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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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1980 - 19834
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Subject: Veterinary Public Health × Author: KAU × End date: 1989 × Start date: 1980 × Type: Thesis ×
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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Study on the influence of cattle keeping on the bacteriological quality of domestic well water
    (Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1981) George Oommen, T; KAU; Soman, M
    Wells are the main sources of water supply in Indian villages and towns as elsewhere in any of the rural areas of the developing tropical countries. The shallow, open, dug wells are liable to contamination from the surrounding sources by various means. Faecal contamination of water is considered as one of the major causes of health hazards resulting in innumerable diseases among people throughout the world. Therefore, the bacteriological analysis of water is aimed at the detection and enumeration of indicators of faecal pollution. The movement of animal excreta into surface and ground water is considered a major factor contributing to the bacteriological pollution of available water in many regions. In order to assess the influence of cattle keeping on the bacteriological quality of domestic well water in Mannuthy area, the present study was undertaken. Forty wells from households randomly selected, with and without cattle keeping, for the study spreading over for a period of six months covering the summer and south-west monsoon during 1981. Water samples were collected aseptically, once in each season. They were bacteriologically analysed for SPC, MPN of coliforms and the detection and enumeration of E.coli. FS and C1 perfringens. Bacterial counts in water from all wells far exceeded the standards recommended for open, shallow wells. Although an apparently higher SPC in water from households with cattle keeping than from those without was observed, it was not statistically significant. The seasonal variation in the counts showed a hundred-fold increase in the case of SPC during monsoon than summer. But the similar increase in the MPN was negligible. The indicator bacteria, especially E.Coli and C1.perfringens showed a significant reduction during monsoon. The sanitary survey of the wells conducted with the help of a ready made performa revealed that none of the wells could be considered satisfactory either in construction or maintenance. The SPC and FS counts were found to have a positive correlation with the depth of wells. The SPC was positively correlated with the type of latrine also. The MPN of coliform and the depth of lining and distance of cattle shed from well were negatively correlated; so also a negative correlation was observed in the case of FS count and the distance between latrine and well. The various characteristics of wells, cattle keeping and latrines were found to have a significant correlation with the SPC and MPN of coliforms. When these of wells and latrines were alone considered, they showed significant correlation only with FS count. But it was observed that the characteristics of wells and latrines alone could explain for the considerable variations in the SPC and MPN than those of cattle keeping, as a source of pollution. It is concluded that the type of construction of well do not have any direct bearing on the bacteriological quality of well water except in the case of Cl. perfringens counts. Cattle keeping has also no significant influence on the bacteriological quality of domestic well water in Mannuthy area though all wells under study showed evidence of recent or past faecal contamination.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Differentiation of beef from chevon by serological methods
    (Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1980) Mohan Das, N; KAU; Prabhakaran, P
    Identification of meat of different species by physical examination alone is difficult. Serological tests are advocated as one of the reliable methods. In order to differentiate beef from chevon, tube precipitation and gel-diffusion tests were concurrently done. Antisera raised in rabbits against beef and chevon, and saline extracts of meat samples collected from known sources as antigen, were used for the tests. In order to remove cross-reacting antibodies, the sera were absorbed with freese – dried antigen against which cross- reacting antibodies were present. Tube precipitation and gel-diffusion tests were adopted for identifying the meat samples. The tests conducted on eighty samples of meat gave cent percent accuracy in identifying the meat. Buffalo meat and mutton used in the test as antigen reacted in the same manner as that by beef and chevon respectively. It was also possible to detect the presence of adulterant in a mixed sample of beef and chevon when the proportion or level of adulterant was up to 20 percent. The antisera could be preserved for more than six months at 50C and-200C without loss of efficacy inspite of occasional electricity failure. It is concluded that tube precipitation and gel-diffusion tests are reliable methods for differentiation of beef and chevon.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of hygienic quality of market meat
    (Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1981) Kuttinarayanan, P; KAU; Soman, M
    With a view to investigate the hygienic quality of market meat in and around Trichur town the present study was undertaken. Eighty four samples of meat were tested for detecting total aerobic plate count, count of coliforms, Escherichia coli, Faecal streptococci and clostridium perfringens. Eighty four samples of beef obtained from different meat stalls had aerobic plate count ranging from 30 x 106 150 x 106 organism per gram of meat. Kerala Agricultural University Slaughter House (USH) gave the minimum count in comparison with other three places such as Panchayat meat stall, Mannuthy, Municipal Meat stall at west fort and East fort. The maximum count recorded from west fort sample had a count 150 x 106 organism per gram of meat. Coliform count (MPN) ranged between 1.2 x 105 and 160 x 105 per 100 grams of meat. The maximum count obtained was from samples of East fort and minimum was that from USH. E.Coli count ranged from 800 to 8800 organisms per gram of meat. The proportion of E.coli in the samples was corresponding to the APC in respect of the source of collection. All the randomly tested E.coli colonies were indole producing, MR positive and VP and citrate negative . Ninety per cent of them were Eijkman positive indicating they were typical coliforms. Faecal streptococci were present in all except one sample. The count ranged between ‘0’ and 110000 organisms per gram of meat. On testing the colonies by certain biochemical test, the result that the isolates were mostly of animals origin. About 15 samples were free from clostridium perfringens and count ranged between zero and 2000 organisms per gram of meat. The counts had shown that among the samples collected, those from USH had significantly low count in respect of all organisms studied. Similar result was seen in case of the bacterial quality of water samples collected from all the four places. Seventeen carcases were subjected to spray washing with different levels of chlorine such as 10, 20 and 50ppm. The meat samples were collected from the surface, before and 15 minutes after spraying, and they were processed for estimating the bacterial load. A reduction in bacterial load was observed by spray washing with water containing 10, 20 and 50 ppm chlorine to the extent of 24.8, 59.9 and 77.9 percent respectively and were significant at one per cent level. Water with 50ppm chlorine was found to be the best for washing carcase reduction in bacterial load without affecting its physical appearance and acceptability.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Differentiation of buffalo flesh from beef by serological methods
    (Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1983) Somasekharan, E; KAU; Abraham, J
    Immuno – double – diffusion in agar gel immune – electrophoresis on agarose were concurrently done to differentiate buffalo flesh from beef using unabsorbed antibuffalo serum and the test antigens prepared from 50 samples each of buffalo meat and beef in saline. The tests were repeated with unabsorbed anti beef serum. Both unabsorbed antibuffalo meat serum and anti beef serum reacted similarly with beef and buffalo meat antigens producing identical precipitation bands. Three precipitin arcs each were produced by whole antibuffalo meat and anti beef sera with beef and buffalo meat test antigens in immunoelectrophoresis. When the anti beef and antibuffalo meat sera were absorbed with freeze dried heterologous antigens and tested by agar gel diffusion and by immunoelectrophoresis, both the sera failed to produce any visible reaction with buffalo meat and beef antigens prepared from test samples. Mutton and chevon cross reacted with anti beef and antibuffalo meat sera while pork and dog meat showed no cross – reaction. Among the various antigens used for raising antisera in rabbits meat extract in Freund’s incomplete adjuvant was found to be most potent. A minimum of 11 days was required for the development of appreciable level of antibodies in rabbit serum with buffalo meat antigen in distilled water. The time lapse for the appearance of visible precipitation lines, in gel diffusion tests was five hours with antibuffalo sera against buffalo meat and beef antigens.