Tanuvas to take up indigenous cattle farming, breeding of Toda buffalo

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science University (TANUVAS) will be taking up two major schemes such as establishment of indigenous cattle unit for propagation of indigenous cattle farming and tribal community participatory breeding approach of the endangered Toda Buffalo in the Nilgiris hills for its sustainability.

Disclosing this in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Minister for Animal Husbandry Anitha R Radhakrishnan said the Centre is providing impetus for conserving native breeds and in line with this agenda, the Tamil Nadu Livestock Development Agency has sanctioned two schemes.

Accordingly establishment of indigenous cattle unit for propagation of indigenous cattle farming will cost Rs 3.29 crore and the tribal community participatory breeding approach of the endangered Toda Buffalo in the Nilgiris hills for its sustainability will be implemented at a cost of 2.21 crore at TANUVAS under National Programme for Bovine Breeding. "The work is in progress at the university,” he added.

The minister said that the State government has also sanctioned five schemes to TANUVAS such as "establishment of backyard poultry research and development centre at Karur district".

"Conservation of Umblachery breed through multi-disciplinary approach in the breeding tracts of Tamil Nadu" at Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu, "Regional centre for conservation of native dogs (Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai and Kombai) of Tamil Nadu at Tenkasi district", "Pig breeding and input centre for rural development" and "Establishment of conservation centre for Nattukuttai cattle" at Post Graduate Research Institute in Animal Sciences, Kattupakkam at a total budget of Rs 5.48 crore.

Radhakrishnan said during the reporting period of 2022-23, TANUVAS has earned 25 projects to the tune of Rs 6.33 crore under competitive mode from the national funding agencies for carrying out research activities at the university.