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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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Author: Sreeji, K.P × End date: 2010 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of coconut oil on lipid profile and antioxident status in rats
    (Department of Veterinary Biochemistry,College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2010) Sreeji, K.P; KAU; Sisilamma, George
    The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of various preparations of coconut oil (copra oil, seasoned coconut oil and virgin coconut oil) and fish oil on lipid profile and antioxidant status in rats. Adult male Wistar rats (180-220 g) were randomly divided into five groups and administered with oils as follows: G1 – normal control (NC), G2 – copra oil (CO), G3 – seasoned coconut oil (SCO), G4 - virgin coconut oil (VCO) and G5 – fish oil (FO). Oils were administered orally to rats at a dose of 16.4g/kg body weight per day using an orogastric tube for a period of 90 days. Blood samples were collected on day 0 (before oil administration), 45 and 90 and serum was separated. Body weight was also recorded on the above days. Animals were euthanized on day 90; liver and heart were separated and weighed. Serum were analyzed for biochemical parameters viz., TAG, TL, TC, HDL, LDL and VLDL and tissues for TC, TAG, LP and GSH. Liver glycogen was also estimated. Representative samples of liver and heart tissues were subjected to histopathological examination. Administration of CO and SCO for 3 months did not show any significant variation in body weight. VCO administration significantly (P< 0.05) decreased whereas, FO administration significantly (P< 0.05) increased the body weight, when compared to NC. Serum TAG and VLDL were significantly (P< 0.05) increased while, LDL was decreased by CO administration. Serum TL, TC and HDL were similar to that of NC. SCO administered rats showed significantly (P< 0.05) higher levels of TL, TC, TAG, HDL, LDL and VLDL. VCO administration significantly (P< 0.05) increased the level of HDL and decreased LDL. Moreover, VCO administered rats did not show any significant variation in the levels of TL, TAG, TC and VLDL. Administration of FO showed the levels of TC, HDL and VLDL similar to that of NC, but TAG increased significantly (P< 0.05) and TL and LDL showed a significant (P< 0.05) reduction. When HDL/LDL ratio was compared, CO, VCO and FO administered rats showed higher values when compared to NC. SCO administered rats, showed a value similar to that of day 0 but VCO administered group showed the highest value. Administration of CO and FO significantly (P< 0.05) increased the weight of liver and heart while VCO administration did not show any significant variation from that of NC. SCO significantly (P< 0.05) decreased weight of liver whereas, weight of heart was similar to that of NC. Level of liver glycogen decreased significantly (P< 0.05) in all oil administered groups except VCO, which showed a level similar to that of NC. Administration of CO significantly (P< 0.05) increased the level of TC in heart and TAG in both the tissues, while TC in liver was similar to that of NC. SCO administration significantly (P< 0.05) increased TC whereas, the TAG levels were similar to that of NC in both the tissues. VCO consumption significantly (P< 0.05) decreased the level of TC in both the tissues, while it increased TAG in heart without affecting liver TAG. FO administration did not show any significant variation in the level of TC and TAG in heart, but it significantly (P< 0.05) decreased the level of TC without affecting liver TAG. Administration of CO and FO significantly (P< 0.05) increased the levels of LP and GSH in both the tissues except for liver GSH in FO group, which was similar to that of NC. Feeding SCO maintained the level of LP in both the tissues, while GSH increased significantly (P< 0.05) in heart while its level in liver was unaffected. VCO intake significantly (P< 0.05) reduced the level of both LP and GSH in heart, but maintained the normal level in liver. Hepatocytes of rats administered with CO showed diffused necrosis with vacuolation and central venous congestion and lesions in heart were characterized by congestion and moderate hyalinization. SCO administered rats showed dilatation of sinusoids and diffuse congestion of liver but histological architecture in heart tissue was normal. VCO and FO administration exhibited normal histological architecture of both liver and heart except for a mild degeneration of hepatocytes in VCO consumed group. Based on the above observations it could be suggested that long term consumption of VCO and FO might not cause any adverse effects on serum and tissue lipid profile except for oxidative stress by FO. CO and SCO feeding revealed some adverse effects, but it is worth mentioning that the dose of oil administered (16.4 g/kg body weight, i.e. 30 kg/head/year) was very high, which stands in between per capita world average consumption (17.8 kg/head/year) and consumption of developed western world (44 to 48 kg/head/year), also which is more than double the per capita coconut oil consumption in Kerala (14 kg/head/year). Therefore, consumption of CO and SCO at a lower dose or the per capita consumption in Kerala as stated above might not elicit adverse effects as observed in the present study.