Livestock Scientific Development Association: A True Environment Controlled Research Facility for Poultry
Introduction
Poultry farming is the fastest growing sector within animal husbandry at global level. The continuous research, use of innovative technologies as well as fruitful breeding program are the pillars of modern-day poultry industry. Poultry nutrition has now expanded into a broader field of research that extends beyond the primary ingredients and performance parameters studies.
- Poultry nutritionists address various research aspects globally, including micro-nutrient trials, water treatment studies, and product validation in poultry.
- However, there is a lack of facilities at institute level, which limits the research findings.
- This results in the presence of pesticide residues, toxins, and heavy metals in poultry products, ultimately compromising human food safety.
- Furthermore, a significant challenge faced by the poultry industry is the lack of precise research data from institutes, which hinders development and innovation of new products capable of meeting market demands.
- Environmental factors play a crucial role in poultry production including temperature, humidity, gaseous exchanges light, altitude, wind velocity, air quality and population density.
- Many research studies revealed the impact of environmental factors on growth of broilers.
- A higher level of ammonia (NH3) in poultry houses has harmful impacts on caretaker’s and animal well-being (Ni, 2015).
- Furthermore, the performance and productivity of broilers are influenced by factors viz., air temperature, relative humidity and air velocity (Giloh et al., 2012).
- The housing environment, encompassing factors such as temperature (both cold and fluctuating conditions) and air quality including dust concentration, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and oxygen (O2) levels are recognized as a key determinant of growth and contribute to the incidence of ascites in broiler chickens (McGovern et al., 2001).
These studies revealed that the environment plays a key role in poultry production. Thus, poultry research trials need standard environment and optimum nutritional conditions.
The lack of skilled human resources for various roles such as farm manager, farm supervisor, feed mill manager, feed mill supervisor, etc. hinders the management at poultry farms. This can lead to a decline in production of poultry products such as meat and eggs. These problems can be resolved by promoting proper training and an education program to these positions.
To response to these challenges, the Livestock Scientific Development Association (LSDA) has been established with the following objectives,
1. The aim of this project is to establish a state-of-the-art research facility for institutes that can support their scientific endeavors and enhance the research & development in Indian livestock industry by conducting rigorous experiments.
2. Organize skill development program to enhance individual’s abilities and competencies to improve skill & knowledge by using research facilities for broilers, layers & breeders, laboratory facilities and feed mill facilities.
LSDA- A State-of-the art R&D Facility
LSDA is registered under section VIII nonprofit organization to support various livestock research. It serves bridge between scientists, organizations, feed companies and institutes, facilitating collaboration, innovation & knowledge exchange.
- It is a state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) facility located at Indore (India) which boasts India’s first R&D house with HVAC system, feed pellet mill and advanced laboratory facility.
- The HVAC system is designed to optimize environmental conditions and is employed to regulate the atmospheric conditions within poultry houses, utilizes the principle of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer.
- The Air Handling Unit (AHU) is a component of the HVAC system, engineered to manage and condition the air as it is processed within the system.
- This system also provides a source of ventilation which facilitated the escape route for moisture.
- The HVAC system installed at LSDA facility is as per latest standard compromising Heating unit, Air conditioning units, Ducts and Moisture vents. Sensors installed in HVAC unit are sensible to changes in levels of humidity, O2, CO2, NH3, etc.
Environmental conditions to be monitored inside the poultry house: An ideal environmental condition which was quoted by previous researchers is followed at LSDA experimental facility. The following norms at the facility are as per the following references:
Facilities at LSDA (State-of-the-Art Facilities at LSDA)
The LSDA experimental station is located in Indore, India. The LSDA aims to provide an optimum environmental condition for experimental birds as well as standardized experiment facility at common platform for devotee researchers.
Experimental House
The fastest growing poultry industry needs an optimum environmental condition with well- equipped experimental house. LSDA experimental station approved by Committee for the Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA), Ministry of Animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries, Government of India with capacity of 840 birds, dedicated for broilers, layers and breeder.
Experimental house contains 84 adjustable pens/blocks can accommodate 10 experimental birds per block and the blocks can be further adjusted according to research protocol (20 birds/pen, 30 birds/ pen, etc.). Each pen is covered with automatic feeders and drinkers. It also provides an opportunity to conduct research studies through water soluble supplements.
The facility is also equipped to conduct trials on water and feed treatments, as well as digestibility studies of various nutrients, including micronutrients such as amino acids, minerals and vitamins.
