NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
G. D.
BHALERAO
29
The male measures 1.8—2 mm. in length and 0.38 mm. in maximum
thickness. The cervical papillæ are situated at a distance of 0.45—0.47
mm. from the anterior end. The œsophagus is 1.65—1.77 mm. long. The
spicules are 0.565—0.635 mm. long. The barb of the right spicule is 0.08—
0.09 mm. and that of the left spicule 0.032—0.033 from the tip. The guber-
naculum measures 0.303—0.342 mm. in length.
Normally, in this species, the dorsal ray of the bursa divides posteriorly
into two branches. In one atypical specimen, however, one of the branches of
the dorsal ray was found to give out a fairly large sub-branch internally. This
atypical form did not show any other variation. In this specimen the spicules
were 0.062 mm. long. The barb of the right spicule was 0.084 mm. and that
of the left spicule 0.034 mm. from the tip. The gubernaculum measured
0.36 mm. in length.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to express his indebtedness to Mr Karam Chand
Malhotra for the collection of worms at Mukteswar, on which this paper is
largely based and to Professor Karam Ilahie of the Punjab Veterinary College,
Lahore, for some already identified material which he sent to the writer for
verification.
REFERENCES
Baylis, H. A. (1929). 'Two new species of Cooperia (Nematoda) from Australian
Cattle '. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (10), 4, 529-34
—(1936).
Nematoda Vol. I (Ascaroidea and Strongyloidea.). The Fauna
of British India. London, 408
Baylis, H. A. and Daubney, R. (1923). ' A further report on parasitic Nematodes in the
collection of the Zoological Survey of India '. Rec. Ind. Mus., 25, 551-78
Bhalerao, G. D. (1932). ' On some Nematode parasites of goats and sheep at Mukteswar.'
Indian J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb., 2, 242-54
—(1935).
' Helminth parasites of the domesticated animals in India.'
Scientific Monograph No. 6 of the Imp. Coun. Agri. Res. Delhi, pp. 1-365
Boulenger, C. L. (1921). ' On some Nematode parasites of the camel in India.' Para-
sitology, 13, 315-26
Daubney, R. (1933). ' Trichostrongylid Nematodes from sheep in Kenya.' Para-
sitology, 25, 224-41
Dikmans, G. (1932). ' Cooperia nicolli Baylis, 1929, a synonym of Cooperia pectinata
Ransom, 1911.' Proc. Helm. Soc. Wash., in J. Parasitol, 19, 93
Giles, G. M. (1892). 'A description of two new Nematode parasites found in sheep.'
Scient. Mem. Med. Off. India, Calcutta, pt. 7, 45-9
Nagaty, H. F. (1932). 'The genus Trichostrongylus Looss, 1905.' Parasitology, 26,
457-518
Rao, M. A. N. (1940). 'On some worms of the genera Trichostrongylus Looss, 1905
and Cooperia Ransom, 1907, in South India.' Proc. 27th Ind. Sci. Congr., Madras,
206-7 (Abstract only). Full paper in Ind. Vet. J., 16, 306-11
Travassos, L. (1937) ' Revisao da familia Trichostrongylidæ Leiper, 1912.' Mon.
Indst. Osw. Cruz., No. 1, VII + 512.
A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE COMPOSITION OF
BERSEEM AS INFLUENCED BY MATURITY
BY
N. C. DAS GUPTA
Research Officer, Cattle Feeding Research Scheme, U. P. (India)
(Received for publication on 20 May 1941)
(With two charts)
T HE utility of berseem as a fodder crop is being gradually appreciated and
farmers have taken up cultivation of berseem to a certain extent.
But little information is available about this crop. It is not possible to assess
the maximum return of nutrients from a fodder crop unless the composition
and the yield available during different stages of growth are known. While
studying the effect of replacing concentrates by berseem for production values
data for composition and yield of berseem as influenced by the stage of
maturity have also been collected. In this paper figures obtained during
1939-40 for the composition of berseem only, as influenced by maturity,
have been recorded.
It is well known that composition of grasses vary with age. Newlander,
Jones and Ellenberger [1933], while studying the effect of frequency of cutting
upon the composition of grass, noticed that the protein percentages vary
directly with the frequency of cuttings and the fibre contents varied exactly
in the reverse order. Calcium, phosphate and ether extracts were greatest
with younger grasses. Roy and Sen [1933] in their work with hill pasture at
Mukteswar, 7,000 ft. above sea level, have observed that with the growth of
the plants and increase of rainfall the percentage of lime and phosphorus
increased to a maximum in September-October, and that after this period
the amount of phosphate decreased considerably with the approach of winter
and dry season. No marked decrease in the lime content was noticed.
