VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, NAMAKKAL

DEPARTMENT OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY (MEAT SCIENCE)

The Department of Meat Science and Technology was established on 14.6.1985 at VC&RI, Namakkal with a main objective of disseminating knowledge about hygienic slaughter and dressing of food animals, utilization of slaughterhouse by-products, meat borne illnesses and preparation of value added meat products to undergraduate students of B.V.Sc course. Over the years new facilities were added and during the year 2000 the department moved to a separate building constructed under the Part-II Scheme with a model slaughterhouse with overhead rail system. A carcass and by-products utilization centre has been established under Centrally Sponsored Scheme with Central Share of Rs.1.18 Crores and the State Government's Share of Rs. 21.79 Lakhs during the year 2005. Now the department is having all basic facilities for hygienic slaughter, dressing of foods animals, preparation of ready to eat meat products and utilisation of slaughter house by- products. With ICAR funding a Under graduate Laboratory & Meat processing laboratory has been established during 2013.

Objectives

Teaching under-graduate and post-graduate courses in the discipline of Meat Science and Technology.
Conducting research in the area of meat science, processed meat products and by-products utilization.
To motivate farmers, entrepreneurs and unemployed youth to establish their own meat based enterprises.
To transmit the scientific knowledge to the farmers through radio talk, TV talk and booklets.
To produce wholesome meat and to popularize various value-added meat products.
To develop value added meat products from spent hen meat

Courses Offered

Under-graduate

VPE – 311 Milk and Meat hygiene, Food safety and public health 2+1
LPT – 312 Abattoir practice and animal products technology 1+1
LPT – 321 Meat Science 1+1

Post-graduate

LPT 601 - Fresh Meat Technology 1+1
LPT 602 - Meat Processing, Packaging, Quality Control and Marketing 2+1
LPT 603 - Poultry and Fish Products Technology 2+1
LPT 605 - Abattoir and Poultry Processing Plant Practices 1+1
LPT 606 - Slaughter House Byproducts Technology 2+1
LPT 607 - Processing and Marketing Of Wool 2+1

Ph.D.

LPT 801 - Advances in Abattoir Practices and Animal Byproducts Utilization 2+1
LPT 802 - Advances in Fresh and Processed Meat Products Technology 3+1
LPT 803 - Advances in Poultry Products Technology 2+1
LPT 805 - Advances In Quality Control of Livestock Products 2+0

Infrastructure

Model slaughterhouse with overhead rail system
Carcass and by-products utilization center
Semi-automatic pig slaughter line
Analytical Lab
Product processing hall
Sensory evaluation lab
Meat microbiology lab

List of major equipments

Slaughter Equipments
- Cash magnum concussion stunner
- Temple cox captive bolt pistol
- Cash captive bolt pistol
- Defeathering machine
- Scalding tank
- Electrical stunner
- Carcass dressing platform
- Overhead rail system
- Stunning pen
- Portioning machine
- Semi automatic pig slaughtering plant
- Stainless steel top dressing table
- Electrical hoist
- Carcass splitting saw
- Carcass and by-products utilization plant machinery
- Bone and meat cutter
Meat Processing equipments
- Sausage stuffer
- Meat homogeniser
- Modular freezer
- Mixer cum food processor
- Meat slicer
- Junior Meat mincer
- Food cutter (bowl chopper)
Analytical equipments
- Automatic protein and fat extraction unit
- Tissue homogeniser
- Double beam Spectophotometer

ACHIEVEMENTS / EXCELLENCE

Education

Under Graduate courses offered: 3
Post Graduate courses offered: 10
- Post Graduate thesis submitted: 5
- PhD thesis submitted: 1
Teaching manuals prepared: 3
Practical manuals prepared: 3
Question banks prepared: 3

Research

Research Projects ongoing

Revolving fund scheme on "Wholesome meat production and preparation of value added meat products".
ICAR Project on "Pet Food Processing Unit" (Experimental Learning) [Rs. 60.25 lakhs]
GOI, MoFPI fully sponsored scheme on "Development of Shelf stable chicken meat products with natural preservatives – A Hurdle Technology Approach" (Outlay: Rs.31.90 Lakhs)

Schemes completed

Establishment of meat technology and quality control laboratory- Part-II Scheme (Rs.26.10 Lakhs).
Preparation of commercially useful neat's foot oil from the feet of domestic animals. Student Project- TNSCST.
Evaluation of neats foot oil on dermal wound healing. Student Project-TNSCST.
Establishment carcass and by-products utilisation plant- Centrally Sponsored Scheme - Central Share: Rs.1.18 Crores and the State Government's Share is Rs. 21.79 Lakhs. The total Project Cost is Rs. 1.38 Crores.

Research Projects completed

Ph.D., research projects
- Effect of electrical stimulation and high temperature conditioning on the post-mortem biochemical changes and tenderness of spent chicken carcasses.
M.V.Sc., research projects
- Carcass characteristics and physico-chemical properties of Kanni goat meat
- Studies on the preparation of spent hen meal and its utilization in pet foods
- Studies on the preparation of Chettinad chicken, its retort processing and assessment of storage stability at room temperature
- Studies on preparation of pet food incorporating dry rendered spent hen meal, assessment of its storage stability and acceptability in pet dogs
Student projects (Tamil Nadu Council for Science and Technology)
- Preparation of commercially useful neat’s foot oil from the feet of domestic animals (1998) Evaluation of neat’s foot oil on dermal wound healing (2002).

Technology Released

Overnight Rabbit meat Identification Test (ORIT) kit was developed by this Department (14.4.1994) to recognize and identify rabbit meat instances of adulteration or substitution.
Development of an electrical stimulator for electrical stimulation of spent chicken carcasses
Preparation of traditional style spent hen meat pickle.
Preparation of pet food incorporating spent hen meal
A DVD on “Preparation of pet food by incorporating spent hen meal” (English and Tamil)

Outreach

68 regular training programmes are being conducted for unemployed youth, women self help groups, butchers and entrepreneurs.
Value added meat products preparation -42
Hygienic slaughter, dressing and wholesome meat production -28
Others -02
14 Radio/ TV programme were conducted by this department.
24 Pamphelts / booklets, 21 popular articles published in journal for the benefit of farmers.
07 exhibitions were conducted to educate the meat consumers, butchers, school students and also to increase the meat consumption and processed meat products.

Current Focus

Development of value added meat products form spent hen meat
Development of Shelf stable chicken meat products with natural preservatives
Development of dietary fibre and omega 3 enriched meat products
Creation of database about consumer perception and preference for meat products

Faculty

Dr. S.Sureshkumar, Associate Professor
Dr. V.Chandirasekaran, Assistant Professor
Dr. P.Sivakumar, Assistant Professor
Dr. R.Rajkumar, Assistant Professor
Dr. M.Muthulakshmi, Assistant Professor
Dr. A.Punnagaiarasi, Assistant Professor