Thumbnail Image

Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur

The history of agricultural education in Kerala can be traced back to the year 1896 when a scheme was evolved in the erstwhile Travancore State to train a few young men in scientific agriculture at the Demonstration Farm, Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, presently, the Cropping Systems Research Centre under Kerala Agricultural University. Agriculture was introduced as an optional subject in the middle school classes in the State in 1922 when an Agricultural Middle School was started at Aluva, Ernakulam District. The popularity and usefulness of this school led to the starting of similar institutions at Kottarakkara and Konni in 1928 and 1931 respectively. Agriculture was later introduced as an optional subject for Intermediate Course in 1953. In 1955, the erstwhile Government of Travancore-Cochin started the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Mannuthy, Thrissur for imparting higher education in agricultural and veterinary sciences, respectively. These institutions were brought under the direct administrative control of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Husbandry, respectively. With the formation of Kerala State in 1956, these two colleges were affiliated to the University of Kerala. The post-graduate programmes leading to M.Sc. (Ag), M.V.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees were started in 1961, 1962 and 1965 respectively. On the recommendation of the Second National Education Commission (1964-66) headed by Dr. D.S. Kothari, the then Chairman of the University Grants Commission, one Agricultural University in each State was established. The State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) were established in India as an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System to give the much needed impetus to Agriculture Education and Research in the Country. As a result the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) was established on 24th February 1971 by virtue of the Act 33 of 1971 and started functioning on 1st February 1972. The Kerala Agricultural University is the 15th in the series of the SAUs. In accordance with the provisions of KAU Act of 1971, the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, were brought under the Kerala Agricultural University. In addition, twenty one agricultural and animal husbandry research stations were also transferred to the KAU for taking up research and extension programmes on various crops, animals, birds, etc. During 2011, Kerala Agricultural University was trifurcated into Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU), Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) and Kerala Agricultural University (KAU). Now the University has seven colleges (four Agriculture, one Agricultural Engineering, one Forestry, one Co-operation Banking & Management), six RARSs, seven KVKs, 15 Research Stations and 16 Research and Extension Units under the faculties of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Forestry. In addition, one Academy on Climate Change Adaptation and one Institute of Agricultural Technology offering M.Sc. (Integrated) Climate Change Adaptation and Diploma in Agricultural Sciences respectively are also functioning in Kerala Agricultural University.

