NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
MAIZE CAKE AS A CATTLE FEED
By PANDIT LAL CHAND DHARMANI, B.SC. (Agri.), D.Sc., F.I.C.S., P.A.S. (I),
Agricultural Chemist, Punjab, Ludhiana and G. V. KARIRA, B.Ag. (Bombay),
Agricultural Department, Sind
(Received for publication on 22 November 1952)
O WING to difficulties in importing foreign manufactured starch due to recent
World War, Indian concerns thought of manufacturing starch from maize (Zea
mays). Such industry has, therefore, been started recently in the Punjab and at
some other places in India. The question of disposing of its by-products such as
maize bran, maize cake, etc. engaged the attention of the manufacturer. Surjit
Mills, Phagwara, manufactured molassed feed by adding about 20 per cent molasses
to maize bran. This sample was sent to the Agricultural Chemist, Lyallpur, for
opinion. The Bhar t Starch and Chemicals Limited, Abdullahpur, also sent a
sample of maize cake for opinion regarding its use as cattle feed. On analysing,
the maize cake was found to be very rich in protein and fat.
The value of maize cake or corn meal as a cattle feed is well recognised in western
countries but no definite data based on controlled feeding trials regarding its feeding
value as manufactured in the State are available ; it was, therefore, decided
to conduct digestibility trials with this concentrate.
EXPERIMENTS
The digestibility trials were carried out at Lyallpur on six Sahiwal breed heifers,
particulars of which are shown in Table I.
TABLE I
Particulars of animals
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
Approximate age on
29-11-45
Years
2
2
2
2
2
1
Months
9
8
6
7
2
8
Body weight at the start
of the experiment
(29-11-45)
In lb.
604
695
621
635
542
431
Body weight at the end
of experiment
(2-2-46)
In lb.
611
699
642
649
558
447
123
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124
MAIZE CAKE AS CATTLE FEED
[Vol. XXIII, Part II,
The technique followed during the experiments was the same as already published
by Lander and Dharmani [1929]. Maize cake was fed once a day after being soaked
in water for a couple of hours, with wheat bhusa alone and wheat bhusa and
berseem as basal rations.
The nutritive value of wheat bhusa alone was first determined and it turned
out to be a non-maintenance ration. Graduated amounts of maize cake were there-
fore added to wheat bhusa in order to bring it up to a maintenance level, heifers
No. II and III were given 1.25 lb. and the other four, one pound each per day ;
the digestibility of different constituents of maize cake were determined.
It was planned to superimpose the quantities of maize cake on this maintenance
ration (wheat bhusa and maize cake) but the animals refused to eat the extra quantity.
With a view to create palatability for the maize cake an experiment was under-
taken by feeding maize cake along with 10 lb. green berseem and wheat bhusa ad
lib as basal ration. The animals began to eat more of maize cake, as they liked the
same due to the presence of green berseem in the ration. Two heifers No. II and
III ate 2 lb. of maize cake and the rest 1.5 lb. each, per day.
RESULTS
Table II shows the chemical composition of maize cake. The chemical
composition of cotton seed cake, toria and sarson cakes are also given for the sake
of comparison as maize cake is to compete with these cakes in the Punjab.
Digestibility data and the comparative nutritive values of the cakes are shown
in Table III. Daily nitrogen balance during different experimental periods is
given in Table IV.
TABLE II
Chemical composition of feeds
Name of the feed
Maize cake
Cotton seed cake
(undecorticated)
Sarson cake
Toria cake
Moisture
per cent
7.25
7.48
8.74
5.31
Dry
per cent
92.75
92.52
91.26
94.69
Ash
per cent
2.52
6.01
9.12
7.14
Fat
per
cent
19.80
8.47
10.10
11.83
Fibre
per
cent
7.75
22.31
9.17
10.61
Protein
per cent
19.55
21.13
32.94
32.00
Nitrogen
free
extract
per cent
43.13
34.60
29.93
33.11
June, 1953]
L.
C.
DHARMANI
AND
G.
V.
KARIRA
125
TABLE III
Digestibility data of different cakes
Name of the feed
Maize cake (fed with
wheat bhusa as basal
ration)
Maize cake (fed with
wheat bhusa and
berseem as basal
ration)
Cotton seed cake
Sarson cake
Toria cake
Digestibility co-efficients
Dry
matter
64.20
67.18
72.81
70.12
70.39
Ash
..
