NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
176
IMPROVEMENT OF BELLARY SHEEP
[Vol. XXVI, Part IV,
In the graded flock, the yield increased from generation to generation as can be
seen from the results given in Table VI.
TABLE VI
Graded flock : total yield from the third and fourth clips (oz.)
Generations
Foundation ewes
First
Second
Third
No.
88
81
34
9
Average
35.1
51.7
56.8
62.4
S.E.
0.96
1.00
1.55
3.01
The increase observed cannot be ascribed to hybrid vigour alone as in that case
the yield should have fallen in the generations subsequent to the first. As the yield
actually increased from generation to generation, it can be claimed that some genetic
improvement, in so far as wool yielding capacity is concerned, had been achieved
through up-grading.
A comparison of the daughters' yield with that of their dams confirmed that
in the pure Bellary flock, there was no significant change from generation to genera-
tion subsequent to the first. In the graded flock, however, the daughters yielded
more than their dams in the first and second generations. In the third generation
the daughters' yield was more than their dams ' on an average, but the number of
observations was too small to provide a conclusive evidence (Table VII).
TABLE VII
Daughter-dam differences in wool yield (in oz.)
(Generations of daughters)
Flock
Pure-bred
Graded
First
No.
20
73
Av.
12.4
15.4
S. E.
.63
.15
Second
No.
12
34
Av.
.03
5.4
S. E.
.22
2.46
Third
No.
..
9
Av.
..
6.8
S. E.
..
5.97
December,1956] M. N. DAS AND V. R. RAJAGOPALAN 177
In order to assess the extent of scope for selection if any, among the ewes of
different generations in either flock, the fraction of additive genetic variation to the
total variation among the ewes in each generation or the coefficient of heritability,
as it is called, was estimated by the method of intra-sire regression of daughters on
dams. The estimates were obtained as given in Table VIII.
TABLE VIII
Heritability of wool yield (total of 2 clips in a year) (in oz.)
Flock
Bellary
Graded
d. f.
16
67
Generations
Foundation stock
—.26±.30
6
.28±.30
28
First
.56± 1.92
.28± .38
The standard errors of the estimates are rather high, indicating the poor degree
of precision with which the estimates are secured. It was not possible to secure
more data for the Bellary flock as the farm bred foundation ewes were small in
number and the mortality of the lambs born of them was also high. The negative
estimate obtained for the pure bred Bellary foundation ewes is to be presumably
attributed to this cause. The results seem to indicate that there was little genetic
variability among the ewes in either flock to offer scope for improvement through
selection, the improvement in the graded stock being due to the superior genotype
of the Bikaneri rams.
Wool quality
Like the low yield, the quality of wool of Bellary sheep, in respect of the major
attributes of length, fineness and medullation, stands in need of improvement.
Medullation index of samples of wool from the shoulder region from the earlier
two or three clips of the lambs as measured by rapid Benzol method, constituted
the only systematic data available regarding wool quality.
The statistical analysis of the data revealed that there was significant varition
in medullation from generation to generation in both the flocks. Table IX
shows the changes in medullation index from generation to generation.
TABLE IX
Medullation Index (percentage)
Generation
First
Second
Third
Bellary
No.
47
27
7
Av.
46.6
41.9
30.0
S. E.
1.89
2.49
4.86
Graded
No.
11
48
15
Av.
39.5
25.6
13.1
S. E.
3.67
3.14
3.14
178
IMPROVEMENT OF BELLARY SHEEP
[Vol. XXVI, Part IV,
It appears from a comparison of the averages that in the graded flock the medulla -
tion percentage fell down significantly with the advance of generations. It would
thus appear that the quality of wool in regard to medullation improved with succes-
sive grading to Bikaneri. But in the pure Bellary flock though up to the third
generation there appears to have been a. fall, the difference between the first and
second generation averages is not significant. The third generation average is
significantly lower than the previous two averages. In the pure-bred flock there
was thus some improvement in wool quality, although none in yield.
In some farms in India the general practice is to select lambs for breeding accord-
ing to the quality of wool as measured by the medullation index. It is important
to study the effect of such selection on the quantity of wool. Available data were
utilised to find the association between the medullation index and the quantity of
wool obtained from the clip at the age of one year. The correlation coefficient
between the characters was .03 in pure Bellary flock and .23 in the graded flock.
Neither of the coefficients is significant. Admittedly these correlation coefficients
include both genetic and environmental components and in seeking an answer to
the above question it is the genetic correlation which has to be estimated. The
data, however, were inadequate to allow probing deeper into the problem.
