Seven day Advanced Training on Ultrasonography for Animal Disease Diagnosis organized by ICAR- NOFRI

 

The agro-climatic conditions and topography of Sikkim offer unique opportunity to promote animal husbandry as a mean of livelihood and nutritional security. Veterinarians should be equipped with modern diagnostic tools and advanced treatments to sustain the production and productivity of the livestock. Furthermore, the state has been declared as an organic state wherein the use of drugs and chemicals for the treatment of animals should be very judicious and also it is difficult to frequently visit under hilly terrain. Therefore, skill development, especially on modern diagnostic tools and techniques are required. In this context, ICAR- National Organic Farming Research Farming Institute organized sevenday ( March 23-29, 2017) advanced training on ultrasonography for diagnosis and management of infertility in farm animals to the field Veterinary Officers of Sikkim.

During the valedictory session, the Chief Guest, Dr H. K. Chettri, Principal Director, Department of A.H.L.F and V.S. highlighted the importance of ultrasonography in disease diagnosis, which would help in reducing the use of drugs and chemicals. He also stressed on the minimal use antibiotics by usage of herbals for the treatment of animals to meet the organic animal husbandry norms.

The Guest of Honour, Dr. N.T. Bhutia, Additional Director, Department of A.H.L.F and V.S. narrated his experiences and informed the gathering that in earlier days rectal palpation were the only means and key practice to diagnose the infertility. But now, portable ultrasonography are available for quick and accurate diagnosis and expected the Department to shortly procure such kind of advanced tools in in the larger interest of farming community of Sikkim.

Dr. R.K. Avasthe, Joint Director, ICAR-National Organic Farming Research Institute, expressed his satisfaction over the training modules and highlighted that skill development on such advanced diagnostic tool will not only help in establishing correct therapeutic measures at early stage of disease but also save the cost of treatment increasing production and subsequently the income of the farmers. A total of 15 participants from different departments like Deptt. of AHLF & VS, CAE & PHT, Central Agricultural University, Ranipool, Himalayan Zoological park, KVK etc. also participated in the training program and expressed their satisfaction as the training was practical oriented and suggested for more such kind of trainings in the near future would be organized by ICAR-NOFRI.

The training was coordinated by Dr Brijesh Kumar, Dr. R. Islam, Dr. R. Singh and Dr P.K. Pathak and in the training many eminent Scientists from different institutes like ICAR-CIRB, Hisar, ICAR-IVRI, Izatnagar, ICAR-NRC on Yak, Veterinary College, Khanapara and SARAH also delivered lectures and took practical classes under field and organized farm condition.

Vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Brijesh Kumar

Issued by; ICAR_NOFRI, Gangtok