It is heartening to note that almost all Indian states are interested to open a new veterinary university in their state to augment animal husbandry-an important part to double up farmers' income. Obviously present veterinary universities have been carved from erstwhile State Agriculture universities hence they are lacking some basic facilities to participate in Agriculture growth. There may be different parameters for growth and new equipment for achieving this growth when we reach in mid of 21st century but presently 3 requirements appear necessary for these universities..These are -our veterinary hospitals, a university library and a department of vet economics and statistics in each and every vet university
VETERINARY HOSPITALS : It must be realized that unlike to Agriculture Universities, these veterinary universities do not require large farm lands hence should be started in or nearby big cities. We have some bad experience in Pantnagar university where vet students were not able to handle and treat good number of animals , merely because that town does not have large animal population. In contrast, big cities like Jabalpur, Patna, Kolkatta etc have good bovine population mainly because these animals cadre milk demand of the big cities.
However, new developments have lead to shifting of the dairies from city to outskirts hence the existing veterinary hospitals of old veterinary colleges are mainly serving cat and dog population of the city as bovine are shifted about 10-20 km away from the city.; obviously, in such circumstances students fail to acquire good practice on large animals.
There is also a new development of opening Gaoshala where unproductive and other kind of bovines are maintained. I think it will be a win win position for both the stakeholders if veterinary hospitals/colleges take charge of these animals.
These hospitals should possess not only the modern facility for treatment but arrangements for night stay of staff and students.However , for any progress in veterinary profession, we should, in my opinion,stop equilling our treatment with that of medical science ; there is good time to realize the difference between the two treatments- where as in medical treatment, emotions play a great role while veterinary treatment should mainly concern with finances. Except pet animals, it is only finances which play great role in healing of the animals. Therefore, it is necessary to develop our community medicine to a great extend- mayh be where its principles may be referred by medical fraternity .
The Veterinary Ambulatory is also needed to fabricate so that it be able to transport large animal beside first aid for treating any type of animals ; presently , it is merely a college bus without any facilities except transporting staff and students. Ambulatory facility should be in real sense where ailing animal can be treated and cured, if having minor ailments.
VETERINARY LIBRARY ; A library is essential in any university, where research and patents become important beside post graduate research. However, in most of the veterinary univresities, the libraries are in nascnnt form; their condition is pathetic, many library are even with out sufficient staff and funds. I surprised to note that these libraries are not getting funds in every year, they are asking new books on lowest basis; thus the distributors are supplying only old or discarded books where they are able to get 30% discount. Again , neither there is any rules in spending money on text books vis a vis reference books ( it may be important to state that our Veterinary Council of India has made it compulsory to aware our students about history of the subject /veterinary science hence such books should also be purchased). Obviously purchasing of the books should go round the year.
As every university have more than one college and also colleges of fishrey and college of management. Therefore, there is need to classify our veterinary libraries also.
There is need of a university library which have all the facilities to join any national or international library. There are great advances in library science including digitalization of important documents , hence it wwill be pertinent to change important old books /other documents into digital form to extend their life and easing its transmission.
I am tempted to compare the city library of Sharon ,America with our library and consider there is much more that can be imbibed in our libraries. In America, these city libraries provide facility to every member to open their site at home and may search any book from their home; another important fact is that the website of the library inform other related books in the subject along with table of contents and summary of the book; whether the book is on shelf or issued is also depicted and all the working is carried out through internet.
Thus there is lot to be changed in our library system , if we wish to utilize this facility in proper way.
DEPT OF VETERINARY ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS Though important veterinary institutes in India, like IVRI, NDRI or Madras Veterinary college have separate department of veterinary economics and statistics, it is not so in other veterinary universities ; Factually , our VCI has not made this dept mandatory for veterinary colleges, most of the veterinary colleges or state governments are reluctant to open this department in their veterinary college without appreciating its importance. It is important to mention that there is no where a Veterinary Economist or Veterinary Statistician in whole of the state hence the whole subject remains neglected. It is important to mention that every Agriculture college has a separate department of Agriculture Economics but this is wanting in Veterinary colleges because no one has understood its importance
If we want to double up the income of our farmers, it is important to appoint a subject matter specialist of Veterinary economist who may help in identifying animal products that may be in great demand in the people and may fetch a good price for the product. Likewise, there is need of a Veterinary statistician who can maintain animal population of the state and can provide data of animal production and animal diseases..
In my opinion Agriculture Economics has greatly helped in realizing importance of different agriculture produce and same thing will be done when a separate department of Veterinary Economics starts functioning in these new Veterinary Universities.
der
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