Data on length, fineness and density of wool fibres collected from only six animals
in each flock were too meagre to draw any firm conclusions regarding the relative
merits of the two flocks and also of the three fibre characteristics, viz. fine, strong and
medullated in respect of these characters. The averages and standard error of
these attributes are given in Table X.
TABLE X
Fibre attributes
Attributes
Length (in)
Diameter (M)
Fleece density
(No. of fibres
per sq. c.m.)
Pure Bellary
Ewes
Fine
2.0±0.15
27.5±1.55
573 ± 38
Strong
2.3± .15
36.3±1.55
120 ± 20
Medullated
3.8± .25
.7±8.24
312 ± 19
Rams
Fine
2.1± .27
28.4±1.30
643 ± 23
Strong
2.7± .27
38.1±1.30
115 ± 13
Medullated
4.2± .18
112.8±4.93
310 ± 10
December, 1956] M. N. DAS AND V. R. RAJAGOPALAN 179
TABLE X—contd.
Attributes
Length (in.)
Diameter (M)
Fleece density
(No. of fibres
per sq. c.m.)
Graded
Ewes
Fine
2.7± .15
23.1±1.55
509 ± 38
Strong
3.0± .15
31.2±1.55
262 ± 20
Medullated
4.4± .25
82.5±8.24
488 ± 19
Rams
Fine
3.2±2.7
28.5±1.30
441 ± 23
Strong
3.6± .27
38.7±1.30
345 ± 13
Medullated
4.5±.18
100.7±4.93
503 ± 10
Growth of lambs
The growth of lambs as measured by their birth weight and weaning weight
and weights at the age of six months, one-year and one year-and-a-half was also
studied.
As a result of grading the birth weight of lambs increased from generation to
generation, but, at higher ages, the graded progenies could not maintain their gain
ever the pure Bellary lambs. The weight of the male Bellary lambs came to the
same level as the graded ones at the age of six months, while that of the female
graded lambs was slightly heavier than the pure Bellary lambs at all ages, the
differences, however, were not significant. Thus in respect of growth, though there
was no significant gain through grading, there was no deterioration either.
Tables XI and XII show (i) the birth weight of the graded progenies in the
different generations together with that of the pure Bellary progenies and (ii) the
body weights of the progenies in the two flocks at different ages separately for
both the sexes.
TABLE XI
Average birth weight of lambs (in lb.)
Flocks
Pure Bellary
Graded lambs generation:
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Male
No.
286
143
79
38
18
Average
6.0±0.07
6.5± .09
6.8± .12
7.4± .18
6.8± .26
Female
No.
303
139
108
56
13
Average
5.5±.06
6.2±.09
6.5±.10
6.8±.17
6.5±.30
31 AR/56
6
180
IMPROVEMENT OF BELLARY SHEEP
[Vol. XXVI, Part IV,
TABLE XII
Average body weights at different ages (in lb.)
Flocks
Pure Bellary M
F
Graded
M
F
Weaning
No.
188
206
177
234
Average
26.3±.54
23.8±.43
27.5±.56
26.6±.46
Six months
No.
163
186
161
208
Average
39.4±.90
32.8±.63
39.0±.71
36.1±.71
One year
No.
115
115
Average
41.1±.91
43.6±.85
One year and a half
No.
91
185
Average
55.1±1.84
56.3±1.04
Comparisons of sires
For each type of breeding 14 rams were used for stud during the period of the
scheme. These rams were progeny-tested with respect to birth weight of progenies
and wool yield in cases where at least six dam-daughter pairs were available. The
results of the test suggest that none of the Bellary rams proved outstanding in
improving the progenies over their dams in these two respects. On the contrary,
one ram, No. 224 brought about a significant decrease in respect of birth weight
and two other rams, viz. Nos. 84 and 419 lowered the wool yield of progenies signifi-
cantly, i.e. by 6.9±1.2 lb. and 3.7±1.3 lb. respectively, as compared against the
yield of their dams.
The comparison of Bikaneri rams was complicated because of the fact that they
were used at different times and consequently on groups of ewes differing in their
potential level of performance as a result of grading. So the results of progeny
testing cannot but underestimate the worth of rams used in later periods. One
approach is to convert the yield records in later generations to first and second
generation basis and then conduct the comparison. A satisfactory method for
such conversion is under investigation.
From a somewhat subjective comparison of the rams taking into account the
period in which they were used, it, however, appears that two of the Bikaneri rams,
viz. Nos. 316 and 566 proved good, while ram No. 816 was inferior to others.