35.49
68.73
..
..
Fat
87.05
98.36
98.01
93.08
90.84
Protein
64.05
69.80
85.03
85.00
84.37
Nitrogen
free extract
55.05
(total carbo-
hydrates)
51.91
(total carbo-
hydrates)
59.36
73.50
60.74
Digestible nutrients per 100 lb. of the feed
Dry
matter
59.70
61.89
67.36
64.00
66.65
Ash
..
0.84
4.13
..
..
Fat
17.17
19.54
8.30
9.40
10.75
Protein
12.52
13.53
17.97
28.00
27.00
Total
carbo-
hydrates
27.70
27.94
36.96
26.00
24.15
Total
digestible
nutri-
ents
78.93
85.48
73.60
74.15
75.14
Albumi
noid
ratio 1 :
5.49
5.17
3.1
1.7
1.8
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MAIZE CAKE AS A CATTLE FEED
[Vol. XXIII, Part II
TABLE IV
Daily nitrogen balance in grammes
Period
14-12-45
to
23-12-45
14-1-46
to
23-1-46
Heifer
number
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
Intake in feed
Wheat bhusa
14.98
17.90
16.80
15.30
13.30
13.20
Wheat Bbusa
11.58
13.57
13.10
11.90
11.90
9.90
Berseem
—
—
—
—
—
—
Berseem
17.67
17.67
17.67
17.67
17.67
17.67
Maize cak
14.20
17.70
17.70
14.20
14.20
14.20
Maize cake
21.30
28.40
28.40
21.30
21.30
21.30
Total intake
29.18
35.60
34.50
29.50
27.50
27.40
50.55
59.61
59.17
50.87
50.87
48.87
Outgo
Dung
10.96
18.30
19.70
16.90
17.70
14.90
18.94
23.90
22.98
21.11
20.12
20.84
Urine
12.31
14.29
13.75
14.84
11.51
10.83
14.89
22.29
18.52
19.86
18.51
13.14
Total outgo
23.27
32.59
33.45
31.74
29.21
25.73
33.83
46.19
41.50
40.97
38.63
33.98
Balance
5.91
3.01
1.05
—2.24
—1.71
1.67
16.72
13.45
17.67
9.90
12.24
14.89
June, 1953] L. C. DHARMANI AND G. V. KARIRA 127
DISCUSSION
Maize cake is richer in fat and soluble carbohydrates but poorer in protein as
compared to other cakes as seen from Table II.
It will be seen from Table III that fat in maize cake is slightly more digestible
than other cakes, (toria and sarson cakes) while digestibility of protein is less. Diges-
tibility of dry matter in maize cake is lower.
It will be noticed that the palatability and the digestibility of maize cake due
to the addition of green berseem has considerably improved. The digestibility of
its fat and protein have increased by 11 and 6 per cent respectively, whilst the
digestibility of dry matter and soluble carbohydrates remained almost unaltered.
The figures for total digestible nutrients and digestible protein show that the
nutrients in the form of maize cake when fed with basal ration of berseem and wheat
bhusa have been utilised better by the animals than when maize cake was fed with
wheat bhusa alone as basal ration.
Maynard mentions in his book on Animal Nutrition [1937] on page 82 paras 74,
75 as follows. 'It is a common belief that the Herbivora have a low tolerance for
fat but the experimental evidence in its support is scanty. Certainly the suckling
is able to handle a relatively large amount of fat, since milk contains from 25 to
40 per cent of this nutrient on a dry matter basis. The studies have not been extended
to other oils except to show that cotton seed oil certainly does not have any such
effect.'
Lander and Dharmani [1935] also observed that no ill effects were noticed
on the health of animals when fed with cotton seeds, having about 20 per cent fat.
Similar are our findings in the case of maize cake, which is rich in fat contain-
ing about 19.8 per cent. No untoward effects whatsoever were noticed on the
general health of animals under experiments. The effect of storage on the com-
position and keeping quality of maize cake is under investigation.
SUMMARY
Digestible coefficients of maize cake have been determined. It contains
higher total digestible nutrients and lower digestible protein as compared to
toria, sarson and cotton seed cakes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Thanks are due to N. Akbar Ali, S. Kartar Singh Lohara and S. Atam Singh
Kochhar of the Chemical Section, Punjab Agricultural College, Lyallpur for their
assistance in this work. One of us [G.V.K.] is highly indebted to the Sind Depart-
ment of Agriculture for sending him on deputation to Lyallpur Nutrition Centre.
