The Punjab government has planned to set up 'new disease diagnostic laboratories' in the province to provide diagnostic/investigation facilities to livestock wealth. These laboratories will be set up at a cost of Rs 65 million in Mandi Bahauddin, Nankana Sahib, Pakpattan, Kasur, Narowal, Lodhran and Rajanpur areas.
Sources in the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department told Business Recorder that these laboratories would provide diagnostic and research facilities in nine different districts of the province to identify infectious diseases in large as well as small animals.
Sources said that the laboratories will provide facilities of identifying the reason of 'mastitis' disease in the animals through samples of milk, fecal samples to check the endoparasites in all classes of animals and diagnosis of foot and mouth diseases in small animals like sheep and goats as well.
The purpose of the laboratories is to help proper diagnosis, proper treatment of animals, dispensation of medicines apart from ensuring animals' health, which would lead to improve production of both meat and milk, sources said. The project will be completed in phases and spread over a span of three years. Meanwhile, the sources said vaccination is available with the department for various diseases in poultry and big animals.