NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
REDUCTION IN MILK YIELD IN INDIAN DAIRY CATTLE
BY ARTHROPOD INVASION AND ITS CONTROL
By B. C. BASU, C. M. SEN GUPTA AND P. BALARAMA MENON, Indian Veterinary
Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh
(Received for publication on 16 October 1950)
I T is well known that ectoparasites when present in large numbers cause annoyance
and irritation to animals. Sometimes their intensity is so great that the animals
are worried day and night. The annoyance caused by them is manifested in various
ways. At times the cows are so frightened by the attack of Lyperosia exigua that
while grazing they huddle together so as to give one another as much protection
as possible. They scatter themselves to prevent the attack from sand-flies, the
animals keep constantly walking and thus keeping their condition down. Buffalo
flies cause sores about the eyes, dewlap and body of the animals and thus cause
constant worry to them. Constant biting of ticks makes them irritated and weak
due to loss of blood.
The use of insecticidal sprays to save cows from the attack of the biting flies
is now considered one of the effective methods in all progressive countries of the
world. The use of the fly trap can be of value only on a small scale as in a dairy
farm where cattle are quiet and can easily be trained to go through. Moreover,
fly traps cannot be of any use in ridding the animals of parasites like lice, ticks, etc.
The factors which determine the production of milk are so numerous that a
large number of controlled observations are considered necessary to find out an
exact relationship between the invasion of ectoparasites and the production of
milk. Various opinions have already been expressed on the effect of ectoparasites
on milk production and on the fattening of cattle.
Freeborn et al. [1925] appear to be the first whose attention was drawn to
this problem and they conducted a large series of experiments on scientific lines
to evaluate varying popular belief about it. From their series of experiments it
was shown that 9.26 per cent of the loss in milk flow was caused by stable flies
(Stomoxys calcitrans), 3.33 per cent by house flies (Musca domestica), 1.4 per cent
by horn flies (Siphona irritans) and 4.11 per cent by the use of certain repellent
sprays. Later on Bishopp [1930] recorded that the farmers estimated 40 to 60
per cent reduction in milk yield as due to stable fly invasion. It is not quite clear
from his report if this estimate was based on scientific data. Sen [1939] carried
out experiments on five Sahiwal cows and concluded that an appreciable increase
in the yield of milk could be effected by controlling Lyperosia exigua and Musta
crassirostris in India. Belschner [1945] recorded a drop of 15 to 50 per cent in
milk yield and from a few months to a few years delay in fattening of cattle due to
an attack of buffalo flies, Lyperosia exigua alone, though he felt that the statement
needed confirmation by careful planned experiments. Later on, Bruce and Decker
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52
REDUCTION IN MILK YIELD IN INDIAN DAIRY CATTLE [VOL. XXII, PART I
[1947] in their well planned experiments showed that there was a high degree of
inverse correlation between changes in milk production and fly abundance. Thus
there is no doubt that fly worry does result in a drop in milk production and some
delay in fattening.
Considering the seriousness of shortage in milk production in India and the
very limited number of experiments conducted on the subject, this problem was
taken up by the Indian Veterinary Research Institute with a view to finally assess
the amount of loss in milk production in this country due to arthropod invasion
and to find out a suitable control measure to combat the arthropods at a very low
cost. The results so far obtained from the present series of experiments are recorded
below. Further work on the subject is in progress.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The insecticidal sprays used are as follows:
A High speed Diesel oil
Pyrocide 20
Pine oil
B Ext. Pyrethrum Liquid (2 per cent)
....
Kerosine oil
C DDT
Kerosine oil
Water
D Ext. Pyrethrum Liquid (2 per cent) .
.
.
.
DDT
Kerosine oil
92 parts
5 parts
3 parts
5 parts
95 parts
1 gm.
15 c.c.
1000 c.c.
5 c.c.
0.5 gm.
95 c.c.
The animals were mostly of Hariana breed from the farm and had nearly the
same lactation period. The sprays were applied all over the body excepting eyes
and udder by a mish sprayer every day at six O'clock in the morning. The parts
which received more attention were the neck and the wither. Approximately
60 c.c. of the mixture was used per animal per day. The operation was continued
daily for one month and separate controls were kept for each series of experiments.
