NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
PLATE VIII.
Fig. 1. Showing the hind legs and tail.
Fig. 2. Standing posture.
A CASE OF SIMPLE MONSTROSITY IN PUSA DAIRY HERD,
ABSTRACTS
169
zation of animals, and it can be given without risk to valuable imported animals. The possibility
of using solutions up to 4 per cent. strength permits of a reduction in the amount of liquid injected
to reasonable proportions.
Until further experimentation has furnished fuller information, Theiler recommends the follow-
ing doses :—
For calves or slight cases :—
50 c. c. of a 2 per cent. solution in water.
or 100 c. c. of a 1 per cent. solution in water.
For serious cases in adult animals:—
50 c. c. of a 4 per cent. solution in water.
or 100 c. c. of a 2 per cent. solution in water.
All the animals treated in the experiments had been infected by the injection of virulent blood,
but the author sees no reason why similar results should not be obtained in naturally contracted
cases.
The four cases of equines infected with Nuttallia equi were all cured, but Theiler recommends
caution for the time being in drawing conclusions as to the efficacy of the drug against this parasite.
The first case treated was a severe one and two injections were necessary to cause the disappearance
of the parasites. In the other cases the disappearance of the parasites was not immediate, and the
temperature remained high for 24 hours after the injection. It must, therefore, be concluded that
the drug is probably less active against Nuttallia than against Piroplasma. The fact that a case of
nuttalliasis with haemoglobinuria recovered after two injections is sufficient to recommend the use of
the drug, more particularly because up to the present no known drug has been of any value for the
treatment of this condition.
It is suggested that Piroblue will probably prove effective against canine piroplasmosis and
against diseases caused by Babesiella, but the author notes, without giving any details, that it is
quite without action on Theileria parva and Anaplasma. (Reprinted from Tropical Veterinary
Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 4, December 1930.)
Feeding standards for dairy cows.—E. T. HALNAN, M.A.
The following suggested standard for dairy cows is taken from an article on the " Feeding
Standards for Dairy Cows ", by E. T. Halnan, M.A., School of Agriculture, Cambridge, published
in the Journal of Dairy Research, Volume 1, No. 1, dated November 1929. The full article should,
however, be read by those interested in the subject.
A SUGGESTED STANDARD.
From the evidence given in this monograph it would appear that a suitable standard for milk
production would be :--
(1) For maintenance of the 1,000 lb. cow: 5,446 cals. net energy, or 5 lb. starch equivalent,
containing 0.5 lb. digestible protein or 0.6 lb. protein equivalent.
(2) For the production of 1 gallon of 4 per cent. fat milk: 2.5 lb. starch equivalent or 2,777
cals. net energy, containing 0.48 lb. digestible pure protein or 0.57 lb. protein
equivalent.
170 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ I, II
Based on Anderson's formulae, the requirements for milk of various fat percentages would be
per gallon:—
Fat per cent.
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
Composition of milk
Protein
0.271
0.294
0.316
0.338
0.360
0.383
0.405
0.427
0.450
0.472
Calories
2,646
2,903
3,160
3,417
3,674
3,931
4,188
4,445
4,702
4,959
Food requirements
Digestible pure
protein
0.40
0.42
0.45
0.48
0.52
0.55
0.58
0.61
0.64
0.67
Protein
equivalent
0.48
0.50
0.54
0.57
0.62
0.66
0.69
0.73
0.76
0.80
Starch
equivalent
1.9
2.1
2.3
2.5
2.7
2.9
3.1
3.3
3.4
3.6
Sur 1' adaptation des trypanosomes à 1' homme. [ The Adaptation of Trypano-
somes to Man.]—F. MESNIL. Bull. Soc. Path. Exot. 1930, July 9, Vol. 23, No. 7,
pp. 719—721.
Mesnil gives reasons for thinking that the occasional cases of infection of human beings with
purely animal trypanosomes are due to some special condition of the individual.
The case recorded by Vauccl supports the view that T. rhodesiense is in reality T. brucei adapted
to man. On the other hand, the observation made by Mesnil with Ringenbach in 1911, that in the
laboratory T. rhodesiense rapidly becomes susceptible to the action of human serum, led him to think
that T. rhodesiense was of recent adaptation to man.
The facts indicate that this adaptation may be purely accidental, and that no doubt is the reason
why T. rhodesiense occurs sporadically.