Ramiah [1933], while working with Spear grass (Andropogon contortus) has
recorded that nitrogen and phosphoric acid curve followed a parallel course,
while the calcium curve varied inversely with nitrogen and phosphoric acid.
Paterson [1933] recorded definite increase in dry matter and crude fibre per-
centages in elephant grass with mature foliage and a distinct fall in the per-
centages of protein, silica free ash, calcium and phosphates. Iyer [1935]
has shown that both crude protein and soluble ash decreased with increased
maturity. According to Morrison [1936] forage plants at early stages of
growth contain much more calcium on the dry basis than at the later stages.
Lander [1937] observed that when left to attain maturity in the natural
condition, the nutritive value of grass at Lyallpur progressively decreased in
regard to protein and phosphoric acid content, while the calcium figure
remained more or less steady. Louw [1938] also has made similar observa-
tions. He found that crude protein, silica free ash and phosphates decreased
with maturity, but no appreciable variations in calcium were noticed with
the stages of growth of grasses. Fraps and Fudge [1940] also found that
30
N. C.
DAS
GUPTA
31
protein and phosphate decreased with advancing maturity of forage grasses
while crude fibre and N. F. E. tended to increase. Changes in calcium were
irregular.
Results obtained in this laboratory with berseem indicate that the varia-
tions due to maturity in the protein, silica free ash and phosphate contents
are similar to those recorded by the above workers, but it has been observed
that up to a certain stage of growth the percentage of calcium on dry basis
in berseem gradually increases. In this respect it agrees with the findings of
Roy and Sen [loc. cit.]. Woodman, Evans and Norman [1933] also recorded
a similar increase in the percentages of calcium with the increasing maturity
of lucerne. In this connection it may be noted that Chandler [1939] working
with foliage of forest trees also recorded that the calcium content increases
throughout the growing season.
PLAN OF EXPERIMENT
Berseem was sown after jowar in a plot at Madhurikund Farm, Muttra,
on October 29, 1939, the seed rate being sixteen pounds per acre. The first
sample was taken on December 28, during the ninth week after sowing, when
the average height was only 8 inches. Afterwards samples were taken during
every week till the plants were in late bloom stage. Plants were cut close
to the ground with a scythe during the middle of every week and one kilo-
gram of the thoroughly mixed sample was taken for analysis. The samples
were first dried in the sun before they were kept in oven for estimation of
dry matter. The dried samples were analysed to find out the composition.
During January, 8 to 14, 15 to 21 and 22 to 28 composite samples made up
of daily cut berseem were taken to represent the 11th, 12th and 13th week
respectively, as berseem was being harvested every day during this period
for a feeding trial. The average height during each week was also recorded.
This was obtained by dividing the total length of all the plants in a sample
by the number of plants. While collecting the samples special care was
taken to include only the original plants and avoid the fresh growth from
previous samplings.
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
The organic constituents of berseem grown at Madhurikund have been
recorded in Table I.
The dry matter content, as expected, has increased with maturity, the
range being 8.5 to 21.7 per cent. The lower figures during the 11th, 12th,
13th, 14th and 20th weeks are either due to irrigation or humid atmosphere.
There is a slight increase in the organic matter content up to the 15th week,
after which it is constant till the 20th week and a gradual fall is noticeable
afterwards.
The Plot was irrigated on January 5, February 21, and March 28, 1940,
while the amount of rain fall recorded on various dates was as given below :
January 18 and 19 . . . . . . . .
January 27 . . . . . . . . .
February 2 and 3 . . . . . . . .
February 4 . . . . . . . .
1.0"
0.25"
0.8"
0.5"
C 2
32
Composition of Berseem
The percentage of crude protein decreased with age, being 26.68 and
15.80 during the 9th and the 24th weeks respectively. The fall is rapid in
the early stages. From the 17th week to the late bloom stage there is no
appreciable variation in the protein content. Ether extract content also
Chart I
N. C.
DAS
GUPTA
33
decreased gradually with growth. The fibre content on the other hand
gradually increased with maturity from 14.85 to 28.4 per cent, an increase
of about hundred per cent. The values for true protein are similar to crude
protein. The proportion of amides in the crude protein is quite high during
the early stages of berseem, the average amount being about 22 per cent of
crude protein till the sixteenth week while the average percentage of amides
is about 11 from seventeenth to twenty-fourth week. It appears that the
quantity of amides also decreases rapidly after the 16th week. The data
obtained during the 22nd week are abnormal and may be due to some in-
accuracy in sampling.
TABLE I
Composition of berseem during different stages of growth (on dry basis)
Date of harvest
28-12-39 . .
