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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.

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20221
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Subject: Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics × Author: Kalita, Arjyarittik × Start date: 2022 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.V.Sc. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Reproductive performance in prepubertal Assam hill goat supplemented with bypass fat
    (2022-09) Kalita, Arjyarittik; Dutta, L J
    Early attainment of puberty and ultimately sexual maturity is very important in the reproductive life of an individual because it increases the productiveness of a herd. Nutrition plays a very important role in enhancing the reproductive performance in animals. The neuronal apparatus which is designed to detect the metabolic rate and energy balance which helps in transmission of circulating concentration of different hormone that in turn signals the nutritional status of the animal to the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis which affects sexual development. Bypass fat formulation prevents degradation by hydrolysis in the rumen and it can pass to the intestine and get absorbed resulting in more energy to the animals. Fat supplementation in ruminant diet is generally associated with increased cholesterol level, which is a precursor of steroid hormones and hence can improve the reproductive performance. A study was conducted with the primary objectives of evaluating the effect of bypass fat (Hilak, Ayurvet Limited, Delhi) supplementation on reproductive performance and to correlate it with the associated blood biochemical and hormonal profiles of pre-pubertal Assam Hill Goat. A total of 24 numbers of 3 months old pre-pubertal doelings maintained at Goat Research Station, Assam Agricultural University, Burnihat were randomly selected into one control and three treatment groups comprising of 6 animals in each group. Control group was fed with standard basal diet without bypass fat supplementation, treatment 1 group with 10g bypass fat per animal, treatment 2 group with 15g bypass fat per animal and treatment 3 group with 20g bypass fat per animal in addition to the standard basal diet for a period of two months. Blood was collected from each doeling before treatment i.e. day 0, day 30, day 60 and on the day of estrus. Findings of the present study indicated that supplementation of different doses of bypass fat significantly (P<0.05) varied with the period of appearance of first estrus and duration of estrus among the groups. The frequency of occurrence of intermediate estrus was found to be higher (41.66%) in all the groups followed by intense (37.50%) and weak estrus (20.80%). The most common behavioural signs of estrus observed in all the groups were bleating (100.00%), tail wagging (83.33 to 100.00%) and standing to be mounted by male (50.00 to 100.00%). The most common physical signs of estrus observed in all the groups were scanty and clear vaginal discharge (50.00 to 100.00%) and hyperemia of vulvar mucous membrane (50.00 to 100.00%). There was no significant difference in the mean percent of different cell types in between the groups observed during the cytological examination of the vaginal epithelial cells. Arborization pattern was found to be mostly typical in T-2 and T-3 groups wheras atypical and no fern pattern was observed mostly in the T-0 and T-1 groups. The conception rate was recorded to be higher in groups T-2 and T-3 (83.33%) than in groups T-0 and T-1(66.66%). Among the blood biochemical parameters, serum calcium, zinc and copper level varied significantly (P<0.05) between and within the groups without affecting the serum phosphorous level. Superoxide dismutase activity was higher (P<0.05) in 15g and 20g bypass fat supplemented groups as compared to the group fed with 10g bypass fat and control. Serum cholesterol level did not vary significantly between the groups whereas it varied significantly (P<0.05) on different days of observation for all the groups. Serum estrogen level varied significantly (P<0.05) between and within groups with higher values in group T-2 and T-3 groups. Serum progesterone level did not differ significantly in between the groups but significant difference was observed in T-2 group on different days of observation. The Body Condition Score was recorded to be significantly higher in T-2 and T-3 groups. Hence, supplementation of bypass fat to the basal diet of pre-pubertal Assam Hill Goat significantly improved the reproductive performance by shortening age at puberty, increasing the duration and intensity of first estrus and thereby improving the conception rate and Body Condition Score. A significant correlation was observed between reproductive parameters like age at puberty and duration of first estrus with blood biochemical parameters like serum cholesterol, SOD, serum calcium, serum estrogen and progesterone.