The Hindu Business Line : Defence research body achieves breakthrough in farm, animal husbandry

New Delhi, Feb. 1 Harsh climatic conditions prevalent at the high altitude Ladakh in the Himalayan region can no longer be a hindrance to farm and animal husbandry practices as the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) of Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) has successfully hammered out herbal anti-oxidant supplement and evolved broiler sheep to augment fresh meat supply in ‘L’ sector.

The Leh-based DIHAR Director, Dr Shashi Bala Singh, told Business Line the trigger for the breakthrough in the twin areas arose out of the ground reality that troops as well as people living in high altitude and cold desert confront a raft of health hazards normally common due to low oxygen pressure, sub-zero temperature and non-availability of fresh foods.

She said while the wild growth of sea buckthorn in the Ladakh region with its fruit being a rich repository of vitamins, antioxidant and other bioactive compounds needed for nourishment in flinty and high altitude milieu, this nutrient rich fruit could not be consumed directly due to its highly acidic properties.

Hence, DIHAR has formulated nutraceutical herbal anti-oxidant supplement using sea buckthorn pulp and extracts of indigenous medicinal plants of high altitude.

This antioxidant supplement is singularly rich in Vitamin C, Vit A, folic acid and minerals, which render the herbal supplement a unique product, she said.

These are most needed for the troops deployed in the region to withstand stress at the dizzyingly high altitude.

In yet another breakthrough, DIHAR has evolved a broiler sheep, combining the fast growing characters of Muzaffarnagri sheep and well adaptable characters of Changthangi sheep using cross-breeding technology.

It was found that crossbred sheep were growing at 145 g/d up to eight weeks of age, which was superior compared with other crosses and pure breeds of sheep.

It was further observed that hetereosis for gain in body weight in this cross was 30.6 per cent.

Dr Singh said the fresh meat requirement of the troops deployed in Leh garrison is 3146 kg/day.

But civil population of Leh demands 12,000 kg of fresh meat daily.

Estimated meat production in this region is only 3000 kg/day.

There is thus 100 per cent and 60 per cent deficiency of fresh meat availability to troops and civil population in this region respectively.

Limited availability

She said due to limited availability of fresh meat locally, procurement of processed and frozen meat from the plain region is a costly proposition that also compromised nutritional and hygienic qualities.

As availability of feeds and fodders for animals in this region is very sparse that is also a factor in improving animal productivity, DIHAR has developed an economical, balanced complete feed for sheep with the inclusions of feed ingredients which are available locally.

Suitable package of sheep rearing practices developed by DIHAR would contribute vastly to augment fresh meat production locally and throughout the year, she said. DRDO’s Chief Controller and Distinguished Scientist, Dr W. Selvamurthy, described as “valuable breakthroughs” from the border-area DIHAR which would definitely be commercialised as in the case of Sea buckthorn juices.

He said these breakthroughs would help diminish sense of alienation and heighten affiliation to the nation of the people in the border areas, besides boosting their local economy by way of gainful occupation.

He said delivery of meat to troops stationed in the high altitude had to meet high logistics cost and uncertainty in supply, whereas locally grown sheep meat would not only be fresh but also ensure uninterrupted supply whole through the year, boosting the morale of the armed forces.

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