REFERENCES
Lander, P. E. and Dharmani L. C. (1929). Mem. Dep. Agric., India, 10, 6
Lander P. E. and Dharmani L. C. (1937). Indian J. vet. Sci. VII.
Leenard A. Maynard (1937). Animal Nutrition, 82
Lander P. E. and Dharmani L. C. (1935). Indian J. vet. Sci. V, 343-34
SEASONAL VARIATION IN CONCEPTION RATES IN
ARTIFICIALLY BRED COWS
By S. S. PRABHU AND P. BHATTACHARYA, Division of Animal Genetics, Indian
Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar
(Received for publication on 5 January 1953)
T HE occurrence of a seasonal trend in the quality and quantity of semen
produced by bulls has been observed by many workers. Erb, Andrews and
Hilton [1942] found highly significant differences between months in respect of all
the factors studied. They observed that the quality of the semen produced during
the spring was significantly superior to that produced during the summer months.
Results similar in a large measure to those of Erb, Andrews and Hilton [1942] were
also obtained by Phillips, et al. [1943] and by Mukherjee and Bhattacharya [1947].
In addition, the former workers noted that the decrease in semen quality during
summer was reflected in decreased breeding efficiency. The highest percentage of
fertile matings (69.6 per cent) occurred during April and the lowest (40.8 per cent)
in August. Anderson [1945] drew the conclusion that 'there is a seasonal similarity
between semen quality and fertility'. While this is true in free mating populations,
it is unlikely to hold good in artificially bred populations where each sample of semen
injected is previously tested for quality and only semen of approved quality is
generally used. Besides, as also pointed out by Lasley and Bogart [1943], since
both the cow and the bull are involved in fertility, the seasonal variation of it,
cannot be dependent entirely on the variation in the production of spermatozoa.
Salisbury [1944], in his studies on feeding wheat germ oil as a supplement to the
normal rations of bulls used for artificial insemination, found that there was no
significant difference in fertility of the bulls from month to month. It is interesting
to find out whether any seasonal variation in conception rates does occur in any
unselected population of cows bred artificially, as it has a special bearing on the
successful application of artificial insemination on a large field scale in India. Accord-
ingly, the relevant data, from the records of the artificial insemination centres
run under a scheme of research financed by the Government of India were collected
and analysed. The results obtained are presented in this paper.
DATA AND RESULTS
For the purpose of this study calving data from 2,596 inseminations performed
at the Calcutta Artificial Insemination Centre and 5,854 inseminations performed at
the Patna Artificial Insemination Centre during the years 1946 to 1948 were used.
In addition, the data collected during 1947 and 1948 (April to December only) at the
Bangalore Artificial Insemination Centre, comprising 1,284 inseminations, was also
utilised. The total number of bulls involved was twenty. Since no purposeful
selection was made of the cows inseminated they were taken as representing random
samples of the cow populations in the areas concerned. Details of service rates
129
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SEASONAL VARIATION IN CONCEPTION RATES
[Vol. XXIII, Part II,
observed at the centres are given in Table I. The Calcutta and the Patna data
were analysed together, while the Bangalore data was treated separately (for reasons
see below). In this study, the actual figures used for analysis were number of
services per conception obtained by dividing the total number of cows inseminated
by the total number of cows conceiving. This was done for the sake of convenience
as these figures were readily available. The central purpose of the study was not
vitiated by the adoption of such a procedure. It will thus be seen that the conception
rates referred to in Tables II, III and IV are actually the service rates. The analysis
was carried out by the technique of analysis of variance. The summaries of the
results are presented in Tables II, III and IV.
TABLE I
Details of service-rates observed at the three artificial insemination centres
Season
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Months
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
Name of centre
Calcutta
1946
1.71
1.56
1.59
1.79
1.50
2.35
1.60
1.50
1.44
1.61
1.33
1.29
1947
1.90
1.90
2.04
1.94
1.76
1.71
1.86
1.73
1.41
1.56
1.47
1.98
1948
1.47
1.32
1.62
1.53
1.44
1.54
1.63
1.52
1.47
1.98
1.62
1.17
Patna
1946
1.42
1.28
1.21
1.25
1.25
1.10
1.44
1.28
1.25
1.28
1.28
1.28
1947
1.29
1.21
1.25
1.19
1.24
1.34
1.24
1.27
1.38
1.30
1.44
1.37
1948
1.29
1.38
1.43
1.44
1.38
1.39
1.40
1.42
1.49
1.68
1.54
1.42.
