Animal Nutrition, Management & Products Technology Division

Introduction :

The division is undertaking basic and applied research on feed and fodder resources development through establishment of perennial pastures, silvi-pasture, horti-pasture and agro-forestry systems, improvement and utilization of crop-residues and agro-industrial byproducts, development of strategic supplementary feeding and correction of micro-mineral deficiencies for goat production. Development of complete feeds and feed blocks for intensive system of feeding for commercial goat production. Exploitation of rumen and other microbes to increase feed energetic efficiency and methane mitigation strategies involving plant secondary metabolites are the frontier research interest of nutrition and feed resource group of the division. The product technology group of the division undertaking research on post harvest technologies for value addition on milk and meat, and for development of functional goat products. The division has several research projects funded by CIRG, ICAR and Ministry of Food Processing.

Main Objectives :

• To increase feed resources availability, improve feed processing and feed energetic efficiency to enhance and economized goat production through technological interventions.
• To develop post harvest technologies for efficient and effective utilization of goat products with human health promoting characteristics.

Mandate :

To undertake basic and applied research for the development of package of practices on feeding, nutrition and value addition of goat products for higher income generation of goat keepers to have successful entrepreneurship.

Salient Achievements :

1. Nutrition and Feed Resource :
• Developed complete feeds and feed block technology utilizing agro-industrial waste, crop residues, top feeds and mansoon herbages for goat feeding.
• Strategic supplementation protocols have been developed in accordance with nutrient requirement of goats at different physiological stages for economic production.
• Top feed resources have been identified having defaunation ability and dilution techniques have been worked out to utilize top feeds resources having incriminating factors.
• Rumen microbes from goats and wild animals have been identified, characterized and their fibrolytic enzyme activities have been evaluated.
• Alternate feeding strategies have been developed for improving pre-weaning performance of kids.
• Microbial feed additives have been identified for improving nutrient utilization and performance of kids and goats.
• Area specific mineral mixtures have been developed and manufactured based on soil-plant and animal relationship to correct nutritional deficiencies of micro-minerals.
• Models for two and three tiers of silvi-pasture system have been worked out using perennial grasses, legumes, fodder shrubs and tree have been developed.
• Machinery for low cost feed processing and technologies for feed pelleting and feed block preparations have been developed.
• Mitigation of methane emission from rumen through dietary modifications involving plant secondary metabolites is underway.
• Rumen microbial diversity is being studied to develop microbial cultures for the repository of the VTCC.
2. Product Technology :
• Quality traits of goat milk have been studied for value addition of goat milk products.
• Goat milk shrikhand and paneer have been prepared.
• Various value added goat meat products have been prepared and being commercialized.
• Various recipes have been developed to improve keeping quality of goat meat products.
• Eight patents have been filled on goat meat products manufacturing.
• Goat milk/ meat based functional foods are being developed.