Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University

About Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University

Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) was established on 20th September 1989 with its head quarters at Chennai. The foundation of the University lay in the Madras Veterinary College set up in 1876. It was started as an Agricultural School in Chennai to offer diploma and certificate course in the field of veterinary and animal sciences. The institute attained the status of a college in the year 1903 (01.10.1903), when it started functioning at Dobbin Hall, Chennai and admitted 20 students for a three-year diploma course called GMVC (Graduate of Madras Veterinary College). Based on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Agriculture, the college was upgraded to impart degree in veterinary science. Although the college was the fourth veterinary institution to be started in India, it was first veterinary college in the country to be affiliated to a university, the University of Madras in 1935 and the Bachelor of Veterinary Science (B.V.Sc.) degree course was started in 1936. The University of Madras also recognized the college as a centre for postgraduate education. In 1969, the college was made as the Directorate of Veterinary Education and Research. The college was then academically affiliated to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) in 1974 and became a constituent unit of TNAU in 1976. To meet the demand of veterinary education and research, a second veterinary college was started in Namakkal in the year 1985. Realizing the importance of education research in animal and fisheries sciences so as to increase its productivity towards better income generation for the resource poor farmers, the government of Tamil Nadu set up the present form of University. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has accredited this university for a period of five years from 14.8.2001. TANUVAS is an autonomous institution governed by its Board of Management which regulates the polices of the university in accordance with the provision of act and statues.

Constituent Institutions

• Madras Veterinary College, Chennai.
• Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal.
• Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukkudi.
• Institute of Food and Dairy Technology, Koduvalli, Chennai.

University Directorates

• Centre for Animal Health Studies, Chennai.
• Centre for Animal Production Studies, Chennai.
• Directorate of Clinics, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai.
• Directorate of Extension Education, Chennai.
• Directorate of Research (Animal Sciences), Chennai.
• Directorate of Research and Extension (Fisheries), Chennai.
• Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukkudi.

Location  - Click here for Google Map Location.

Faculty

1. Veterinary and Animal Sciences.
2. Basic Sciences.
3. Fisheries Science.

Facilities

Hostel - Residential accommodations for a total strength of 1200 students (Undergraduate and Post-graduate) including girl students are provided in the various college campuses of the university.

Library - The library has a collection of over 39,000 books. Of these, more than 12,000 books are kept as reference books. Around 400 to 500 basic to advanced books are added every year for the users of the library. The Library has a collection of about 84 e-books at present and all these e-books are accessible via the Intranet which connects all the three teaching campuses and the University headquarters. The Library subscribes 155 foreign journals and 35 Indian journals. The Library has also activated on-line access to 125 foreign journals and 12 Indian journals. The Library has about 40 CD-ROMs for the users to retrieve necessary scientific data. The library started microfilming of the M.V.Sc. and Ph.D. Theses and other important documents in the year 1998. The Library has a microfilm recorder and a reader printer. Circulation activities of the library had been automated using “Library Management Software” developed for this library. The “Software for University Libraries” (SOUL) developed by UGC is now being used. The resources of the library in terms of books, back volumes of the journals, M.V.Sc. and Ph.D. theses of MVC, VC&RI and FC&RI, CD-ROMs, VCDs/DVDs and other reports have been catalogued and the web-based Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) of the library is available across the Intranet of TANUVAS which connects all the three teaching campuses and the university headquarters.

Computing and Internet - All the three constituent colleges and the university headquarters, which are individually networked through LAN, are also linked by WAN. A lease line Internet connectivity (128 kb) meets the Internet and Emailing needs of the faculty members and students. The students pay a nominal fee of Rs.10 per hour for Internet browsing at the elegantly designed Internet Kiosks. The University has also set to fully harvest the potential benefits of IT in the sector by promoting IT literacy among faculty and students, infusing of IT in to veterinary education and research and enabling use of multimedia in teaching and learning.

Distance Education Programme - All the ongoing Distance Education Courses of the University are being monitored and evaluated by the Distance Education Cell. New courses are developed regularly from 14 this centre to cater to the larger sectorious of people.

The following courses are being offered through Distance Education Mode :

• Dairy farming (Print mode).
• Goat farming (Print mode).
• Animal Welfare (Print / Web mode).
• Livestock and poultry farm manager (print mode).
• Management of infertility in Bovines (CD ROM based).
• Recent trends in disease diagnosis and treatment of ruminants (CD ROM based).
• Optimizing cattle feeding with locally available feed resources (CD ROM based).
• Other extension activities include provision of video lessons, Advises and consultancy, Mass media coverage and Exhibition cum Mass contact programme.

Laboratories

1.  Avian Disease Laboratory, Namakkal - M.V.Sc. and Ph.D students of various faculties from Madras Veterinary and Veterinary College and Research Institute are utilizing this centre for collection of clinical materials for their research programme.

Training:

• Certificate Course On Poultry Management.

