Punjab Livestock & Dairy Development Board (PLDDB) Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Saira Iftikhar claimed on Monday that the Board has become the trend setter organisation for livestock farmers and fodder producers in the province. Briefing media about the Board's last year's progress and initiatives for current year, Saira Iftikhar said though the PLDDB is not a profit making institution, but it has adopted a self-sustain model to operate the running projects.
She said the Board is planning to launch a new project of quality milk supply to citizens through mechanized milking machines while silage project will be expanded across Punjab during the current calendar year. New fodder projects will also be launched to make low-cost and high nutriment fodder available to the livestock stock farmers.
She said the PLDDB first produces a new product and then educates farmers about its advantage which convinces them to adopt the technique and run their own production unit. She said during the last year the PLDDB launched 60 kg silage bale project for 90 percent small farmers and the methodology to reach silage across Punjab through distribution network. The PLDDB Silage has also reached Karachi and Peshawar. The PLDDB also increased milk production at its Livestock Experiment Station, Khizarabad, from five litres to 8.4 litres per animal during the year 2016, she added.
The Board also started Fodder Research & Development Cell which would work turn crop residue available in all districts of Punjab into a low-cost fodder. The Board has also submitted the technical proposal to Higher Education Commission for funding the research projects.
To accelerate the progress of development projects, she added, the PLDDB has signed an agreement with a leading organisation working in agricultural sector for promoting silage in Southern Punjab. The Board has also signed an agreement with the ICI for running the Genetic Production Unit Khizarabad in line with international standards. She said the PLDDB has signed an agreement with the University of Faisalabad under which both the institutions would work on fodder sector jointly.