DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

Introduction

General Administration

Institutions under the Animal husbandry department

Department of Animal Husbandry in Kerala came into existence in 1956.The major activities of the Department are veterinary services and Animal Health Care, Disease eradication Program, Cattle, Goat, Pig and Poultry development program, Control of zoonotic diseases, Extension, Training program for Farmers and Veterinarians and Production of Biologicals.nd Cochin, a separate Veterinary Department was in existence in Cochin state, while Animal Husbandry activity was a part of Agricultural Department in Travancore state. The cattle in those days were mostly non descript desi varieties with poor milk production. At the time of integration, there were 22 Veterinary Hospitals and 10 Veterinary Dispensaries in Travancore area and there were 12 Veterinary Hospitals and 12 Veterinary Dispensaries and 12 Stockmen Stations in Cochin area. 13 Veterinary Surgeons and a few Veterinary Inspectors managed these institutions.

Artificial Insemination facilities were introduced in selected areas with the establishment (February 1952) of Key Farm Centres (ICAR) at Trivandrum, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Ollukkara, using semen of Sindhi Breed. Grading up of local cows with Sindhi and buffaloes with Murrah had been the breeding policy in vogue at that time.

Following institutions were in existence at the time of formation of Kerala state on 1/11/1956.
Veterinary Hospitals - 39
Veterinary Dispensaries and Veterinary Dispensaries manned by Veterinary Surgeons - 12
Touring billets manned by Veterinary Surgeons - 2
Veterinary Dispensaries and Stockmen stations were manned by - 43 Stockmen.

Currently, after 45 years of formation of Kerala State about 2638 institutions are functioning in the Animal Husbandry Department.
The activities of Animal Husbandry Department have been led by the broad goal of rendering livestock forming a strong component of General Development Process in the state. Specifically this breaks into the following main components.
Strengthening the livestock population of the state in terms of both number and quality .Increasing the production of milk, egg and meat.
Creating more self- employment opportunities in the Animal Husbandry sector.
Assisting weaker sections of the society to enhance their income level.

Control of animal diseases
Conduct scientific studies into relevant aspects of livestock rearing.
Collection and analysis of data and information on the Animal Husbandry Sector of the state.

To equip the farmers with modern scientific practices in Animal Husbandry.
The majority of livestock population in the state is concentrated in villages. Mostly peasants and agricultural laborers are engaged in cattle rearing and allied activities. Hence any development in the Animal Husbandry sector will strengthen the rural economy. About 10% of the Gross Domestic Product of the state is contributed by this sector.

Milk, egg and meat are the principal primary products of Animal Husbandry in Kerala. This sector can also contribute its share to the industrial Development of the state by way of supplying industrial products like bacon, hides, skins etc.

Protective and promotional activities of the Animal Husbandry Department are being conducted through various institutions such as, Veterinary Dispensaries, Veterinary Hospitals, Veterinary Poly Clinics, District Veterinary Centres, Intensive Cattle Development Projects, and ICDP Sub Centres etc.

Panchayat Raj Act came into existence on 2nd October 1995 as per GO (P) No.189/95 dated 18/9/1995 and most of the institutions of Animal Husbandry Department were handed over to Grama Panchayats, Gilla Panchayats, Block Panchayat, Municipalities and Corporations.

