Thumbnail Image

Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat

Assam Agricultural University is the first institution of its kind in the whole of North-Eastern Region of India. The main goal of this institution is to produce globally competitive human resources in farm sectorand to carry out research in both conventional and frontier areas for production optimization as well as to disseminate the generated technologies as public good for benefitting the food growers/produces and traders involved in the sector while emphasizing on sustainability, equity and overall food security at household level. Genesis of AAU - The embryo of the agricultural research in the state of Assam was formed as early as 1897 with the establishment of the Upper Shillong Experimental Farm (now in Meghalaya) just after about a decade of creation of the agricultural department in 1882. However, the seeds of agricultural research in today’s Assam were sown in the dawn of the twentieth century with the establishment of two Rice Experimental Stations, one at Karimganj in Barak valley in 1913 and the other at Titabor in Brahmaputra valley in 1923. Subsequent to these research stations, a number of research stations were established to conduct research on important crops, more specifically, jute, pulses, oilseeds etc. The Assam Agricultural University was established on April 1, 1969 under The Assam Agricultural University Act, 1968’ with the mandate of imparting farm education, conduct research in agriculture and allied sciences and to effectively disseminate technologies so generated. Before establishment of the University, there were altogether 17 research schemes/projects in the state under the Department of Agriculture. By July 1973, all the research projects and 10 experimental farms were transferred by the Government of Assam to the AAU which already inherited the College of Agriculture and its farm at Barbheta, Jorhat and College of Veterinary Sciences at Khanapara, Guwahati. Subsequently, College of Community Science at Jorhat (1969), College of Fisheries at Raha (1988), Biswanath College of Agriculture at Biswanath Chariali (1988) and Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science at Joyhing, North Lakhimpur (1988) were established. Presently, the University has three more colleges under its jurisdiction, viz., Sarat Chandra Singha College of Agriculture, Chapar, College of Horticulture, Nalbari & College of Sericulture, Titabar. Similarly, few more regional research stations at Shillongani, Diphu, Gossaigaon, Lakhimpur; and commodity research stations at Kahikuchi, Buralikson, Tinsukia, Kharua, Burnihat and Mandira were added to generate location and crop specific agricultural production packages.

Browse

20191
Reset filters
Subject: Animal Nutrition × Author: BURAGOHAIN, RAJAT ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    EFFECT OF FERMENTED LIQUID FEED ON THE PERFORMANCE AND GUT HEALTH OF GROWER-FINISHER LARGE WHITE YORKSHIRE PIGS
    (College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati, 2019-07) BURAGOHAIN, RAJAT; Saikia, B. N.
    A 180-days feeding trial was conducted on 24 weaned Large White Yorkshire pigs (11.45±2.42 to 11.46±2.37 kg body weight, 42-days of age) to investigate the effect of feeding fermented liquid feed on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut health and immunity, carcass characteristics, blood haemato-biochmical parameters and economics under intensive management. Basal rations (NRC, 2012) were assigned as dry feed (DF), non-fermented liquid feed (NFLF), fermented liquid feed prepared with Lactobacillus acidophilus (FLF-LA) and fermented liquid feed prepared with Enterococcus faecium (FLF-EF) to 4 homogenous groups of pigs (3 males and 3 females in each group). NFLF was prepared by mixing basal ration with drinking water at 1:2 (w/w) immediately before feeding. For preparation of FLF-LA, from stock culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus, a loop full of culture was transferred aseptically to 100 ml of De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth and was incubated for 24 hours at 37oC in an automatic incubator shaker. Ground yellow maize mixed with water (1:1, w/w) was fermented with 24 hr. old culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus at 37oC for 24 hr. The fermented maize was then mixed with basal ration mixed with water at1:2 (w/w) and fermented for 48 hrs. to prepare FLF-LA (1-2  109 cfu/g). 50% of the fermented feed was utilized for feeding and rest was used for backslopping for another 7 days after which the process was started from the beginning. The same procedure of preparation was followed for FLF-EF, except Brain Heart Infusion broth was used instead of MRS. The feeding trial was conducted for 180 days. Two digestibility trials were conducted 1st at the end of 17th week of age (growing phase) and 2nd at the end of 29th week (finishing phase). Faeces and blood samples were collected from three randomly selected pigs from each treatment on day 0, 60, 120 and 180 for estimation for faecal metabolites and faecal microbial counts, and evaluation of haemato-biochemical parameters. For carcass characteristics study, three pigs from each treatment were slaughtered at the end of the feeding trial. The cell-mediated immune response was assessed through in vivo sub-cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction against phytohaemagglutin-p and humoral immune response by micro-hemagglutination assay. Study revealed improvement in feed consumption in the growing phase and significantly in (P<0.05) higher feed consumption in the finishing phase in pigs fed FLF than pigs fed NFLF than DF. Apparent digestibility co-efficient (ADC) of all the nutrients was comparatively higher in FLF fed-groups than DF and NFLF in growing phase. ADC of CP was significantly (P<0.05) higher in FLF-LA and FLF-EF with improved digestibility of other nutrients than DF and NFLF in the finishing phase. The average daily body weight gain (ADG) was significantly higher in FLF fed-groups and resulted significantly (P<0.05) higher total gain and final body weights than pigs fed DF and NFLF. Diarrhoea score and incidence was significantly reduced on feeding of FLF. Higher faecal lactic acid bacteria count with low faecal counts of E. coli and Salmonella; and high faecal pH, less faecal lactic acid and NH3-N level were recorded in FLF fed-pigs compared to DF and NFLF. ii Significantly higher villi height, crypt depth and apparent villi surface area were found in FLF fed-groups than DF and NFLF. More numbers of mononuclear and glandular epithelial cells and presence of lymphoid follicles were observed in the duodenal and jejunal sections of small intestine of FLF fed-groups. No such infiltration and lymphoid follicles were observed in duodenal and jejunal sections of DF and NFLF groups. Pigs of FLF-LA & FLFEF showed more skin indurations and high antibody titre post-inoculation to phytohaemagglutinin-p and 20% sheep RBC, respectively as the measure of cell-mediated and humoral immune response. No significant difference was observed for carcass traits, physico-chemical and nutritional properties of meat and sensory attributes on feeding of FLF compared to DF and NFLF. All blood haemato-biochemical parameters were within the normal range in all the treatment groups. No pathological lesions were found in the liver and spleen on feeding of FLF. The FCR at the end of feeding trial was calculated as 3.82±0.07, 3.64±0.05, 3.36±0.04 and 3.46±0.07, respectively for DF, NFLF, FLF-LA and FLF-EF indicating significantly better FCR in FLF fed-groups. The feed cost/kg gain in body weight (Rs./kg) was calculated as 128.36±2.82, 120.43±1.67, 112.87±2.26 and 115.51±1.96, respectively for DF, NFLF, FLF-LA and FLF-EF, respectively, which indicated significantly reduced feeding cost/kg body weight gain in FLF fed-pigs compared to DF and NFLF. Findings of the study revealed that feeding of FLF-LA and FLF-EF significantly improved growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, gut health and immunity and gain: feed ratio of the grower-finisher LWY pigs than the DF and NFLF. Thus, feeding of FLF prepared with either Lactobacillus acidophilus or Enterococcus faecium may be recommended to LWY grower-finisher pigs for remunerative and sustainable profit. Key words: Liquid feed, fermented liquid feed, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, grower-finisher LYW pigs, growth, gut health, economics.