Five such series of experiments were conducted, and the milk records not only for
the period during which the spraying operations were carried out but also for one
month both preceding and following the operation were kept. The five series of
experiments were conducted during the different seasons of the year, viz., the hot,
the monsoon, the post-monsoon and the cold months. January and February were
taken as cold months, April and May as hot months, August and September as
monsoon period and October and November as post-monsoon months of Izatnagar,
Bareilly. Incidentally it may. be mentioned that the area has extremes of climate,
the temperature varying from a maximum of 115° F. in hot months to a minimum
of 41° F. in cold months. The rainfall during monsoon months is usually 42.15
inches.
B. C. BASU et al
53
The ectoparasites commonly recorded in the area on cattle are: (1) Musca
(mostly nebulo Wied.) (2) Musca crassirostris Stein (3) Lyperosia exigua de Meij. (4)
Stomoxys calcitrans (Linn.) (5) Hippobosca maculata Leach (6) Hyalomma aegyptium
Linn. and (7) Boophilus australis Fuller. Nos. 6 and 7 were found more or less
throughout the year though in the months of January and February they w
more prevalent. Nos. 1 to 4 were found frequently attacking the animals.
In order to evaluate the increase or decrease in milk yield the following pro-
cedure was adopted. In each group the milk record was reduced to the number of
pounds per cow per month for the periods during which spraying operation was
conducted as well as for one month both preceding and following. In Tables I
to V the milk yield per cow per month preceding the application of spray was taken
as the base and in Tables VI to IX the figures for the period when the spraying
was done was taken as the base. Over these bases the percentage of milk yield
was calculated and was compared with the controls to find out the apparent increase
or decrease in milk yield.
Experiment 1
Twenty animals used for this experiment were divided into four groups, three
groups receiving one of the sprays A, B and C and Group E served as control. The
spraying operation was performed in hot weather for one month during April to
May 1948 when the density of ectoparasites was at a low level. The result of the
experiment is presented on Table I. It may be seen from the Table that there was
an apparent increase of 4.7 to 10.3 per cent in milk yield over the controls.
TABLE I
Effect of various insecticides on milk yield during hot season.
Group
receiving the spray
A
B
C
E (control)
Number of
animals
in the
group
5
5
5
5
lb. per com per month
for a period
11-3-48—
9-4-48
517
371.4
337.4
283.6
10-4-48—
9-5-48
482
351
333.6
251.2
Per cent
of base
93.2
94.5
98.8
88.5
Per cent
apparent
increase over
control
+4.7
+6.0
+10.3
..
Experiment 2
Twenty five animals were used for this experiment. They were divided into
five groups, out of which four groups received the different sprays A, B, C and D
and one group E remained as control. The spraying was done for a month during
August-September 1948 when Lyperosia exigua (de Meij.) and Stomoxys calcitrans
were found in fair numbers. Musca. (mostly nebulo Wied.) was present in very
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REDUCTION IN MILK YIELD IN INDIAN DAIRY CATTLE [VOL. XXII, PART I
large numbers. The result of this experiment is given below in Table II. Here
also there was an apparent increase of 2.2 to 11.0 per cent in milk yield over the
controls.
TABLE II
Effect
of
various insecticides on milk yield during monsoon season
Group receiving the spray
A
B
C
D
E (control)
Number of
animals
in the
group
5
5
5
5
5
lb. per cow per month
for the period
19-7-48—
18-8-48
240.6
188.0
285.0
270.3
363.2
19-8-48—
18-9-48
236.5
184.8
258.4
241.8
317.0
Per cent
of base
98.3
92.3
90.7
89.5
87.3
Per cent
apparent
increase
over control
+11.0
+5.0
+3.4
+2.2
Experiment 3
Sprays A, B, C and D were tested on four groups, each group consisting of four
animals. Group E consisting of four animals served as control. The spraying
operation was conducted for one month during October-November 1948. The
following ectoparasites were prevalent during the period: (1) Hippobosca maculata
Leach (2) Lyperosia exigua (de Meij.) (3) Stomoxys calcitrans (Linn.) and (4) a large
number of Musca (mostly nebulo Wied.). The result of the experiment is shown
in Table III. It may be noticed from the table that here also there is an apparent
increase of milk yield from 4.2 to 21.7 per cent over controls in groups B, C and D,
though there was a little decrease of 2.7 per cent in group A. It is rather difficult
to explain this decrease.
TABLE III
Effect of various insecticides on milk yield during past monsoon season.
