LAHORE, Aug 4: Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool has approved the setting up of new veterinary sciences faculties in five public sector universities to promote livestock sector in the country.

The new faculties will help churn out 560 veterinary doctors as compared to 272 veterinary doctors being produced annually in Punjab currently.

The governor issued these directions while chairing a meeting to expand veterinary education with an objective to promoting the livestock sector at the Governor’s House on Friday. The new veterinary sciences faculties have been established in Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi; Islamia University, Bahawalpur; Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan; University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences’ Buneki campus; and College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jhang.

The governor also directed the attachment of veterinary hospitals, livestock farms with the respective universities and a college in respective cities for practical training of students.

The meeting also approved the launching of a diploma course in dairy and meat technology on UVAS’s Buneki campus. The university will also launch a diploma in fisheries and aqua-culture from next year.

The governor also approved the upgradation of veterinary sciences’ departments of UVAS, Lahore, and Agriculture University, Faisalabad. He also approved launching of courses in collaboration with Tevta to train some 5,000 para-veterinary technicians annually.

The governor stressed that new technologies should be adopted to enhance the number of milch cattle in the country. He stressed the promotion of artificial insemination of quality breed camels. He also called to introduce embryo transplant technology.

The governor also directed that no university should charge fees from students intending to attend short courses related to livestock sector. Instead, he said, such courses’ participants should also be given stipend.

The meeting also decided to introduce `Wildlife management and zoo animals nutrition’ discipline at university level. He said Rs40 million would be released soon for the launching of this new discipline. The researchers in this discipline would have the opportunity to conduct research in 22 wildlife parks, which are under the control of the Punjab forests and livestock department.