The aims and objectives of the research are to increase the overall production from livestock and to raise the living standards of weaker sections. The main activities and programmes are breed improvement programmes using superior germplasm, production of livestock feed and fodder, animal health care, nutrition and management aspects. Various livestock development programmes are aimed at increasing the productivity of the animals on sound and latest scientific methodology. The research at the Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner is helping the state government in the production of superior bulls and up-gradation of indigenous cows by providing superior germplasm and/or technology. The major emphasis of research has been in the following aspects:

• Research on indigenous breeds of cattle, sheep, goat, poultry and emu as well as to study the health problems of the precious livestock of this state are going on. Significant achievements have been attained in upgrading Rathi breeds of cattle by bringing the lactation yield of these breeds almost at par with crossbreed animals of the state. The improved germplasm has continuously been supplied to field livestock owners as well as institutions like Panchayats, Gaushalas etc. for the purpose of up-gradation of respective breeds.
• Similarly, continuous research efforts have resulted in improved performance of flocks of Magra sheep and Marwari goat.
• Improved management practices of exotic as well as indigenous poultry have provided major thrust in this sector resulting in the development of local poultry production areas in Ajmer, Kota, Jaipur, Udaipur, Kota etc.
• Emu farming has been initiated for propagation in the ruler area of Rajasthan for the benefit of livestock owner.
• Research in animal nutrition has given several balance ration combinations being widely utilized by the cattle feed plants of the state.
• The college has analyzed almost all indigenous feed and fodder resources in terms of their digestibility and nutritional worth. Many of such non-conventional feed and fodder resources have now become the part of the diet of the livestock of this state.
• Significant achievements have been made in the diagnosis, prevention and control of major animal diseases in the state.
• A surgical procedure developed for camel, cattle and goat have put the college on the international map.
• The college was the first to develop embryo transfer technology in cattle as well as sheep in the state.
• The college is also now fully equipped to use animal biotechnology in identification and characterization of micro-organism pathogens as well as DNA fingerprinting of important livestock breeds of the state.

1. Farm-based research Project:

• Livestock Research Station, Bikaner: The purebreds of Rathi cattle are being maintained for improvement in performance traits and enhancement of production.
• Poultry Farm: Poultry, EMU and Duck are being maintained for improvement in the production and reproduction traits.

2. Field-based research Project:

• Genetic Improvement of Marwari Goat for Meat Production in Farmers Flock (AICRP), ICAR Project at Bikaner: To assess the production performance of Marwari goat breeds in farmer’s flocks under village management system and improvement of the germplasm through selection and to disseminate the pro-poor goat based technologies under field conditions and assessment of their impact on goat production.

 

3. RKVY Research Project:

• State Level Breed Confirmation (DNA Finger Printing).
• Establishment of Rathi cattle breeding farm at Bikaner and Nohar.
• Establishment of Kankrej cattle breeding farm, Kodamdesar, Bikaner
• Establishment of state-level feed and fooder analysis laboratory for quality assurance in the feeding of animals for sustainable Animal production in Rajasthan, Bikaner
• Establishment of Microbiological & Biotechnological Information System Network (Bioinformatics and Chemoinformatics) Centre for exploring interconnections of molecular biological applications in the field of Animal Husbandry, Bikaner
• Establishment of Veterinary University Training & Research Centre in the selected district of Rajasthan, Bikaner
• Assessment of occurrence of various diseases in Camel prevailing in the arid and semi-arid region of Rajasthan State using pathological diagnostic tools and development of field-based diagnostic/sampling technologies for identification of Camel diseases., CVAS, Bikaner
• Establishment of Live Demonstration models of diversified Livestock Production systems for motivating adaption to enhance Agricultural Income, CVAS, Bikaner
• Increased Production of Green Fooder through hydroponics technology for Sustainable Livestock Production in Arid Rajasthan, CVAS, Bikaner
• Sewan Grass (Lasuirus Sindicus) development and green fodder production along with fodder conservation for Sustainable Livestock Production in Arid region of Rajasthan.
• Centre for Etheno Veterinary Practice & Alternative Medicines at CVAS, Bikaner
• Live Stock Feed Resource Management & Tech. Centre at CVAS, Bikaner.
• Centre for Conservation of Animal Biodiversity at CVAS, Bikaner
• Centre for Disaster Management Technology for Animals at CVAS, Bikaner
• Centre for Excellence for use of space-based Technology in Animal Science at CVAS, Bikaner
• Centre for Studies on wild Life Management & Health at CVAS, Bikaner
• Centre for Organic Animal Product Technology at CVAS, Bikaner

4. Institutional Research

All the Departments of the College of Veterinary and Animal Science Bikaner offering postgraduate degree programmes at Masters as well as at Doctoral level to conduct research on basic as well as applied aspects of clinical, para-clinical and animal husbandry disciplines. Collaboration of these Departments with various livestock based research institutions of Indian Council of Agricultural Research viz., National Research Centre on Camel, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute Avikanagar, National Research Centre on Equine, Bikaner and Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Bikaner is active and provide solution to different health as well as production problems of livestock owners through diagnostic research and treatments.

Extension Activities

• The college is able to bring out a monthly animal disease forecast bulletin for all the districts of the state regularly since April 2004. Through this bulletin, the farmers, as well as field veterinarians, are informed well in advance the probability of occurrence of animal diseases in the state so that appropriate preventive measures can be taken up. This strategy has resulted in a marked reduction in economic losses of livestock owners. This bulletin is made available on the college website in Hindi apart from transmitting it through electronic and print media.
• The services like animal disease diagnosis, feed and fodder analysis, artificial insemination and other such services meant for the benefit of livestock holders directly are being organised by College.
• The Department Extension Education of this college conducts regular livestock owners’ training programmes along with the training of field veterinarians as well as para-veterinary staff. Outreach services to earmarked villages and areas in the form of health and care camps, on-farm training & demonstrations and ambulatory services are carried out.