Miscellaneous studies
(a) Study of the effect of season and pregnancy on growth of wool: As stated earlier
there were two mating seasons, viz. April-May and September-October and the
December, 1956] M. N. DAS AND V. R. RAJAGOPALAN 181
ewes were shorn twice a year, viz. once in March-April and again in August-Septem-
ber. A study of the effects of seasons of clipping and pregnancy conditions in-
dependently of each other reveals that the yield of the clips taken in August-Sep-
tember was greater than that of the other clip. Also the pregnant ewes yield clips
significantly higher than the non-pregnant ewes. Table XIII shows the average
yields from the two clips and in different pregnancy conditions.
TABLE XIII
Average yield in different seasons and pregnancy conditions (in oz.)
Season of clipping
March-April
August=September
Pregnant
Not pregnant
Pure Bellary flock
No.
154
162
123
193
Av.
17.5
23.8
21.3
18.8
S. E.
.31
.31
.32
.32
Graded flock
No.
216
254
308
162
Av.
20.9
29.7
27.0
23.1
S. E.
.28
.28
.29
.29
(b) Mode of change of clip yield with age of ewes : As the ewes grow old, a stage
is reached when their wool yielding capacity decreases and they prove uneconomic.
As there was no culling of old ewes in the present investigation, a. study was possible
to find the age. Considering the ewes which lived longer, the average annual wool
yield at the different ages of the ewes was obtained. A comparison of the averages
shows that in the first year the yield was lower, afterwards from the second to the
sixth year the yield was more or less constant, after which there was a tendency
towards fall. A similar study on Bikaneri ewes in Hissar revealed that the yield
had a tendency towards fall from the age of three years. As the results obtained
here are not based on a sufficient number of observations, they cannot be taken as
very conclusive. Another study based on relatively larger number of ewes, viz.
20 and 37 as against 9 and 18 respectively, that lived at least five years also has
shown a similar trend.
TABLE XIV
Average wool yield at different ages (in oz.)
Flock
Pure Bellary-Flock
Graded Flock
No.
9
18
1st year
35.3
±5.1
46.3
±2.29
2nd year
41.1
±5.1
54.9
±2.29
3rd year
37.9
±5.1
53.3
±2.29
4th year
40.4
±5.1
52.3
±2.29
5th year
40.7
±5.8
55.8
±2.29
6th year
44.9
±5.8
54.3
±2.29
7th year
39.6
±5.8
48.7
±2.29
182
IMPROVEMENT OF BELLARY SHEEP
[Vol. XXVI, Part V,
(c) Gestation period . The gestation period estimated from the service records
of nearly 500 services in each flock came out to 150.3 days on an average for both
the pure Bellary and graded ewes. It did not differ from generation to generation
in any flock, nor was it affected differently by the season of lambing or the sex of
the lamb carried.
(d) Association between the birth weight of lambs and their first clip yield. It is
always the aim of breeding to get sturdier lambs at birth. While sturdiness has
got its own advantages, a study conducted to find the association between birth
weight and the first clip yield shows that it contributes towards greater yield also.
The correlation coefficient between the two characters worked out to 0.34 for pure
Bellary lambs and 0.33 for graded lambs. Both these values were significantly
greater than zero indicating thereby that there is a definite positive association
between the two characters.
SUMMARY
Bellary sheep which form one of the wool yielding breeds in South India are
generally black in colour and are low yielders. Earlier efforts (1925-33) to get
white and sturdy sheep with more yield under controlled breeding in Hosur Farm,
revealed that the breed responds well to improved farming but it is not possible to
get a completely white flock of pure Bellary sheep owing to the very weak constitu-
tion of the white sheep.
Efforts were next directed to th breeding of ewes with white fleece with any
other face colour in the Hosur Farm under a scheme financed by the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research. A statistical study of the records collected
on the scheme (1938-52) has revealed the following salient features.
1. Efforts made to raise white bodied progenies by crossing Bellary ewes with
white bodied Bellary rams on the one hard and by upgrading Bellary
ewes with white bodied Bikaneri rams on the other proved successful.
2. Mortality of lambs was greater in pure Bellary flock than that in the graded
flock.
3. The graded progenies yielded more than the pure progenies and the yield
of the graded progenies increased from generation to generation from
about 35 oz. per two clips in a year to about 62 oz.
4. There was a considerable improvement in the graded progenies in respect
of wool quality as measured by medullation percentage which fell
from about 40 to 13 in four generations. In the Pure Bellary Flock
also some improvement was noticed.
5. The lambs in the graded flock recorded increase in birth weight from genera-
tion to generation. But the growth of the progenies was slower than
that of the pure Bellary lambs.
