FAISALABAD: The University of Agriculture Faisalabad, in collaboration with the University of California, USA, will revise the curriculum of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programme to bring it up to international standards for producing quality human resource.

Addressing the participants of a workshop, UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad said on Monday that various livestock diseases and low per animal milk productivity were costing Pakistan billions. It required efforts on part of researchers, stakeholders and farming community to address the issue, he added.

He said if we analyse milk production in local livestock sector, it is only 2,000 litres per animal per annum, compared to 8,000 litres in the developed world.

He said the UAF, with the help of California University, would revise the curriculum of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. He said Pakistan was one of the largest producers of milk, but its per animal milk production was very low, depriving farming community of due returns. He said livestock sector was contributing 12 percent to GDP out of 21pc share of agriculture. Foot-and-mouth disease was also causing a hug loss to the sector, he added.

Faculty of Veterinary Sciences Dean Dr Zafar Iqbal said the faculty had set up different groups to promote research and outreach activities, and cement academia-industry linkages.

He said country could also save millions of dollars by producing various vaccines to minimise imports.

He said skilled and motivated human resource was imperative for development and prosperity. A farmer, Basharat Jaspal, said with increasing cost of animals, the demand for vets was surging. He urged young doctors to have maximum field experience to get success in practical life.

Dr Ahrar Ahmad also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2016