VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, TIRUNELVELI

The salient activities of the department till date are:

• UG laboratory was established with all the necessary equipments to conduct Animal Nutrition practical classes
• Conduct of undergraduate courses – ANN 111, ANN 121 and ANN 211 for B.V.Sc. & A.H students
• Feed Testing Laboratory with advanced equipments was established for the benefit of livestock and poultry farmers
• Production and supply of fodder seeds under State Fodder Development scheme on Fodder seed production was undertaken
• Model fodder seed banks were created in the farmers' field (18 nos.) under both irrigated and dry land farming in Madurai, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli districts under NADP scheme
• Research on Inclusion of nano selenium in Japanese quail ration, Reduction of degradability of legume silage protein on addition of tanniferrous feeds, Anti stress liver tonic in broiler ration etc. were conducted
• Technical advice on fodder cultivation, feed formulation and scientific feeding of livestock and poultry was given to farmers of this region.
• Played an active role in propagation of TANUVAS Mineral Mixture, SMART Mineral mixture, GRAND supplement through extension education methodologies

Objectives

• To offer undergraduate courses in Animal Nutrition
• To undertake research in Animal Nutrition
• To organise feed and fodder development programmes
• To organise extension programmes on livestock and poultry nutrition for the benefit of farming Community.

Infrastructure

Department of Animal Nutrition is located at VC & RI, Ramayanpatti campus. The department building with a floor space 5150 sq. ft. consists of UG lab, Research lab, Metabolism lab, HoD room, Office room, Room for Associate Professor, Room for Assistant Professors and Stores. Additional facilities include Feed Godown (600 sq. ft.), Drying yard (750 sq. ft.) and Silage pit (1000 cu. ft.).

Available Lab Equipments

The Under Graduate laboratory of the department is well-equipped with both basic and advanced equipments for carrying out various analytical procedures.

Education

• ANN 111 – Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)
• ANN 121 – Applied Animal Nutrition- I (Ruminants) (2+1)
• ANN 211 – Applied Animal Nutrition – II (Non ruminants, Poultry and Laboratory animals) (2+1)
• Associated with the teaching of VMD 512 – Zoo/Wild Animal breeding, management, nutrition and health care (1+1)
• Associated with the teaching of VMD 513 – Pet Animal breeding, management, nutrition and health care (1+1)

Research - Thrust area

• Small Ruminant Nutrition
• Poultry Nutrition
• Nanotechnology in Animal Nutrition
• Pet and Wild animal Nutrition

Extension

• Farm advisory services on fodder production 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
• Least cost ration formulation for livestock and poultry
• Transfer of technologies from lab to field
• Publication of books, booklets, training manuals, pamphlets
• Organising field trips / study tours etc.,
• Television and radio programmes related to nutritional aspects of livestock and poultry

Achievements

• A well equipped UG laboratory with all the necessary equipments was established in the department
• A feed testing laboratory with advanced equipments was established under National Livestock Mission scheme, Govt. of India and Govt. of Tamilnadu
• Three courses in Animal Nutrition were conducted for three batches of students. Students pass percentage of 97.50 was achieved in the Animal Nutrition subject in the Annual Board Examinations.
• Under NADP Fodder scheme, model fodder seed production units were established under both irrigated and dry land farming conditions in farmers' field (18 nos.) in Madurai, Tirunelveli and Virudhunagar districts
• Under the State Fodder Development scheme – Fodder seed production at ILFC, Ramayanpatti, 30 acres of land was brought under fodder cultivation for the production of Desmanthus, Fodder Maize and Fodder Sorghum seeds. About 600 kg of fodder seeds were supplied to 150 farmers of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar and Kanyakumari districts
• Under ICAR Sub project, various farm inputs were distributed to SC/ST farmers of Tirunelveli district to encourage livestock and poultry farming
• The proximate composition and tannin fractions of unconventional feeds and leguminous fodders were estimated and documented
• Nano selenium was synthesised in laboratory adopting wet chemical method. Strategies for enrichment of omega 3 fatty acids in Japanese quail meat by inclusion of nano selenium in its diet were standardised.
• The nutritive value of both leguminous and non leguminous tree fodders available in southern Tamilnadu for feeding small ruminants was documented
• Publications : Books – 02, Research article – 10, Research abstracts – 30, Popular Articles – 30, Pamphlets – 09
• Radio talks on topics like Feeding of small ruminants, Conservation of indigenous sheep breeds, Importance of green fodder for animal productivity, Conservation of green fodder during scarcity period, Use of unconventional feed resources for low cost animal production were given for the benefit of farmers
• TV talks on Activities of Department of Animal Nutrition, VC&RI, Tirunelveli, Importance of green fodder for animal productivity, Conservation of green fodder during scarcity period, Use of unconventional feed resources for low cost animal production were also given
• Assisted in the conduct of International Workshop on Current Concepts in Small Ruminant Production system and Disease Management for profitable Sheep and Goat Husbandry practices in Tamilnadu by VC&RI, Tirunelveli during 2013
• Assisted in the conduct of International Workshop on Assisted reproductive techniques in Small Ruminants at VC&RI, Tirunelveli during 2014
• Organised One Day Farmers Workshop on "Green Fodder Production and Feeding Management Techniques for Livestock" on 18.01.2015. Around 150 farmers participated and fodder seeds were distributed to them. Dr. S. Thilagar, Vice-chancellor, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai inaugurated the workshop and released the fodder seed varieties, workshop compendium and a handbook on "green fodder and fodder seed production" and delivered the inaugural address during the occasion.
• Organised One day Farmers Workshop on "Soil and mineral mapping in farmers field in sensitising them to improve the biomass to augment livestock productivity" on 20.05.2014 at ILFC, VC&RI, Tirunelveli. Around 50 farmers participated and benefitted
• Participation in Pongal Vizha 2013, 2014 & 2015 – Mass deworming and vaccination of sheep and goats camp, Pig farming training, Value addition of milk products training
• Participation as resource persons in ATMA State level training programme, ASCAD, Puthu vaazhvu thittam, NABARD training schemes in livestock and poultry
• Conducted Blue tongue vaccination camps in sheep in villages of Tirunelvlei and Thoothukudi districts under Indo UK project on BT vaccine
• Participated in the Tree plantation camp and Blood donation camp during Honourable Chief Minister's Birthday celebrations

Faculty

• Dr. M.Chellapandian, Professor and Head | chellapandiyan.m@tanuvas.ac.in
• Dr. N.Arulnathan, Assistant Professor | arulnathan.n@tanuvas.ac.in
• Dr. D.Thirumeignanam, Assistant Professor | thirumeignanam.d@tanuvas.ac.in
• Dr. M.P.Vijayakumar, Assistant Professor | vijayakumar.m.p@tanuvsas.ac.in

Contact

The Professor and Head

Department of Animal Nutrition

Veterinary College and Research Institute

Tirunleveli - 627 358

E-mail: annvcritni@tanuvas.org.in