The livestock and dairy sector forms the backbone of rural livelihoods, national food security, and agricultural growth in countries like Pakistan. It is not merely a traditional occupation but a major economic force that supports millions of families, contributes significantly to GDP, and supplies essential nutrition in the form of milk, meat, and by-products. In today’s rapidly changing world—marked by climate pressures, population growth, emerging diseases, shifting consumer demands, and rapid technological advancement—the sector cannot progress on the basis of outdated practices or baseless debates about which discipline is “more important.” Such arguments, often seen on social media and informal forums, have no scientific or logical foundation and only serve to create confusion, division, and professional disharmony. It requires a strong scientific foundation driven by well-trained professionals who understand modern animal health, genetics, nutrition, reproduction, management, and production systems. This is why both Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry Education must advance together; they function as inseparable pillars that ensure scientific, sustainable, and profitable livestock development. Any attempt to undervalue one over the other reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of how the dairy and livestock sectors actually operate.

Veterinary Sciences ensure animal health, disease control, animal welfare, and public health protection. Without strong veterinary services, national herds remain vulnerable to infectious diseases, production losses, and zoonotic threats that directly endanger human health. Veterinarians play a central role in disease diagnosis, vaccination programs, herd health management, reproduction, laboratory surveillance, and food safety protocols. Their expertise keeps animals healthy, productive, and capable of delivering high-yield performance. No livestock-based economy can grow without the stable foundation provided by veterinary professionals.

Animal Husbandry Education is equally significant as it focuses on scientific farm management, nutrition, genetics, breeding, fodder development, reproductive technologies, and efficient dairy farm operations. Healthy animals alone cannot ensure high milk or meat production unless they are managed scientifically and fed according to their physiological needs. Skilled Animal Husbandry graduates help farmers reduce production costs, improve yields, adopt modern feeding systems, increase reproductive efficiency, and implement climate-smart livestock practices. Their contribution enhances productivity directly at the farm level—the true center of livestock production.

The livestock sector contributes significantly to Pakistan’s economy, providing employment to millions in rural areas, generating income through milk, meat, hides, and by-products, and supporting allied industries. Despite its importance, productivity per animal remains low due to outdated practices, insufficient health services, and lack of farmer training. Strengthening both Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry Education ensures not only healthier and more productive animals but also higher economic returns and sustainable rural development.

Extension services and farmer training form the bridge between academic knowledge and field application. Veterinarians and Animal Husbandry experts working together can transfer scientific knowledge, practical skills, and modern technologies to farmers, ensuring effective disease control, improved breeding, better feeding, and optimal farm management. Without robust extension services, even the best educational and research outcomes remain underutilized at the farm level.

When examined scientifically, both disciplines are deeply intertwined. Health without proper management results in poor production, and management without animal health collapses quickly. Therefore, the debate of “which one is more important” is illogical and must be discouraged. Unfortunately, such unnecessary arguments have recently appeared on different platforms, especially social media, creating confusion and division. These baseless comparisons have no logical basis and must be avoided at all forums, as they damage professional harmony and distract from the real challenges facing the livestock sector.

Globally, countries with successful livestock and dairy industries—such as New Zealand, the Netherlands, Australia, and Turkey—have progressed by strengthening both Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry together. They integrate veterinary care with scientific farm management, modern laboratories with advanced nutrition and breeding programs, reproductive technologies with strong disease control systems, and field extension with meaningful policy reforms. This balanced approach ensures healthier herds, higher productivity, safer food, and stronger rural economies. Pakistan can achieve similar progress only through coordinated development of both veterinary and husbandry education and by discouraging unnecessary controversies that undermine unity.

In conclusion, Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry Education are complementary, equally important, and interdependent pillars of the livestock and dairy sector. Arguments for or against one discipline hold absolutely no logic and must be avoided at all forums—particularly on social media—because they weaken the collective mission of national development. Real progress requires unity of purpose, scientific collaboration, and mutual respect between both professions. The livestock sector already faces major challenges such as low productivity, endemic diseases, feed shortages, climate stress, and rapidly changing global food demands. These complex issues cannot be solved by one discipline alone. They demand coordinated input from veterinarians, animal husbandry experts, researchers, extension workers, policymakers, and farmers. Instead of wasting energy on unproductive comparisons, all stakeholders must focus on strengthening laboratories, improving farm management, promoting applied research, modernizing curricula, and expanding service delivery at the grassroots. A strong, integrated, and harmonious approach between Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry Education is the only way to unlock higher milk and meat production, build disease-resilient livestock systems, enhance food safety, open new export opportunities, and ultimately secure long-term prosperity for farmers and the nation.

Dr Alamdar Hussain Malik
Advisor, Veterinary Sciences
University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Swat

Former Secretary / Registrar
Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council