Browse

19943
Reset filters
Subject: Animal Genetics and Breeding × Author: KAU × End date: 1994 × Start date: 1994 × Thesis Type: M.V.Sc. ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetics of body dimensions of Malabari goats and its cross in Kerala
    (Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1994) Raj, Menon; KAU; Stephen, Mathew
    The main objectives of this study were: (1) to study the bodyweight and body dimensions of Malabari goats and its Alpine half breds, (2) to estimate the genetic and phenotypic correlations between bodyweight and different body dimensions in various genetic groups and (3) to study any other major factors affecting bodyweights and body dimensions. The study was conducted in 92 goat kids reared at the All India Co-ordinated Research Project on goats farm at Mannuthy, Thrissur. A comparative study was made on the native Malabari with its third generation cross with the exotic Alpine breed. The mean body length, heart girth and height at withers at birth wera 25.68 ± 0.53, 27.37 ± 0.46 and 29.66 ± O. 60 cm and 26.01 ± O. 16, 28.23 ± 0.23 and 30.24 ± 0.45 in male kids of Malabari and Alpine x Malabari crossbreds respectively. In the females the corresponding values were 25.63 ± 0.073, 27.56 ± 0.68 and 25.53 ± 0.48 and 25.3 ± 0.17, 27.60 ± 0.32 and 29.14 ± 0.35 cm. The mean body length, heart girth and height at withers of male Malabari and Alpine x Malabari goats at 60.39 ± 0.81, 59.66 ± 0.82 and 58.18 ± 0.91 12 months were 61.42 ± 0.90, 61.12 ± 0.90 and 59.04 ± 1 . 01 cm and 64. 19 ± O. 81, 64. 60 ± O. 73 and 61. 98 ± O. 9 cm respectively. The corresponding values for females were 58.36 ± 0.81,59.0 ± 0.7 and 58.36 ± 0.72 and respectively. There was no significant difference between the birth weights of- male and female Malabari kids and between the birth weights of the two genetic groups. But the difference was significant in the Alpine x Malabari crossbreds. There was significant difference in the bodyweight at 12 months of age between male and female Alpine x Malabari crossbred kids. No significant difference was observed in the bodyweight at 12 months between the two genetic groups. During the experiment period mean maximum and minimum temperature were 34.55 ± 1.2 and 22.03 ± 1.4 °c respectively. Season had a significant effect on the body weight at six, none and 12 months of age in Alpine x Malabari crossbreds. The effect of type of birth was not significant on the birth weights in Alpine x Malabari crossbreds and Malabari kids. Type of birth had no significant effect on the 12 months body weight in both the genetic groups. analysis showed non-significant Least squares effects of season and sex on the body weights in Malabari kids while in the Alpine x Malabari the effect of sex on body weights was significant at all the ages studied. Season at six, nine and 12 months of age had significant effects on bodyweight in Alpine x Malabari crossbreds Breed had no significant effect on body weights. The heritabilities of bodyweights at various ages were higher in Malabari when compared to Malabari x Alpine crossbreds. The highest phenotypic correlations were observed between the bodyweight and heart girth in both genetic Genotypic correlations between different groups. traits were found to be low at different ages in both the genetic groups. The highest coefficients of determination were observed at the age of six months for both the prediction equations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Comparison of immune response of the indigenous and cross bred cattle of Kerala
    (Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 1994) Francis Bastin, P; KAU; Sosamma, Iype
    This research work aimed at comparing the immune responses of indigenous and crossbred cattle of Kerala and finding out association if any, with common diseases and also maternal immune response and the neonatal calf diseases and mortality. Thirty adult local indigenous cattle, their 36 calves, 40 adult crossbred cows and their 40 calves formed the material for the study. Primary humoral response to the test antigen, human red blood cells was assessed at zero, seven and 14th day. Secondary immune response to the test antigen was assessed on day three, seven and 14 after booster injection at 14th day. The antibody titre was assessed by direct microhaemagglutination technique. Cell mediated immune response to contact sensitizer 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) was assessed by application of two per cent solution on zero and first day followed by percutaneous challenge at the 14th day. Double fold skin thickness and area of reaction were recorded. Humoral and cell mediated immune response, the influence of genetic group, association with diseases and mortality, influence of maternal immune response on the calf immune response and association with calf diseases and mortality were assessed. The antibody titres were expressed as 1oge + 1 to make the distribution normal. Peak primary immune response was reached by day 14 (2.13) and peak secondary response was on seventh day of secondary immunization (2.98). No significant differences were observed between primary and secondary immune response in different genetic groups namely indigenous and crossbred cattle and also in different age groups viz. dam and calf. The correlation between primary and secondary immune response except in indigenous cows, were highly significant. The cell mediated immune response peaked by 24th post 2,4-Dinitro chloro benzene challenge both in indigenous and crossbred cattle (7.0 mm). No significant association could be detected between the incidence of diseases and mortality with humoral as wel1 as cell mediated immunity. Similarly association between maternal and calf immune response was also not significant. Indigenous cows had lower incidence of respiratory diseases and mastitis compared to crossbred cattle (od2 = 3.8 and 19 respectively). Similarly local indigenous calves had significantly lower mortality (oc2 = 8). The results of the study suggests that primary immune response could be used as an index of secondary immune response. The study also suggests that immune response to a single antigen might not be indicative of general disease resistance. Further, apart from the immune response traits in the present study, there might be several factors which influence the immune response, disease resistance and disease susceptibility.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Chromosome Profile Of Cross-Bred Bulls In Kerala
    (Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1994) Gopakumar, C P; KAU; Raghunandanan, K
    Cytogenetic study was conducted on 53 young cross-bred (Bos Taurus x B. indicus) bulls stationed at the farm at Dhoni, belonging to Kerala Livestock Development Board. Young bulls included those selected for superior semen quality and others just started producing semen. The bulls were classified into Jersey cross, Holstein-Friesian cross and Brown-Swiss cross based on the paternal line. The semen quality and related attributes of the bulls were recorded, and the association between these traits and the karyological parameters were determined. Comparative chromosome study were performed in the three genetic groups. Metaphase spreads for staining and G-banding were obtained by peripheral leucocyte culture technique. The basal medium used for culturing was RPMI 1640 and mitosis was initiated in lymphocytes by a combination of phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen. The G-banding was done by incubating the chromosome spreads in 2 x SSC containing trypsin solution for 45 minutes at 660C. Karyological parameters such as chromosome number, morphology, relative length, arm ratio and centromeric index were studied. The nature, number and position of G bands were also examined. The reproductive attributes recorded included age at first semen collection age at freezable semen production, volume of semen, sperm concentration, total sperm output in first ten collections, number of ejaculates accepted for freezing and total freezable sperm output in first ten collections, and the morphological abnormalities of sperms. All the bulls except one, exhibited a diploid chromosome complement (2n=60, XY) in their cells. There were 29 pairs of acrocentric autosomes and a sub-metacentric x chromosome. The Y chromosome was sub-metacentric in Holstein-Friesian cross, and apparently metacentric in other two genetic groups. In one bull diploid/tetraploid mosaicism was observed with 6.67 per cent of lymphocytes carrying 120 chromosomes. The mean relative length of longest and shortest autosomes were 6.0174 ± 0.0273 and 1.6186 ± 0.0101 respectively. The X and Y chromosomes had a mean relative length of 5.5918 ± 0.0401 and 1.9636 ± 0.0396 respectively. In the X chromosome the arm ratio was 2.47 ± 0.04 and the centromeric index was 28.74 ± 0.33. A total of 405 bands were identified in the karyotype of the bulls. The G-banding pattern of cross-bred bulls in Kerala was not previously investigated, and hence the banding pattern observed in the study would be useful for cytogenetic screening of bulls in the state. On Analysing the semen quality and related attributes of the bulls it was found that one of the bull was oligospermic. The semen of this bull exhibited a high frequency of loose sperm heads. Semen of another bull was found to contain abnormal percentage of sperms with persistant proximal cytoplasmic droplet. A third bull produced semen in which the frequency of sperms with knobbed acrosome defect was very high. All the three bulls had produced ejaculates which were found unsuitable for freezing. The incidence of diploid/tetraploid mosaicism was detected in the bull producing sperms with knobbed acrosome defect. None of the ejaculates of this bull was suitable for freezing. However, further study was essential to conclude on the association between mixoploidy and knobbed acrosome defect or its influence on semen freezability. The other two bulls with seminal abnormalities exhibited cytogenetic profile similar as that of bulls producing normal semen. The effect of genetic group on the morphometry of sex chromosomes was found to be insignificant. However, the Y chromosome morphology was observed to be a suitable marker for identifying Holstein-Friesian crosses among the cross-bred bulls used for breeding in Kerala.