NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
ANIMAL NUTRITION RESEARCH IN INDIA
By K. C. SEN
(Issued by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and published by McMillan &
Co., Ltd., Calcutta, India, 1953, pp. 370, Price Rs. 15)
S IR John Russel [1937], while reviewing the work of the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research, had commented on the fact that much of the research in
agricultural science in India was not as widely known in the international sphere,
as it deserved to be, and had recommended the preparation of a series of critical
monographs setting forth the results obtained by Indian workers and comparing
them with similar work done elsewhere. This monograph is, therefore, one of a
series of animal husbandry monographs issued by the I.C.A.R. The review of the
work in the monograph is divided into 11 chapters and apart from considering the
subject of animal nutrition in a comprehensive manner, the last chapter deals with
investigations carried out on many aspects of dairy research. The monograph
also includes work carried out by Indian workers in foreign laboratories. The
monograph may be considered as one of standard scientific manuals on the subject
which could be confidently used as a text reference by scientific workers in the field
of animal nutrition. It must, however, be clearly indicated that this is a review of
research in animal nutrition rather than a text-book. Workers in India will find
this a handy compilation of a good deal of data on the work carried out in India,
and also an authoritative review series—the first of its kind—both in this country
and elsewhere.
In the second and third chapters the author has given chemical composition,
digestibility and nutritive value of Indian feeding stuffs indicating localities where
these are mostly used, thus giving information of a valuable nature to State and
regional workers. In the following chapters he has furnished information on and
has discussed the importance of protein, sulphur, energy metabolism and mineral
metabolism. Following chapters are devoted to the conservation and processing
of fodders and considerable space has been devoted to the consideration of 'subsidiary'
feeds for use during scarcity and famine periods. The use of certain plants and
tree leaves and feeding value of certain industrial by-products are discussed. These
chapters, therefore, are of considerable value to research workers in India as scarcity
and famine conditions occur periodically in vast areas of the country. Investiga-
tions of poisonous plants and toxic minerals have been dealt with and studies of
vitamins and deficiency diseases on which considerable investigations and research
have taken place are included. The two significant chapters are on blood composi-
tion of animals on which no previous scientific data existed ; and on investigations
in dairy science comparing the constituents of milk. Such data are of considerable
importance to commercial enterprises engaged in urban milk supply.
278
279
REVIEWS
[Vol. XXIV ,Part IV,
The manual has a reference section and author index, and is well-bound.
Dr. Sen, the author, has many years experience of animal nutrition research in India.
He was the first Officer-in-charge of the Animal Nutrition Division, which was set up
and developed under his guidance at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Izatnagar. He has, however, while holding his present assignment as Director of the
Indian Dairy Research Institute, Bangalore, constantly kept himself interested in
this vital subject.
As such, the publication is an authoritative one and should meet the needs for
a handy, informative and a reliable book on the subject. (M.R.M.).
MGIPC—SM—104 AR/54—21-12-54 -750.
Vol. XXV, Part I
March 1955
The
Indian Journal of Veterinary Science
and
Animal Husbandry
Issued under the authority
of
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Annual Subscription
Rs. 12 or 20s.
Price per part
Rs. 3 or 5s.
PUBLISHED BY THE MANAGER OF PUBLICATIONS, DELHI
PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA PRESS, CALCUTTA, INDIA
1955
ICAR. 6. XXV. I.
750.
CONTENTS
Vol. XXV, Part I
(March 1955)
The Publications Committee of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research,
India, takes no responsibility for the opinions expressed in this Journal.