6. Bikaneri ram Nos. 316 and 566 proved good as judged from the sire
indexes in respect of birth weight and wool yield of progenies. Most of
the Bellary rams failed to improve the progenies over their dams.
December, 1956] M. N. DAS AND V. R. RAJAGOPALAN 183
7. The wool yield from clips taken in August-September was significantly
greater than that from the clips in March-April.
8. As the age of ewes increased, the annual yield showed a rise in the second
year, and not much fluctuation thereafter till the seventh year of age when there
was a noticeable decrease.
9. There was evidence of some positive association between the birth weight
and first-clip-wool yield of lambs.
10. The average number of six-monthly clips that could be obtained from a
ewe was 7.5 in the case of Pure Bellary Flock and 7.3 for graded progenies. The
total wool yield from a ewe during her life-time was estimated to be on an average
9 lb. for pure Bellary ewes and from 10½ to about 17 lb. in the successive genera-
tions of graded ewes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are grateful to Dr V. G. Panse, Statistical Adviser and Shri V. N.
Amble, Statistician (A.H.) of the I. C. A. R. for their help in improving the paper.
They are also indebted to the Superintendents of the Livestock Research Station,
Hosur, Madras, under whose supervision and control the Scheme was executed
and the data collected. They also acknowledge the help of the staff of the Livestock
Research Station, Hosur, who conducted the scheme and collected the data and
also to the staff of the Statistical Branch of the I. C. A. R., particularly
Shri Iswar Dayal and Niranjan Singh who rendered all computational help for
the statistical analysis of the data.
REFERENCE
Littlewood, Capt. R. W. (1936). Livestock of South India. Publication of the Government of
Madras.
31 AR/56 7
CHEAPER HIGH PROTEIN VERSUS EXPENSIVE LOW
PROTEIN RATIONS FOR GROWTH AND FATTENING OF
PIGS IN INDIA
By O. P. AGARWALA and D. SUNDARESAN, Allahabad Agricultural Institute,
Allahabad
(Received for publication on December 9, 1955)
IN any livestock enterprise involving meat production it is necessary to devise
feed mixtures which will produce greatest gain in weight with the least cost.
Swine husbandry in India has not been very profitable, since cereals specially
maize considered necessary in pig feeds, are expensive and are also needed for
human consumption. Theoretically, excess protein (over the current need) fed to
any animal is deaminised and used as carbohydrate for energy production. This
study was planned to observe whether a by-product like groundnut cake with high
protein content could be introduced in the diet to replace a considerable part
of the high energy maize in the feeding of swine. Maize, however, was not subs-
tituted entirely by groundnut cake because of the possibility of maize having some
essential constituents such as vitamin 'A' in the form of cryptoxanthin and easily
assimilable carbohydrate that are lacking in groundnut cake and which help the
growth of pigs.
Keith and Miller [1938, 1941] fed rations varying in crude protein content
from 12 to 27 per cent to different groups of pigs and found that maximum and most
economical gains from weaning to 75 lb. were made by the pigs fed the highest
per cent of protein. Almost similar results were obtained by McElroy and Lobay
[1947]; Carroll and Burroughs [1939], Crampton and Ashton [1942]; Catron et
al., [1952], Becker et al., [1954] and Ullrey et al., [1954]. Sewell et al., [1953] found
that 16 to 20 per cent protein gave a slow growth in baby pigs from 2 to 30 days of
age. They further noted that 32 per cent protein gave fastest growth and most
efficient feed utilization, but 24 to 28 per cent protein gave relatively satisfactory
results.
Reber et al., [1953] reported that a diet containing 41 per cent protein produced
maximum weight and feed efficiency in young pigs from, 12 to 24 days of age and as
the pigs approached 8 weeks of age 20 per cent protein appeared to be as efficient
as the high level protein.
31 AR/56
185 8
186
CHEAPER PROTEIN FEED FOR PIGS
[Vol. XXVI, Part IV,
Dobbins et al., [1950] in a feeding trial with 9 pairs of pigs concluded that
yellow corn containing 11.7 per cent protein was no better than yellow corn containing
8.2 per cent when furnished with some amount of protein in ration. Warden et
al., [1951] while comparing various soyabean oil meals with meat and bone scrapes
at two levels of protein (18 and 16 per cent) reported no significant difference in gains
of pigs between the two levels of crude protein fed. The result of study conducted
by Wallace et al., [1954] showed that a corn-soyabean oil meal ration containing
14.3 per cent crude protein fortified with minerals and vitamins was just as satis-
factory for weight gains of healthy weaning pigs fed in dry lot as rations containing
17.6 and 20.9 per cent crude protein.
