University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore (UVAS) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Talat Naseer Pasha has said that buffalo is the mainstay of rural economy of small farmers in many developing countries, including Southeast Asia.
The VC said this while addressing an international symposium on "Buffalo Research Development" on Tuesday. Secretary Livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab Irfan Elahi was chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the symposium while Professor Dr Prem Kumar Uppal from India, officers from the L&DD Department and UVAS faculty members participated in large numbers.
Sharing the results of recent buffalo milk competition in the Punjab Livestock Show arranged by the UVAS, the Vice-Chancellor said that a Nili Ravi buffalo of Muhammad Yousuf Dogar from Multan broke the record of highest yield with 47.239 kilogram milk in 36 hours and won the first prize.
A buffalo of Rana Javed from Faisalabad won the second position with 45.118-kg milk while buffalo of Ch Nazir also from Faisalabad got third position with 42.639-kg milk yield. He said such livestock shows and milk competitions were arranged by the UVAS to encourage farmers to rare good breeds of buffalos.
He said that buffalo had been an integral part of livestock agriculture in Asia for over 5,000 years producing milk, meat, draft power and hides. He said that Pakistan is the 2nd largest country of the world after India in having buffalo, which is dairy type, contributing over 60 per cent of total milk production.
He said that another economic contribution of buffalo is a source of meat. He called for launching an extensive program of progeny testing for Nili-Ravi and Kundi breeds in their home tracts. He hoped that with the support of the government and efforts of the scientists, buffalo will be the "Animal of Future".
The Secretary Livestock Irfan Elahi spoke about the initiatives of the Punjab government for livestock development in Pakistan while Technical Advisor, Punjab Livestock Development Board, Chandigar, India Professor Dr Prem Kuma Uppal threw light on initiatives of Indian Punjab government for livestock development in India.
Other experts spoke about "buffalo genetic improvement strategies", "slow reproduction of buffalo", "buffalo as an animal of choice for rural development", "constraints and solutions of feeds and feeding in buffalo", "health issues and its impact on export potential of buffalo meat", "new extension model of small holder buffalo farms". A panel discussion was also held on the occasion.