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20162
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Subject: Livestock Production and Management × End date: 2016 × Start date: 2016 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    MARKETING PRACTICES OF GOAT AND CHEVON IN KAMRUP (METRO) DISTRICT OF ASSAM
    (College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University Khanapara, Guwahati-781022, 2016-01) Ekka, Sushil; Roychoudhury, R.
    A study entitled “Marketing practices of goat and chevon in Kamrup (Metro) district of Assam”was conducted in order to explore the marketing of goats in kamrup (Metro) district and to asses the status of marketing of goat meat /chevon in an around Guwahati city. For the first purpose four goat markets viz Bhoothnath, Panikheti, Chandrapur and Sonapur were selected .From each of these four markets 30 buyers and 30 sellers were taken to make the sample size 240 and data were collected from them with the help of a specially prepared interview schedule. Similarly for the second purpose four meat markets were selected viz. Khanapara, Six mile, Beltola and Narengi. From each of these four meat markets 15 number of butchers were selected and from them data regarding identifying the marketing procedure of meat, edible and inedible by-products yield and value were collected. The study revealed that majority of the sellers sold goats of age groups of 6-12 months in all the markets as the consumers preferred meat of this age category due to tenderness of meat. The average market weight was found to increase with the advancement of age. In respect of seller category majority of the sellers were middlemen in Bhoothnath market whereas in other markets producers dominated the seller categories. On the other hand butchers were the majority buyers who visited the market regularly to meet their day-to-day demand of meat supply. So far as the transportation of animals was concerned mini truck/pickup van was used for transporting goats in the Bhoothnath market where goats were brought from different districts. Except this, Auto van was the most frequently used mode of transport in all the markets. In case of Bhoothnath and Panikheti market river route was also used. However in other markets bicycle/rickshaw was also a frequently used mode of transportation. Regarding marketing channel the most prevalent channel was producer-middleman-butcher-consumer in all the markets except Sonapur where the popular channel was producer-butcher-consumer. In respect of the criteria of price fixation of goats, the study revealed that majority of the sellers cited muscle thickness as the most important criterion for price fixation although a small number of them also mentioned status of castration as the basis of price fixation. The educational level of the sellers was also studied in the present study and it revealed that majority of the sellers read upto M.E. School and this business was yet to attract the educated unemployed youths. In the present study the average value for live weight, carcass weight; edible offals, head, shank and skin were significantly higher (P<0.01) in adult goats compared to the young group. The average live weights of young and adult goats were found to be 7.97±0.26 and 12.58±0.38 kg. The percent value of edible offals in adult group was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.01) than the young group of goats. The percent value of head was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in young groups of goats compared to the adult goats. The average live animal price of adult goats was significantly higher than the young animals. The study also revealed that 85.68 to 86.55 percent of the total sale proceeds were obtained from the carcass meat and 6.15 to 6.52 percent were obtained from edible offals. Therefore it was evident that only > 10% sale proceeds came from inedible offals.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF PIGS IN RESPONSE TO SEASONAL STRESS UNDER VARYING DIETARY ENERGY LEVELS
    (Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati, 2016-07) PATHAK, PRASANTA KUMAR; Roychoudhury, R.
    Eighteen weaned piglets (at 56 days) from each of the two different genetic groups viz. Hampshire and Hampshire x Local irrespective of sex were selected and randomly divided into three dietary groups viz. Gr.I, Gr.II and Gr.III consisting of 6 animals of almost similar body weight in each experimental group for winter months in 1st phase and summer months in 2nd phase to find out the status of important season related thermal stress biomarkers as well as most suitable germplasm in terms of growth performance under the agro-climatic condition of Assam. The experiment was also aimed to study the role of different level of energy ration in the growth performance of pigs in different seasons. A total of 3 rations were prepared for grower and finisher stage as per the NRC feeding standard for pig (NRC, 1998). The ration having 110, 100 and 90 per cent energy of NRC (1998) designated as high energy (HE), medium energy (ME) and low energy (LE), respectively. The ME, LE and HE treatment were represented three dietary groups of pigs i.e. Gr.I, Gr.II and Gr.III, respectively for both winter and summer. The Gr.I (ME) was considered as control group for both winter and summer season. Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) was calculated out from the data of ambient temperature and relative humidity (RH). The physiological parameters such as respiration rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT) were recorded following conventional methods in two phases in a month i.e., consecutively for three days in a week in each animal and twice daily at 8:30 A.M. and 5:30 P.M. for a period of 12 months. About 5 ml of blood was collected from each experimental animal aseptically at 15 days interval for the whole experimental period. The level of thermal stress related blood hormones such as triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and cortisol were estimated by Radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique. The animals were weighed in the morning before feeding and watering at fortnightly intervals. The linear body measurements of the animals were recorded at monthly intervals. The feed intake, feed conversion efficiency and economics of feeding were also recorded. The ambient temperature was significantly (P<0.01) higher in the evening (23.60-29.51 0C) than in the morning (20.02-28.03 0C). The present experiment indicated that average ambient temperature during summer months (27.33-29.51 0C) were above the comfort zone for pigs (22 0C). The significantly (P<0.01) higher RH (%) was recorded in outdoor environment (87.26-91.10%) and in the morning time (86.60-91.10%). The THI during the study period was found to be indicative of thermal stress to the experimental animals during summer (79.55 – 82.56) as compared to the winter seasons. Physiological parameters viz., RR and RT were significantly (P<0.01) higher in summer season (43.75-72.12 breaths/min. and 102.29-103.23 0F/min.) than the winter season and non-significantly higher values were recorded in Hampshire as compared to Hampshire x Local during summer season. It was also found that the significantly (P<0.01) lower RR as well as RT was recorded in the pigs fed with high energy (HE) ration during summer season. Serum T3 and T4 concentrations were significantly (P<0.01) lower during summer as compared to winter in both Hampshire and Hampshire x Local pigs, while both the genetic groups showed significantly (P<0.01) higher concentration of serum cortisol during summer season. It was also observed that thyroid hormone and cortisol concentrations were maintained in groups of pig fed HE diet during summer. The average body weight was significantly (P<0.01) higher in winter and Hampshire pigs attained higher body wt. but observed that Hampshire pigs shed more body wt. in summer as compared to crossbred. It was also recorded that energy level of diet had significant (P<0.01) influence on the body weight gain and minimizes the production losses in terms of body wt. gain during summer. The coefficient of correlation of linear body measurements with the body weight of experimental pigs was found to be positively correlated and found that linear body measurements were in progressively increasing trend along with increase in body weight. The study also revealed higher FCE during winter season and Hampshire x Local pigs had higher FCE. The lower feed intake and higher FCE was recorded in HE incorporated group. The present study revealed that the cost of concentrate feed decreased along with reduction in the energy level of the diet. The cost of feeding per kg body weight gain was higher in summer than winter season and lower cost of feeding per kg gain was recorded in HE incorporated group. On the basis of this finding it can be concluded that winter is the best time for raising growing-finishing pigs. During summer most of the time the state remains under tropical high heat and humid dominance which may drastically affect the production and eventually economy of pig farming. From the present observation, it is suggested that Hampshire x local pigs may rear economically in the agro-climatic condition of Assam and increasing the energy density of diet can also help to minimize the effects of thermal stress during summer.