Department of Animal Science

Surveying livestock status and determining nutritional status and prevalence of various diseases is on the prime agenda of the discipline. At the same time factors influencing poultry farming and angora rabbit rearing, and nutritional evaluation of local fodder species and methods on enriching animal feed are being worked out. Further information are synthesized on the contributions the draught animals make to hill agriculture. Over the years productivity of hill livestock has been assessed and problems identified. Infertility has been found to be major problem in hill livestock. Nineteen clinical camps have been organized to overcome the problem in addition to malnutrition and parasite control. Among angora rabbit breeds Soviet Chinchilla produced the largest litter size. Ibermectin and Fusox medicines were found most effective against coccidiosis in Angora rabbits. Mortality rates in broiler rabbit ranged from 19-26 per cent. Draught animals perform several secondary functions ranging from direct, visible contributions in terms of supplying physical items to less visible gains such as employment, income generation, farmers' security and companionship, sustaining livelihoods, and sustainability of farming system.