Original articles
HAEMONCHOSIS IN SHEEP IN RAJASTHAN
AND ITS CONTROL (WITH PLATE I
AND ONE MAP)
OBSERVATIONS ON THE NUCLEIC ACIDS
OF EIMERIA TENELLA RAILLIET AND
LUCET, 1891 (WITH PLATE II)
SEARCH FOR ANTHELMINTICS AMONG
INDIGENOUS REMEDIES. I. ACTION
OF ACETYL SAPONIN FROM ANAGALLIS
ARVENSIS LINN. ON ANNELIDES AND
HELMINTHS (WITH PLATES III-IV)
NOTE ON A METHOD OF PROTECTING
FOWLS AGAINST SPIROCHAETOSIS
VALUE OF A FEW PROPRIETARY PREPA-
RATIONS IN THE CONTROL OF ECTO-
PARASITES OF LIVESTOCK
PHYSIO-CHEMICAL INVESTIGATION ON
PLACENTAL FLUIDS OF BUFFALO
FACTORS INFLUENCING THE TITRABLE
ACIDITY OF COW AND BUFFALO MILK
(WITH ONE TEXT-FIGURE)
DRESSING OUT PERCENTAGE IN SUCKLING
BUFFALO VEALS
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF AQUATIC SNAILS
(A PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT) WITH
PLATE V
Gopal Singh Rathore and N. S.
Sankarnarayan
H. N. Ray and B. S. Gill
Ajit Singh, J. D. Kohli and
D. B. Parihar
S. G. Dixit
P. Balarama Menon, C. M. Sen
Gupta and B. C. Basu
E. S. E. Hafez and M. A. M.
Kamal
A. A. Badr
A. L. Badreldin
M. Anantaraman
Abstracts
Review
Page
1
17
25
31
35
39
47
61
65
69
74
HAEMONCHOSIS IN SHEEP IN RAJASTHAN AND ITS
CONTROL
By GOPAL SINGH RATHORE, P. D. MATHUR and N. S. SANKARNARAYAN, Veterinary
Department, Rajasthan
(Received for publication on 21 July 1954)
(With Plate I and one map)
A MONG the factors contributing to heavy mortality in sheep in Rajasthan,
helminthiasis is the primary one. In England, a highly developed country,
the Ministry of Agriculture reported that the sheep industry suffers greater loss
from parasitic worms than from any other cause [U. K. Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries, 1949]. The same remark applies to Rajasthan where little or
no effort has been made to control such outbreaks. During the two years of in-
vestigations on sheep mortality in Rajasthan, helminthiasis has been found to be
the chief cause.
There is a common belief that Rajasthan is an arid and rainless desert, and,
since moisture and parasitic life go together, it is supposed that animals there are
free from helminthiasis. This belief is based on ignorance of the conditions of
livestock in villages. In the first instance, a major part of Rajasthan is not a desert.
The real desert is seen only to the west of Jaisalmer, on the borders of Pakistan
and in patches in Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaipur Divisions. The rest, comprising
about three-quarters of the whole, has good vegetation and cultivable soil. It is
true that Rajasthan has comparatively less rainfall and that the western portion is
a drier area. It is the western areas that possess the valuable livestock wealth of
Rajasthan.
The eastern portion comprising Bharatpur, Kotah and Jhalawar, is a region
of tolerably good rainfall closely resembling the climate of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya
Bharat. In desert or rainy Rajasthan, like other Provinces, there is high incidence
of helminthiasis and the following facts support this view :
1. Of the 80 faecal samples of sheep, cattle, horses, camels and dogs, recei-
ved in the Veterinary Investigation Officer's laboratory for routine examination,
33 proved positive for helminth ova.
2. Faecal samples of camels in Jaisalmer district, the driest area, showed
larvae of the worms causing verminous bronchitis. Later, cases of verminous
bronchitis were reported by the field staff.
3. ' Pitto' and 'Gillar' were reported in Ajmer in 1949, in Sawai Madhopur
district in 1953, and later in many other places. [Annual Report of Diseases,
V.I.O.; 1949, 1953, 1954].
4. Fascioliasis was recorded in Chitoorgarh district in 1949 [loc.cit.], and again
in 1953 [loc.cit.].
5. Ancylostomiasis was recorded in a number of Alsatian dogs in Jaipur Veterin-
ary Hospital [loc.cit., 1953].
1
112 AR/54
1
2
HAEMONCHOSIS IN SHEEP
[Vol. XXV, Part I,
6. Guinea worm, Dracunculus medenensis, in man is reported to be widespread
and is known as 'Nair' in Udaipur, Jaipur and also in the canal region of Jodhpur.
