Abstract

Agriculture community of Pakistan mostly consists on small farmers which have various limitations in their routine farming practices, so due to this reason per yield level is ranged between lower to middle economy to cater the food requirements of growing population. Current study was designed and implemented with focus on rural development in southern Punjab. Target was tried to be met by livestock extension education in three districts including Multan, Rajanpur and Muzzafargarh. Different remote and rural areas of these districts were selected. Workshops, corner meetings, seminars of male units were conducted to educate them about modern husbandry practices to strengthen the livestock extension education. People were found to be very keen about the latest knowledge and practices used in the livestock science and showed their maximum interest for learning. Deworming was performed to their animals by using injection Ivermectin and 3rd generation antibiotic Enrofloxacin was used to treat the general infections of the animals. These medication services were performed free of cost to the farmers that really had created their interest about the welfare of animals. The farmers were not thorough known about the feed and water requirements of the animals, pre-infection precautions, breeding practices, calf and dam care and mainly the routine management practices especially about the housing and comfort of their animals. These learning practices definitely will help them to build their basic knowledge about animal husbandry and this will lead to uplift their socioeconomic status. This will pave a way for further improvements and measures about rural development and poverty alleviation in Pakistan.

Keywords: Livestock; Extension; Punjab; Rural; Poverty