Pellet Feed Mill
An available feed pelleting mill at LSDA with capacity of producing pellets at 150 kg per hour and crumbler for crumbles production facilitates ease in feeding experiments. This feed pelleting mill enhances the opportunity for formulation of experimental diet for trial birds.
- The State-of-the-Art pellet feed mill is equipped with modern technology and adheres to the safety and hygiene standards to guarantee the product integrity.
The pellet mill is used to manufacture standard and custom diets for animal models to meet the research objectives. The diet/feed is exclusively formulated to meet the requirements of laboratory animals like, Rat, Rabbit, Mouse, Mice, Hamster, Guinea Pig and also for pet birds.
Laboratory facility
The R&D facility provides an advanced and well-equipped laboratory facility which includes different sections viz., microbiological, wet chemistry and instrumental section.
- This helps in testing different samples of feed and feed supplements, excreta or digesta samples obtained during experimental studies.
- The laboratory facility comprises of advanced instruments viz., High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas chromatography/ Mass spectrometry (GC/MS), Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (LC-MS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP MS), etc., to aid in analysis of pesticides, dioxins, heavy metals, antibiotics, amino acids, vitamins, etc. from food and feed samples.
- The available laboratory facility at LSDA stands as most advanced laboratory in the country.
Research/ Trials facility at LSDA
LSDA facilitates numbers of experimental trial facilities with precise result outcomes. Apart from nutritional studies, LSDA provides a facility to conduct micro-nutrient digestibility trial by marker and fecal method.
This experimental station also gives an opportunity to conduct trials such as water treatment trials, research on feed additives, enzymes and pro-biotic to improve nutrient utilization, formulation on specialized diets to optimize growth, egg production and overall health, amino acid digestibility trials, studies to evaluate the economics and sustainability of poultry farming, antimicrobial resistance mitigation studies and many more.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Activities:
LSDA is registered for the CSR activities under section VIII with registration number-CSR00070582, under Ministry of Corporate Affairs Office of the Register Companies, Government of India.
The fund generated at LSDA is utilized for the following CSR activities like,
- LSDA provides free nutritional support to Gaushalas, NGOs and livestock farms present in temples to improve the productivity performance of nutritionally poor and underperforming animals.
- Providing support and resources to smallholder farmers to improve their livestock management practices, enhanced productivity and surge in income generation.
- This institute also seeks provision to provide water and feed to the birds during summer by arranging free waterers and feeders in the various cities.
- LSDA promises to provide scholarships and R&D facility for free to universities and veterinary research scholars, who want to pursue their dreams of conducting advanced research studies in Poultry Science.
- LSDA also helps these research scholars to publish their research studies in reputed journals and magazines to promote their study at national and international stage/platforms.
Functions of LSDA
LSDA collaborates with scientists, organizations, companies and institutes to advance poultry and livestock science in the world.
- The LSDA seeks to promote scientific experiments of products in institutes and strongly believes in sharing the results with relevant stakeholders.
- LSDA gives an opportunity to provide scientific data of institutes to feed industry and organizations that support poultry and livestock research.
- This institute facilitates access to facilities and equipment for conducting ideal scientific trials in various institutes.
- The establishment of a central laboratory at LSDA enhanced precise data analysis and quality assurance of poultry and livestock research.
- LSDA takes an opportunity to train human resources and improve their skills for various roles such as farm managers, supervisors, feed mill managers and feed mill supervisors.
- This institute facilitates providing research data to poultry scientists, organizations and companies for evidence-based decision making.
- LSDA offers various programs such as training courses, workshops and short-term courses for poultry management (broiler, layer, breeder and feed mill technology).
- LSDA is an advanced experimental station with well-equipped in-house experiment facility, sophisticated lab and feed pelleting mill.
- These aids establish research protocols in experimental birds to seek precise results.
Conclusions
- The livestock industry is the fastest growing industry and fulfils human food demand but, lack of scientific research facility and skilled workers in livestock sector of developing countries leads to lower livestock production.
- LSDA plays important role in minimizing these lacunae.
- This facility serves one platform for institutes, feed industry scientists, students & researchers and exchange their knowledge.
- Experiment houses with HVAC system can minimize stress on birds by providing optimum environment and nutrients.
- Poultry houses with HVAC, advanced lab facilities, pellet feed mill give opportunity to researchers to make experiment protocol as per need.
- Scientific trainings programs in such R&D facilities promote skilled human resources for different roles at poultry farms.
- Various roles along with CSR activities and aims of LSDA have been discussed in detail in this article.