4-1-40 . .
8-1-40
to } . .
14-1-40
15-1-40
to } . .
21-1-40
22-1-40
to } . .
28-1-40
3-2-40 . .
7-2-40 . .
14-2-40 . .
22-2-40 . .
28-2-40 . .
6-3-40 . .
13-3-40 . .
20-3-40 . .
27-3-40 . .
4-4-40 . .
11-4-40 . .
Weeks
after
sowing
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Height
(in.)
8
11
12
17
27
28
29
30
39
43
46
47
49
50
51
53
Dry
matter
per cent
12.1
10.8
9.1
8.6
9.9
9.9
10.9
12.4
14.4
14.8
17.1
16.6
20.9
18.3
20.0
21.7
Nutrients on dry basis
Organic
matter
per cent
84.3
85.3
85.1
85.7
86.0
86.0
87.1
87.7
87.5
85.1
87.5
87.5
86.4
86.9
85.2
84.0
Crude
protein
per cent
26.7
23.4
23.4
21.5
18.7
19.7
17.3
17.8
15.0
16.9
14.8
15.9
15.3
19.5
15.2
15.8
True
protein
per cent
20.3
19.1
18.9
15.9
14.5
14.1
13.8
14.7
13.3
14.8
12.5
13.8
14.2
17.3
14.2
14.3
Amides
per cent
6.3
4.2
4.5
5.6
4.2
5.7
3.5
3.0
1.8
2.1
2.4
2.1
1.1
2.1
1.0
1.5
Ether
extract
per cent
2.97
2.76
2.65
2.60
2.56
2.23
1.80
1.81
1.59
1.82
1.56
1.58
1.59
1.90
1.47
1.45
Fibre
per cent
14.9
21.1
20.9
20.6
24.9
23.2
24.2
21.0
23.9
22.7
26.7
25.9
24.0
21.4
26.9
28.5
N.F.E.
per cent
39.8
38.1
38.2
41.0
39.9
40.8
43.9
47.2
47.0
43.7
44.6
44.2
45.5
44.2
40.3
38.3
Variations during growth is better illustrated in the accompanying chart
(Chart I). The curve for fibre content is more or less a mirror image of that
for protein. The fall in the curve for ether extract is not so marked in the
early stages as that of protein. It may be noted that, as in the case of pro-
teins, there is not much change in the ether extract content also after the
seventeenth week.
34
Composition of Berseem
TABLE II
Mineral content of berseem during different stages of growth (on dry basis)
Dates of sample
28-12-39 .
4-1-40
. .
8-1-40
to
} . .
14-1-40
15-1-40
to
}
. .
21-1-40
22-1-40
to
}
. .
28-1-40
3-2-40 . .
7-2-40 . .
14-2-40
. .
22-2-40
. .
28-2-40
. .
6-3-40 . .
13-3-40
. .
20-3-40
. .
27-3-40
. .
4-4-40
. .
11-4-40
. .
Weeks
after
sowing
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Height
(in.)
8
11
12
17
27
28
29
30
39
43
46
47
49
50
51
53
Soluble ash
(per cent)
13.23
14.55
14.24
13.30
12.76
13.09
12.68
12.26
12.28
13.36
11.60
11.46
11.45
11.85
12.38
11.96
CaO
(per cent)
2.081
2.177
2.289
2.170
2.350
2.751
2.727
3.077
3.369
3.631
3.031
3.045
2.784
2.949
3.300
2.835
P 2 O 5
(per cent)
0.699
0.653
0.593
0.544
0.544
0.507
0.450
0.406
0.437
0.423
0.400
0.413
0.494
0.502
0.497
0.446
The mineral content of berseem during progressive maturity has been
tabulated in Table II. Berseem is quite high in minerals containing on an
average about 12.7 per cent silica free ash. The percentage of silica free ash
varied from 14.55 in the early stage to 11.45 per cent after flowering, showing
a gradual decrease in the mineral content with maturity.
The lime content indicates a definite variation with growth. It has
increased gradually from 2.08 per cent in the ninth week to 3.63 per cent
during the eighteenth week, when a gradual fall is noticed. The phosphate,
N. C. DAS GUPTA 35
on the other hand, has decreased with maturity varying inversely with cal-
cium . There is a gradual fall from 0.699 per cent in the ninth week to 0.400
per cent in the ninteenth week. A slight increase is being observed towards
the later stage. The trend of variations in the mineral contents can be better
studied from Chart II.
36
Composition of Berseem
It appears from Chart II that somewhere about the eighteenth week of
growth a reversal of phase takes place with calcium and phosphate contents
of berseem. There seems to be an inverse relationship between these two
minerals during the first stage of growth and even during the later stage,
and when the reversion takes place, the same relationship is noticed.
