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3. Augmenting milk production by injecting æstrogenic hormones,
iodinated protein, etc.—Only some preliminary exploratory experiments
will be undertaken in selected Government and private herds and, when
possible, also in rural cattle, using particularly barren cows, slow-maturing
heifers, and such cows whose milk yield may have declined without obvious
reasons.
4. Nutritional Survey.—Data will be collected on lines recommended
by Indian Veterinary Research Institute. General observations on the
occurrence of deficiency diseases will be made.
5. Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia.—Clinical survey in localities
adjacent to Assam, viz., districts of Jalpaiguri, Rangpur and Mymensingh
and Cooch Behar State. Vaccination trials, if applicable.
6. Investigation of Obscure Local Diseases.—
7. Miscellaneous Observations.—The above programme was approved
by the Council with the exception of item No. 3, which was considered
"outside the province of a Disease Investigation Officer". This approval
was received very late (in October 1947) and partly on account of this
reason and partly because work on other items on the programme could not
be taken up, item No. 3 became the main subject of investigation during
the year.
Section C—Results.
1. Nasal Granuloma.—Through a suitably prepared circular note
issued under the signature of the Assistant Director-in-charge, Field
Veterinary Service, the district staff was requested to send material for
examination together with some relevant particulars, but no such material
was received in spite of repeated reminders.
2. Rinderpest.—A suitable temperature and observation chart was pre-
pared for the use of the staff engaged in mass vaccinations against the
disease, but all efforts made to get the returns failed.
3. Induction of Lactation.—Between October 1947 and January 1948,
twenty non-lactating animals were treated with repeated intramuscular
injections of stilboestrol up to a total dose rate varying from 70 to 310 mg.
and spread over periods varying from one to five weeks. The animals so
treated were :—(i) Four multiparous sterile cows, (ii) two multiparous cows
and three heifers which aborted at different stages of pregnancy, and
(iii) eleven nulliparous heifer calves, most of which had not come into
oestrus.
With the methods used there Was no response in the cows, but all heifer
calves except three gave milk yields comparable with a normal lactation.
This is well-illustrated by results obtained in two animals viz., Heifers
Nos. 4 and 7, the latter having aborted when about three months pregnant.
Heifer No. 4, which received a total of 300 mg. of stilboestrol, started
giving milk over 1 lb. daily in 6 days, over 5 lbs. in 16 clays, over 10 lbs.
in 34 days and over 15 lbs. in 99 days, reaching a maximum daily yield of
about 16½ lbs. in 105 days, all counting from the day of the first injection.
IIer total yield up to 31st March 1948 was 2,036 lbs. in 179 days from first
injection and her average daily yield in last week of March 1948 was about
13 lbs. Heifer No. 7 which received a total of only 90 mg. of stilboestrol,
started yielding over 1 lb. of milk daily in 3 days, over 5 lbs. in 7 days,
over 10 lbs. in 24 days and over 15 lbs. in 47 days, reaching a maximum
daily yield of over 17½ lbs. in 59 days after first injection. Her total yield
up to 31st March 1948 was 1,934 lbs. in 152 days and her average daily
yield in last week of March was about 12½ lbs.