A practical conclusion that is drawn is that all kinds of trypanosomes should be handled with
the greatest caution. The chances of infection may be slight, but they are nevertheless real. (Re-
printed from Tropical Veterinary Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 4, December 1930.)
Action of Formaldehyde on the Aggressive Substance of Blackleg Filtrate,
Bacterin and Aggressin.—JOSEPH P. SCOTT. Jour. Inf. Dis., xlvi (1930), 6, p. 460.
Concentrations of 0.5 per cent. formaldehyde increased blackleg aggressin, filtrates and bacter-
ins to their greatest potency. The increase in potency produced in these products is dependent on
the amount of aggressive substance developed in the culture from which the product is made.
Formaldehyde apparently acts on the aggressive substance in a quantitative manner. The presence
ERRATUM
The Indian Journal of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Vol. I, Part I,
Plate V, facing page 27. Delete " ♂ " occurring after ' Corizoneura longirostris '.
MGIPC—S3—III-1-13—8-6-31—1,000.
ORIGINAL ARTICLES.
SOME DIGESTIBILITY TRIALS ON INDIAN FEEDING
STUFFS, PART VII.
KANGRA RICE STRAW.
BY
P. E. LANDER, M.A., D.Sc., A.I.C., I.A.S.,
Agricultural Chemist to Government, Punjab,
AND
PANDIT LAL CHAND DHARMANI, L.AG., B.SC. (AGRI.),
Assistant to Agricultural Chemist to Government, Punjab.
(Received for publication on 24th March 1931.)
(With Two figures.)
The Kangra District has long been notorious for the poor and neglected con-
dition of its cattle, and the equally unsatisfactory condition of the majority of the
people living in this tract. Malnutrition, whether of man or beast, may be due to
a variety of causes, either actual undernourishment due to insufficient food in
quantity, or to its being qualitatively deficient in certain ingredients necessary to
physical well-being. It is scarcely necessary to say that each of these factors
reacts on the other, and it is little use introducing new breeds of cattle into a
district, if a deficient food supply, either quantitative or qualitative, is likely
adversely to affect their condition. Under conditions such as are met with in
Kangra, what is most essential is a general improvement in feeding standards,
without which the introduction of valuable bulls will be of little use.
No systematic investigations of the fodders used by cattle in Kangra have
yet been carried out, nor has it been possible yet to conduct well regulated feeding
experiments on the spot.
Rice straw is the staple cattle feed of the District and only in exceptional
cases do the cattle receive concentrates and green materials to supplement this
sparse inadequate diet. In order to throw some light on the degree of inadequacy
of this ration, feeding experiments were carried out at Lyallpur with this material,
the results of which are embodied in this paper. A very brief description of the
District may, however, first be given.
Kangra is the most northern of the five districts of the Jullundur Division
and embraces an area of some 10,000 square miles, extending from the plains of
the Bari and Jullundur Doabs over the Himalayan ranges to the boundary of Tibet.
It may be divided into three main agricultural divisions :—(a) the irrigated parts
( 177 )
A
178 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ I, III
of the Kangra and Palampur Tehsils (the Kangra Valley proper) with an average
annual rainfall of from 75-100 inches, and lying from 3,000 to 4,000 feet above sea
level, (b) the irrigated parts of Nurpur and Dehra Tehsils lying lower down with a
rainfall of 50 inches, and (c) the unirrigated parts with a somewhat lesser rainfall
(Fig. 1.)
Fig. 1.
DIGESTIBILITY TRIALS ON INDIAN FEEDING STUFFS
179
The indigenous breed of cattle in Kangra is small in size, weighing only about
500 lbs. Small bullocks are a necessity in the hilly areas in order to be able to
plough the minute and narrow fields on the hill side. In spite of their small size,
they are, however, sturdy, and would be admirably adapted to their environments
were it not that underfeeding diminishes their agricultural worth and lays them open
to attacks of contagious diseases ; a remark which applies with no less force to the
general condition of the people themselves.
Large animals are certainly used in the lower regions having a more level
contour, but it is a serious reflection on local conditions that the indigenous cows
rarely give more than 5 lbs. of milk a day and cows after being imported soon
give much less milk than they did in the plains.
In the heavy rice lands which are met with in this district, the strain on the
working bullock is so great that he rarely lasts more than three or four years and
it is not unusual for cattle harnessed to the plough to fall dead under the yoke.
