PESHAWAR – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to construct 4,000 model cattle farms costing Rs830 million to fatten 120,000 calves for increasing meat production in the province.
Under this mega project, at least 1,200 cattle owners would be provided professional education and training pertaining to proper breeding and look after of their animals, a senior official in livestock department told APP on Monday.
He said KP province was ideally suited for livestock and cattle farming where up to 75pc of people were directly and indirectly associated with agriculture and livestock sectors.
The provincial government has setup several centres in Agriculture Research Institute Tarnab, Peshawar where effective measures were being taken for promotion of livestock and agriculture in the province, he informed.
“Majority of cattle owners are uneducated and unaware of use of modern technology and treatment of animals, which is adversely affecting their overall income due to traditional approach”, he said.
This mega project would help encourage farmers and livestock growers toward increase meat production by properly looking after their animals’ calves through adaptation of scientific approach.
He urged livestock growers to select breed of high quality to increase meat and milk production imperative to expand their business.
The farmers were further requested to follow the experts’ guidelines and take care of their animals’ food, vaccination, accommodation besides make special focus on balanced diet of their animals to avoid losses. He said vaccination will help keep the animals healthy and protect them from fatal ailments.