The disease is under investigation.
In order to confirm the prevalence of helminthiasis and its distribution, a sur-
vey, restricted to sheep and goats, was undertaken. Sheep and goats fall easy
prey to helminthiasis and are of great economic importance. Material from them
is easily available and handled. The first survey was confined to nematodes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS OF SURVEY
(a) Faecal samples from about six sheep selected at random, weak and healthy,
were examined for egg counts by Bhalerao's method [1935]. At the same time
identifications were done wherever possible. The localities selected were as far
as possible representative of districts, teshils or regions. Samples were taken when-
ever such localities were visited for investigation of outbreaks or other work. As
such it may be mentioned here first that faecal samples were examined during diff-
erent seasons and that any seasonal variation in the load of helminths may make
these figures somewhat inaccurate for comparison between different regions.
But the presence of helminthic ova, though possibly not enough at the time of ex-
amination to cause a clinical syndrome, is an adequate criterion to signify the danger
of helminthiasis as the infestation is capable of causing the clinical disease when a
favourable opportunity occurs in the animal body.
(b) In city slaughter houses, entire alimentary canals from the pharynx to the
anus of sheep and goats were removed and the helminth parasites collected, examin-
ed and identified (in some cases) by the Helminthologist, Indian Veterinary Research
Institute, Izatnagar. This work was carried out only in the cities of Jaipur, Jodhpur,
Udaipur, Kotah and Bharatpur. It is important to remember in this connection
that no sheep or goats are imported into Rajasthan, and that animals slaughtered
in these cities for human consumption are from Rajasthan only.
(c) Whenever post mortem examinations were done for diagnosis or investiga-
tion, helminth parasites were collected, identified and preserved.
By these methods almost the whole of Rajasthan, from Raisingnagar to Sirohi
and Jaisalmer to Sironj was surveyed. Places not included are Barmer, Alwar,
Dholpur, Dungarpur and Banswara districts. The result of survey is given in
Table I.
TABLE I
Egg counts and helminths found and collected from different localities
Locality
JAIPUR
Government Sheep Farm
Average faecal egg
count per gm.
1,200 (100-1,200)
Worms collected and
identified from P-M
material or slaughter
house material
H. contortus
O. columbianum
Remarks
Confirmed
by
the
I. V. R. I.
Experi-
mental Centre
March 1955] G. S. RATHORE, P. D. MATHUR AND N. S. SANKARNARAYAN 3
TABLE I—(contd.)
Egg counts and helminths found and collected from different localities
Locality
JAIPUR—(contd.)
Reengus
Malpura
SIROHI
Bhatkara
Mandawada
Padeva
KOTAH
Town
Sironj
Cheepa Barod
Mandana
Jhalawar
JODHPUR
Moklawas
Kokria
Badi Jajiwal
Sardar Samand
Nagour
Maroth
Nawa
Average faecal egg
count per gm.
1,300 (500-2,500)
800 (300-1,500)
2,000 (1,200-2,800)
300
300
500
300
1,200
500-900
500 (100-1,200)
do.
Worms collected and
identified from P-M
material or slaughter
house material
H. contortus
O. columbianum
T. ovis
H. contortus
do.
O. columbianum
T. ovis
O. columbianum
H. contortus
O. columbianum
Bunostomum
O. columbianum
do.
H. contortus
B. trigonocephalum
M. expansa
A. lahorea
H. contortus
do.
O. columbianum
H. contortus
do.
Remarks
Confirmed
by
the
I.V.R.I. Experimental
Centre
do.
do.
do.
do.
Examination
of
slaughter house
material
Faecal examination
do.
do.
P-M
do.
P-M
Confirmed
by
the
I.V.R.I.
P-M
do.
Faecal examination
P-M
do.
do.
4
HAEMONCHOSIS
IN
SHEEP
[Vol. XXV, Part I,
TABLE I—(contd.)
Egg counts and helminths found and collected from different localities
Locality
JODHPUR—(contd.)
