Dr VK Taneja, Vice Chancellor, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University while addressing the monthly meeting of Progressive Dairy Farmers Association (PDFA) today, stressed for setting up of bio gas plants in the operational dairy units of Punjab. Dr Taneja revealed that it will be an added advantage to the dairy farmers as it can provide methane gas which can be used for cooking purpose, carbon dioxide for making soda, along with the production of slurry which can be used as farm yard manure. Farm yard manure is ultimate back bone of organic farming. He told that biogas plant is eco-friendly which can meet the energy (electricity and cooking) requirements of the farm along with earning bucks by selling it to the others, it can also helps in controlling the various weed in the farming. University has already established a bio gas plant at GADVASU dairy farm which is a live example for farmers. Further Dr Taneja assured the livestock farmers that university is striving best to provide various facilities to the livestock farmers like modern diagnostic laboratory with latest gadgets for testing, infertility improvement programme, health services, quality semen production along with the transfer of technology to far flung areas including the border area.
Targeting the small and marginal farmers Dr Taneja advised them to adopt silage making for sale purposes as it can fetch them good money for sustainability and livelihood.
S. Daljit Singh Gill, president PDFA highlighted the various problems and demands of the PDFA members and requested the Vice Chancellor for their suitable solutions. Dr HK Verma Head, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education told that the GADVASU is publishing and providing the livestock related literature in Punjabi language at very nominal rates. Farmers can acquaint themselves with the scientific rearing of livestock from these books. He further revealed that university is running a farmer help line no 0161-2414005, farmers can avail this facility on any working days.
It is important to mention that PDFA organizes regular meeting on 2nd Thursday of every month and it has around 3500 members at present.
