Rukum West farmers benefit from veterinary laboratory

By Raju Lamichhane,Rukum West, Sept. 13: Farmers of Rukum West district have benefitted after the veterinary laboratory services started from the district's Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Centre last year.  

According to Gyan Kumar Sharma, acting chief of the centre, the laboratory services have made it faster to get test results of the samples collected from sick cattle. 

The samples collected from cattle suspicious of infection or disease were earlier sent to Surkhet or Kathmandu for test. 

It would take days for a test result to arrive, thus affecting the timely treatment of infected cattle.

"The laboratory was only equipped to test manure and urine of cattle for basic infection and disease until a year ago. Now, rabies, Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Khoret and swine fever in animals, and Ranikhet (Newcastle) and Gumboro (an infectious bursal disease), among others, in birds and poultry can be tested in the district's lab," said Sharma.

Until now, the laboratory has conducted antigen tests of 137 samples for rabies, 308 for PPR, 68 for Ranikhet, 103 for Gumboro, 53 for Khoret and 105 for swine fever. 

"When cattle or poultry is suspected of any infection or disease, a team is sent to collect samples. 

We then conduct the tests in the district allowing veterinarians to prescribe necessary medicine at the earliest," said Sharma.

Farmers in the district have also increased communication with veterinarians at the centre. It is an example of how farmers have started trusting animal experts and increasing investment in the sector.