Jodhpur City
Rohilla
Bilara
PALI
Nimli
BHARATPUR
City
UDAIPUR
Nimli
JAISALMER
Bap
KISHANGARH
Dudu
BIKANER
Raisingnagar
Bikaner
AJMER
Jwaja
Beawar
Tilaunia
Ajmer
Average faecal egg
count per gm.
400
600 (100-1,100)
2,500
2,800 (900-4,600)
..
(200-500)
(100-600)
100
100-200
100
100
400
Worms collected and
identified from P-M
material or slaughter
house material
H. contortus
do.
do.
M. expansa
H. contortus
O. columbianum
T. ovis
H. contortus
T. ovis
Avitellina
M. expansa
H. contortus
O. columbianum
..
H. contortus
do.
O. columbianum
H. contortus
do.
do.
do.
do.
O. columbianum
H. contortus
O. columbianum
Remarks
Slaughter house
P-M
do.
do.
Experimental Centre
Slaughter
house
material
Experimental Centre
Faecal examination
P-M
Faecal examination
do.
do.
do.
do.
P-M
do.
do.
Slaughter house
material
MAP I]
[Indian J. vet. Sci., vol. XXV, Part I
112 AR/54
Indian J. vet. Sci., vol. XXV, Part I ]
[ PLATE I
A fine Bap ewe
Bap sheep
Udaipur sheep
Marwari sheep
Malpura sheep
Chokla sheep
6
HAEMONCHOSIS
IN
SHEEP
[Vol. XXV, Part I,
(c) Accordingly East Rajasthan, Bharatpur, Kotah and Jhalawar are only
moderately infested.
(d) Central Rajasthan is the most highly infested area, with Udaipur and
Pali districts the worst affected.
(e) West Rajasthan (excluding Ganganagar district), comprising Jaisalmer
and Bikaner, are comparatively free and the sheep there are the best
in Rajasthan.
(f) Jodhpur Division has a variable incidence according to the availability
of grazing. Sirohi district produces good sheep but the free entry of
innumerable infested flocks from the districts of Bombay State causes
the pastures to be overgrazed and infested.
The effect of widespread helminthiasis in Rajasthan needs no better illustra-
tion than the loss of condition and heavy mortality in sheep in addition to reduced
wool production. Numerous reports from all over the world are available on this
subject. Franklin [1946] reported that intestinal parasites influence significantly
the utilization of calcium and phosphorus. The results of this work suggest that
general unthriftiness and atrophic bone changes in heavily parasitized sheep may
be the result of infestation.
Of the species of helminths affecting sheep and goats, examinations have proved
that Haemonchus contortus and Oesophagostomum columbianum, found in almost
all regions, are the most important ones. T. ovis was also commonly found but
since they are comparatively harmless they were disregarded.
In Central Rajasthan (Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur Divisions and Ajmer State),
the animals were found to be heavily infested with H. contortus. It is in these
regions that most of the outbreaks and mortality have occurred during 1952-53
and 1953-54. The National Veterinary Medical Association of Great Britain [1949]
has reported that H. contortus is a voracious blood sucker causing as much anaemia
as that produced by constant bleeding. Death may occur even before loss of condi-
tion. The symptoms described in this report are identical with those seen during
outbreaks.
In this region repeated outbreaks caused heavy mortality during 1952-53. In
Kotah area the animals were found affected by O. columbianum only. No outbreak
of haemonchosis was reported from Kotah and Bundi areas.
The worms of M. expansa and Avitillina were not uncommon. In one instance
Bunostomum was identified by the Helminthologist, Indian Veterinary Research
Institute, Izatnagar.
Phenothiazine as an Anthelmintic
Concurrently with the survey and investigation, a field experiment to find out
a cheap and efficient anthelmintic for mass treatment was carried out. In selecting
such an agent, consideration must be given to (a) cheapness, (b) efficiency, (c) ease of
administration, (d) freedom from toxicity and (e) availability.
