J'khand Governor urges to improve local breeds

Ranchi, Feb 8 (UNI) Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibte Razi today urged the veterinary scientists to implement suitable measures for characterisation, conservation and improvement of local breeds of animals in the country.

Inaugurating a two-day national symposium on 'Role of animal genetic resources in rural livelihood security' organised by the Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) here, Mr Razi said the indigenous animals were more superior in climatic tolerance to the hybrid ones but their prodction capacity was low.

Citing the example of Chotanagpuri sheep and Hazra (a fighter fowl) in context of Jharkhand, Mr Razi said more similar species must be identified.

Referring to the contribution of animal husbandry resource, Mr Razi said seven crore bullocks along with the 80 lakh buffaloes, 10 lakh of horses and 10 lakh of camels provide equivalent of about 30,000 megawatts of energy to country.

Mr Razi further said drought animal power equivalent to 16.8 million KW used in agriculture in 1995-96 accounted for 12.3 per cent of total farm power consumption during the year.

Earlier, director of Indian Veterinary Research Institute S P S Ahlawat said cross-breeding from outside was a threat to the local breeds and urged to check it.

Mr Ahlawat said despite India being the richest country in the field of animal husbandry, people were more relying on hybrid animals, adding the country had 30 breeds of cattle, 10 of buffalo, 42 of sheep, 18 of poultry, seven camels, five horse and 20 goats.

Others present at the inaugural session were BAU Vice Chancellor N N Singh and D K Sadana, President of society of Conservation of Domestic Animal Biodiversity (SOCDAB).

About 150 scientists from all over the country would dicuss issues of preservation and improvement of genetic resources during the symposium organised jointly by Society of Conservation of Domestic Animal Biodiversity (SOCDAB) of Haryana and the BAU.

UNI