Animal Science Quarterly by Disease Investigation Lab, Nowshera

DIL, Nowshera of SHD Kashmir is the leading laboratory amongst four divisional labs of departments of Animal/Sheep Husbandry Jammu & Kashmir in terms of:

*    Launching highly effective programme of control of Sheep Pox after getting conducted successful trials of Killed Sheep Pox vaccine.
*    Orchestrating the most successful cross breeding programme in India in sheep by way of development of Kashmir Merino breed through strategic disease control program and monitoring production parameters.
*    Starting PCR for molecular diagnosis of diseases.
*    Marker assisted selection studies in breeding programmes including Fec B genotyping contributing to doubling production.
*    Initiating work on Cell culture mode of vaccine production.
*    Initiating work on Embryo Transfer Technology and A.I. in sheep and goat.
*    Conducting Drug trials.
*    Analyzer based analysis of feed and fodder and pathological investigations.
*    Studying indigenous sheep breed Gurezi and extensively study cross breed Kashmir Merino.
*    Printing research journal, Disease Bulletin and Breeder's Manual besides several papers in national or international journals/abstracts for national level conferences.
*    Conducting several studies on ethno-veterinary medicine, cross breeding programmes, Brucellosis, presence of E coli toxins in locally slaughtered sheep, trials on commonly used dosings, review of ethics of industrial farming etc. Research work continued in DIL on Gene sequences of two different genes of Orf virus strains prevalent in Sheep and Goat of Kashmir Valley submitted to NCBI GenBank have helped put DIL staff on international map.

Its other distinctions include:

*    The first in India to identify Clostridium septicum from field outbreaks (Nucleotide sequence GENBANK Accession No. KtY440186) and report Eperythozoon.
*    Standardizing protocols (PCR based) for confirmation of diseases such as Enterotoxaemias (C. perfringens A, B, C, D & E), Braxy (C. septicum). Brucellosis (Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis) and is currently providing PCR based diagnosis of almost all economically important diseases including PPR, Sheep Pox, Goat Pox, Orf, FMD, CCPP sparing the need for approaching other labs for diagnosis in most cases.
*    Achieving exemplary control of menacing Sheep Pox and Fasciolosis and lately PPR. No outbreak of any disease has been allowed to flare up beyond control in last few decades. The laboratory has played a pivotal role in facilitating timely diagnosis and control of Brucellosis in farms and tackle outbreaks in field.
*    Publishing Teur, Teur Chu Son Seur and pamphlets on major diseases like Brucellosis.
*    Launching massive regular weekly outreach/awareness cum training programme with field extension agencies field.
*    Working on several projects on disease prevalence and monitoring, using local resources without any significant financial implications.
*    Collaborating with other institutions for various studies including with FVSc & AH for diagnosis of Campylobacter fetus ssp. fetus, studies on poisonous plants in Kashmir valley,