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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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2004 - 20055
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Subject: Veterinary Pathology × End date: 2005 × Start date: 2004 × Type: Thesis ×
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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Immunopathologic and toxic effects of endosulfan in chick embryo
    (Centre of Excellence in Pathology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2004) Kalai Selvan, P; KAU; Divakaran Nair, N
    The present study was undertaken to investigate the immunopathologic and toxic effects of endosulfan in chick embryo. The embryos were exposed to endosulfan at various dose levels through different routes. The weight of the embryo, bursa, thymus and spleen, histopathology of the lymphoid organs, liver, kidney and brain and quantification of the preformed maternal IgY level in the egg yolk were the parameters analysed to study the effects. Endosulfan was found to be teratogenic at the grven dose levels. The abnormalities observed were agenesis of beak, crossed beak, short lower beak, eventration of viscera and curled toe. Endosulfan did not cause any significant gross changes in the developing embryos except mild haemorrhages. Endosulfan treatment did not produce any significant reduction in the weight of the embryos as well as the weight of the lymphoid organs. On histopathological examinations endosulfan was found to be nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic to the embryos. Varying degrees of degeneration and necrosis was evident in kidney and liver. Effect on the bursa, thymus and spleen were mild to moderate where in the degenerative changes predominated. Dose dependent increase in the involution process of the thymus as evidenced by increase in the Hassal's zone was observed. The lesions in the developing lymphoid organs reflected that endosulfan is toxic to the system and going to affect the immunocompetency by way of immunosuppression and thereby rendering the chicks susceptible to various diseases. The study indicated that the endosulfan treatment did not have any effect on the preformed maternal immunoglobulin level in the egg yolk.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Pathology of the prostate gland in dogs
    (Centre of Excellence in Pathology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,Mannuthy, 2004) Dhanya Menon, KAU; Vijayan, N
    The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence and nature of pathological conditions of the canine prostate. A detailed systematic examination of 100 carcasses brought for autopsy during the period of investigation was conducted and the gross and histopathological lesions were studied in detail. The study confirmed prostatic disorders as an age related problem and also warned that involvement of the prostate in concurrent pathological affections of the urogenital system should not be overlooked. Heavy breeds like the German shepherds were found to be the most susceptible to prostatic diseases. An age related increase was also seen in the prostatic weight, circumference and length. Prostatic lesions could be encountered in 49 per cent of the cases. The most common prostatic disease encountered in this study was benign prostatic hyperplasia followed by prostatitis, prostatic atrophy, prostatic adenocarcinoma and squamous metaplasia. Glandular, cystic and complex types of hyperplasia could be observed. The identification of prostatic adenocarcinoma in a castrated dog pointed to the necessity to study the role of extra gonadal sex hormones in prostate carcinogenesis. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella sp. were isolated from cases of prostatitis. Acid phosphatase activity was more for hyperplastic and neoplastic prostates when compared to the normal prostate. This indicated that prostatic acid phosphatase could be used as a marker for the diagnosis of canine prostate cancer both by impression smears and cryostat sections.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Pathology of selected endocrine glands in testicular disorders in bulls
    (Centre of Excellence in Pathology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2005) Jothish Kumar, B; KAU; Sreekumaran, T
    The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence and nature of various pathological conditions of the testis and correlate with the lesions of pituitary, thyroid, adrenal and accessory sex glands. A total of 300 bulls were screened for testicular disorders at the Corporation slaughterhouse, Thrissur and Meat technology unit, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur. A detailed systemic examination of 261 cases was made during the period of investigation and the gross and histopathological lesions were studied in detail, classified and documented. The study revealed a high prevalence (17.24 %) of testicular disorders in bulls. It was observed that in the Government farms, bulls of the age group above five to seven years were most commonly affected due to excessive usage for semen collection. In other than government farms, bulls of the age group three to five years were highly affected and attributed to severe nutritional deficiencies. Among the