VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THENI

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL NUTRITION

The Department of Animal Nutrition was established in the year 2020 to offer B.V.Sc & A.H. undergraduate courses in Animal Nutrition at Veterinary College and Research Institute, Theni. The mandate of this department is to offer undergraduate veterinary science courses, to undertake area specific andfield-orientedresearch and to actively contribute by technical assistance for the implementation of government programs on fodder production and transfer of nutritional technologies to enhance livestock and poultry production in south western zone of Tamil Nadu.

Objectives

This Department was commissioned in the year 2020 to offer B.V.Sc & A.H. undergraduate courses in Animal Nutrition. The following are the proposed objectives of the Department:

To offer undergraduate courses in Animal Nutrition.
To undertake research in area specific and field-oriented research on nutritional interventions to improve the productivity of Livestock and Poultry in South western Zone of Tamil Nadu.
To provide technical assistance to the Livestock and Poultry farmers to augment the productivity of their animals by transfer of nutritional interventions and latest TANUVAS nutritional technologies for adoption and benefit to farming community.

Education

As per the MSVE 2016 regulations prescribed by VCI, the department is currently offering the Undergraduate course Animal Nutrition Paper I& II (3+1) in the Second Professional year of B.V.Sc. & A.H.

Unit I – Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology
Unit II - Applied Ruminant Nutrition- I
Unit III- Applied Ruminant Nutrition- II
Unit IV- Applied Non-Ruminant Nutrition

Research - Thrust areas

Feed and fodder development suitable for south western zone of Tamil Nadu
Assessment of nutrient requirements ofvarious species of livestock and poultry.
Standardization of feeding practices in the Kombai breed dog
Feeding strategies to utilize the non-conventional feed resources available in the south western regions of Tamil Nadufor improving the livestock productivity
Evaluation of new and unconventional feeds of western region.
Studying nutrient requirements of desi chicken, native sheep and goat breeds.

Extension

Farm advisory services on fodder cultivation, feed formulation and feeding management.
Conduct of on- campus and off- campus training programmes on fodder production technology, feeding of livestock and poultry.
Conduct of specialised training programmes for the beneficiaries of various government schemes.
Transfer of nutritional technologies from laboratory to field for adoption.
Facilitating the supply of farm inputs like fodder seeds/ slips and TANUVAS SMARTMixture, TANUVAS GRAND Supplementation, TANUVAS Mineralized Salt Lick to the needy farmers.
Publication of popular articles, books, booklets, training manuals, pamphlets for the benefit of farmers.

Infrastructure

The department building consists of UG laboratory which includes Energy metabolism lab (1445 sq.ft), feed and fodder analysis lab (664 sq.ft), feed processing and mixing plant (1126 sq.ft)and staff rooms, office room, utility roomand store room. The Under Graduate laboratories of the department are well-equipped with both basic and advanced equipments for carrying out various analytical procedures. These include Precision weighing balances, Automatic Protein estimation system, Automatic Fat estimation system, Fibre estimation system, Thin layer Chromatography etc., The Under Graduate laboratory of the department is well-equipped with the following equipments for carrying out various analytical procedures as per MSVE 2016 regulations.

Energy metabolism laboratory

Hot plate (Kemi) -2
Hot plate bench (Kemi)
Monopan digital balance (Shimatzu)
Kjeldahl digestion system (Borosil)
Kjeldahl distillation system-(Borosil)
Muffle furnace
Hot air oven
Single distillation apparatus set (Borosil)
Water bath (Borosil)
Suction pump (Tarson)
Desiccator (Borosil)
3 KVA Online UPS (Numeric) with six batteries Exide

Feed and fodder analysis laboratory

Kjeldahl digestion system (Borosil)
Kjeldahl distillation system(Borosil)
TLC applicator with plates
UV chamber
Monopan digital balance (Shimatzu) -2
Muffle furnace
Hot air oven
Micro kjeldahl distillation apparatus set
pH meter (Cole parmer)
Wiley Mill

Faculty

Dr.N.Arulnathan,Ph.D., Associate Professor and Head
Dr. J. Subhashini, M.V.Sc., Assistant Professor

The Associate Professor and Head,
Department of Animal Nutrition,
Veterinary College and Research Institute,Veerapandi, Theni – 625 534.
Phone: +91-4546-235401
E-mail: ann-vcri-thn@tanuvas.org.in