Page 14 - Think Grain Think Feed - Noc 2025 Issue

www.benisonmedia.com INTERVIEW Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 12 | Issue 1 | Nov 2025 Could you please share
Over 70% of
India's Milk Meets
Global Standards
Dr Channegowda, a field veterinarian specialized in
poultry nutrition, spent over 27 years in the
Department of Animal Husbandry before
taking up poultry farming and consulting
to cattle and poultry feed manufacturers.
He is currently working as Vice
President–Technical at Zeus Biotech and
as Regional Expert (Dairy Platform,
India) for the USSEC. In this wide-
ranging conversation with Think
Grain Think Feed, he talks about
genetics, feed, milk quality, DDGS
and Govt policy and why animal
welfare and “Right tech, Right
Feed” matter as much as
productivity.
Dr. Channegowda H. K.
Zeus Biotech
14
investigation with FAO). 2. There is no human-to- www.benisonmedia.com
Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 12 | Issue 1 | Nov 2025
human transmission
your journey as a field
Registration/licensing of
veterinarian and
recorded across the
animal-feed manufacturers
nutritionist. What are the
world.
in Karnataka, bringing them
changes you have
witnessed in your
aligned with FSSAI
veterinarians, para-vets,
professional career? under BIS-based standards We also sensitized
poultry farmers, district
requirements.
I began my career in 1992 as Currently, into broiler administration and general
a field veterinarian with the production: 20,000 birds in public on early reporting of
Department of Animal EC house. Consulting a few any unnatural mortality.
Husbandry, Govt of small/ medium cattle/poultry 'Cook and eat'—proper
Karnataka, heading a feed manufacturers. Also, a cooking destroys almost all
veterinary dispensary and
viruses and bacteria. At the
treating dairy cattle, Regional Expert (Dairy field level, we followed strict
Platform) for the USSEC,
companion animals and external member of Research surveillance within a 10 km
radius with quarantine and
poultry.
Council, KVAFSU, Joint
Before that, in 1991, I worked Secretary to Institute of movement restrictions.
as a Research Assistant in the Veterinarians in Poultry You mentioned that flock
sizes and productivity in
Industry (IVPI) and Vice
Department of Poultry
Science at the University of President–Technical at Zeus poultry have increased
Agricultural Sciences under Biotech, overseeing their dramatically. What's your
an ICAR fellowship, assisting research trials, providing take on this intensification,
state and centrally sponsored technical support, quality especially with respect to
poultry research projects. control, and feed formulation animal welfare and
Later served as a Research to their customers.
Associate at the University of My experience spans field
Kentucky, USA, under an veterinary and extension
exchange visitors program, services, research, nutrition,
worked on mycotoxins and and management services.
phytase. This experience You've been closely
shaped my understanding of involved in managing
feed quality, safety, and avian influenza outbreaks.
analysis. When bird flu hits, there is
Later continued my field often panic among both
duties as Veterinary industry and consumers.
extension officer at block How did you approach
and district levels focusing awareness and risk
more on feeding, communication?
management and nutrition After the first major outbreak
of poultry and dairy animals. in Navapur, Maharashtra
Training thousands of (2006), the GOI published
farmers, rural women, youth, the action plan for control
para-veterinarians, and AI and containment of avian
technicians. influenza as per OIE
At the state level, served as a guidelines.
resource person for We ran extensive awareness
implementing centrally campaigns in print and
sponsored schemes: INAPH visual/electronic media,
(NDLM-Bharat Pashudhan) in emphasising two key points:
collaboration with NDDB. 1. Till date, no human bird
Control and containment of flu cases have been
Avian Influenza (outbreak recorded in India.
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