2.  Avian Disease Laboratory, Thalaivasal

Training:

• Six weeks “Certificate Course on Poultry Management” is conducted twice a year (during February – March and July - August) for the benefit of unemployed youths, school drop-outs, rural women, existing poultry farm workers, entrepreneurs etc.

• Organising need based off campus / on campus training on various aspects of animal husbandry activities to the needy persons.

3.  Centralised Instrumentation Laboratory - This unit possesses modern and costly equipments which cater to the needs of research students and faculty. The sophisticated equipment available include micro plate spectrophotometer, gel documentation system, Zeiss microscope, vacuum concentrator, cryostat microtome, and ultra-filtration system. The presence of a computer aided transmission electron microscope is the hallmark of the unit.

4.  Central University Laboratory - It provides services to the farming community, animal product exporter and governmental agencies, all animal health care facilities under one roof.

5.  Central Animal Feed and Food Residue Laboratory, Chennai.

Facilities available:

• Thin layer chromatography - For mycotoxins (Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin, T2 Toxin Citrinin and Penicillic acid) and for pesticides orgahochlorine compounds in feed stuff.

• Gas Chromatography - For detection of Organochlonine compounds in feed and feed stuff and biospecimens.

6.  Animal Feed Analytical and Quality Control Laboratory, Namakkal - The Laboratory has been established for testing feed/feed ingredients for their proximate components and mycotoxins on cost-effective basis for the benefit of Poultry/Livestock farmers.

7.  Shrimp Disease Diagnosis Laboratory, Chennai - It provides diagnostic services at an affordable cost to the aqua-farming community, apart from Training.

Facilities:

• Shrimp seed quality Testing methods.
• Shrimp seed quality assessment techniques (includes PCR).

7.  Vaccine Research Centre, Chennai - It is located at the Centre for Animal Health Studies, TANUVAS, Madhavaram Milk Colony Campus, Chennai.

Training:

• Training on Animal Tissue Culture to life science undergraduate students, postgraduate students and faculty members of Universities at the cost of Rs.5000/- per candidates for 10 days duration and Rs.7,500/- per candidate for 21 days duration, will be given on need basis.

• Training programmes on Basic Virological techniques to field Veterinary Assistant Surgeons and Postgraduate Life Science Students on need basis.

• As a part of Internship training programme, students of both Madras Veterinary College, Chennai and Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal are explained about the biological products developed by VRC-VV and its activities.

Research Stations

1.  Livestock Research Station, Kattupakkam - It is involved in various activities like launching new schemes for intensive fish care unit including high-tech ornamental fish farm, duck cum fish culture and paddy cum fish culture, genetic studies on sheep etc.

2.  Institute of Poultry Production and Management - The research station has a farm advisory cell, which guides the poultry farmers approaching with various poultry related problems.

Training Programmes:

• Japanese quail farming – Second week of every month (Monday to Friday) – 5 days duration.

• Turkey production – Fourth week of every month (Monday to Friday) - 5 days duration.

3.  Mecheri Sheep Research Station, Pottaneri - It is involved in the survey, evaluation and characterization of Mecheri breed of sheep. The Station has the aim of improving the Mecheri sheep breed.

4.  Sheep Breeding Research Station, Sandynallah - Two decades of intensive research in this station has resulted in the development of a fine wool breed of sheep named Sandyno. Sandyno breed was developed by crossing Nilagiri sheep with Merino and Rambouillet. The breed has ¾ inheritance from Nilagiri and 5/8 inheritance from Merino / Rambouillet breeds. The breed has been field tested and found to adapt well to the local climatic and environmental conditions. The Sandyno sheep grow to a body weight of 24 kg in males and 20 kg in females at yearling stage. The average wool yield is 2.2 kg.

5.  University Research Farm, Chennai.

Reservation of Seats for Foreign Students - As per G.O.(Ms) No.50, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (AH6) Department dated 27.05.2009, 5 Seats in B.V.Sc. & A.H., and 3 Seats in B.F.Sc., and 5 Seats in P.G. courses (M.V.Sc., and M.F.Sc.,) will be reserved for the foreign students over and above the in-take capacity from the academic year 2009-2010.

Clinical Training for Overseas Students - 91 students from Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Bangladesh and 5 students from the University Putra, Malaysia are undergoing clinical training program for a period of one month. The program is conducted under the guidance of the Dean of the University.

Farmers Training Centre and ATICs

1.  Farmers Training Centre, Enathur, Kancheepuram - This centre cater to me needs of practising farmers, farm women, unemployed youth, Self help group and entrepreneurs in the areas of livestock and poultry farming through various training programme and technology dissemination.

2.  Farmers Training Centre, Theni - The Centre caters to the needs of the livestock and poultry farmers like training, consultancy, setting up of new farms, offering project reports. etc.

3.  Farmers Training Centre, Tiruvarur

Some of the Training Programmes (both on campus and off campus)

1. Dairy Farming.
2. Goat Rearing.
3. Sheep Rearing.
4. Green Fodder production and Agroforestry.
5. Milk and Milk products preparation.

