a) Pre-clinical Disciplines:
Ø First hand information on the gross and micro anatomy of yak, Gaddi sheep, goats, Spiti ponies and Pashmina goats has been documented.
Ø A diagnostic test to detect sodium (salt) deficiency in large ruminants based on muzzle secretion has been developed.
Ø Normal physiological blood profiles of Gaddi goats, Gaddi sheep, local cattle and yaks have been established. Migratory Gaddi goats had significantly higher RBC count and higher levels of thyroxin and iron binding capacity as compared to that of local goats.
Ø Yak blood was found to have significantly higher hemoglobin, iron and potassium as compared to that of cattle.
Ø Pharmaco-kinetic doses for various sulfa drugs in yaks have been established.
Ø "Bana" (Vertex negundo) leaves were found to be anti-inflammatory and antipyretic.
Ø Immature leaves of Quercus incana were found to posses high concentration of tannins, which are harmful to domestic animals.
Ø Leaves of Kaliphool (Salvia coccinea) were found to have high concentration of nitrates, the probable cause of abortions in migratory sheep and goats.
b) Animal production:
§ Carrying capacities of grasslands of agroclimatic zones II, III and IV of the State have been worked out to be 1.31, 1.21 and 0.64 AU/ ha/ annum. Strategies developed for improving the grasslands include: introduction of Setaria anceps and Robinia pseudoacacia in hedges in sub-temperate/ sub-tropical zones and Festuca arundinacea & Dactylus glomerata grasses and legumes (Trifolium repens & Trifolium pratens) in alpine zone, besides the application of 40 kg N, 30 kg P2O5 and 2.5 kg Copper sulphate/ ha on all grasslands. Fast multiplying inedible weeds like Verbascum thapsus and Cynanchum vincitoxicum need to be eradicated on priority from the prized alpine pastures of Barabanghal.
§ Highly efficient milk replacer has been developed for growing calves.
§ Energy requirements of Gaddi goats have been found to be 115% of NRC levels.
§ For significantly higher broiler and egg production, promising probiotics Streptococcus lactis- S1, Lactobacillus bulgaricus- L4 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae- Y3 have been selected and recommended for commercial use, singly or in combination and similar highly promising microbes have been isolated from the excreta of Panthera leo and calves. Probiotics fed only during the starter and growing phases of the layer stock were found to show their beneficial effects during the entire period of lay.
§ Probiotics feeding has increased body weight gains of calves by 14%, reducing intensity and incidence of diarrhoea by 58%, thereby reducing the cost of calf rearing by 36% in comparison to conventional milk feeding practices.
§ Standard mineral mixture, URO- MOL- MIN bricks, ration with protected proteins and feeds for poultry and Angora rabbits have been standardized for use by the farmers.
§ Apple pomace, Kainth (Pyrus pashia) fruit meal, wild isabgol meal (Plantago lanceolata) have been identified as potential alternative feed resources.
§ Crop residues like paddy and wheat straw could be nutritionally improved either by ammoniation or by fungal treatment or by ensling with fresh apple pomace.
§ Using 1-% urea (dry matter basis) and 5% molasses (fresh basis) prepared better quality maize silage and haylage as basal feed for dairy animals.
§ The nutrient requirement of Angora rabbits for growth, maintenance, lactation and wool production have been worked out. These were estimated to be 15 % higher for growth & maintenance during summer season, and 30% higher for growth, gestation & lactation during winter season than those of French recommendations.
§ Soybean sown in combination with Hybrid Napier gave significantly higher quantum of nutrients as compared to combinations with other perennial grasses like Setaria, Guinea grass and Green Panic
§ Jersey- yak cross-bred has been found good milch and draft animals for tribal areas of Kinnaur.
§ Diallel mating has evolved superior genetic groups of broiler rabbits. Crosses of White Giant and Grey Giant and their reciprocals performed well under the humid subtropics for production and reproduction traits.
§ Improved wool quality and increased fleece weight have been obtained by crossing local Gaddi sheep with exotic sheep breeds (Rambouillet and Merino). The nondescript cows graded up with jerseys have produced more milk (1586-kg/ lactation) as compared to pure nondescript (567-kg/ lactation). Reproductive efficiency has considerably improved in graded up cattle under field conditions.
§ Part lactation yields during early and mid lactation have been found to be a good indicator to predict total lactation yield in Jersey and Holstein X Sahiwal crosses.
c) Paraclinical disciplines:
ü The prevalence of enteric red mouth disease in trout fish has been culturally and serologically confirmed for the first time in Asia. The etiologic agent Yersinia ruckeri was isolated and confirmed.
ü Salmonella dublin as a cause of abortion in yaks has been established for the first time.
ü Protothecal mastitis in Jersey crossbred cows has been reported for the first time in Asia.
ü Occurrence of Anthrax, Haemorrhagic septicemia and Glanders (supposedly to be eradicated from this region) have been confirmed to be prevalent.
ü Seroprevalence of chlamydial infection in domestic animals and birds in the State has been recorded to be 33.9%.
ü Salmonella rostock isolated for first time in India from infertility cases.
ü Mycotoxicosis in Jersey herd has been diagnosed.