It has been mentioned previously that both protein and ether extract
contents, which gradually decrease with growth, also become more or less
steady from the 18th week. This appears to be due to some physiological
change in the plant which starts flowering at about this stage.
The above observations have been recorded from only one plot of berseem
at Madhurikund. The composition of a plant varies with different soil and
climatic conditions. Further studies in this line are in progress at different
farms in this province to study the effect of soil and climate on the present
observations.
SUMMARY
A preliminary observation about the variations in the composition of
berseem with progressive growth has been recorded.
Proteins, ether extract, amides and silica free ash decreased with maturity
of the berseem plant; fibre content on the other hand increased with advance
in growth.
Berseem is quite rich in mineral content, the percentage being as high
as 14.55 in the early stage. Calcium and phosphate vary inversely. While
calcium content increases gradually with growth, up to about the flowering
stage, phosphate content decreases.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The acknowledgement is due to the Imperial Council of Agricultural
Research for financing the Practical Cattle Feeding Research Scheme, U. P.,
which offered scope for the present work and to the Deputy Director of Agri-
culture, Bundelkhand Circle, for his interest and facilities provided.
The author also acknowledges, with thanks, the helps received from
Dr S. K. Mukerji, Research Assistant, who carried out all the analytical work,
Mr G. S. Dutt, Farm Assistant, for collecting the necessary samples and
Mr R. S. Gupta, Farm Superintendent, Madhurikund, for helping in the cul-
tivation of berseem.
REFERENCES
Fhandler, R. F. (1939). Cornell Univ. Agri. Exp. Sta. Mem. 228
Craps, G. S. and Fudge, J. F. (1940). Texas Sta. Bull. 582, 35
Iyer, A. V. (1935). Ind. J. Vet. Sci. and Anim. Husb. 5, 129
Lander, P. E. (1937). I. C. A. R. Misc. Bull. 16
Louw, J. A. (1938). Onderstepoort J. 2, 163-244
Morrison, F. B. (1936). Feeds and Feeding
Newlander J. A., Jones, C. H. and Ellenberger, H. B. (1933). Vt. Sta. Bull. 362
Paterson, D. D. (1933). J. Agri. Sci. 23, 615-641
Ramiah, P. V. (1933). Ind. J. Vet. Sci. and Anim. Husb. 3, 65
Roy, A. C. and Sen, K. C. (1933). Agric. & Live-stock in Ind. 3, 437
Woodman, H. E., Evans, R. E. and Norman, D. B. (1933). J. Agric. Sci. 23, 419-458
PLATE
I]
[ Indian J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb., Vol. XII, Part I
Strongyloides papillosus Wedl, 1856
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
FIGS. 1 & 2. Microphotographs of the head and
tail ends of the parasitic female
showing the twisted condition of
the anterior and posterior loops of
the ovaries. × about 60.
FIG. 3. Microphotograph of a young rhabditi¬
form free-living female from faecal
culture. × about 100.
A PRELIMINARY NOTE ON THE INCIDENCE OF
STRONGYLOIDES PAPILLOSUS WEDL, 1856
IN INDIA
BY
S. N. VAIDYANATHAN, G.M.V.C.
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Parasitology Section, Madras Veterinary College,
Madras
(Received for publication on 5 April 1941)
(With Plate I and 10 text figures)
INTRODUCTION
T HE genus Strongyloides Grassi, 1879, has an interesting feature among
nematodes. Its members exhibit in their life-cycle, an alternating genera-
tion of free-living and parasitic forms; the factors that contribute to cause
this transformation have not been definitely determined. Amongst parasitic
forms only females are known in all the species; the rarely found parasitic
males are only in the case of Strongyloides of the dog and man. The free-
living forms exhibit sexual differentiation. The parasitic forms occur in the
intestine of vertebrates, the free-living stages in the faeces of the host or in
the soil.
During the course of routine examination of calf dung, in the Parasito-
logy Section of the Madras Veterinary College, numerous ova considerably
larger than oocysts of coccidia and much smaller than the more common
strongyle ova were detected, varying in size from .044 to .052 mm. by .027
to .031 mm. In the fresh faeces, the eggs contained vermiform embryos.
In the faecal culture of calves that revealed these eggs, the infective
larvae of a Strongyloides species have been regularly seen. The cultures have
shown, besides, the free-living forms (females only) of a Strongyloides species
that agrees with the description given by Ransom [1911] for Strongyloides
papillosus. No males could be detected.