The prices of cattle in recent years in Kangra have ranged as follows :—
Bullocks
Indigenous cows
Imported cows
Female buffaloes
Male buffaloes
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Rs. 15 to 40
Rs. 12 to 25
Rs. 50 to 80
Rs. 30 to 100
Rs. 12 to 40
Table I, shows in chronological sequence the fodders supplied as a rule in the
different parts of the district under different climatic and agricultural conditions,
from which it will be seen that the supply of an adequate quantity of concentrates
to the ration is the exception rather than the rule.
TABLE I.
Showing feeding of cattle in different parts of Kangra District.
Period
January,
February and
March.
Irrigated parts of Kangra
and Palampur Tohsils,
(Kangra Valley proper)
with 75 to 100 inches
rainfall
Rice straw about 20 lbs.
per head per day. To
this addition of Rabi
weeds growing in wheat
like Maina, etc., which
are allowed to grow for
this purpose is made in
the ration of milch cattle.
Some give green wheat
and barley if this can be
spared.
The condition of livestock
is therefore low owing to
poor diet and wet cold
weather.
Irrigated parts of Nurpur
and Dehra, i.e., lower
and hotter parts of the
District with 50
inches rainfall
White Bhusa 20 lbs. per
head per day with
certain amount of green
Rabi weeds out of wheat
fields and cane tops.
Where the holding is
comparatively
large,
some green wheat and
barley is also given to
milch cattle, but this
is done on a small scale.
The condition of livestock
is therefore low owing
to poor diet and wet
cold weather.
Unirrigated parts of the
District (Hamirpur Tehsil
and parts of other
Tehsils) with rainfall
below 50 inches
Dry grass 20 to 24 lbs.
per head per day with
certain amount of Rabi
weeds like Maina taken
out of wheat fields.
The condition of livestock
is therefore low owing to
poor diet and wet cold
weather.
A 2
DIGESTIBILITY TRIALS ON INDIAN FEEDING STUFFS
181
3. On the whole, concentrates are unknown in the Kangra valley ; bullocks during heavy work
are given wheat or barley flour as concentrates. More concentrates and of greater variety are given to
milch buffaloes.
4. The supply of fodder in the unirrigated parts of the District is better than the irrigated. This
is due to more grazings supplemented by leguminous crops.
Note.—The Botanical names of various fodders and trees mentioned are given at the end of
this paper.
THE EXPERIMENTAL TRIALS.
The digestibility trials described in this paper were carried out during the cold
weather of 1929-30 on rice straw, imported from Paprolla in the Kangra valley
being about 4,000 feet above sea level and grown on ordinary irrigated heavy loam
soil.
Three heifers (Montgomery breed) weighing from 350 to 450 lbs., particulars of
which are shown below, were selected for the trials.
No. of
heifer
122
128
133
Average body
weight lbs.
446
440
356
Date of birth
9th February 1926
11th July 1926 .
9th November 1926
Age on 1st October 1929
Years
3
3
2
Months
7
2
10
Days
22
20
22
The actual experimental periods with the rations used are given in Table II.
TABLE II.
1. 9 November 1929 to 3rd De-
cember 1929.
2. 15 December 1929 to 11th
January 1930.
3. 15 February 1930 to 25th Feb-
ruary 1930.
4. 13 March 1930 to 29th March
1930.
Rice straw alone
Rice straw and
maize grain.
Rice straw and toria
cake.
Rice straw and
green oats.
Heifers
„ .
„ .
„ .
122
122
122
122
128
128
128
128
133
133
133
133
1. Rice straw alone, 9th November 1929 to 3rd December 1929.
The general procedure followed during this trial was the same as described in
previous papers of this series [Lander, 1926 ; Lander and Lal Chand Dharmani, 1928],
a non-experimental or preparatory period being given in each case before collecting
experimental data for the respective feeds, in order to accustom the animals to the
ration.
182 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ I, III
Three animals 122, 128 and 133 were fed with rice straw as the sole ration from
the 1st October, 1929, the actual experimental period starting from the 9th Novem-
ber, 1929. Table VI gives the details of the digestibility figures obtained. It was
found that the protein in the rice straw was insufficient and gave a negative digest-
ibility figure. This rice straw is therefore deficient as judged by the daily nitrogen
balance figures. For example, heifer 122 lost 6.87 grm. of nitrogen daily, while
heifers 128 and 133 lost 6.55 grm. and 5.19 grm. of nitrogen respectively per day,
which shows that this ration is much below a maintenance standard. These parti-
cular animals, moreover, did not show any liking for the rice straw as they ate about
5 lbs. daily against 20 lb. which hill cattle are reported to eat.
