A training programme on importance of deworming and mineral supplementation in livestock and poultry was organised by the ICAR- KVK, West Garo Hills for farmers at Marapara and Miboldarechikgre village.
The programme held under the project National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) was held on November 6 and November 8.
The NICRA project aims to enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change and climate variability through strategic research and technology demonstration.
Pointing out that parasitic infection and mineral deficiency decrease immunity in livestock and poultry which increases stress level in them in extreme weather conditions, the KVK said worm burden can result in a loss of up to 10 per cent in daily weight gain and 13 per cent in feed conversion in growing animals. This results in increased cost of production through increased food usage and reduced body weight gain and mineral deficiency leads to different diseases including infertility, it added.
During the training programme farmers were urged to follow the deworming schedule regularly along with mineral supplementation to keep their animals and birds healthy even in extreme weather conditions.
Dr. Sagarika Borah, expert in animal science of KVK took the initiative to conduct the training programmes who has also done deworming in pigs at some farmers’ fields in the villages as a part of practical demonstration.
Dr Borah was accompanied by other KVK experts Dr Tarun Kumar Das and Priyanka Saha.
More than 60 farmers in both the villages benefited from the training programmes.
Anthelmintics along with mineral mixtures were provided to the participants to enable them to do deworming in their animals and birds immediately after the programme.
Meanwhile, another training and input distribution program was held in Marapara village wherein 42 farmers received seeds of crops like cabbage, cauliflower, radish, carrot etc., along with poly mulch to conserve soil moisture and control weeds.
