SWEDISH SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES NETWORK

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Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala

Postal address: P O Box 7024, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Visiting address: HVC, Undervisningsplan 6 D
Web page: http://www.huv.slu.se

The department carries out basic and applied research on feed, animal production and husbandry and applied behavioural research. Particular consideration is given to these factors’ influence on health, longevity and performance of the animal as well as product quality (food) and environment. Research in sustainable livestock systems in the tropics is an important part of the department’s activities.

Research connected to South Asia:

A couple of India related PhD projects have been carried out at the department. One focused on northern India, mainly Punjab, concerning dairy farmers. The specific objective was to investigate how farmers’ perceive their possibilities to influence their farming and what they need in terms of knowledge and support to improve milk production from their buffaloes.
Agr. Lic Mikaela Ståhl Högberg led this project that was funded by Sida/SAREC and Delaval. The methodology was a qualitative one, where interviews with farmers, extension personnel and researchers in the area, form the basis for data collection. Mikaela Ståhl Högberg defended her Licentiate thesis on ”Improved Feeding Systems Leading to Higher Milk Yield for Indian Dairy Buffaloes”, on Friday 31 May 2002. More information.
After that, Mikaela Ståhl Högberg has worked with an informative web site called milkproduction.com, writing about buffalo milk production. Milkproduction.com has been a place where people involved in milk production could find useful information in order to make better business decisions. It is owned by DeLaval International AB in Tumba. Go for the web site.

The second project was run by C S Thomas, Officer Buffalo Projects from Alfa Laval Agri in Pune, India. He investigated factors related to milking physiology and mastitis in dairy buffaloes. He carried out his research in southern India.