The studies reported above deal with feeding conditions wherein the protein
feeds in general are more expensive than carbohydrate feeds. The problem
there has been to find as low a level of protein in feed as is desirable. In our
country the problem is just the reverse. Protein feeds like oilcakes and pulses are
cheaper than carbohydrate feeds like cereals. Therefore, it is necessary to devise
a feed mixture with as high a protein content.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Two studies each of six months duration were undertaken. The first study
started on the 18th April 1954, and terminated on the 17th October 1955 (hence-
forth to be referred to as summer study). The second study was undertaken from
the 25th September 1954 to 26th March 1955 (henceforth to be referred to as
winter study). In each study piglings born about the same time were used just
after weaning (two months) and were divided into groups (A, B and A 1 , B 1 for summer
and winter studies respectively). Each group in each study had the same number
of piglings as the corresponding group. Each pigling in each group had a
corresponding pigling of the same sex and parentage in the other group. The
piglings were so distributed as to have the initial total weight of each group in
each study similar in the corresponding group of the same study. The distri-
bution of piglings to each group is given in Table I.
In summer study each group had three piglings (2 males and one female) while
in winter study each group had six piglings (5 females and one male). Each pigling
of each group was weighed initially and thereafter weekly, throughout the period
of study. Male piglings of each study were castrated at the age of one month.
Piglings of each group of each study were kept in pukka pens all the time.
December, 1956] O. P. AGARWALA AND D. SUNDARESAN 187
TABLE I
Distribution of piglings to the studies
SUMMER STUDY
Group—A
Pig No.
51
52
53
Sex
F
M
N
No. of dam
16
16
16
No. of sire
13
13
13
Total
Weaning
weight
(lb.)
22.8
18.0
17.4
58.2
Group—B
Pig No.
50
54
55
Sex
F
M
M
No. of dam
16
16
16
No. of sire
13
13
13
Total
Weaning
weight
(lb.)
12.2
23.8
19.8
55.8
WINTER STUDY
Group—A 1
59
98
100
103
106
107
F
F
F
M
F
F
41
61
61
58
58
58
X
X X
X
X
X
Total
14.4
29.6
23.0
11.0
19.0
11.6
108.6
Group—B 1
90
99
101
105
109
110
F
F
F
M
F
F
41
61
61
58
58
58
X
X
X
X
X
X
Total
14.4
29.6
23.8
13.2
17.2
13.6
111.8
(The breed of the pigs used is Middle Yorkshire)
188 CHEAPER PROTEIN FEED FOR PIGS [Vol. XXVI, Part IV,
Each group was fed ad libitum the concentrate mixture assigned to that group
as given in Table II.
TABLE II
Concentrate mixture fed ad libitum to piglings
Constituents of ration
Yellow maize
Groundnut cake
Gram
Wheat bran
Mineral mixture
Digestible protein
Total protein
Total digestible nutrients
Summer study
Group A
lb.
50
10
20
20
5
%
12
16
72
Group B
lb.
10
50
20
20
5
%
27
31
75
Winter study
Group A 1
lb.
40
20
20
20
3
%
16
20
74
Group B 1
lb.
10
50
20
20
3
%
27
31
75
Cost per 100 lb. (At the time of experi-
mental period).
Rs.
14.02
Rs.
11.59
Rs.
13.40
Rs.
11.59
Note. The mineral mixture fed consisted of:
50 per cent salt
50 per cent bone meal
and 0.3 per cent potassium iodide
For the first three months of the summer study the mineral mixture in addition
to the above had traces of cobalt chloride, magnesium sulphate, copper sulphate
and ferrous sulphate.
The concentrate mixture in winter study for piglings of Group A 1 was slightly
altered from that of Group A, to give to the ration 16 to 17 per cent digestible protein
which was considered the minimum desirable for growing pigs.
The record of feed consumed by each group was maintained. At noon each
day each group of piglings was supplied as much green as the pigs were able to
consume in four hours. Water was available to them at all times.
In winter study one gilt of Group B 1 died on the 5th February 1955 and as
such her corresponding sister of group A 1 was removed on the same day from the
study.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In summer study during the entire period, piglings of the Group A consumed
1649.6 lb.of concentrate mixture while the piglings of Group B consumed 1411.2 lb.,
238.4 lb. less than the Group A. The total initial weights of piglings of Group A
and B were 58.0 and 55.8 lb. respectively. At the end of the study the final total
weights of piglings of Group A and B were 509.0 and 429.0 lb. respectively.
In winter study during entire period of the study, piglings of Group A 1 and B 1
consumed 3940.0 lb. and 3981.6 lb. of feed respectively. The total initial weight