Group receiving the spray
A
B
C
D
E (control)
Number of
animals
in the
group
4
4
4
4
4
lb. per cow per month
for the period
9-9-48—
8-10-48
247.5
336.0
414.0
400.5
449.0
9-10-48—
8-11-48
214.5
314.5
442.2
465.0
401.5
Per cent
of base
86.7
93.6
100.7
111.1
89.4
Per cent
apparent
increase
over conrol
—2.7
+4.2
+11.3
+21.7
..
B. C. BASU et
al
55
Experiment 4
Fifteen animals used for this experiment were divided into five groups of three
animals each, the first four groups receiving sprays A, B, C and D and the last group
E remaining as control. The spraying was done for one month during January-
February 1949. Lyperosia exigua (de Meij.), Stomoxys calcitrans (Linn.) and Musca
(mostly nebulo Wied.) were present. The result of this experiment is tabulated on
Table IV from which it may be seen that there was an apparent increase of 3.2
to 9.4 per cent in milk yield over controls.
TABLE IV
Effect of various insecticides on milk yield during cold season
Group receiving the spray
A
B
C
D
E (control)
Number of
animals
in the
group
3
3
3
3
3
lb. per cow per month
for the period
20-12-48—
19-1-49
292.0
256.3
462.5
255.0
429.3
20-1-49—
19-2-49
248.5
238.0
417.5
233.0
351.7
Per cent
of base
85.1
92.9
90.3
91.3
81.9
Per cent
apparent
increase
over control
+3.2
+ 11.0
+8.4
+9.4
..
Experiment 5
As in the previous series, 15 animals were used for this experiment. They
were divided into five groups of three animals each, four groups receiving the four
different sprays A, B, C and D and one group E remaining as control. The spraying
operations were conducted for a month during May 1948. Hippobosca maculata
Leach and Musca (mostly nebulo Wied.) were present. The result of the experiment
is given on Table V. It may be seen from the table that in all groups of sprayed
animals there was an apparent increase in the milk yield varying from 10.1 to 12.4
per cent over controls.
TABLE V
Effect of various insecticides on milk yield during hot season
Group receiving the spray
A
B
C
D
E (control)
Number of
animals
in the
group
3
3
3
3
3
lb. per cow per month
for the period
1-4-49—
30-4-49
365.3
245.7
325.7
208.7
464.0
1-5-49—
30-5-49
345.7
228.7
300.5
197.7
381.3
Per cent
of base
94.6
93.2
92.3
92.8
82.2
Per cent
of apparent
increase
over
control
+ 12.4
+11.0
+10.1
+10.6
..
11A
56
REDUCTION IN MILK YIELD IN INDIAN DAIRY CATTLE [VOL. XXII, PART I
The record of milk yield for one month of the cows under the various experiments
following the application of the spray is presented on Tables VI to IX.
It will be noticed that the improvement in milk yield has been maintained in
all the series of experiments even though spraying had actually been stopped by
them. This can only be attributed to the continued effect which the spray had in
keeping the ectoparasites in check and the consequent improvement in the milk
production.
The data of milk yield for the period after spraying for Experiment 4 has not
been tabulated as the milk record figures were not available, some of the animals
being sent outside for other purposes.
TABLE VI
Effect on milk yield following application of various insecticides during hot season
Group receiving the spray
A
B
C
E (control)
Number of
animals
in the
group
5
5
5
5
lb. per cow per month
for the period
10-4-48—
9-5-48
482.0
351.0
333.6
251.2
10-5-48—
8-6-48
423.0
302.6
275.8
211.8
Per cent
of base
87.7
86.2
82.7
84.3
Per cent
of apparent
increase
over control
+3.4
+1.9
—1.6
TABLE VII
Effect on milk yield following application of various insecticides during
monsoon season
Group receiving the spray
A
B
C
D
E (control)
Number of
animals
in the
group
5
5
5
5
5
1 . per cow per month
for the period
19-8-48—
18-9-48
236.5
184.8
258.4
241.8
317.0
19-9-48—
18-1048
220.6
166.4
259.6
203.3
292.2
Per cent
of base
93.3
90.0
100.4
84.0
92.2
Per cent
of apparent
increase
over control
+ 1.1
—2.2
+8.2
—8.2
B. C. BASU et al
57
TABLE VIII
Effect on milk yield following application of various insecticides during past
monsoon season.
