Category: News

𝟮𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, 𝗚𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝘂: As a part of Pandemic Fund Project in Bhutan, the Department of Livestock (DoL) in collaboration with the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization in Bhutan, is conducting a six-day refresher training program for field veterinary paraprofessionals from the western and west-central regions of the country. The training, scheduled from March 24 to March 29, 2025, in Gelephu, covers veterinary paraprofessionals from 11 districts. A total of 63 veterinary paraprofessionals posted at Geog Livestock Extension Centres, District Veterinary Hospitals, National Veterinary Hospital, central programs and government farms are participating in this training program. This initiative marks the second batch of training, following the successful completion of the training for first batch held from January 6 to January 11, 2025, in Phuentsholing.

With the rapid advancements in veterinary medicine, continuous learning and upskilling are crucial for field veterinary paraprofessionals. However, limited funding for continuous professional development has posed challenges. This refresher training aims to address these gaps, ensuring that veterinary paraprofessionals stay updated on emerging trends and best practices.

The refresher training program will cover key areas essential for improving animal health services in the country, focusing on Veterinary Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Clinical Case Management, Veterinary Microbiology, Animal Welfare, Biosecurity and Biosafety, common Surgical Procedures, and Disease Prevention and Control Strategies.

A combination of theoretical and practical approaches is adopted for this training program to ensure comprehensive learning. Theoretical sessions consist of lectures on critical veterinary topics, while practical sessions will provide hands-on training in modern techniques and best practices. Additionally, interactive discussions, case studies and problem-solving exercises, are included to enhance participant engagement. To assess learning outcomes, a pre-training and post-training test is being conducted.

By the end of the training, participants are expected to have upgraded skills and knowledge, leading to enhanced efficiency in animal health service delivery. This initiative aims to strengthen delivery of critical veterinary services in the field, ultimately enhancing the standards of both animal health care and public health in Bhutan.

24 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳, 2024 (𝘉𝘶𝘮𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨): International Animal Feed Specialist, Dr Sushil Kumar Saxena, is currently in Bhutan to strengthen the Animal Nutrition Laboratory at the National Development Centre for Animal Nutrition (NDCAN) in Bumthang.

Dr Saxena’s expertise is vital to bridging the existing gaps in Bhutan’s feed quality and safety framework. Throughout his mission, he will work closely with the National Development Centre for Animal Nutrition (NDCAN) to strengthen the laboratory capacity and establish legitimate, scientifically sound standards for animal feeds.

Specifically, his roles include a thorough review of the existing minimum nutrient content standards for commercial feeds—covering poultry, piggery, dairy, and fishery—which are manufactured by domestic feed mills in Bhutan. As part of this review, Dr. Saxena will compare Bhutan’s current feed standards for both macronutrients (such as energy, crude protein, calcium, and phosphorus) and micronutrients (like amino acids, vitamins, and trace minerals) with internationally accepted norms. This process aims to produce a technical report proposing updated minimum nutrient requirements that align with the needs of high-yielding livestock breeds in Bhutan.

In addition to nutrient standards, Dr Saxena will focus on developing legitimately agreeable standards—or permissible limits—for feed contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, and mycotoxins. By establishing comprehensive, science-based feed safety parameters, regulatory bodies such as the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) will be better positioned to monitor and enforce these standards.

Through these combined efforts, the Department of Livestock aspires to enhance the overall feed testing and monitoring framework. Ultimately, this will help guarantee safer and higher-quality feed supplies, thereby supporting Bhutan’s growing livestock sector and safeguarding public health.

Dr Saxena’s visit is part of the EU-funded Technical Assistance for Agrifood Systems (EU-TAAS) project, implemented by FAO Bhutan.

𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘺 𝘰𝘧 FAO Bhutan