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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.

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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nutritive evaluation of prawn waste for growth in large white yorkshire pigs
    (Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2002) Madhukumar, U; KAU; Viswanathan, T V
    An experiment was conducted to assess the nutritive value of prawn waste for growth in Large White Yorkshire pigs. Thirty female pigs with an average body weight of 31.4 kg were divided into three equal groups as uniformly as possible with regard to age and body weight. The three groups of pigs were maintained on three different experimental diets viz., Tl control standard grower (16 per cent CP) and finisher ration (14 per cent CP), T2 - 25 per cent of total protein in Tl replaced by protein from prawn waste and T 3 - 50 per cent of total protein in T 1 replaced by protein from prawn waste. The average daily gain recorded for the three groups T1, T2 and T3 were 385.5, 393.3 and 381.1 g respectively. The cumulative feed conversion efficiencies were 4.87, 4.73 and 4.89 for the groups T1, T2 and T3 respectively. The digestibility coefficients of nutrients were significantly higher in T2 for dry matter (p<0.05) and crude protein (pwas found significantly higher (p and T2. The digestibility coefficients of crude fibre and ether extract were almost similar for all the three groups. Study of the carcass characteristics revealed that dressing percentage, carcass length, back fat thickness, loin eye area and ham weight were not significantly influenced by the inclusion of prawn waste at different levels. The cost of feed per kg weight gain of animals in different treatments Tl and T2 and T3 were Rs. 29.95, 23.84 and 21.18 respectively. The above results indicate that, prawn waste can be used economically to replace the protein of the grower and finisher rations for pigs up to 50 per cent level.