breeds, crossbred Holstein-Friesian (CBHF) and Nondescript (ND) was found to show the higher predisposition to testicular disorders. The relative weight of the testis, was decreased in hypoplasia and degeneration, increased in varicosity, fibrosis and calcification. Out of 45 testicular disorder cases, the conditions observed were aplasia (1), hypoplasia (10), degeneration (25), varicosity (2), fibrosis (3) and calcification (4) respectively. Among the endocrine glands, lesions observed were pituitary cyst (9), pituitary haemorrhage (7), thyroid hypoplasia (7), thyroid degeneration (10), thyroid cyst (5), colloid goitre (3), nodular goitre (2), adrenal cortical hypoplasia (2), adrenal cortical hyperplasia (7) and adrenal medullary hyperplasia (12) respectively. Among the accessory sex glands, lesions observed were hyperplasia of seminal vesicle (8), hypoplasia of seminal vesicle (6), prostatic hyperplasia (2) and prostatic atrophy (5) respectively. Correlation study has highlighted that in many of the testicular disorders there were concurrent affections of endocrine glands particularly pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands which is of major significance.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Pathology of pancreatic disorders in canines
    (Centre of Excellence in Pathology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2005) Vandana Vijayachandran; KAU; Divakaran Nair, N
    The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence and nature of pathological conditions of the canine pancreas and to correlate these with the general post mortem lesions. A detailed systematic examination of 100 carcasses brought for autopsy during the period of investigation was conducted and the gross and histopathological lesions were studied in detail, classified and documented. The study has revealed the high prevalence of pancreatic disorders in canines to the tune of 72 per cent. It was found that the dogs between one to five years were the most commonly affected. Among the different breeds German shepherds were found to be the most susceptible to pancreatic disorders. Females were found to show a predisposition for pancreatic disorders. The weight and length of the pancreas was found to increase with age. Out of the 72 per cent cases, the pancreatic lesions were severe in 21 per cent of the cases, moderate in 20 per cent and mild in 31 per cent. The specific conditions encountered were pancreatitis, parasitic infection, abscessation, blood vessel proliferation, ductular adenoma, adenocarcinoma of acinar pancreas, duct obstruction due to squamous metaplasia and islet cell hyperplasia and hyalinisation. The other pathological conditions included atrophy, hypoplasia, vacuolar degeneration, lipomatosis, ductular changes like fibrosis, hyperplasia, congestion, haemorrhage, oedema, lymph stasis and islet changes like degeneration and necrosis. Correlation of the pancreatic lesions with general postmortem findings has brought into light the fact that many gastrointestinal disorders had concurrent pancreatic lesions and almost all cases of chronic hepatorenal system disorders, related pancreatic changes of the same severity were seen.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Pathology of cardiac disorders in pigs reared on swill
    (Centre of Excellence in Pathology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2005) Sivanesan, P; KAU; Vijayan, N
    Pig rearing in rural production systems based on the swill feed has become very popular in Kerala. The cases of sudden mortality in apparently healthy animals and earlier reports of the cardiovascular damages in such animals prompted to study the effects of swill feed on the cardiovascular system in pigs. The study confirmed, the cardiomyopathies are more common in the pigs which were maintained on swill than those maintained on concentrate feed. Cardiac lesions to the tune of 46.2% were observed in swill fed pigs examined compared to a mere 6.1% cases in concentrate fed pigs. The cardiac lesions recorded were varying degrees of congestion, hemorrhage, hydropericardium, hemopericardium, fibrinous pericarditis, myocardial degeneration, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac dilatation and valvular endocarditis. The histopathological changes of all these conditions have been studied in detail and the possible pathogenesis described. The vascular changes associated with myocardial necrosis have to be studied in detail by more controlled experimental study. The pathological changes associated with various cardiac disorders are suggestive of multiple nutritional deficiencies. The serum enzyme levels of AST, LDH and CK were found to be higher in swill fed pigs with cardiomyopathic changes than that of serum of pigs reared on concentrate feed. The high enzyme level in the absence of any gross changes in the heart indicated that these could be used as marker for monitoring the subtle cardiomyopathic changes. The various observation made in the study highlighted that the general and immune status of swill fed animals needs to be studied in the light of pathological changes and the subtle changes reflected by the elevated enzyme levels. The result of the study also highlights the need to monitor the nutrient content of the swill, especially the availability of micronutrients.