In order to provide impetus to growth of cattle in the state, the Punjab government has formulated an extensive strategy to preserve, protect, strengthen and improve livestock thereby increasing milk production in Punjab.Disclosing this here today Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Punjab said that the department was engaged in the breed improvement of the livestock species in order to raise their productivity, besides this quality health care and preventive vaccination services were also being rendered to the livestock population of the state.Adding further, the Minister said that superior quality germ plasm from the best bulls of exotic origin with daughter yield of 12000 liters per lactation would be imported for giving fillip to breed improvement programme launched in the state. Similarly, high genetic sex semen would also be imported for the production of female calves for increasing milk production, said the Minister.Referring to the animal health care in Punjab, Phillaur said that animal health services were being extended to the entire livestock population of the state through a well knit and well equipped network of 2852 Veterinary institutions which would be further strengthened by providing multi-specialty veterinary services especially in the rural areas. For the prevention of major livestock diseases like FMD, HS, Brucellosis etc vaccination programme would be further reinforced by adopting latest scientific techniques, said the Minister. To tackle various types of problems of worm infestation affecting animal health, the minister said that periodic deworming of adult as well as small animals would be done in Pashu Rog Niwaran Melas to be organized in the villages on regular basis. Latest diagnostic tests would be performed for the timely and proper diagnosis of various diseases for accurate animal health care, added Phillaur.