Sighetti and Marsh [1947] in Montana recorded favourable response to phenothia-
zine in a flock of heavily infested sheep. They report that rams treated with pheno-
thiazine showed an increased live-weight with decreasing egg counts, and produced
8
HAEMONCHOSIS
IN
SHEEP
[Vol. XXV, Part I,
Some idea of the astronomical figures involved in H. contortus ova studies may
be given by the following summary based on recent work in Australia on the known
comparative efficiencies of phenothiazine and copper sulphate/nicotine mixture.
Two sheep, each with a worm burden of 20,000 adult H. contortus, are exemplified:
Statement showing (a) worms in intestine and (b) living ova (in lakhs) passed
daily by them after successive treatment by (i) phenothiazine or (ii) copper sulphate
nicotine
Treat-
ment
i
ii
Before dosing
(a)20,000
(a)20,000
(b)780
(b)780
After first dose
(a)2,000
(a)8,000
(b) nil
(b)600
After second dose
(a)200
(a)3,200
(b) nil
(b)240
After third dose
(a)20
(a)1,380
(b) nil
(b)103.5
After fourth dose
(a) nil
(a)532
(b) nil
(b)39.9
From the statement it is clear that phenothiazine should be the drug
of choice. For the work reported here ' Phenovis ', a form of water dispersible
phenothiazine, was selected. The demonstrations were planned to show to the
shepherds how routine dosing of sheep with an efficient anthelmintic pays dividends
by increases in live-weight and wool production and reduction in mortality.
EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
Local flocks of about 100 sheep each selected at (a) Cariawas, Udaipur, mostly
Chokla breed, (b) Sirohi, mostly Marwari breed, (c) Nimli/Pali, mostly Marwari
breed, (d) Jayarampura (Reengus), Marwari and few Shaikawates, and (e) Malpura
(Tonka), Malpura breed, formed the material for experiments.
All places are in the central region of Rajasthan which is shown by the survey
to be a specially helminthic belt. No attempts were made at a selection of breeds,
but it will be seen that the Marwari breed predominated except in Malpura and
Udaipur. Each flock, mostly ewes and lambs, was divided into two treated and
control groups. Those treated were given phenothiazine periodically according
to the schedule shown in Table II.
It may be seen from Table II that the numbers of treated and controls varied.
This was due to some non-co-operative shepherds unable to understand the purpose
of the experiment. The object of the varying dosage schedule was to determine
the optimum effective routine within the minimum period. To facilitate correct
estimation of the results, records were maintained which are described below in
detail.
Live-weight
A spring balance of maximum capacity of 100 lb., accurate up to two ounces,
and tied to a stout pole carrying at its hook two cross tapes stitched to a gunny
sheet, was used in the field. Each animal was wrapped in the gunny bag, lifted
and the weight recorded. The average weight increase for each group are given
in columns 11 and 12 of Table II. Weighings had to be done from 8 to 10 p.m.
after the flock returned from grazing, as that was the only time when shepherds
were willing to co-operate.
March 1955] G. S. RATHORE, P. D. MATHUR AND N. S. SANKARNARAYAN 9
TABLE II
Results of ' Phenovis ' treatment in different localities
1
Serial
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
2
Dose
in gm.
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
10/5
10/5
10/5
10/10
10/10
10/10
10/10
10/10
10/10
3
Interval
(weeks)
4
6
8
4
4
4
4
6
8
4
4
8
8
4
4
4
Total
ed od
(months)
2
3
4
3
4
5
2
3
4
2
3
4
6
4
5
5
Number
of doses
3
3
3
4
5
6
3
3
3
3
4
3
4
5
6
6
Locality
Jayarampura
Sirohi
Pali
Malpura
„
„
Udaipur
Jayarampura
Sirohi
Pali
Jayarampura
Udaipur
Pali
„
Udaipur
„
7
Breed of
sheep
Marwari and
few Shaika-
wati
Marwari
„
Malpura
„
„
Chokla
Marwari
„
„
„
Chokla
Marwari
„
Chokla
„
8
Age
group
Adult
sheep
Lambs
„
Adult
Lambs
Adult
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
9
10
Number of
sheep
T
7
13
6
13
16
9
11
9
15
11
11
10
8
13
11
10
C
22
11
5
16
12
16
35
22
22
30
22
35
30
30
35
35
11
12
13
Average live-weight
increase
T
lb.
