Dairy Science Park team interacted with the Universities of Sindh for developing a joint strategy to respond to the issues faced by the people through academia industry linkages. Collaboration was made in organizing International Training Workhop on Bovine Reproduction and Artificial Insemination at Sindh Agricultural University Tandojam, singing an MoU with Sindh University Jamshoro and holding a special session on Theriogenology at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (SBBUVAS), Sakrand.
The Training Workshop comprised sessions prevailed over five days. The participants were nominated by provincial livestock department of Government of Sindh and postgraduate students of Theriogenology. The Resource persons comprised Prof. Dr. Mushtaq A Memon, Washington State University USA, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schuler, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany and Prof M Subhan Qureshi, University of Agriculture, Peshawar/Chief Patron Dairy Science Park. Prof Pershotam Khatri was Chief Organizer of the Event and presented the traditional Ajrak as souvenir to the Resource Persons.
Prof Memon covered Anatomy of Female Reproductive System,Estrus Cycle, Demonstration of Bovine Female Reproductive Tract/Organs in Phantom Hall (Practical), Merits & demerits of Artificial Insemination and Reproductive disorders of Female system. Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schuler delivered lectures on Hormones of Reproduction, Semen Examination/Evaluation, Hygiene and precautions/preventive measure for A.I., Breeding Bull Soundness, Breeding values. Prof M Subhan Qureshi delivered lectures on Reproduction – Nutrition Interaction in Dairy Animals and Stress Physiology – Reproduction interactions.
Prof. Dr. Jaimal Dhanani, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Nawaz Tunio, Prof. Dr. Akeel Ahmed Memon and Dr. Asmatullah Kaka covered varoius topics in bovine reproduction and artifical insemination like Reproductive Biotechnologies, Use of Ultrasound and pregnancy (Practical), Thawing, Preparation of A.I. Gun (Practical), Demonstration on passing insemination gun/ technique of insemination on female reproductive tract(Practical) in Phantom Hall; Insemination practice in Live animals, Rectal palpation & Examination (Practical). Filed visit was held and Veterinary camp was organized at Achhro Thar near to Khipro, Sindh.
A visit was made to SBBUVAS, Sakrand, the newly established University. Prof Mushtaq, Prof Gerhard, Prof Qureshi and Prof Khatrai. Prof Dr Ahmed Sultan B Jatoi, Dean Animal Production and Technology and Prof Rajput, Dean Veterinary Sciences facilitated the visit. The three visiting experts presented their talks followed by questions and answers. Traditional ajrak was presented to teh guests as souvenirs.
Prof Qureshi, Dr Aqeel Memon, Dr Imdad Leghari and Dr Kabir Afridi, Dairy Science Park experts, visited Sindh University Jamshoro for signing an MoU between the two organizations. The MoU was titled as “Collaborative Biorisk Management Initiative (CBMI)” with a view to protect public health through policy interventions, aimed at preventing and controlling biorisk factors including proliferations of pathogens in animal, human and environment segments independently and in interaction.
As per this memorandum, SU and DSP would cooperate through evaluating the biorisk factors associated with commercial farming, transportation, slaughtering, processing and marketing of livestock, poultry and fisheries products and human health and veterinary clinical practices. This would be targeted at achieving the two sustainable goals of DSP for self-employment of youth and hygienic food production for the people of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA.
In addition, the two signatories will also develop a biorisk management curriculum for incorporation of the concepts into syllabi of Pakistani Universities and launching new undergraduate and graduate degree programs for evaluating biorisk factors and their management associated with commercial farming, processing, transportation and marketing of livestock, poultry and fisheries products, and also provides support in training of selected faculty, scientists, students of SU experts from various disciplines of biological sciences, industry representatives, biomedical professionals, local livestock, poultry and fish farmers and policy makers for public health safety and minimizing the threats of zoon-tic diseases.
The bilateral initiative will also work towards improving the productivity, products quality and reducing the production cost of products across the food value chain, covering milk, meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables, which will be utilized for entrepreneurship development for young men and women, and also in the production of halal foods for local consumers and exporters that would be achieved by launching the academia-industrial linkages, especially with the support of Konya techno-park, Turkey.
To help safeguard health of students, biomedical professionals (including laboratory staff and public and animal health workers) and local communities, research projects would be launched; standards and legislative guidelines for farming and processing units and service providers will be developed. The project aims to build University of Sindh as a leading institution to provide assistance to other similar institutions on the implementation of biorisk management curriculum, and to strengthen interdisciplinary linkages in biorisk management. This initiative will also focus on incorporating international obligations on biorisk management into the local health regulations in the overall interest of general public.
