Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute

Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute(BLRI) established at Savar, Dhaka as an autonomous institution in 1984 with the objectives of identifying and solving problems associated with livestock and poultry; developing techniques and knowledge for livestock and poultry production; training of resource persons for the sector; strengthening research-extension-NGO linkages; and assisting the government in policy decisions. The Institute has six research and support service divisions and two regional stations. The divisions are Animal Production, Animal Health, Poultry Production, Socio-economics and Marketing, System Research, and Support Service. The regional stations are in Baghabari (Sirajganj) and Naikhongchhari (Bandarban).

The Director General is the head executive, and the organisation is administered by a 14-member Board of Management with the Minister for Fisheries and Livestock as the chairman. Sixty-five scientists and 83 supporting staff are at present working in the institute with programmes dedicated to developing suitable breed of livestock and methods of improved production and preservation techniques of fodder and feeds, and utilisation of agricultural by-products. BLRI also works on finding techniques of ensuring better health of livestock and poultry, evaluating indigenous herbs and shrubs, exploring the possibility of their use as drugs, identifying marketing problems of livestock, and poultry products, and disseminating information on research and developments. The institute has determined effective levels of different feed supplements and developed a cattle fattening model which should yield a higher growth rate in terms of live weight of cattle and a higher feeds conversion efficiency. A selective breeding programme on the Pabna Cattle, Black Bengal goats, buffaloes, gayals (Bos frontalis), and semi-scavenging poultry are under implementation.

Research on the farming system is supplemented by adaptation trials of technologies. The feed research programme is aimed at improving available feeds, exploring new feeds from non-conventional sources, screening of potential forage germplasms from native and exotic sources, and nutrient recycling for feed production and environment pollution control. Research work of the animal health research division includes epidemiological studies of livestock and poultry diseases, disease diagnosis, molecular biology, and vaccine development. [Jahangir Alam]