Livestock Department

Livestock sector is a source of 65% of income for the rural inhabitants of the district. Jhang is a great source of organic food in the form of beef, mutton, eggs and other livestock products.. The Livestock census conducted in 2018 Punjab, concluded that district Jhang was the most thick livestock populated district in the province of Punjab. After the establishment of Chiniot as an independent district the livestock census of district Jhang was reduced upto 30%.

Departmental Evolution

Livestock keeping was confined to meeting the domestic needs of milk only. Livestock was actually a component of Agriculture Department then. Veterinary institutions had been established at Thana level. The incharge of the Veterinary Hospital was designated as Veterinary Assistant Surgeon. In those days, the appointment of para-vets / menial staff and the construction of veterinary hospital / dispensaries were regulated by the district council.

In 1973, Livestock was separated from the Agriculture Department and made an independent department. Veterinary Assistant Surgeon was re-designated as Veterinary Officer. The department bloomed with the establishment of five Artificial Insemination Centers in District Jhang.

In 2004, a state of the art diagnostic laboratory with necessary equipment and trained human resource was also established in the district. It was further strengthened initially with 04 Mobile Vehicle Units for providing coverage at the door step of livestock farmers which has boosted up, now with 07 Mobile Vehicle Units in District Jhang.

In 2005, a development project, Support Services for Livestock Farmers, equipped the department with 46 new Civil Veterinary Dispensaries cum Artificial Insemination Centers and supporting technical manpower in the form of Veterinary Assistants, Artificial Insemination Technicians and Laboratory Assistants. The staff was recruited against the post with further strengthening the HR of the department.

Objective

The objectives of the Livestock Department are:

• Provision of medical cover to the sick animals
• Provision of prophylactic cover to the animals
• Provision of Artificial Insemination facilities
• Provision of extension education to livestock farmers
• Provision of wholesome meat and eggs
• Provision of Rapid Response in Flood Emergency

The Department continued to grow, and at present, it is headed by an Additional Director Livestock (BPS-19) who is assisted by, amongst others, 03 Additional Principal Veterinary Officers (BPS-19), 04 Deputy Directors (BPS-18), and 08 Senior Veterinary Officers (BPS-18). The total sanctioned strength of the Department is 513 employees of various grades.

The detail of the veterinary institutions is as follows:

Statistics

The Livestock & Dairy Development Department Punjab conducted census in 2006. The detail of District Jhang is as under:

The Development  Projects (2014-18)

Poverty alleviation of poor women through provision of heifers / sheep / goat in Punjab. Ultimate objective of the project was to uplift the income of poor / widow women and to make them financially stable. Poverty alleviation of poor women through provision of heifer / sheep / goat In Punjab 2014-15 (April 29, 2015)

Provision of Rural Poultry Breeds through Augmenting R&D (2014- 18)

Under this project, 9,819 poultry units comprising 5 female and 1 male birds were supplied to poor families in rural areas primarily to supplement their income.

Monitoring of PM Initiatives

Poultry Units distributed (July 01, 2019 - June 30, 2020)

Enhancing beef production in Punjab, Phase-II (2015-18)

Buffalo calves (1 to 15 days age) were registered under Save the Calf Project, and  the farmers were awarded Rs. 6500/- on successful completion of 4-month phase. Similarly, under the feed lot fattening component, buffalo calves (one and a half year) were registered for 3 months and on successful completion of the phase, Rs. 4000/- per calf were awarded to the successful farmers. Enhancing competitiveness of Livestock Production System By Joint Venture of Livestock Department with Skilled Community Activists (2016-18). The project aimed at engaging community facilitators and updating the knowledge of livestock activists. The details are as under:

Provision of breeding services In Punjab synchronized with Livestock Breeding Act 2014 (2016-18). The project aimed at paradigm shift from quantitative magnitude of work towards qualitative result-oriented approach for provision of breeding services, which would eventually lead to enhanced fertility and productivity of the large animals. Improving productivity and fertility of small and large ruminants through encouragement of bull keeping for natural mating (2016- 18). Provision of incentives / financial assistance to the farmers for encouraging them to maintain natural mating facilities for the animals and to enhance the fertility and productivity:

Strengthening of communication and extension networking at Division Levelin Punjab (2017-18)

The objective of the project was to promote knowledge sharing among the stakeholders and to disseminate information regarding departmental activities through local media and in native language. During the year 2019-20, 724 farmer days and 304 school focus program were conducted to educate the livestock farmers regarding the livestock care and management. Improving the production performance of livestock in Punjab through manipulation of different mineral and feed supplements (2017-18). For the purpose, 04 Livestock Sahulat Centers were established in the district where improved feed supplements like mineral mixture, urea molasses block, and wanda were made available to the farmers on cost basis. Total number of 14,110 bags of wanda, 22,560 packets of mineral mixture, 7260 urea molasses block had been accordingly sold.

Improvement of Low Producing Cattle in the Punjab (2016-17)

The project envisaged providing high quality semen on competitive rates. Accordingly, for the year 2019-20, 82929 doses of local semen and 11218 doses of imported exotic semen have been used.

Developing Rural Poultry Models to Support Rural Economy (2017- 18)

In order to supplement the income of poor families and to inculcate interest for poultry breeding, poultry units with free cages and feed packets were provided to students of 30 girls schools in the district.