Group receiving the spray
A
B
C
D
E (Control)
Number of
animals
in the
group
4
4
4
4
4
lb. per cow per month
for the period
9-10-48—
8-11-48
214.5
314.5
442.2
465.0
401.5
9-11-48—
8-12-48
183.0
265.5
371.0
442.5
292.5
Per cent
of base
85.3
81.2
83.9
95.2
72.9
Per cent
of apparent
increase
over control
+12.4
+8.3
+11.0
+22.3
TABLE IX
Effect on milk yield following application of various insecticides during hot season
Group receiving the spray
A
B
C
D
E (control)
Number of
animals
in group
3
3
3
3
3
lb. per cow per month
for the period
1-5-49—
30-5-49
345.7
228.7
300.5
193.7
381.3
31-6-49—
29-6-49
298.0
189.3
248.0
170.0
285.0
Per cent
of base
86.3
82.7
82.5
87.9
74.7
Per cent
of apparent
increase
over control
+11.6
+8.0
+7.8
+13.2
..
The detailed result of the comparative efficacy of the four different sprays used
in our series of experiments may be seen from Table X.
The spray D which is a mixture of pyrethrum and DDT is decidedly superior
to the other ones so far as increse in milk yield is concerned. With regard to the other
sprays, viz., A, B and C there is a slight variation in the results during the period
of spraying and its after effects, whereas spray D has given consistently good results.
58
REDUCTION IN MILK YIELD IN INDIAN DAIRY CATTLE
[VOL. XXII, PART I
TABLE X
Per cent apparent increase or decrease in milk yield over control in all experiments
with the group receiving spray
A
During
spray
+4.7
+11.0
—2.7
+3.2
+12.4
Average
+ 5.7
After
spray
+ 3.4
+1.1
+12.4
+11.6
..
+ 7.1
B
During
spray
+6.0
+5.0
+4.2
+11.0
+11.0
+ 7.4
After
spray
+1.9
—2.2
+8.3
+8.0
..
+4.0
C
During
spray
+10.3
+3.4
+11.3
+8.4
+10.0
+8.7
After
spray
—1.6
+8.2
+11.0
+7.8
..
+6.1
D
During
spray
+2.2
+21.7
+ 9.4
+ 10.6
..
+10.9
After
spray
—8.2
+ 22.3
+ 13.2
..
..
+ 9.1
Season
Hot
Monsoon
Post-Monsoon
Cold
Hot
From the above table it is also seen that during the period of spray the increase
in milk yield varied between 4.7 and 12.4 per cent in the series of experiments
conducted during the hot season; between 3.4 and 21.7 per cent during the monsoon
period; between —2.7 and 11.3 per cent during the post-monsoon period and
between 3.2 and 11.0 per cent during the cold season.
It is generally noticed that the incidence of arthropods is considerably reduced
during the hot months and the animals are given frequent baths. During the
monsoon, the insecticidal substances are generally washed out when the animals
are out in the rain. During the post-monsoon months, the incidence of arthropods
is decidedly increased and during the cold months the animals are not inclined to
have frequent baths and as such the insecticides applied are not likely to be washed
out.
DISCUSSION
It will be clear from the foregoing observations that in our series of experiments
a definite increase in the yield of milk is noticeable in the sprayed animals as compared
to the unsprayed controls. In Australia the decrease in milk yield due to one
species of biting fly, Lyperosia exigua, has been reported to be as much as fifty per
cent [Belschner loc.cit.]. Such a high percentage has not been recorded for any other
country so far. The Australian report shows that only one species may be respon-
sible for reduction by fifty per cent whereas in India we have more than half a
dozen important species which infest our dairy cattle. Yet our maximum record
of only twenty-two per cent reduction may be explained by the fact that in Australia
the density of this single species is very high. Moreover, our observation was
made in a government dairy herd where the general hygienic condition is decidedly
better than that of a private farm. If this series of experiments are conducted in
a private farm the percentage may be higher. But the maximum percentage of
twenty-two is very significant in our country which is much below self sufficiency
level in milk supply, whereas in other countries there is surplus. It will be of great
B. C. BASU et al
59
help to our country to become self sufficient in milk supply if this large quantity
of milk which is lost annually due to arthropod invasion could be restored by using
proper control measures. Much more work will have to be done to find out the
most optimum spray fluid, the per capita cost of which could be kept at a low level
so as to make it economically feasible for the average farmer or villager to use it
on his cattle without any risk.
SUMMARY
Five series of experiments were conducted in different months of 1948-49 on
95 dairy cows with four insecticidal sprays in order to ascertain the effect of ecto-
parasite control on milk yield.