The post mortem examination of some of these bovines, whose faeces
contained eggs of the species, has revealed numerous parasitic females of
Strongyloides papillosus mixed up with the contents of the small intestine.
Cultures of dung from sheep brought for slaughter at the Madras
Slaughter House, have also shown the incidence of an infection with Strongy-
loides. A study of the free-living forms developing in them reveal that they
are identical with those met with in taurine faecal cultures.
LITERATURE
Important life-history investigations on the human species (Strongy-
loides stercoralis Bavay, 1876) have been made during the last quarter of the
nineteenth century indirectly leading to furthermore experimental studies
of the present day. Quoting Faust [1937], from his review of the life-history
of Strongyloides, " it has been frequently demonstrated, the fundamental,
basic type of life-cycle of members of this genus involves an indirect mode of
development, with alternation of a parasitic and a free-living phase
The indirect mode of development undoubtedly precedes the direct mode in
37
38
Incidence of Strongyloides papillosus Wedl, 1856
the life-history of the genus. The latter has been developed for the con-
servation of the species under conditions commonly obtaining in less favour-
able milieu, as, for example, human strains in cooler climates. At the pre-
sent time there is no evidence of a genetic distinction between indirect and
direct modes of development in species of Strongyloides on which adequate
clinical and experimental studies have been conducted ".
Wedl [1856] discovered and named the common ovine species (S. papil-
losus) ; Pagenstecher [1865] described a Strongyloides from pigs before
Bavay [1876] described the human species of Strongyloides (S. stercoralis).
Species of the genus Strongyloides have since been described from many groups
of vertebrates—birds and several species of herbivorous, carnivorous and
omnivorous mammals. In India, Ware [1923] appears to be the only worker
who has recorded a Strongyloides infection in a fatal case of Strongyloides
stercoralis in a dog.
The record of Strongyloides papillosus is the first for this Province and
possibly for India.
CULTURE STUDIES
In faecal cultures at 27° to 30° C.—range of the laboratory room tem-
perature at Madras during the studies—the eggs passed by the parasitic females
hatched within a very few hours and gave rise to rhabditiform larvae (Fig. 8).
They grew rapidly. At first, a small portion of them turned into filariform
(infective) larvae from about forty-eight hours after culture; the large re-
mainder developed sexual characters entering into the rhabditiform, free-
living generation. The females were very numerous but the males were
consistently missed. Zilahy [1936] states, the males are very rarely seen.
It has been suggested that the males make their appearance long before the
females and disappear by the time the females preponderate. Probably they
mate during the first few days of life as mature individuals before the ferti-
lized females passed eggs and these in turn gave rise to the second generation
of filariform larvae. They were usually found in cultures after four or five
days. In these culture conditions, a second generation of free-living
forms developing from the eggs passed by the free-living female, could not be
detected. Rogers [1939 ] during his studies on Strongyloides cati, under culture
conditions, has seen a few second generation males similar to those of the
first.
THE FILARIFORM (INFECTIVE) LARVA
(Figures 4, 5 and 10)
The infective larvae developed directly from the first rhabditiform stage
hatching out of the egg laid by the parasitic female or indirectly from the
rhabditiform larvae arising from the free-living females. The two types of
infective larvae developing from these were indistinguishable. The change
from the rhabditiform into the filariform character occurs while the larva is
still in the lethargic condition. Soon after awakening it releases itself from its
S. N. VAIDYANATHAN 39
sheath presenting the naked, infective form in contrast to the other infective
strongyle larvae which retain the sheath as a protective covering.
FIG. 4. Infective larva. (Head end).
„ 5. Infective larva. (Tail end).
„ 6. Free-living form. (Head end).
„ 7. Parasitic adult. (Head end).
„ 8. Free-living larva 12 hours after hatching from the egg passed by the parasitic
adult.
In general appearance the filariform larvae were of the typical Strongy¬
loides type. The tails ended in a bifid projection. In agreement with Sand-
ground [1925] it was found that this projection varied greatly in size some-
times presenting a square-cut extremity or rarely even a pointed tip and could
not be considered of any diagnostic value. The intestine contained numerous
granules but the cell structure was not discernable. The excretory pore was
fairly clearly marked though the ventral gland could not be detected.
The most notable characters of the infective larvae were the narrowness
of the body and the length of the oesophagus in proportion to the total length
about two to five.
40
Incidence of Strongyloides papillosus Wedl, 1856
Average measurements of the infective larvae in calf faecal cultures.
Length of the infective larva
.....
Length of the oesophagus
.....
Length of tail-end to anus
.....
0.590 mm.
0.240 mm.
0.023 mm.
FIG. 9. Parasitic adult in the intestine
(Head end)
FIG.10. Infective larva