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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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1987 - 19882
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Subject: Poultry Science × End date: 1989 × Start date: 1987 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Status of broiler production In Kerala with special reference to Trichur
    (Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary, Mannuthy, 1988) Aboobacker, M; KAU; Regunathan Nair, G
    A survey was undertaken to assess the present status of broiler farming in Thrissur, a major broiler producing district in Kerala. Thirtytwo farms were selected for the survey based on holding strength and frequency of intake. Following are some of the salient points that emerged from the survey. All the farmers were literate and had taken up broiler farming for generating additional income to sustain the family. Majority of the farmers were raising 300 birds per crop with fortnightly intake and were adopting scientific management practices. Organized marketing channel was absent and the birds were disposed off at the farm site itself in retail or wholesale. Dressing of birds in large scale was not being practiced. Results indicated that the mortality rate, body weight at marketing and feed conversion ratio were 6.69 per cent, 1.48 kg and 2.49 respectively. The major portion of production cost was attributed to feed (56.26%) followed by chick (28.56%) and labour (4.31%). Seasons of the year had no appreciable effect on broiler productivity except slight higher mortality due to heat stress during hot seasons. Study also revealed that increasing the stock intake reduces the cost of production with increase in net return. The productivity both in terms of market body weight and livability were adversely affected in farms where hired labour was used resulting in much lower net income. Low profit farms (less than Rs.2.00 per bird sold) showed higher mortality (13.56%) and low body weight at disposal. The survey revealed that better productivity could be achieved by improving efficiency of production particularly reduction in feed cost, increasing livability and adoption of a tangible marketing system so as to obtain remunerative price even during lean seasons.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Dietry protein and energy requirements of meat type Japanese quail for growth
    (Department of Poultry Science,College of Veterinary Science, Mannuthy, 1987) Narayanankutty, K; KAU; Ramakrishnan, A
    A three square factorial experiment designed to study the dietary requirments of protein and energy for meat type Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) for growth, under the hot-humid conditions of Kerala is presented in this thesis. Quail chicks of seven day old age were obtained in three batches at three weeks interval between batches. Each batch consisted of 324 quail chicks and were obtained from the same source in order to keep the genetic make up constant. The birds were randomly allotted to nine dietary protein-energy combination groups. The dietary protein levels employed were 22, 24 and 26 per cent and that of energy level were 2700, 2900 and 3100 Kcal ME/kg diet. General observations were made for three, six week periods. The body weight at fifth and sixth week of age was not influenced by the dietary levels of protein or energy used in the study. Whereas body weight at the earlier ages were influenced (p<0.01) by the dietary treatments. Higher dietary protein levels of 24 and 26 per cent resulted in significantly heavier (p<0.01) body weight. The body weight was found to be decreased with increase in energy levels in the diet. The body weight gains were no influenced by the dietary treatments except at the second week of age. The overall weight gain from 1 to 5 and 1 to 6 weeks of age revealed that both protein and energy influenced the character significantly (p<0.01). The feed consumption data reiterated the already established fact that feed intake is regulated more by the energy level rather than protein levels in the diet. The overall consumption from 1 to 5 and 1 to 6 weeks of age revealed that the protein levels did not influence the feed consumption whereas energy levels influenced. The feed efficiency in earlier ages was significantly (p<0.01) better with higher protein diet, but from fourth week of age it was inconsistent. However, the overall feed efficiency from 1 to 5 as well as 1 to 6 weeks of age indicated statistically superior ( The processing data both at fifth and sixth week of age were not influenced by the levels of the protein, energy or both employed in the study. The ready to cook yield and total offal at fifth week of age averaged 75.47 and 24.53 per cent respectively and those at sixth week of age were 77.78 and 22.22 per cent respectively. The breast constituted the highest followed by back, thigh, drumstick, wing and neck among the cut-up-parts at both ages. The meat-borne ratio at fifth and sixth week of age averaged 1.90 with range of 1.81 to 2.05 and 1.98 with a range of 1.93 to 2.05 respectively. The liver protein progressively increased with increase in protein content and liver lipid increased with increase in energy levels in the diet during both five and six weeks of age. Similar trend was observed in the case of serum protein and lipid at both these ages. The haemoglobin levels were not influenced by the treatments. Even though the values obtained on carcass analysis were well with in the normal biological limits, the ether extractive per cent at fifth and sixth week of ages were influenced (p<0.01) by the dietary treatments. All the birds showed a positive nitrogen balance irrespective of the protein or energy levels in the diet. Extremely poor deposition of abdominal fat in quails slaughtered at both these ages was observed. Even though the results of weekly body weight and weight gain tend to suggest a two stage requirement namely one from one week to three week of age and the other from four week of age down, the absence of any significant influence by either protein or energy levels in the diet on body weight at fifth and sixth week of age does not provide sufficient rationale for such suggestion. But the overall feed efficiency from initial to either fifth or sixth week did show significant influence of dietary protein levels, higher level of 26 per cent being superior over other levels. Thus it appears to set the energy and protein requirement at 2700 Kcal ME/kg diet and 26 per cent respectively. The better feed efficiency at fifth week of age when compared to sixth week of age and also the absence of any statistically significant difference in slaughter characteristics between fifth and sixth week of age tend to suggest fifth week of age as ideal age of slaughter.