National Research Centre on Equines is a premier institute established under the aegis of Indian Council of Agricultural Research for conducting research on equine health and production.
The importance of equines in India is well known. India possesses 1.17 million equines. Major population of equidae comprising donkeys, mules and ponies that provide livelihood to the rural societies living in arid, semi-arid and hilly regions, specially in the foot hills of Himalayas, through transport and draught where as remaining small population of equines is used in army, police, border security force, racing industry and sports.
Derisory equine health support available in the past in the country caused considerable catastrophic effect on the equine production programmes that necessitated the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for the establishment of a premier species oriented institute exclusively for development of equines in India. National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE) was established during 7th five-year plan under the aegis of ICAR for research on equine health and production considering the importance of equine in India.
After the initial joining of the Project Director at ICAR headquarter on 26th November 1985, the Centre became operational at Hisar on 7th Jan. 1986 for conducting researches and for providing effective health coverage for equines. A sub-campus at Bikaner, Rajasthan was created during 1989 for conducting researches for improving the technologies for optimization of reproduction and work performance of the equines. The Centre has the responsibility on generation of technologies for augmenting equine performance in order to uplift the socio-economic status of poor equine owners.
