Twenty-nine vehicles will be launched in the first phase of a programme for providing all block panchayats with fully-equipped veterinary care ambulances to guarantee timely medical care to cattle, Minister for Animal Husbandry J. Chinchurani has said.
She was inaugurating a two-day seminar organised by Kerala Feeds Ltd (KFL), the first of a Statewide series titled ‘Dairy Next: Yield and Wield’ on Wednesday. The ambulance service will be available round the clock. The Animal Husbandry department also plans to post doctors for the service, she said.
Stressing the importance of the health of cattle and the availability of treatment facilities, the Minister said mobile tele-veterinary units will be established in all the districts. As part of boosting the dairy sector, the government will provide 50% for the loans taken by aspiring entrepreneurs, she said.
KFL is organising the seminar series in collaboration with the Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLDB), the Animal Husbandry department, the Dairy Development department and Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) at the State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) in the capital.
Actor Jayaram, KFL’s brand ambassador, shared his experiences in dairying with farmers who attended the event. He lauded the government’s initiatives for the support and welfare of dairy farmers.
KFL chairman K. Sreekumar presided over the function. The seminar series is aimed at eliciting novel ideas from dairy farmers and sharing knowledge. Animal Husbandry department director A. Kowsigan and Dairy Next convenor Dr. Rajeev R. were among those present.
The seminar focuses on effectively disseminating the research findings of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, the Kerala Livestock Board, the Animal Husbandry department and KFL so that existing and new entrepreneurs can develop their businesses and make them profitable.
The first round of the series is for dairy farmers from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts. The second round will be held in Thrissur and the third in Kozhikode.
