Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir conducted a series of awareness and free veterinary clinical camps in the Tulail, Bagtore and Dawar villages of the remote Gurez Valley, as part of a DBT sponsored project aimed at the socio-economic upliftment of marginal farmers through scientific livestock rearing practices.
The initiative, led by the university’s Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, was aimed at improving livestock health and promoting scientific animal husbandry practices in a region where access to specialised veterinary services remains extremely limited due to its high altitude terrain and seasonal isolation. Farmers at the camps were sensitised on disease prevention, timely treatment, nutrition, fodder management, vaccination, deworming and hygienic animal care practices, all of which are critical to sustaining livestock based livelihoods in a challenging mountain environment.
The outreach was led by Prof Riaz Ahmad Shah, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, along with Prof Amatul Muhee, Professor and Head of Clinics and Principal Investigator of the project, and Dr Shahid Hussain Dar, Associate Professor, together with the wider project team. The scientists conducted health screening and clinical examination of livestock at each location, provided free veterinary consultations to farmers and advised them on preventive healthcare and disease management strategies suited to the region’s conditions.
As part of the intervention, free veterinary medicines and nutritional supplements, including deworming medicines, liver tonics and mineral mixtures, were distributed to livestock owners across the three villages. Informative pamphlets on scientific cattle, sheep and goat rearing were also handed out to help farmers gradually adopt improved husbandry practices that could boost productivity and reduce livestock mortality in the region.
The awareness camps offered farmers an interactive platform to discuss challenges related to livestock nutrition, fodder conservation, breeding, housing, disease control and overall herd health. Scientists also highlighted the importance of value addition, efficient resource utilisation and market oriented livestock production as pathways to improving incomes under the high altitude conditions that define agricultural life in Gurez Valley.
The team noted that interactions with farmers generated valuable field level feedback on livestock health and management challenges, insights that are expected to help shape future interventions under the project. Reaffirming SKUAST-K’s commitment to farmer centric research, extension and technology transfer, the scientists said continued technical support, awareness programmes, training and veterinary health interventions will be provided to strengthen sustainable livestock based livelihoods for the remote communities of Gurez Valley in the years ahead.