The experimental animals of each series were divided into four groups and
each group was treated with a different insecticidal mixture for a period of one month.
About 60 c.c. of the mixture was sprayed daily on each animal and the cost of this
quantity was calculated to be slightly less than an anna.
The milk record was maintained for the period during which the spraying
operation was carried out and for one month both preceding and following the opera-
tion. Equal number of control animals were also kept for each series of experiment.
The use of the sprays not only reduced the ectoparasites but was also found
to result in an appreciable increase in yield of milk.
Of the four different sprays, A, B, C and D the spray D which is a mixture of
pyrethrum and DDT was found to be more effective and has given consistently good
results.
The effect of the various insecticides was studied in relation to the various
seasons also.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors express their thanks to Dr S. Datta, Director, Indian Veterinary
Research Institute, for giving all possible facilities for conducting this work. They
are specially grateful to Dr. P. Bhattachary O.C., A.G.S., for allowing them to
use the experimental herd attached to his section.
REFERENCE
Belschner, H. G. (1945). The southward spread of the buffalo fly (Lyperesia exigua) and contro
methods adopted in Queensland Aust. et. J. 21, 3, 56-60
Bishopp, F. C. (1913). The stable fly, U. S. D.A. Farmer's Bull. 540
Bruce, W. N. & Decker, G. C. (1947). Fly control and milk flow. J. Econ. Ento. 40, 4, 530-36
Freeborn, S. B., Wm M Regan and Falger, A. M. (1925). The relation of flies and fly sprays to
milk production. J. Econ. Ent. 18, 779-90
Sen, S. K. (1939). The possibilities of cattle fly sprays in India. Indian J, vet. Sci, 9, 4, 339-48
Indian J. Vet. Sci., Vol. XXII, part I ]
PLATE III
FIG. 9. Lactobacillus cassi (L. 134) ;
Dextrose broth ; Gram stain.
FIG. 10. Lactobacillus plantarum ? (L. 89)
Gram stain
FIG. 11. Lactobacillus plantarum (L. 89) ;
Dextrose broth ; Methylene blue
stained showing granules
FIG. 12. Lactobacillus plantarum (L. 89) ;
Crystal violet stained showing
capsules.
CLIMATE AND ANIMAL HEALTH
I.-SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN THE PULSE RATE, RESPIRA-
TION RATE, BODY TEMPERATURE, BODY WEIGHT AND
HAEMOGLOBIN IN NORMAL INDIAN CATTLE
By D. N. MULLICK AND N. D. KEHAR, Animal Nutrition Section, Indian Veterinary
Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh
(Received for publication on 7 June 1950)
(With one text figure)
P HILLIPS [1950] pointed out that livestock improvement work is fundamental
to the improvement of agriculture in any country, both to ensure proper
balance in the diets of the people and to ensure adequate humus for the soil. In order
to obtain animals which will give optimum returns of milk, eggs, meat and wool
or work under different climatic conditions, it is necessary to concentrate not only
on the inheritance of high rates of production but also the ability to maintain these
high rates under conditions prevailing in different areas. Rhoad [1941], Brody
[1945, 1948], Phillips [1948, 1950], Lee [1949] and Mullick [1950] have also stressed
the importance of climatic factors for the improvement of livestock. Lee and
Phillips [1949] further emphasised that among such conditions which tend to limit
the development of innate potentialities, the most important are high temperature,
parasitic infection, nutritional deficiencies or irregularities and limited facilities
for management.
Although considerable work has been done on the genetical and nutritional
aspects of this problem, the studies on the seasonal variation and physiological
reaction have been few and uncorrelated.
A systematic investigation was, therefore, started to study the health and
general condition of animals as affected by environmental conditions, viz., air tem-
perature and moisture and to find out a suitable physiological index for heat tolerance
which would be of help in distributing animals in different regions of the Indian
Union according to environmental conditions.
EXPERIMENTAL
Six adult steers were selected for these studies. The animals were fed the
same maintenance ration for the whole period of observation. Pulse rate was
counted from the coccygeal artery and respiration rate from the flank movements.
The animals were fed after recording body weight and rectal temperature. Drywet
bulbs and maximum-minimum thermometer readings were obtained from the
standard thermometers between 2 to 3 p.m. on three consecutive days in each month.
Blood hæmoglobin was estimated by the acid hematin method of Newcomer [1922],
by ear vein puncture.
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