The Department of Animal Nutrition was established in 1957 and was renamed as Animal Science Department in1966 by amalgamating with other allied departments. From first April 1984, it was bifurcated into Animal Nutrition and Feed and Fodder Technology Departments. Subsequently the Feed and Fodder Technology
Department was merged with the Animal Nutrition Department on 31-8-1999. The postgraduate
programme was started in 1971-72 and PhD programme in 2000-01. So far 112 students
have obtained M.V.Sc and 12 students have obtained PhD degree from the Department.
The student intake is 3-5 for M.V.Sc and 1-2 for PhD per year research requirements
for Master’s and Doctoral programmes. The research activities were supported by
funds from international (IFS and IDRC) and national funding agencies (BARC, HLRF,
RKVY, ICAR) and consultancy projects were funded by private agencies.
Research : The department has well equipped laboratories, feed mixing plant, experimental
livestock shed for individual feeding of animals, facilities for in vitro and in
sacco studies, revolving fund schemes etc to meet the
He research requirements for Master’s and Doctoral programmes. The research activities
were supported by funds from international (IFS and IDRC) and national funding agencies
(BARC, HLRF, RKVY, ICAR) and consultancy projects were funded by private agencies.
Completed Schemes
| S.No |
Funding Agency |
Name of the Scheme |
Year |
Amount |
| 1. |
ICAR |
Development of slow release urea products to improve urea utilization of ruminants
|
1978-1983 |
Rs. 4,96,000/- |
| 2. |
International Foundation for Science |
Improving the nutritive value of certain agricultural wastes for sheep
|
1978-1983 |
$ 7900/- |
| 3. |
Department of Atomic Energy (BARC) |
Prediction of body composition of live meat animals |
1978-1982 |
Rs. 49,800/- |
| 4. |
Hindustan Lever Research Foundation (HLRF) |
Development of economic concentrate mixtures using exclusively unconventional
feed ingredients for dairy cattle |
1981-1983 |
Rs. 75,800/- |
| 5. |
Hindustan Lever Research Foundation (HLRF) |
Utilization of paper industry effluent (Black – liquor) for improving the
nutritive value of agricultural wastes |
1981-1983 |
Rs. 75,800/- |
| 6. |
International Foundation for Science (IFS) – Grant |
Development of straw based practical diets for buffaloes using catalytic level
of supplements |
1981-1984 |
$ 8,000/- |
| 7. |
IDRC – Phase I |
Economic feeding systems for goats and sheep |
1987-1990 |
Rs. 4,00,000/- |
| 8. |
ICAR |
Evaluation of feed stuffs based on rumen degradable protein (RDP)
|
1988-1991 |
Rs. 4,80,040/- |
| 9. |
IDRC – Phase II |
Goat and Sheep feeding (India) |
1991-1994 |
Rs. 4,00,000/- |
| 10. |
ICAR |
Developing and evaluation of package of practices for sustainable ram lamb
and male kid production |
2007-2003 |
Rs. 7,31,000/- |
| 11. |
ICAR |
Micronutrient status of feeds and fodders in different agro-climatic zones
of Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh for formulating practical mineral supplements
to animals |
2005-2008 |
Rs.30,28,000/- |
| 12. |
RKVY |
Technological Interventions for improving quality of feed for economical milk
and meat production” |
2008–2014 |
Rs. 1,20,00,000/- |
Ongoing Schemes
| S.No |
Funding Agency |
Name of the Scheme |
Year |
Amount |
| 1. |
Minor research project funded by University |
Development of Package of Practices for Effective Utilization of Distillers
Grains with Solubles in Dairy Cattle |
2016-17 & 2017-18 |
Rs.11,00,000 |
| 2. |
RKVY |
Strengthening Feed and Forage Analytical Laboratory |
2018-19 |
Rs.80,00,000 |
Dr. Pratap V. Reddy Modern Feed and Fodder Analytical Lab :
Dr. V. Pratap Reddy, an alumnus of the Department and at present CEO, NuTech Bio Sciences, New York has donated about Rs. 350.0 lakhs to establish a modern feed and fodder analytical lab
Consultancy Research Projects:
- Effect of Replacing Fish Meal Protein by Shrimp Waste Meal Protein with or without amino acids on Performance of Broilers.Sponsored by M/s Bristol Myers Squibb, India Limited.
- Efficacy evaluation of supplementation of natural growth performance, carcass traits and intestinal morphometry in broilers. Sponsored by Ayurvet Limited.
- Utilization of Subabul (Leucena Lucocephala) leaf meal in Small ruminant diets.Sponsored by ITC limited, Bangalore.
- Replacement of Synthetic Methionine with Methionine producing Microorganisms (MPM) in Broilers. Sponsored by M/s DVS Biolife limited,Hyderabad.
Conferences organized
- 1982 : First Animal Nutrition Research Workers’ Conference
- 1989 : Summer Institute on Recent Advances in Protein Nutrition in ruminants
- 1999 : International Seminar on Strategies for the Development of Small Ruminant
Production in India by 2000
- 2008 : VI regional animal nutrition conference on ‘recent trends in policy
Initiatives, held on 15th October
- 2016 : X Bienneal ANA Conference held during 9th-11,2016
- 2018 : 18th Indian Veterinary Congress and XXV Annual Conference of IAAVR
Significant contributions by the Department
- Slow Urea release products
- Contributed to the RDP & RUP data base of feed stuffs in the country by standardizing
the nylon bag technique
- Studied the body composition of sheep and goats and pigs
- Area Specific Mineral Mixture
- Complete Feed
- Adopting CNCPS system for feed evaluation
- Economic feeding systems for sheep and goats
- Unconventional feed stuffs – characterization and utilization in livestock
- Low cost, economic rations for livestock
- Energy and protein requirements of Desi and Crossbred pigs
- Feed quality evaluation services to farmers and others through the Referral Feed
Analytical and Quality control lab.
- Consultancy services