Role of UVAS in Poultry Sector Development

Prof. Dr. TalatNaseer PashaVice Chancellor, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,

Lahore

Poultry Sector holds a unique position in the socio-economic

growth of Pakistan. It also plays important role in the economy as

supplementing family incomes and generating gainful employment in the

population, particularly among the landless laborers, small and marginal

farmers and women.

Poultry industry has flourished over the last few decades. Now it is the

country's second-largest industry next to textiles with a turnover of

approx. Rs 300 billion ($3 billion). The last decade has seen significant

investment in the industry, particularly in closed housing. The poultry

industry has tremendous potential of making value addition, which is

evident from successful operation of world-renowned food chains in

Pakistan.

In spite of substantial qualitative and quantitative advancements in

different sectors of the poultry industry, itcontinues to facemany issues. It

is the vital need of the time to critically review and resolve the issue of

poultrysector by keeping in mind the production requirements. Feed

scarcity, high mortality rate, lack of value addition facilities, inadequate

marketing systems, poor extension services and policy constraints are

some of the major issues of the industry, which hinder further

development of the sector.

This sector is facing many challanges such as:

1. Feed cost and continuous efforts to get a better understanding of

available alternative feed ingredients. As of right now, feed cost

is probably one of the most serious challenges for the industry.

2. Disease outbreaks and implementation of biosecurity programs.

Newcastle disease and avian influenza viruses have adversely

affected the investment and growth rate of poultry industry in the

country.

3. Issues surrounding inclusion of antibiotics in poultry feed and

also the use of alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters.

4. Food safety of poultry products for human consumption.

5. Issues related to water in terms of both quality and quantity.

6. Crippling long-hour electricity load-shedding, coupled with

scorching heat, has hit the poultry industry such that each unit of

electricity is costing poultry house to owners. Owing to

prolonged power breakdowns, generators also failed to operate

and run at maximum 60 per cent of their capacity, costing high

per unit.

The emphasis should be on improving per unit poultry productivity and

moving from subsistence to market oriented and then commercial poultry

farming in the country to meet the domestic demand and surplus for the

export. It is need of hour to exploit the potential of our poultry sector and

use it as engine for economic growth and food security for country

leading to rural population empowerment and rural socio-economic

development/uplift.

Role of Veterinary professionals in the development of poultry

sectors is imperative. Veterinary professionals need to involve in much

more than treating diseases and injuries in poultry birds. Veterinary

professionals are required to play significant and contributory roles in

animal and human health and welfare, food quality, food safety, food

security, ecology, development of pharmaceuticals, remedies, vaccines,

biomedical research, as educators and trainers,in disease preventions,

breed improvement, and the protection of the environment and

biodiversity in the country. As challenges have risen, veterinarians must

find ways to adapt given that their knowledge and training makes them

multifunctional professionals. This aids societies so that its poultry stay

healthy and productive.

Historically, poultry has been the subsistence sector dominated by

small holder to meet their needs of meat and eggs and daily cash income.

During the last decade there has been massive investment in poultry, meat

processing and further processing sectors to fulfill the demand for food of

high biological value in the country and export in the regional markets.

Since its inception as first veterinary school in Asia, 132 years

back, to the establishment of first University of Veterinary & Animal

Sciences of the Muslim World in 2002, UVAS has been contributing in

improvement and development of the poultry sector through provoking

potentials and producing professionals. The Government of the Punjab

upgraded this institution to the status of a university with the main

objective of fulfilling the serious gap of trained manpower in livestock

and poultry sectors.

UVAS is having very strong ties with farmers and all stakeholders

of poultry sector. Since long, both UVAS and Pakistan Poultry

Association is working hand in hand for strategic and need-based

research and development.

Being Flagship University in these disciplines in the country

UVAS has fully realized the needs of the sectors and initiated degree

programs, research projects, technology centers and services to meet the

challenges of growing industries, farming communities and stake holders.

