The Indian Council of Agricultural Research – National Institute of Animal Nutrition & Physiology (ICAR-NIANP), on Friday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Karnataka Poultry Farmers
and Breeders Association (KPFBA) to further collaborative research in the field of poultry sciences. The MoU was signed by Dr. Raghavendra Bhatta, Director of ICAR-NIANP, Bangalore, and Dr. B.Sushanth Rai B, President of KPFBA. As the poultry sector faces enormous challenges, the need for collaborative research, particularly in the field of animal nutrition is becoming urgent. The two entities will exchange technical knowledge so as to deal with the nutritional challenges in a scientific manner, underscoring the importance of animal health and consequently giving quality products to the end consumer.
Dr. Raghavendra Bhatta stated that the institute has been carrying out considerable research activities in animal nutrition, including poultry, and that this knowledge has to reach out to the poultry community across the country. The MoU, he added, would promote interorganizational knowledge exchange, key to understanding the ground realities while ensuring healthy nutrition for the birds. ICAR-NIANP has state-of-the-art facilities for feed and mineral analysis as well as in ovo and in vivo studies.
Giving details about the activities of KPFBA, Dr. Sushanth Rai. B said the poultry farming sector was huge in Karnataka, both organized and unorganized, and the sector required scientific inputs on nutrition so as to offer not only quality products but also be competitive in the world market. Dr. Rai said KPFBA would share commercial flock details of its members for evaluation by the Institute and it would be a win-win situation. The KPFBA collects and disseminates information 27 May 2023 KARNATAKA POULTRY FARMERS & BREEDERS ASSOCIATION KVAFSU-KPFBA Poultry Training Center & Diagnostic Laboratory Veterinary College Campus, Hebbal, Bangalore – 560024 pertaining to poultry breeding and farming with farmers, businesses, educational, research institutions and other organizations in Karnataka and rest of India. There is urgent need for active collaboration between the researchers and the poultry sector, he added.
Mr. M.C.R.Shetty, Past-President of KPFBA said that increased productivity meant that birds are closer to their physiological limits, hence nutrition becomes important along with other factors such as environment and farm management. Such collaborations, he added, would help poultry farmers mprove their understanding of the importance of nutrition, this MoU has added another feather to the cap of KPFBA.
Dr. G.B.Puttannaiah, Chairman of the Technical Committee of KPFBA said poultry has its own specific nutritional needs that includes protein for overall growth; grains which provide Vitamin B and Vitamin E; Greens along with Riboflavin which improve the immune system; calcium and Vitamin D and above clean water. The meeting was attended by Dr. Anjan Goswami, General Secretary, Mr Inayath Ulla Khan, Executive Secretary of KPFBA and Dr. Umakantha B, Senior Scientist – KPFBA. From the ICAR-NIANP side, the representatives were Dr. AV Elangovan, Principal Scientist, Dr KVH Sastry, Principal Scientist, Dr. DT Pal, I/c PME and Dr Atul P Kolte, I/c ITMU.
It may be mentioned here that the KPFBA has also tied up with the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU) and set up one of its kind state-of-the-art Poultry Training
Center & Diagnostic Laboratory which has been doing a number of tests, helping the poultry farmers of Karnataka and other states.
About ICAR-NIANP
The ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology (ICAR-NIANP) was established on 24th November 1995 at Bangalore under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi. The Institute is mandated to conduct basic and fundamental research with respect to animal feed resource management using physiological-nutritional approaches to improve animal productivity and profitability of livestock farmers.
About KPFBA
The Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association is an apex body, representing the interests of poultry farmers and breeders in Karnataka. It was established in 1991 and has been promoting the development of poultry breeding and farming in Karnataka where the occupation is a major activity. KPFBA also interacts with the government and other regulatory agencies to resolve issues faced by the poultry sector.