7.7
30.2
14.9
12.5
10.2
20.0
6.7
8.4
20.1
11.7
14.5
12.1
14.2
17.8
12.9
14.5
C
lb.
7.0
18.0
6.3
1.0
8.2
1.0
3.3
7.8
5.0
9.5
7.0
3.3
9.5
9.5
3.3
3.3
Differ-
ence
lb.
0.7
12.2
8.6
11.5
2.0
19.0
3.4
0.6
15.1
2.2
7.5
8.8
4.7
8.3
9.6
11.2
14
15
16
Wool yield
T
lb.
15.7
20.4
C
lb.
24.7
16.7
Differ-
ence
lb.
1.0
3.7
Not available
21.6
15.5
18.6
11.0
3.0
4.5
Not available
15.9
15.9
19.5
13.2
14.7
13.5
2.7
1.2
6.0
Not available
15.9
13.9
24.7
25.6
14.7
15.0
14.7
13.2
23.8
23.2
13.2
13.2
1.2
0.7
0.9
2.4
1.5
1.8
T=Treated
C=Control
112 AR/54
2
10
HAEMONCHOSIS
IN
SHEEP
[Vol. XXV, Part I,
Wool Production
Previous production records were not available and at the start of the demons-
tration almost all the flocks were found to have had their summer clipping. They
were sheared again at the end of the demonstration approximately six months after
the first clip. Wool figures were supplied by the Inspectors and Supervisors of the
Sheep and Wool Department, Rajasthan. These figures should be considered only
for comparison between treated and control groups. The average wool pro-
duction of each group is given in columns 14 and 15 of Table II.
Dosage
The figures for increased live-weight and wool production in the treated groups
are of obvious significance. It is clear also that no advantage is gained by increas-
ing the dose or the number of dosings. In Malpura and Sirohi 5 gm. doses gave the
highest increase in live-weight and wool. Even after increasing the dosage at
Udaipur and Pali the results were poorer than those for Sirohi and Malpura. The
best results were seen in Sirohi with an average increase of 15 lb. live-weight and
six ounces of extra wool. These sheep were dosed only three times, begining with
10 gm. and followed by 5 gm. at six-weekly intervals. Under the conditions of the
demonstration on nomadic sheep constantly exposed to re-infestation it was never
considered that phenothiazine dose would totally eliminate the worm burden. As
already stated the object of the experiment was to determine the dose and dosage
schedule that would reduce this burden to a low level that could be safely borne
by local animals, thus enabling them to make the best use of the grazing available
and to produce significant increases in live-weight and wool. No advantage was
seen by increasing the dosage in Udaipur in comparison with the lower dosage in
Sirohi giving better results. Hence it is fair to conclude that in lambs 5 gm., re-
peated four to five times at monthly intervals, and in adults 10 gm., followed by 5
gm. at six-weekly intervals for three months, is all that is required to produce satis-
factory results. If good results are not obtained other conditions, e.g. fascioliasis,
paramphistomiasis, etc., should be suspected.
TABLE III
Statement of weight gains in ' Treated ' and ' Control '
Locality
Malpura
Malpura
Udaipur
Pali
Jayarampura
Sirohi
Sirohi
Breed
Malpura
Malpura
Chokia
Marwari
do.
do.
do.
Age
Lamb
Adult
do.
do.
do.
Lamb
Adult
Average live-weight increase
Treated
(lb.)
10.2
16.2
11.5
14.6
10.2
30.2
20.1
Control
(lb.)
8.2
1.0
3.3
8.7
7.2
18.0
5.0
Difference
(lb.)
2.0
15.2
8.2
5.9
3.0
12.2
15.1
Average wool yield
Treated
(lb.)
15.5
21.6
14.8
25.1
15.8
20.4
19.5
Control
(lb.)
11.0
18.6
13.2
23.5
14.7
16.7
13.5
Difference
(lb.)
4.5
3.0
1.6
1.6
1.1
3.7
6.0