The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore celebrated World Milk Day 2013 on its Ravi Campus Pattoki on Saturday. A technical session, performances/skits by dairy technology students, milk drinking competitions featured the main function of the Milk Day celebrations.
Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Talat Naseer Pasha chaired the Milk Day function while Solve-Agri Pakistan CEO Haroon M.K.Lodhi, deans of faculties, faculty members and students from the UVAS and International Islamic University Islamabad School Pattoki branch attended in large numbers.
Speaking on the occasion, the Vice Chancellor deplored that cold drinks are replacing the culture of taking milk and lasi; which, he said, needs to be reversed. He urged the people to make milk part of your daily diet to remain healthy. He said that milk consumption and production is very important for improving the nutrition status of people, especially children. He stressed that milk is highly nutritious and a matchless source of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. He said that the day provides an opportunity to focus attention on milk and highlight its importance in human nutrition and health.
Professor Pasha said the UVAS has already developed a milk plant for the training of students and it will soon start functioning with the collaboration of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Earlier in his welcome address, Dean Faculty of Livestock Production and Technology Professor Dr Muhammad Abdullah spoke about the importance of milk, preservation and value addition of milk, the World Milk Day and its history. Haroon MK Lodhi said that milk is a complete food and it is the first food safely taken by the new-borns, be that of humans or animals.
Muhammad Afan, a student of 6th semester Dairy Technology, won the milk drinking competition among the university students while Hina won the competition among the IIUI school students. In the end the Vice Chancellor distributed certificates among the competition winners and those who participated in the skits. He appreciated their performance and the efforts of the organisers of the celebrations.