As a part of academic curriculum of FYUP syllabus, the 5th semester students from Department of Zoology Don Bosco College, Tura embarked on a field visit to Intensive Cattle Development Project (ICDP) Semen Collection Centre, Ganol West Garo Hills, Private Poultry Farm, Sanchonggre and Garo Hills Agro Food Park, Babadam, Meghalaya, on 12th September, 2025. There were a total of 34 students accompanied by faculty members from Zoology Department. Sir Tenang R. Marak, Sir Surjoron Hajong, and Madam Bonme A. Sangma accompanied them on their one day educational trip to these designated areas. The visit to ICDP and Poultry farm aimed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. The main objective of the visit is to observe and understand the practical applications of concepts learned in the classroom and to interact with experts in the field and learn from their experiences.

First, we visited ICDP Semen Collection Centre, Ganol where Dr. Dunlestone R. Marak, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Officer and his team warmly welcomed us. They had taken time off their busy schedule to arrange a comprehensive learning experience for the students. The students learned about the artificial insemination in cattle and hands-on practical application about the liquid nitrogen plant where they kept the collected semen from cattle for long-term storage. Secondly, we visited Garo Hills Agro Food Park, Babadam to gain knowledge on the processing and packaging of locally available agro raw materials sourced from different parts of the Garo Hills region.

On the way back from Babadam, we visited private poultry farm at Sanchonggre which is owned by Smt. Nila R. Marak and family. She apprised us about the procurement of eggs and chicks from Goalpara, Assam, raising of chicken in her poultry farm, and supplying them to different parts of the Garo Hills.

We express our sincere thanks to Fr. Januarius S. Sangma (SDB), Principal of Don Bosco College Tura, Sir Toijam Sanjeev Lyngdoh, Head of the Department of Zoology, and Madam Rani Aruldass, Assistant Professor, HoD i/c, Department of Zoology, Don Bosco College Tura for their support and encouragement. We also thank Dr. Dunlestone R. Marak Veterinary Officer and his team for providing us with practical knowledge on artificial insemination in cattle; Smt. Nila R. Marak, owner of the poultry farm, for generously welcoming us to her farm; Dr. Tracy Sangma, A.H and Veterinary Officer for having communicated with Dr. Dunlestone R. Marak; Fr. Sunny Joseph Mavelil, Former Director of Bakdil for making arrangements for our visit to All Garo Hills Multipurpose Cooperative Society (AGHMPCS).