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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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2008 - 20092
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Author: Indu, K × Author: KAU × Start date: 2001 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.V.Sc. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Comparative evaluation of membrane protein and biofilm vaccines against duck pasteurellosis
    (Department Of Poultry Sciences,College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2008) Indu, K; KAU; Krishnan Nair, C
    A research work was undertaken to prepare effective vaccines against P. multocida grown under different conditions and assess their immunopotency in one month old ducklings. The purity of the Pasteurella multocida A: 1 strain (DP1) and A: 4 strain (PA4) was confirmed as per standard procedures. Pathogenicity of DP1 and PA4 was assessed in six to eight week old mice. The isolates killed the intraperitoneally inoculated mice within eight hours and within 24 h when injected by subcutaneous route. Pasteurella multocida A: 1 was used for the preparation of different vaccines. The organism was grown in BHIB for preparation of ordinary bacterin. The in vitro biofilm formation of the organism was assessed by growing it under nutrient restricted conditions. For this, the organism was grown in TSB (0.32 per cent) supplemented with 0.3 per cent bentonite clay. For preparation of OMP suspension, the organism was grown in iron restricted condition viz., BHIB supplemented with 100 µM 2, 2’ Dipyridyl and the OMPs were extracted using sodium lauryl sarcosinate. The protein concentration of OMP suspension was estimated to be 3 mg/ml. Median lethal dose (LD50) of DP1 was 10-7.5, which contained 32 viable cells/ ml and that of PA4 was 10-7.38, which contained 24 viable cells/ ml when determined in one month old ducklings. Oil adjuvant vaccines were prepared using ordinary bacterin, bacterin made from biofilm and OMP suspension and performed the sterility, safety and potency tests of the vaccine employing standard procedures. A total of 260 four week old ducklings were divided into four groups with 65 birds in each group and the first three groups were vaccinated with ordinary bacterin, OMP vaccine and biofilm vaccine respectively. The fourth group served as control. The birds were vaccinated with 0.5 millilitre of vaccine intramuscularly in the thigh region. Blood was collected from all the ducks pre-vaccination, at weekly intervals upto 3 weeks post vaccination (PV) and then at 15 days interval upto 60 days, by cardiac puncture or by jugular venipuncture. Passive haemagglutination using GA-SRBC sensitized with sonicated antigen of DP1 was used to measure the humoral immune response. The IHA titres obtained for biofilm vaccine group on day 14 was very much higher than the other two groups. The antibody titre was observed from day seven onwards for all the groups. All the vaccine groups have shown significant difference from the control group at all the stages of the study. On homologous challenging, biofilm vaccine gave higher protection rates of 80 per cent than the 70 and 50 per cent protection rates of ordinary bacterin and OMP vaccine respectively, when challenged with 100 LD50 dose on day 20 PV. On day 60 PV, biofilm vaccine gave higher protection rate of 70 per cent than the 60 and 50 per cent protection rates respectively of ordinary bacterin and OMP vaccine, when challenged with 100 LD50 dose. On heterologous challenging, biofilm vaccine gave higher protection rates of 70 per cent, while only 50 per cent protection was afforded by both bacterin and OMP vaccine, when challenged with 100 LD50 dose on 20 day PV. On day 60 PV, biofilm vaccine gave higher protection rate of 60 per cent while both the other vaccines gave only 50 per cent protection, when challenged with 100 LD50 dose. All the birds challenged on day 40 PV, either with homologous and heterologous organisms died. In most cases, the death occurred due to coliform infection along with stressful factor such as increased atmospheric humidity due to heavy rainfall at that time. In few cases, birds died due to pasteurellosis which might be due to lack of protective level of antibody titre. Biofilm vaccine proved to be the best among the three vaccines tried. Further field trials are to be done before advocating this vaccine for commercial use.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of a composite mixture of Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellirica on aflatoxicosis in rabbits
    (Centre for Excellence in Pathology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2009) Indu, K; KAU; Lalithakunjamma, C R
    Among the various mycotoxins, aflatoxins have been the subject of most intensive research because of the extremely potent cytotoxic and carcinogenic effects. Mycotoxicosis and its counteraction have received greater attention by researchers in the last few decades. In this context an evaluation study on the protective effect of a herbal composite mixture triphala (containing Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellirica) on aflatoxicosis in rabbits was carried out. The study was conducted for a period of two months with twenty four rabbits divided into three groups of eight each. Rice culture containing 27 ppm of aflatoxin was added appropriately to the ration to get a final concentration of 0.5 ppm. Group I was given 0.5 ppm aflatoxin contaminated feed and group II was given combination of triphala (four per cent) and aflatoxin (0.5 ppm ) contaminated diet. Group III was provided with control diet. There were reduction in body weight gain, Hb, PCV, TLC, lymphocyte count while heterophil count, AST, ALT and ALP levels showed an increase in the toxin fed animals. Addition of triphala at four percent level in the aflatoxin contaminated feed effectively counteracted these changes. The gross and histopathological changes due to aflatoxin were reduced in triphala group. There was widespread vascular changes, extensive necrotic changes, bile duct proliferation, biliary hyperplasia and cholangiocellular carcinoma in the liver and necrotic changes in the kidney of toxin group. These changes were reduced in intensity in triphala group and there was no development of tumors in liver. Regenerative process were well pronounced in the liver and kidney of triphala group. Hence the present study revealed that supplementation of composite mixture of Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellirica at four per cent level could counteract the toxic effects of aflatoxicosis in rabbits.