Punjab’s first ‘Model gaushala’ to come up at GADVASU, minister lays foundation stone; aimed at addressing stray cattle menace

Dr Inderjeet Singh, VC, GADVASU said that Punjab's minister for animal husbandry and dairy development, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa has sanctioned Rs 1.07 crore for GADVASU to set up a Model Gaushala on the university campus to find a viable solution for stray cattle.

The foundation stone of Punjab’s first ‘Model Gaushala’ was laid at the campus of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) Ludhiana, Wednesday.

This ‘model gaushala’ (cow shed) is aimed at addressing the problem of stray cattle.

Punjab’s food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu laid the stone in presence of university vice-chancellor Dr Inderjeet Singh and city Mayor Balkar Sandhu.

Ashu said that this ‘Instructional Gaushala’ will educate other cow shed owners to run their establishments in a scientific way. He said that GADVASU has always been the torch bearer in the state to give guidance in the field of animal husbandry. He informed that different
organic, conventional and traditional activities of this gaushala will connect people to their roots.

Dr Inderjeet Singh, VC, GADVASU said that Punjab’s minister for animal husbandry and dairy development, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa has sanctioned Rs 1.07 crore for GADVASU to set up a Model Gaushala on the university campus to find a viable solution for stray cattle.

He informed that there are nearly 1.6 lakh stray cattle roaming on the roads of Punjab (More than 50 lakh in the country). These cattle are one of the major reasons for road accidents, damage to crops and forest plantations. Some people abandon cattle after they fail to reproduce. Moreover, stray animals are usually malnourished and wounded, and suffer a lot. This project was developed with the objective of low maintenance cost and higher revenue generation, and will be completed in one year.

Dr S.P.S Ghuman, Dean, College of Veterinary Science said that the aim of this gaushala would be to manage stray cattle on a self-reliant basis and scientific lines with available inexpensive techniques involving low cost comfortable housing, feeding and healthcare facilities.

Dr J.P.S. Gill, Director Research, GADVASU, said that demonstrating low cost management and feeding systems of stray animal management will help the dairy farming industry of the state and society at large.

The team comprising Dr R S Grewal, Director Livestock Farms, Dr S T Singh, Dr Puneet Malhotra, Dr Ravi Kant, Dr. Navdeep Singh Ratta and Dr. D S Malik will initiate the work on this project.

Model Gaushala will be a demonstration unit depicting scientific cattle management with economic rearing and zero-waste production that can be replicated at gram panchayat / taluka levels in the state/country. It will demonstrate the actual potential of stray cattle which can be harnessed in the form of income generation, genetic improvement of germ-plasm etc.

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