Table III gives the chemical and mineral analyses of the rice straw and concent-
rates used.
In Table IV the data obtained from Kangra rice straw is shown in comparison
with similar data obtained from other places [Warth, 1926]. The figures for the
chemical analyses show that the Kangra rice straw of 1929 is poorer than any of
the others in its protein content, a fact which is reflected in the negative digestibi-
lity of the same. It contains, moreover, the highest percentage of crude fibre,
which detracts from its feeding value. The ash percentage is also lower than the
figures obtained from Pusa and Bangalore, but higher than the American. The
digestibility figures for dry matter, organic matter and carbohydrates are lowest,
while the digestibility of the protein is negative, a result which is necessarily reflect-
ed in an indefinitely wide albuminoid ratio. All the animals lost weight as shown
by the body weight curves and became much emaciated with staring coats and
lachrymose eyes, in fact so much so that the trials were terminated before the origi-
nally planned period.
2. Rice Straw and Maize Grain, 15th December 1929 to 11th January 1930.
The results obtained with these three animals while fed on Kangra rice straw
alone, definitely showed that the fodder was poor in its nitrogen content and failed
to meet the proteinous need of the cattle. It was consequently decided to investi-
gate the requirements in added concentrates necessary to bring this straw up to a
maintenance ration and meet the deficiency. As there is generally but limited scope
for choosing a supplementary ration in the Kangra valley, maize grain was selected
as it is a widely grown local cereal. The animals had lost condition considerably
while on the rice straw ration, so it was necessary to add comparatively large quan-
tities of this concentrate, two lbs. of maize grain being given twice daily in a crush-
ed condition after being soaked in water for about six hours. The details of the
digestibility figures and other data on the combined ration are given in Tables III
CURVE SHOWING FLUCTUATIONS IN DAILY BODY WEIGHTS OF THE ANIMALS
NON-EXPERIMENTAL PERIOD
EXPERIMENTAL PERIOD
DIGESTIBILITY TRIALS ON INDIAN FEEDING STUFFS
183
to VII, from which it will be seen that the previous negative daily nitrogen balance
was converted into a positive one by the addition of maize grain as a concentrate.
No. of
heifer.
122
128
133
Average daily
nitrogen balance on
rice straw, grm.
—6.87
—6.55
—5.19
Average daily
nitrogen balance on
rice straw and
maize grain,
grm.
10.05
8.32
12.46
Average efficiency of
4 lbs. of maize
grain, grm.
16.92
14.87
17.65
Average nitrogen
efficiency of 1 lb. of
maize grain, grm.
4.23
3.72
4.41
Furthermore the figures indicating the effect produced by the addition of one lb.
of maize grain agree closely for each of the two animals, i.e., No. 122 and No. 133,
as shown above. From these calculations it is possible to ascertain that 1.5 to
2.0 lbs. of maize grain added to rice straw fed ad-lib would constitute a mainten-
ance ration for cows of this description weighing about 500 lbs. Heifer No. 128
suffered from bad foot sores due to foot and mouth, and so had to be excluded from
the second part of the investigations. The analytical data obtained with this animal
have, however, been given, but no great value may be attached to it.
Although the addition of maize grain as a concentrate has converted the nega-
tive daily nitrogen balance into a positive one, neither the general condition of the
animals nor their body weights showed any pronounced improvement during the
period under trial, in spite of the fact that rather heavy doses of concentrate were
given. It is probable that the addition of maize grain may not have made good
the deficiency of the essential amino acids in the proteins of the rice straw, but on
the other hand may have augmented this deficiency. (Zein the chief maize protein
is known to be lacking in tryptophane and lysine, amino acids essential for main-
tenance and growth).