ü Sero-prevalence of B. melitensis and B. abortus has been recorded in cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats. Infertility in different species of livestock due to brucellosis, listeriosis & salmonellosis, chlamydiosis and nonspecific bacteria has been diagnosed. Immunohistochemical diagnosis of chlamydiosis and use of Japanese quails as a model for study of virulence of chlamydia psittaci along with some pioneering work on rabbit diseases are the major research contribution.
ü A total of 3097 samples from clinic, livestock farm and from field conditions were processed for microbial isolations. The drug sensitivity pattern of the isolated microbes was supplied to the quarter concerned. In addition, 1112 samples from ailments like UTI, pharyngitis, septic wounds, anal fistulae, blood, stool and sputum samples from humans were microbiologically examined.
ü Salmonellosis: Salmonella newport was isolated from bovines. S. dublin was isolated from bovine abortion, S. typhimurium was isolated from reproductive disorders in buffaloes. In poultry, S. gallinarum, S. pullorum and S. typhimurium were incriminated with different disease syndromes. The isolation of S. newport from the intestinal droppings and heart blood of a Himalayan horned eagle owl was achieved. The S. rostock from goats was isolated for the first time in India.
ü Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was isolated from a lion cub.
ü Most prevalent parasites in livestock species in Himachal Pradesh are ascarids, flukes, strongyles, coccidia and lungworms where as most prevalent parasites in equines are strongyles, lungworms, habronema, stomach bots and ascarids. Gaddi goats were observed to be more resistant to nematode infections. Albendazole @ 7.5 mg/kg BW has been found most effective and safe against nematodiasis in equines.
ü Vitex negundo was found to be partially effective against GIT nematodes, whereas, Ectozee herbal preparation was found to be highly effective against goat lice and rabbit mites.
ü Over 9000 cases of necropsy disease investigation and biopsy diagnosis were undertaken in various species of livestock, poultry and wild life. Some of the important disease conditions diagnosed included: colisepticaemia, chlamydiosis, lantana poisoning, horn cancer, salmonellosis, theileriosis, black quarter, anthrax, FMD, enzoonotic bovine hematuria, tuberculosis, brucellosis, listeriosis, fasciolosis in cattle; chronic fasciolosis in buffalo, verminous pneumonia, PPR, acute fasciolosis in sheep and goats, glanders, maleoidosis, babesiosis, respiratory distress syndrome in equines; pasteurellosis, staphylococcosis, coli enteritis, klebsiella enteritis in rabbits. In Poultry - I.B.D., ranikhet Disease, salmonellosis, pullorum - gallinarum infection, mycoplasmosis, mycotoxicosis, leechi disease. In wild life - verminous pnemonia, pseudotuberculosis, viral hepatitis.
d) Clinical disciplines:
v Effective drugs for treatment of Ageratum toxicosis included the use of 5% dextrose solution, liver extract and hematinics.
v Clinico-biochemical and therapeutic aspects of Lantana toxicosis in bovines were worked out. Treatment with charcoal and 5% glucose saline, avil, ruminotone and liver extracts were found effective.
v Use of autogenous wart vaccine was found quite effective in cutaneous papillomatosis.
v A number of proprietary products in cattle like Rumbion, AV/ SDS/12 and AV/ADG/12 have been found effective in treatment of indigestion in ruminants.
v Chloroform (50%) was found very effective and safe in removing leeches from nasal cavities of animals.
v Respiratory distress was found to be manageable with selected antibiotics, anthelmintics and haematinics.
v A technique for pre- anesthesia, general anesthesia and regional anesthesia in yaks has been standardized using various drugs alone and in combination. The techniques for lumber and caudal, epidural, paravertebral, cornual, aureculopalbebral, Peterson's eye block and brachial plexus block have also been worked out.
v In hepatopathic dogs, atropine- acepromazine- ketamine combination proved to be safer anesthesia devoid of any side effect.
v Cutaneous wounds treated with homogenous saliva showed a faster connective tissue and epidermal regeneration.
v Use of hydroxyapatite fibrillar collagen implant in fracture repair provided better osteoinductive properties and improved osteogenesis.
v Synovial fluid transfusion alone and in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug intra-articularly proved to be an effective treatment in case of traumatic/ aseptic arthritis.
v Silent estrous and poor estrous detection were identified as the major causes of post partum anestrous. Heavy incidence of ecto and endo parasites was also found responsible for anestrous.
v A number of clinical abnormalities were identified as the major cause of repeat breeding. These included infections, managemental & anatomical causes and ovarian dysfunction.
e) Fisheries:
· A poly-culture fish model for rearing three exotic carps i.e. common carp, grass carp, silver carp in the ratio of 3: 2: 1 has been evolved. The production efficiency of this model has been computed as 4.00 tons / ha/ annum.
· Rainbow trout farming has been found possible upto 1000 m. above mean sea level provided adequate water quantity and quality in respect of dissolved oxygen, pH and turbidity is ensured. For commercial trout rearing, fish meal based pelted feed has been found highly economical as compared to the conventional slaughterhouse waste/ meat based diets.
· Histochemical studies on pituitary of Mahaseer have revealed that LTH cells are responsible for the upstream migration of this species. As a result it is not possible to breed them in the confined water since the LTH cells are lacking in pond reared specimens.
