By Azeem Ahmed Khan

Prof Mazhar Ayaz, Vice-Chancellor of Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, has commended the Punjab government’s new digital livestock monitoring initiative, stating it could significantly improve animal healthcare and help turn the province into a disease-free zone.

The program, approved by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, integrates all services of the Livestock & Dairy Development Department into a single digital system developed by the Punjab Information Technology Board, linking them to the “Livestock Connect” platform for real-time monitoring of mobile veterinary services and staff performance.

“With this connection, farmers will be able to access vaccines and treatment in real time, and get proper guidance on seasonal and animal health issues,” Prof Mazhar told Wealth Pakistan. The system would also strengthen accountability by enabling farmers to report missed vaccinations or staff absenteeism, he added.

He said border districts, including Attock, DG Khan, Koh-e-Suleman, Bhakkar and Rahim Yar Khan, would be monitored more closely, helping curb trans-boundary diseases such as Lumpy Skin Disease, Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects sheep and goats.

“These diseases usually enter through border areas. With digital surveillance, they can be controlled in a much better way,” he said, expressing optimism that the initiative could help fulfil Punjab’s ambition of becoming a disease-free zone.

Prof Mazhar said Cholistan University is ready to support the program, calling it a major step towards modernizing livestock healthcare and strengthening farmer services.

Alongside the digital rollout, the provincial cabinet has also approved a fixed monthly travel allowance of Rs4,000 for veterinary assistants and artificial insemination technicians, a move Prof Mazhar described as a long-pending reform.

“This will improve field mobility by covering fuel and maintenance costs, allowing staff to concentrate on their duties,” he said.

These combined measures are expected to enhance disease control, improve service delivery and support millions of livestock farmers across Punjab.

Pakistan’s livestock sector continued its steady upward trajectory in FY25, recording a growth rate of 4.72 percent and reinforcing its role as the most stable and resilient component of the agriculture economy, official data show.

Figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics indicate that livestock has maintained consistent positive growth over the past six years, rising by 2.80 percent in FY20, 2.38 percent in FY21, 2.25 percent in FY22, and accelerating to 3.70 percent in FY23 before further improving to 4.38 percent in FY24 and 4.72 percent in FY25.

Prof Mazhar attributes this continued momentum to rising domestic demand for milk and meat, improved farm management practices, and the gradual adoption of better breeding and animal health services. The upward trend also reflects the increased participation of smallholders, for whom livestock remains a critical source of livelihood and financial resilience.

With livestock now delivering over four percent growth for two consecutive years, targeted investments in feed development, disease control, value-added processing, and market linkages could further strengthen the sector’s contribution to rural employment and the national economy, food security, and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, he added.

 
Credit: INP-WealthPk