A glance at the body weight curves (Fig. 2) shows a sharp drop shortly after the
concentrate feeding began, this may have been an aftermath of the deficient ration
and might have become more pronounced if the ration had been continued; weight,
however, was rapidly recovered, although the animals did not show recovery to
normal weight till the next experimental period described below :—
3. Rice Straw and Toria Cake, 15th February 1930 to 25th February 1930.
Rice straw and toria cake were fed from the 12th January 1930, to the 25th
February, 1930, one lb. toria cake was fed twice daily after being soaked in water
for a bout a couple of hours, while rice straw was given ad-lib. The data from this
184 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ I, III
experiment are given in Tables III to VII. Under this ration the condition of the
animals improved considerably and they gained in weight as shown in the body
weight curve, and the negative daily nitrogen balance with rice straw fed ad-lib
converted to a positive one with maize has been maintained and improved as the
following Table shows:—
No. of
heifer.
122
128
133
Average daily
nitrogen balance
on rice straw,
grm.
—6.87
—6.55
—5.19
Average daily
nitrogen balance
on rice straw
and maize grain,
grm.
10.05
8.32
12.46
Average daily
nitrogen balance
on rice straw
and toria cake,
grm.
10.56
14.94
19.97
Average nitrogen
efficiency of 2
lbs. of toria
cake,
grm.
17.43
21.49
25.16
Average nitrogen
efficiency of
1 lb. of toria
cake,
grm.
8.72
10.75
12.58
From these figures it will be seen that about 1 lb. of toria cake would be quite
sufficient as an added concentrate in addition to rice straw fed ad-lib in order to
obtain a maintenance ration for cows of the above description.
The digestibility coefficients of the proteins of maize grain and toria cake work
out to 62.05 and 82.81 respectively which indicate the superiority of the protein of
toria cake. This is further reflected by the general increase of weights of the
animals when on the successive rations, rice straw and maize grain and rice straw
and toria cake, and by the greater quantity of rice straw eaten—about twice as
much—during the rice straw and toria cake period when compared with the rice
straw and maize grain period. The addition of toria cake to rice straw stimulated
both appetite and digestion of the rice straw as shown in the Table below. Further
work is required in this matter however.
122
128
133
No. of heifer
Rice straw consumption in lbs.
Rice straw and maize
grain period
5.0
4.5
3.7
Rice straw and toria cake
period
8.1
9.1
6.6
DIGESTIBILITY TRIALS ON INDIAN FEEDING STUFFS
185
4. Rice Straw and green Oats, 13th March 1930 to 29th March 1930.
The value of adding concentrates to the inefficient Kangra rice straw is clear
from these trials, but it is not possible for the people at present to feed the neces-
sary concentrates. There is, however, a possibility of feeding a certain amount of
green fodder, and in concluding the trials it was thought advisable to obtain some
figures to indicate the effect of adding green oats to rice straw. Oats were selected
because they are grown in the District here and there, although a leguminous fodder
would have been of distinct advantage from the point of view of meeting protein
deficiency. It must be borne in mind that this period ensued after the animals had
been brought into condition by an adequate diet in terms of concentrates.
In this trial rice straw and green oats were fed in the ratio 1: 3, and it will be
seen from the data given in Table VII that there is now a negative daily nitrogen
balance of roughly 3 grammes or half that of the original period on rice straw alone.
Thus this ratio 1: 3 is too low to bring the ration up to maintenance standard
although it affects considerable improvement on the original straw.
There is considerable scope for further investigations into the fodders available
in the Kangra District, but it is essential in order to obtain information of the most
reliable kind to carry out these trials in the district itself on the local cattle, for
whereas the observations made during these trials have shown the serious deficiency
of the straw as a staple diet, and the best manner of correcting this deficiency, it is
likely that more exact data would have been obtained under local conditions. It is
hoped that facilities will be forthcoming in the near future to extend this work on
the Kangra cattle.
SUMMARY.
This preliminary enquiry reveals the fact that rice straw, the staple feed of the
Kangra cattle is deficient in protein, which deficiency can be made good by supple-
menting the ration with concentrates such as maize grain and toria cake, the latter
being more economical from the point of view of protein supply; and to some
extent by a green stuff, such as green oats, when added in the ratio of 1 : 3.
The extensive use of these concentrates is perhaps out of question at present
for the people in the Kangra Valley where the dietary of people themselves is poor,
but the introduction of a leguminous fodder in the Kangra valley to supplement the
general fodder and protein deficiency is perhaps the easiest way to improve the
present condition of the cattle. This leguminous feed might be used as such and
any surplus made into silage for the winter months.