For effectively contributing especially the poultry sector, UVAS

took various initiativesincluding: Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, BS in

Poultry Science, Molecular Biology, Applied Microbiology,

Environmental Sciences, Food and Human Nutrition, Bachelor and

Master in Business Administration, etc. as undergraduate degree

programs. To fulfill the requirements of need based research of the sector

various postgraduate (MPhil and PhD) degree programs have been

initiated in subjects like Nutrition, Poultry Production, Microbiology,

Pathology, Parasitology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Reproduction,

Clinical Medicine, Physiology, Pharmaceutics, Molecular Biology,

Environmental Sciences, etc.

In services sector UVAS is providing para-professional skills to the

rural youth for making them earning hand through offering long term

diploma and certificate training programs and special courses for poultry,

livestock and dairy community. Poultry farms, hatchery, Feed mill, Avian

Research & Training Center,and Pets Breeding & Training center are

used as demonstration units for training of these professionals and para-

professionals. Expertise in meat technologies is helping stakeholders in

catering the emerging needs of poultry meat processing and further

processing.

Internationally Accredited University Diagnostic Lab is serving the

poultry farmers in rapidly diagnosing the deadly diseases confronted by

the poultry birds. Quick detection of diseases help clinicians in initiating

immediate control strategy which significantly reduce mortality and

economic losses. The lab is also helping farmers in specific designing of

vaccination and biosecurity schedules for their farms. Many international

collaborative research programs are ongoing for understanding the

causative factors of various poultry diseases and for their control.

Similarly Quality Operations Lab is helping the industry in quality

evaluation of products especially for export purposes. It also has expertise

in Halal meat certification.

Recently, a Business Incubation Center and Office of University

Advancement and Financial Aid have been established in the university

to bridge the gap between business community and UVAS.We have also

initiated UVAS 24/7 Extension service with the mission to provide

emergency and routine veterinary care for all species of animals at

farmers’ door step, to strive for better understand poultry disease

processes, and to be leaders in the area of poultry health and productivity

for the betterment of livelihood of farming community.

The commercialization of the research and expertise from this

university generates significant economic growth and business

opportunities within country. Our research focused teaching ensures our

students receive their highest quality education, which introduces them to

the frontiers of knowledge and provides them with the skills and

discipline to contribute fully to whatever career they follow. We have a

strong professional orientation with a focus on academic excellence and

graduate employability, for these reasons UVAS graduates are highly

sought after both locally and internationally.

Few years back university with the help of private sector has

initiated a Poultry Club whose meeting is regularly organized on monthly

basis. Academia, poultry practitioners, postgraduate students, farmers,

stakeholders attend the club and share their experiences. Case studies are

discussed here for benefit of the farmers. By working closely with our

communities we are proud to play leadership role in enhancing economic

prosperity, contributing to improvements in the health and well-being of

our nation.

Ongoing Research Projects on Poultry.

1. Molecular Characterization of NDV and Development of Approaches to Vaccination 

2. Characterization of Mycoplasma gallisepticum isolates from Pakistan and their use in biologies production

3. Development of Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assay: a simple and cost effective diagnostic test for the molecular detection of economically important Mycoplasma pathogens of chickens.

4. Serosurvillance of pathogens through commercial ELISA

5. Development of meat type Japanese Quail with higher body weight (Coturnixcoturnix Japonica) acclimatized to indigenous managemental conditions through 6 generations of Selective breeding programme

6. Exploring Nutritional Potentials of Moringaoleifera as Poultry Feed Ingredient  

7. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of antibiotics, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and pesticides residues in milk, eggs and meat meant for human consumption

8. Development and Evaluation of Catharanthusroseus as a Phytobiotic in Poultry Production

 

Above: Broiler Breeder Farm at UVAS-Ravi Campus, Pattoki

Below: Glimpse from UVAS-Avian Research and Training, Ferozepur

Road, Lahore