The following institutions were handed over to Gilla Panchayats:
District Animal Husbandry Office and District Veterinary Centres
Regional Artificial Insemination Centres
Mobile Farm Aid Units
Clinical Laboratories and Mobile Veterinary Hospitals
Pig Breeding Units
Livestock Farms except District Livestock Farm, Kudappanakkunnu
Poultry Farms of Kottayam, Idukki, Malappuram and Kozhikode Districts
Goat Farms at Attappadi and Komeri
Calf Feed Subsidy Scheme, ICDP Sub Centres, Veterinay Dispensaries, Veterinary Hospitals were handed over to Grama Panchayat and Veterinary Poly Clinics functioning in Grama Panchayats were handed over to Block Panchayats.
ICDP Sub Centres, Veterinary Hospitals and Veterinary Poly Clinics situated in Municipal and Corporation areas were handed over to Municipalities and Corporations respectively.
District Livestock Farm, Kudappanakkunnu; Jersey Farm, Vithura; Jersey Farm Extension Unit, Palode; and Buffalo Breeding Farm, Kuriottumala are the institutions engaged in Cattle and Buffalo rearing activities. There are nine Poultry Farms, One Broiler Farm, One Duck Farm, a Central Hatchery and two Intensive Poultry Development Blocks for Poultry Breeding activities. Besides, there are two Goat Breeding Farms and Six Pig Breeding Centres in the state along with a Pig Breeding Farm at Kappad.

Planning at the directorate level is handled by a section under the control of an Additional Director supported by a Deputy Director, an Assistant Director and other staff members. In addition to the formulation of schemes this section undertakes processing of the guidelines and instructions to the Departmental Officers on the implementation of Plan schemes, monitoring the progress of implementation, review of the implementation, concurrent evaluation of on going schemes and evaluation of completed scheme.

The Animal Husbandry Directorate is housed in Vikas Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram.
The overall technical, administrative and financial control is vested with the Director, supported by two Additional Directors, three Joint Directors, six Deputy Directors and five Assistant Directors, attached to the Directorate.
The major technical wings at the Directorate are Veterinary Services and Animal Health, Planning, Livestock Production, Poultry and Animal Husbandry Statistics.
Administrative wing of the Department comprises of an Administrative Officer, Finance Officer, two Administrative Assistants and one Accounts Officer.
A Statistical wing is functioning in the Directorate under the guidance of Joint Director (Statistics). The cell consists of two wings - the Official statistics wing and the Sample Survey wing. One Research Officer is allotted to Official Statistics wing and two Research Officers to the Sample Survey wing.

The following is the staff pattern of the Directorate

Director
Additional Directors (2)
1. Animal Health & Veterinary Service
2. Planning
Joint Directors (3)
1. Livestock Production
2. Poultry
3. Statistics
Deputy Directors (6)
1. Planning
2. Veterinary
3. Key Village
4. Extension
5. Swine Husbandry
6. Poultry
Assistant Directors (5)
1. Planning
2. Cattle Development
3. Rabies Eradication
4. Central Store Organisation
5. Fodder
Finance Officer
Administrative Officer
Administrative Assistants (2)
Accounts Officer
Research Officers (3)
1. Sample Survey (2)
2. Official Statistic Wing (1)

About 2,638 institutions are functioning in the Animal Husbandry Department. The following institutions are under the director control of Head Quarters.
Chief Disease Investigation Office, Palode
Epidemiological Cell, Thiruvananthapuram
Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, Palode
Livestock Disease Control Office, Thiruvananthapuram.
Special Livestock Breeding Programme- Head Quarters, Thiruvananthapuram
Central Hatchery, Chengannur
Avian Disease Diagnostics Lab, Thiruvalla
Cattle Sterility Office, Aluva
Swine Husbandry Office, Aluva
Rinderpest Eradication Scheme, Head Quarters, Palakkad
Livestock Management Training Centres at Mundayad, Malampuzha, Aluva, and Kudappanakkunnu.

District Level Administration

The responsibility of district level Animal Husbandry activities is vested with the District Animal Husbandry Officer in the cadre of Joint Director.
The District Animal Husbandry Officer has technical as well as administrative control over all the veterinary institutions in the districts except those, which are directly administered from the head quarters. In technical matters a Deputy Director and a Veterinary Surgeon assist District Animal Husbandry Officer.
Various Animal Husbandry activities have been conducted under the guidance of District Animal Husbandry Officer for ensuring Animal Husbandry and welfare of farmers.