Better livestock care, timely vaccination and adoption of modern treatment methods needed in Chitral: Dr Ghulam Muhammad

CHITRAL (Chitral Express): Director Livestock Lower Chitral Dr Ghulam Muhammad said that animals are an asset and an ATM card for people, which can be sold when needed to meet financial needs, while the benefits they provide in the form of milk and meat are separate. However, it is regrettable that despite their importance, the required attention is not being given to the proper raising and care of livestock.

He expressed these views while addressing an awareness programme held at the Ayun Veterinary Hospital under the Integrated Livestock Development Project Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A large number of local landowners and livestock farmers attended the programme.

Dr Ghulam Muhammad said that providing animals with medicines and vaccines on time not only improves their health but also increases their physical growth, milk production and overall productivity. However, because of landowners’ lack of interest and insufficient awareness, they are unable to obtain the desired production from their livestock. He said that crossbreeding had produced better-breed cows in Chitral that give far more milk than traditional breeds. He added that it was also a welcome development that, according to him, 99 percent of the calves being born were female.

He said that sometimes, because medicines costing only a small amount are not provided on time, valuable livestock worth millions of rupees are lost. He also stressed the need to prepare quality animal feed locally and to clean manure regularly from livestock sheds.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Imdadullah, focal person for the District Project “Ehsaas Be-Zuban Sehat Gari” of the Integrated Livestock Development Project Phase One, said that the mobile laboratory vehicle provided under the project has facilities for ultrasound as well as blood and milk tests. These make it possible to determine whether animals are pregnant and to diagnose various diseases in a timely manner. The government is providing these facilities to landowners.

He warned that several new animal diseases had emerged in Pakistan, including lumpy skin disease, which had spread to Chitral and Ayun. The disease causes nodules to appear on animals’ bodies, and there is a risk of loss if treatment is not given in time. He said timely vaccination was an effective means of preventing the disease. On this occasion, he praised Dr Sarwar Hussain’s timely efforts to prevent the disease in Ayun.

In his address, Dr Sarwar Hussain, in-charge of the Ayun Veterinary Hospital, said that about 80 percent of animal diseases occurred because of landowners’ inattention and negligence. He urged them to give livestock deworming medicines four times a year, ensure necessary vaccinations, provide clean and balanced feed, and keep livestock sheds clean. He said that if landowners followed information and instructions provided on a scientific basis, it would be possible to reduce animal diseases and deaths and significantly increase productivity.

In his address, the former chairman of Ayun Union Council thanked the Secretary of Livestock, Director Livestock Dr Ghulam Muhammad, Dr Imdadullah and Dr Sarwar Hussain for holding the awareness programme and praised their efforts. He stressed the need to hold similar awareness programmes for women in Ayun as well.

At the conclusion of the programme, Director Livestock Dr Ghulam Muhammad also distributed medicines for livestock among the participants.

Source: https://chitralexpress.com/updates/2026/11/14/107020/