture mixing etc. Besides these, the laboratory also has the sophisticated instruments for research purpose.
The samples of various types of conventional as well as unconventional feed ingredients for livestock are available in the department practical room for demonstration purpose. The information about scientific feeding practices and current technologies used in feed industry is assessed through frequent field and farm visits to broaden the spectra of learning.
The department offers undergraduate courses and PG programmes (both M.V.Sc and Ph. D) in the field of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Extension Education. The department is actively engaged in conducting applied and basic research in the field of Animal Husbandry and Animal Husbandry Extension Education. Besides this, the department organizes different extension programmes for livestock farmers of the state like kisan samvad, health camps, farmer’s awareness camps, etc. The department has published a lot of farm literature in both English and vernacular language for the benefit of farming community.
Mandate
Education
- Improve Competencies as a professional
- Increase entrepreneurial skills
- To face competitive examinations
Research
- Need oriented research for livestock and poultry industry.
- Unconventional feed resources identification and their utilization in the state.
- Formulation of concentrate mixture as the local availability of feed and fodder.
- Conservation of cultivated fodder as silage in polybag technique
Extension
- Package of practices for Urea treatment, UMMB, Feed formulation, area specific mineral mixture
- Improvement of skills of unemployed youth
- Adoption of a village for dissemination of technology
- Development of bulletins in local language
- Line department official and Farmers’ trainings, Pashu mela, Dairy Expo , poultry expo etc.
- Hands-on-training for agripreneurs.
Future Goals
- Identify newer and lesser known feedstuffs to fill the gap between demand and availability of feedstuffs.
- Increase the livestock productivity and reduce environmental pollution through scientific feeding strategies.
- Identify nutrition related diseases and their amelioration.
- Produce quality Veterinarians for serving the Nation.
- Act as a liaison between the farmers and the industry
Thrust Area
- Evaluation of new fodder varieties and conservation of surplus fodder
- Use of feed additive (mainly probiotics and prebiotics) to improve productive performance of livestock and poultry.
- Alternate feed resources
- Nutritional management during transition phase
- Area Specific Mineral Mixture
- Urea treatment of crop residues
- Probiotics and prebiotics (Additives)
- Reducing contaminants in animal feed
Facilities
- Basic facility of proximate analysis of feed and fodder
- Software based feed formulation for livestock and poultry
- Hot Air Oven
- Muffle Furnace
- Kjeldahl Digestion cum Distillation Assembly Unit
- Soxhlet apparatus
- Automatic Fibre Estimation Assembly
- Water Bath with Shaker
- Willey Mill Grinder
Academic Activities
U.G. Courses (As per VCI)
Course No. | Course Title | Credit Hr. |
ANN 121 | Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology | 2 + 1 |
ANN 211 | Applied Ruminant Nutrition | 2 + 1 |
ANN 221 | Applied Non Ruminant Nutrition | 2 + 1 |
Research Activities
Faculty Members
Dr. Kiran Kumari
Associate Professor & Head
E-mail- drkirankumari22@gmail.com
Mobile no.9907407107, 831929375
Dr. Yengkhom Rojita Devi
Assistant Professor
E-mail- rojitayeng11@gmail.com
Mobile no. 9163915385
Supporting Staff
Photo Gallary
Contact Details
Dr. Kiran Kumari
Associate Professor & Head
E-mail- drkirankumari22@gmail.com
Mobile no.9907407107, 8319293751
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