5.  Agricultural Technology Information Centre - The Centre aims at developing linkage between the Research Institution and farmers. Farmers visiting this centre are being provided with latest technologies on livestock and fish farming system through Touch Screen Information Kiosk. The journals, magazines and news letters of various Universities are being made available in the ATIC library for the benefit of visiting farmers.

Veterinary University Training and Research Centres

These are located in :

• Coimbatore.
• Cuddalore.
• Dharmapuri.
• Dindigul.
• Erode.
• Karur.
• Madurai.
• Melmaruvathur.
• Nagercoil.
• Rajapalayam.
• Salem.
• Thanjavur.
• Tiruchirappalli.
• Tirunelveli.
• Tirupur.
• Vellore.

Krishi Vigyan Kendras

1.  Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kattupakkam - The centre is located at Potheri which is about 17 kms from Tambaram on the GST- NH 47 highways. The centre gets 100 percent financial assistance from Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi.

Some of the Sponsored Training Programmes:

• Dairy Farm management and Goat and Sheep Farming.
• Integrated Agriculture Management.
• Agriculture Input Marketing.

2.  Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kundrakudi - It is located at Kundrakudi, which is about 12 kms from Karaikudi and 64 kms from Sivagangai. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kundrakudi was fully funded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. It is the grassroot level vocational training centre in the state of Tamil Nadu. This centre acts as a bridge for transfer of advanced technologies from laboratory to land / field.

Activities:

• Conducting training programme as Dairy management, Sheep farming, Goat rearing, Piggery, Rabbit farming, Duck farming, Layer and Broiler farming.
• Conducting training programme on Agricultural crop production and Horticultural crop production.

3.  Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Namakkal - It is a technology transfer centre for Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Home Science and Fisheries production. The Kendra caters the farming community, Self Help Groups, Rural Youths, Extension personnel etc., through various programmes like trainings, On Farm Testings, FrontLine Demonstrations and advisory services.

Kisan Call Centre - The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Government of India has launched Kisan Call Centre, Level II which is functioning in this Directorate with a toll free telephone number 1551.

Hospitals

These are:

• Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital - It provides education programs for professional Veterinary Students, Graduate Veterinarians and the Public. In addition there are small animal operation theatres and large animal operation theatre. The hospital is equipped with Mobile Veterinary Clinic and ambulance to cater the needs of animal owners of various parts of the city. The hospital offers training for various national and international students, short and refresher courses, hands on training for practising and field veterinarians on cost basis. Conducts free anti rabies vaccine campaign.

• Veterinary University Peripheral Hospital - The Hospital is 13 KM away from the famous Madras Veterinary College campus. It imparts clinical training to undergraduate students of Madras Veterinary College and intern students of Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal.

e-Courses For B.V.Sc. & A.H. Degree Programme - These Courses serve to deliver the modules developed online (web) and offline (CD / DVD) so as to reach out to even the less endowed institutions/ faculty/ students.

Facilities:

• Treatment facilities for Pet animal and Food animals.
• Surgical operation theatre facilities.
• Mobile clinical facilities.
• Artificial insemination to larger ruminants.
• X-ray diagnostic facilities.
• Physiotherapy facilities.
• Quality Vaccination program on payment basis.

Student Counselling and Placement - The Council provides a wide range of services for TANUVAS undergraduates and postgraduates, including the following core elements:

• Career Advice and Guidance.
• Information on Courses, Fairs, Presentations, Talks and Workshops.
• Coaching for Competitive examinations.

Achievements

• Release of new strain of sheep - "Kattupakkam Red Sheep".

• Release of "Kattupakkam White Pig".

• Jersey X Sindhi cross bred - suitable for the plains of Tamil Nadu.

• Murrah buffaloes - selective breeding.

• The University has tied up with the University of Nebraska, Michigan State University and Virginia-Tech University by way of agreement renewal, visit of key personalities from these Universities to identify areas of collaboration, apart from conduct of conference, workshop and student exchange programmes.

• The conduct of symposium on clinical case presentation competition in collaboration with Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM), USA is the first of its kind.

• Regarding betterment of animal health, TANUVAS has developed ties with Institute of Animal Health, UK to develop vaccines against coccidiosis and molecular diagnostics.

• Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University played a stellar role in the conduct of tripartite conference in association with Michigan State University and Makerere University, Uganda for sharing of knowledge amongst the three universities. Further, five faculty members of University of Gondar, Ethiopia were trained on poultry and laboratory animal medicine.

• On the research front, 115 projects funded by Central and State Governments and various Private agencies for a sum of Rs 15.33 crores are being handled.

• Apart from this, 83 plan schemes with a financial outlay of Rs 33.26 crores funded by Government of Tamil Nadu are currently in progress. During this year, two new programmes on development of inactivated swine fever vaccine and empowerment of rural women through rotational goat and desi fowl rearing have been implemented for a sum of Rs 50 lakhs.

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Information compiled from: Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Website