Research Programme

• Feed resource inventerization and upscaling feeding technology for improving production

• Value addition of poor quality feed resources to improve bio-availability of nutrients
• Feed and nutrient requirements of camels under different physiological status and developing feeding standards for camels
• Identification of methanogenic archia and use of plant secondary metabolite to reduce methanogenesis.
• Assessment of growth performance of camel calves under different feeding regimes and plugging production gaps through strategic supplementation of limiting nutrients.

• Ground nut straw has high feed utilization efficiency in comparison to guar straw and feeding of 50:50 guar plus ground nut straw has been found to be effective and economic for feeding of camels.
• Cost of feeding was lower with guar straw but availability of nutrient was more with urea, thus urea feeding is more economical.
• Feeding of complete feed blocks showed higher total digestibility and nutrient utilization as compared to other routine fodders
• Analysis of local feed resources in Bikaner region indicated higher C.P. values in tree leaves followed by bushes/shrubs, leguminous crops and grasses
• Draft camels engaged in water supply through camel cart when given complete feed blocks on the average worked daily for 17.93% longer time and had 23.81% more feed intake with 11% higher net income.
• Complete camel calves ration consisted of 25 % tree leaves, 40 % wheat straw, 20 % bui leaves and 70% of guar /gram straw has been developed.

• Cu and Zn have been found deficient in blood samples of camel in arid Zones of Rajasthan.
• Soil has low levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Cu and Zn in all the Zones of arid Rajasthan.
• Cu and Zn were deficient in all the fodder samples analysed in the arid zone. Whereas, Fe was in ample quantity. Ca, P, Mg, Co and Mn levels were in sufficient amount.