
Ludhiana: Vet varsity educate farmers on infertility in dairy animals
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, held an awareness camp at Kila Raipur village to address the growing issue of infertility in dairy animals. The initiative was supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under its Farmer FIRST project.
The camp aimed at improving reproductive health among productive cattle and buffaloes, was organised under the leadership of Ravinder Singh Grewal, director of extension education and nodal officer of the project, along with Parminder Singh, the principal investigator.
During the camp, a large number of dairy animals were examined and treated for infertility. Rajesh and Bilawal Singh diagnosed common but often overlooked reproductive issues such as anestrous, follicular cysts, and silent heat. The veterinarians provided on-the-spot treatment and guided farmers on the next steps in the recovery process.
Rajesh stressed the economic consequences of infertility in dairy animals, noting that it can shorten their productive lifespan, reduce milk yield, and delay calving, factors that significantly affect farmers' income. Bilawal Singh offered practical advice on managing animal health and understanding the root causes of infertility.
To further support the farmers, Parteek Singh distributed mineral mixtures, underlining their importance in the daily diet of animals for enhancing both productivity and reproductive efficiency.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
7 hours ago
- The Hindu
Fighting antimicrobial resistance with insect-based livestock feed
Traditional livestock production systems have severe environmental consequences, including high greenhouse gas emissions, extensive land and water use, and risk of fostering antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Together with the steadily rising demand for nutrition, global and regional food systems have been exploring alternative ways to sustainably maintain their supply chains. Insect-based feed has emerged as one promising candidate. The Indian Council of Agriculture (ICAR) and its affiliated centres have already been strengthening the adoption of insect-based feeds in the country. In March 2023, the ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) signed an MoU with Ultra Nutri India, Pvt. Ltd. to explore the possibility of using insect-based feed in aquaculture. The aim was to use black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae as an ingredient in aqua-feed to improve growth and immunity. In June 2024, CIBA and Loopworm, a Bengaluru-based manufacturer of insect-based proteins and fats, inked another MoU to evaluate the use of insect-based feed products in shrimp and Asian seabass. In January 2025, the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute confirmed a formal MoU with Coimbatore-based Bhairav Renderers. AMR and livestock production Animal husbandry accounts for more than half of all antibiotic use around the world and is expected to increase to 200,000 tonnes by 2030, up 53% from 2013. Over the last 70 years, antimicrobial compounds have been becoming embedded in livestock feed. They are used to treat diseases as well as to boost growth, in turn raising productivity. The excessive or inappropriate use of antibiotics in this regard can lead to AMR, which endangers public health. Traces of antibiotics left behind in the intestinal environments of livestock impose selective pressure for bacteria in the gut to acquire and maintain antibiotic resistance genes. These genes replicate when they are expelled into the surrounding environment, such as soil or water, increasing the possibility of human exposure, especially for those who work in agriculture. It has been projected that the number of deaths worldwide from antibiotic-resistant infections will increase from 700,000 a year in 2014 to 10 million by 2050. The increasing demand for proteins of animal origin has in turn increased the costs of production and has encouraged farming practices to intensify. Ultimately, farmers are forced to use non-essential antibiotics to boost growth. The use of such antibiotics remains mostly unregulated in many countries, especially in LMICs. The type and frequency of antibiotic-based animal feed consumption differs across continents and depends highly on socioeconomic conditions, regional demand and production, farming systems, and the national legislative framework. Some common antibiotics in use as feedstock in LMICs are chloramphenicol, tylosin, and TCN (a powdered mixture of oxytetracycline, chloramphenicol, and neomycin); developed countries have banned their use. In humans, over-exposure to these drugs can eventually increase the risk of kidney disease, cancers, and aplastic anaemia. These realities prompted researchers to explore the use of insect-based feed to keep AMR at bay. As of today, 40 countries have accepted and issued regulations to use insect-based feed for animals. Examples of such insects include black soldier flies, house flies (Musca domestica), compost worm (Perionyx excavatus), grasshoppers (Locusts), small mealworms (Alphitobius), house crickets (Acheta localus), tropical crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus), and Jamaican field crickets (Gryllus assimilis). Pros of insect-based livestock feed Insects are nutritious and are healthy additions to human and animal diet. They are good sources of fats, proteins, fibres, and micronutrients like zinc, calcium, and iron. In their natural habitat, both aquatic and terrestrial animals eat insects. Rearing insects emits less greenhouse gases than rearing other sources of animal protein. In most cases, insects are raised on organic waste because they can quickly transform low-grade waste into high-grade crude proteins, fats, and energy. For example, to generate the same quantity of proteins, crickets consume 12-times less feed than cattle. Rearing insects also requires fewer resources, especially land and water, compared to other livestock production enterprises. Insect-based livestock feed is also an attractive option because of its lower overall cost and the ease with which producing it can be made a sustainable activity. In other words, such feed has a better benefit-to-cost ratio in terms of production cost. In fact, some studies have shown that the use of insect-based feed can be even more cost-effective because it provides better digestible proteins than fishmeal- or soybean-based feeds. For example, per one estimate, one kilogram of fish meal can be replaced with 0.76 g of crickets (75% crude proteins), 0.81 g of termites or silkworms (70%), 0.85 g of black soldier flies (66%), 0.91 g of locusts or yellow mealworms (60%), and 950 g of mopane worms (56%). Similarly, one kilogram of soybean meal (49% crude proteins) can be replaced with 0.74 g, 0.79 g, 0.83 g, 0.89 g, and 930 g of the same insect species, respectively. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation has estimated that food production will have to be increased by 70% by 2050 (with meat production expected to double) to meet the world's demand. Unregulated and excessive use of non-essential antibiotics increases the risk of environmental antibiotic-resistant genes in livestock farms. Research has outlined the potential for insect-based feed to become a climate-smart alternative to conventional feed because of its ability to shrink the environmental footprint of livestock farming. At the macroscopic level, the ICAR is still streamlining research and collaboration on insect-based feeds; all the same, efforts should be made at the system's periphery to raise awareness. Given its advantages for the environment, biology, and economy, insect-based feed stands to be a crucial component of livestock production. Irfan Shakeer is an epidemiologist at Clarivate India. Iswarya Lakshmi is senior research associate, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru.


Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
‘Boil It or Risk It': Unpasteurised Milk Linked to Rabies & TB, Warns Vet Expert From Gadvasu.
Ludhiana: Drinking raw or unboiled milk could expose consumers to serious, even fatal diseases such as rabies, tuberculosis (TB) and brucellosis, a veterinary expert from Punjab has warned, amid growing concerns about zoonotic infections in India's dairy supply. Dr Randhir Singh, assistant professor of veterinary medicine at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) in Ludhiana, cautioned that pathogens from infected animals often go undetected until symptoms surface — by which time, the damage may be irreversible. "Milk from livestock infected with Brucella or Mycobacterium tuberculosis can carry bacteria into the human body if not properly boiled or pasteurised," Dr Randhir Singh said, speaking at a livestock health awareness session. "These diseases don't always show symptoms in animals right away. But the bacteria often circulate in their blood and are excreted through milk." Rising Rabies Risk The threat is compounded by the rising incidence of stray dog attacks on cattle, especially in semi-urban and rural areas. Dr Singh noted that a single bite from a rabid animal, including dogs, mongooses, or even rats, can infect a cow or buffalo. "Rabies symptoms in cattle typically appear within 10 days, but in some cases, the virus can remain dormant for up to a year," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Here's A List Of Cheapest Steel Suppliers (See List) Steel Suppliers | search ads Search Now Undo "During this asymptomatic window, the infected animal may look healthy and continue producing milk — which enters the human supply chain." Rabies, he stressed, is invariably fatal once symptoms manifest. Meanwhile, brucellosis can cause fever, chronic fatigue, joint pain, and even infertility in humans, while TB — already a major public health concern in India — is transmissible through raw milk from infected cattle. Preventive Measures Urged Dr Randhir Singh urged dairy farmers to adopt strict biosecurity protocols, including:- Routine animal vaccination Hygienic milking practices Regular veterinary screening "Preventing infection is always more effective than treating it later," he said. For consumers, the message is simple: boil your milk. "It's the most accessible way to neutralise bacteria and viruses," he said. "Pasteurisation serves the same purpose on an industrial scale, but boiling at home is an easy and essential safeguard." As the demand for organic and farm-fresh milk rises, experts warn that the risks of consuming untreated milk must be clearly communicated — especially in rural households and informal dairy networks where pasteurisation is not the norm.


Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Fatehabad constable's infant son battles rare genetic disorder, cops across 6 dists mobilise to raise funds
Hisar: Eight-month-old Yuvansh, the son of Fatehabad police's cyber cell constable Rajesh, is battling Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type-1 (SMA), one of the rarest and most severe genetic disorders affecting infants. His survival depends on a life-saving injection costing Rs 14.5 crore, which must be procured from Switzerland. In a show of solidarity, police departments across six districts have joined hands to help raise the required amount. Rohtak additional director general of police Y Puran Kumar has written to the superintendents of police (SPs) in Rohtak, Bhiwani, and Charkhi Dadri urging officers to donate one day's salary for the cause. SPs of Kaithal (Aastha Modi) and Sirsa (Mayank Gupta) have also issued similar appeals. Policemen in Fatehabad are contributing at the local level as well. It is estimated that if officers across these districts contribute one day's salary, it could generate a significant portion of the funds required. Constable Rajesh and his wife Kiran, a clerk in the food supply department, are receiving support not only from the police but also from employees of her department. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Public awareness campaigns and fundraising efforts have also gained traction on social media platforms. So far, around Rs 38 lakh has been collected through donations. Adampur MLA Chandraprakash has written to Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini seeking financial aid for Yuvansh's treatment. Constable Rajesh has also met Hisar ADGP K K Rao in his appeal for assistance. Yuvansh was born on April 9, 2024. His parents noticed that by the time he was two months old, he was not showing normal physical development. After consulting multiple doctors and undergoing various tests, the family received confirmation of SMA on May 18, 2025. The condition was further reviewed by doctors at PGI Chandigarh, who advised urgent administration of the Zolgensma gene therapy injection — considered one of the most expensive drugs in the world. Doctors emphasised that the injection must be administered before the age of two for the best possible outcome, followed by continued treatment for at least two to three months. In a desperate appeal, constable Rajesh has reached out to several prominent personalities and institutions for help. His pleas have been directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Nayab Saini, actors Salman Khan and Sonu Sood, transport minister Anil Vij, MP Naveen Jindal, the Tata Foundation, industrialist Gautam Adani, and the Union health ministry. The campaign to save baby Yuvansh continues to gain momentum as citizens, officials, and well-wishers across the state rally in support. MSID:: 121993767 413 |