The Department of Animal Nutrition was established in the year 1963 as a separate discipline in the then Assam Veterinary College under the dynamic leadership of Late Dr. Anwaruddin Saikia, who later climbed to the position of Professor and Head. In those days, the academic pursuits consist primarily of teaching Animal Nutrition to both undergraduate and post graduate students, guiding P.G. Research and also conducting both fundamental as well as applied research in the area of Animal Nutrition. In 1968, Dr. A. Saikia, the then Professor and Head, was instrumental in opening M.V.Sc. course in Animal Nutrition and subsequently Ph.D. in the year 1981. Under his able leadership, the Animal Nutrition Research works picked up momentum and this discipline got recognition as one of the leading Animal Nutrition centres of the country. Since inception, besides teaching and research, the department is also providing consultancy services to farmers, feed industries and small entrepreneur of the state. The department has so far produced 100 numbers of M.V.Sc. and 22 numbers of Ph.D. students.The department has completed 18 numbers of sponsored research project and 2 numbers of DBT projects are presently going on. The faculty members of the department has contributed more than 500 research papers in national and international journal and also authored books, contributed chapters in books. The department has evolved economic rations for different types of animals and birds utilizing locally available feed materials.The department has developed various field based technologies for the benefit of the farmers such as improvement of straws through urea & molasses, enhancement of nutrient bioavailability of crop residues, preparation of complete feed block with low quality roughages, utilization of paddy stovers through treatment with locally made ash derived alkali (Kalakhar) etc. The alumni of the department has occupied various prestigious position in UPSC, RVC, ITBP, NDDB, Assam civil service, AH & veterinary department and in various private sectors.