The Livestock & Dairy Development Department Punjab (LDDDP) has successfully exported first batch of 170 Nili Ravi buffaloes to Malaysia. The Punjab government had assigned a task to Buffalo Research Institute, Pattoki District Kasur for export of animals to Malaysian Government from Pakistan. The officers of BRI, Pattoki worked day & night to complete the assignment of selection of animals of desired standards from the registered breeders of 10 Progeny Testing Programme districts.
The experts of Diagnostic laboratory (UDL) of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore performed various clinical tests of these animals against diseases and declared them free from any disease. It may be noted that a delegation headed by the Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Industry from the brother country Malaysia visited BRI, Pattoki during the last year in December, 2009 and concentrated a keen interest for import of buffalo and Halal meat from Pakistan.
A MoU was signed between the Governments of Pakistan and Malaysia on 15th December, 2009 stating the export of Nili Ravi Buffalos to Malaysia. For this 150 heifers and 20 young bulls having the age of 18 to 24 months and body weight around 250-Kg disease free were selected from field area of progeny testing program at BRI Pattoki.
The Government of Pakistan established a temporary quarantine center at BRI, Pattoki to provide quarantine schedules to these animals for 21 days and was vaccinated against diseases of Foot & Mouth, Hemorrhagic Septicemia and Black Quarter. Quarantine Department Government of Pakistan Islamabad issued a clearance certificate of these animals. These animals were sent to Malaysia by a charted Airplane from Allama Iqbal Airport. Buffalo has a significant role in Pakistan economy. Nili Ravi is the second highest buffalo milk & meat producer in the world. Most of the countries of the world are improving the breeds of buffalo for dairy and meat products through Research & Development.