The Hindu reports that the students underwent a six-week training course at Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) and were accompanied by Dr Elankumaran Subbiah, Professor, Virology, VMRCVM, US.

Dr T. Lurthu Reetha, Head, Veterinary University Training and Research Centre, briefed them about the activities of the centre and the importance of technology based desi chicken farming including hatching eggs in small chicken incubator and rearing birds under the cage system.

She explained the advantages of the TANUVAS oral pellet vaccine and added that it would help in eradicating the Newcastle disease in desi birds. The students were taken to Sri Lakshmi feed unit at Chikamalaipatty, run by C. Manivannan, who was trained by VUTRC.

He spoke to them about his motivation to start the feed mill to cater to the needs of livestock farmers in the area by selling quality feed at nominal rates.