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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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1978 - 197911980 - 19901
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Subject: Dairy Chemistry × End date: 1994 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Productive performance of crossbred cows in hot humid environment
    (Department of Dairy Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1990) Noble, D; KAU; Pavithran, K
    The physiological and productive adaptability of Brown Swiss, Holstein Friesian Jersey crossbreds in hot humid environmental conditions of Kerala was evaluated. Effect of dietary supplementation of buffer salt and feeding of high proportion of undegradable protein to ameliorate the effect of stress also studied. Variuos biochemical parameters in blood and milk were screened for identifying biological markers of adaptation. The relevant literature had been reviewed. The major stress factors for cattle had been enumerated. The heat stress in particular was dealt with exhaustively and its impact on crossbred dairy cattle organized under physiological, lactational, hormonal, reproductive, nutritional and metabolic responses. The role of physiological modification of the environment, genetic development of heat resistant breeds and various nutritional strategies which had been adapted for amelioration of heat stress also reviewed. The experimental schedule comprised of three trial periods. The Trial I was designed to study the macrolevel responses due to added climatic stress while Trial II was to evaluate two stress ameliorative treatments viz. dietary supplementation of buffer salt (sodium bicarbonate at 0.85 percent of concentrate ration) and partial substitution of dietary protein with protein of low degradability. Trial III was mainly aimed at understanding the more intrinsic and subtle microlevel changes of the adaptive process. The protocol for the experiment followed was essentially the same for all the three trials. For Trial I, eight crossbred cows from three genetic groups were exposed to direct solar radiation from 9 AM to 3 PM, while equal number of animals were kept within the shed throughout the day. Except for the exposure, feeding and other managemental conditions remained same. Milk and blood samples were collected immediately after the exposure period (3 PM) from exposed and sheltered animals once in four days. A total number of six samples were collected during the trial period. Physiological responses were measured daily before and after the exposure period. Recording of climatic variables were done using approved instruments and methods. Milk samples were analysed for total solids, fat, solids- not – fats, whey protein, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. During Trial II period, half the number of animals of each genetic group was fed supplementary buffer salt and undegradable protein. The parameters studied were same as that of Trial I. In Trial III, a fresh set of animals were used and the parameters studied were different. The blood constituents estimated were lactate dehydrogenase (lDH), glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Milk samples were not analysed during Trial III as in the previous two trials. Climatic indices and adaptive indices were computed, means and standard error of milk and blood constituents as well as physiological responses were worked out, statistical significance tested, correlation and multiple regression coefficients worked out and presented in Tabels I to 50 and the results illustrated using Figures I to 10. Sophisticated analytical procedures like atomic absorption spectrophotometry, automatic enzyme analysis and radioimmuno assay techniques were employed apart from the other standard methods used. From the results obtained, the adaptive indices based on physiological responses appeared to have failed in. ranking the genotypes in terms of their relative adaptive ability to hot humid conditions. The inbuilt drawbacks of the adaptive indices based on physiological responses were discussed, as well as, questioned the desirability of having a narrow range of physiological responses in an adaptive index. Dietary supplementation of buffer d=salt and feeding of undegradable protein had helped in ameliorating the effects of heat stress in cattle. The beneficial effects of the treatments were more for high stressed than in low stressed cows. The results of Trial III regarding the physiological parameters and adaptive indices showed similar trends as that of Trial I. One important observation was that the levels of triiodothyronine (T3) levels differed significantly between exposed and sheltered animals, the exposed had low levels compared to sheltered counterparts. To be able to produce well in hot humid environments, whatever be the strategies an animal adopt with minimum effect on productive processes, due recognition need be given. If high respiratory frequency is a necessary strategy, it should be taken as a positive attribute. Supplementation of buffer salt at 0.85 percent of the concentrate ration can be advocated for stress amelioration. The possibility of incorporating blood levels of triidothyronine in adaptive indices with productive parameters need to be explored. There is also scope for improving the efficiency of adaptive indices, now in vogue, by providing due weightage for the attribute of having low basal physiological response levels combined with the rate of decline in milk production, under high heat stress conditions.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on microflora in boiled milk
    (Department of Dairy Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1978) Mukundan, M; KAU; Subramanyam, M
    A study was carried out to determine the total spore count, the incidence and distribution of the different types of the aerobic spore – formers present in milk boiled for one minute. The keeping quality of raw as well as boiled milk stored at 370C, 290C and 40C was determined and compared. The samples of milk required for the study were collected from the University Livestock Farm, Mannuthy, Co – operative Milk Supply Union, Trichur and individual households around Trichur Town. A total of 48 samples of milk were collected. The spore count in the samples was determined after subjecting them to boiling for one minute. The spore count for the samples of milk collected from the ranged from 10 to 190 per ml whereas the range was 40 to 155 per ml and 10 to 150 per ml for those obtained from Co – operative Milk Supply Union and individual households respectively. The average spore count of the 48 samples studied was 69 per ml. A total of 162 isolates were identified as Bacillus subtilis 85, Bacillus cerus 23, Bacillus pumillus 20, Bacillus licheniformis 15, Bacillus megaterium 11, Bacillus alvei 6 and Bacillus firmis 2. The samples from all the sources revealed the predominance of Bacillus subtilis and it accounted for more than 52.5 per cent of the isolates. Out of the 48 samples of raw milk stored at 370 C, 34 had a keeping quality of less than eight hours and the remaining 8 and 12 hours. When raw milk was stored at room temperature (290 C) 20 had a keeping quality of less than eight hours, and it was 8 to 12 hours for 28 samples. At refrigeration temperature of 40 C, 41 samples remained good for five days and in the other seven samples the keeping quality was for six days. When the keeping quality of boiled milk stored at 370 C was studied, 4 out of 48 had a keeping quality of less than eight hours and the remaining 44 samples had 8 to 12 hours of keeping quality. At room temperature (290 C) the keeping quality was 8 to 12 hours for 38 samples as against the same of 12 to 16 hours and 16 to 20 hours for 8 and 2 samples respectively. When the samples of boiled milk were stored at refrigeration temperature (40 C), 19 out of 48 samples had a keeping quality of 13 days. The keeping quality was found to be 16 days for three of the samples stored at 40 C. Some of the procedures necessary to improve the keeping quality of boiled milk have been suggested.