The department has worked extensively on locally available agro-industrial byproducts and established their safe levels of usage in poultry and growing calves (through complete feeding system).
Since about last 30 years the department is engaged in research in Animal Nutrition. Research activities undertaken are mainly in the field of Cattle and Poultry Nutrition. Department has worked on the use of various feed ingredients available in the part of state (Konkan region), where the Department is located. Mango and Kokum are the important horticultural crops of the region. The byproducts available after extraction of oil from these seeds have been nutritionally evaluated for their use in cattle and poultry. Similarly byproducts like warai bran, salseed extraction and fishmeal also have been evaluated. In poultry some of the feed additives were also tried and the results were compared with control. In growing calves use of certain supplements, binding agents, slaughterhouse byproducts have been tried as part of ration. Studies on laboratory ensiling of slaughterhouse byproducts and vegetable market waste have also been completed. Department has conducted research trials at Haffkine Bio-pharmaceutical Corporation Limited, Pune (HBPCL) on horses and mules used for antitoxin production. In this, feeding regime of the farm (HBPCL) was evaluated in light of CPCSEA feeding schedule.
In addition, the department undertakes “Need Based Research Projects”. Research findings and recommendations from this department are being used by feed industry /dairy/poultry farmers. Research on use of unconventional feeds like sal seed meal, mango seed kernel extraction, kokum cake, dried poultry litter/waste, fatty acid waste, protein hydrolysate, guar meal, rain affected jowar, different enzyme preparations etc. in livestock/poultry feed has been of great benefit to the farmers in the region.