Bangalore
1947
..
3.00
2.30
1.76
2.04
1.83
2.00
1.91
2.71
2.56
1.93
..
1948
2.00
1.80
1.58
1.93
1.61
1.74
1.47
1.87
1.85
1.85
1.78
1.63
TABLE II
The analysis of variance of conception rates obtained at the Patna and Calcutta
artificial insemination centres
Source of variation
Years
Months
Year x months
Centres
Interaction—
Centres x years
Centres x months
Centres x months X years (error)
TOTAL
D.F.
2
11
22
1
2
11
22
71
S.S.
0.1002
0.2293
0.6669
1.6020
0.4668
0.4302
0.6272
4.1226
M.S.
0.0501
0.0208
0.0303
1.6020**
0.2334**
0.0391
0.0285
**F.—ratio significant at 1 per cent level
June, 1953 ] S. S. PRABHU AND P. BHATTACHARYA 131
It will be seen from Table II that the conception rates varied significantly from
one artificial insemination centre to the other. In addition, as the interaction
' centres x years' has come out to be highly significant, it also shows that the
variation from year to year for a given artificial insemination centre was different
from the other artificial insemination centre. On the other hand, there was no
significant difference between months. The results of re-analysis of the data on
a season-wise basis (the seasons being considered according to the convention
followed in this laboratory, namely August-October as autumn, November to
January as winter, February to April as spring and May to July as summer) are
shown in Table III.
TABLE III
The analysis of variance of the seasonal conception rates obtained at the Patna and
Calcutta artificial insemination centres
Source of variation
Years
Seasons
Interaction—
Years x seasons
Centres
Interaction—
Centres x years
Centres x seasons
Centres x years x seasons (error)
TOTAL
D.F.
2
3
6
1
2
3
6
23
S.S.
0.0351
0.0077
0.0619
0.5104
0.1475
0.0871
0.0555
0.8952
M.S.
0.0175
0.0025
0.0103
0.5104†
0.0737*
00290
0.0092
*F.-ratio significant at 5 per cent level
†F.-ratio significant at 1 per cent level
There was no significant difference in conception rates from season to season-
though between the two artificial insemination centres significant difference was
observed. The existence of the significant centres x seasons interaction shows
that the variation from season to season at one centre was not of the same order as
at the other centre (Table III).
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SEASONAL VARIATION IN CONCEPTION RATES
[Vol. XXIII, Part II,
In view of the missing observations, a separate month-wise analysis of the
Bangalore data was carried out, omitting the missing months in 1947 and months
corresponding to these in 1948. The results are presented in Table IV.
TABLE IV
The analysis of variance of the average conception rates obtained in different months
at the Bangalore artificial insemination centre
Source of variation
Months
Years
Months X years (error)
TOTAL
D.F.
8
1
8
17
S.S.
0.4005
0.8277
0.7968
2.0250
M.S.
0.0500
0.8277*
0.0996
*F.-ratio significant at 5 per cent level
Table III also shows no significant difference in the month to month conception
rates, though a significant difference,is found between years.
CONCLUSION
It appears from our results that no seasonal variation in conception rates occurs
in animals artificially inseminated. The year to year and centre to centre significant
differences are in all probability due to the acquisition of increased skill by the
operators coupled with the inherent initial difference of the individual operators
and the speed at which they are able to acquire the desired level of efficiency.
SUMMARY
The conception rates of 2,596 and 5,854 cows inseminated at Calcutta and Patna,
respectively, during 1946 to 1948 and of 1,284 cows inseminated at Bangalore during
1947 and 1948 (only April to December figures in both years, have been considered
since January to March figures were missing for the year 1947) have been analysed
with a view to detect the existence of seasonal trend, if any. The results failed
to bring out any seasonal trend, which has been interpreted as due to the use of
semen samples of only approved quality for insemination. It was observed in case
of the Patna and Calcutta artificial insemination centres that the conception rates
differed significantly. There was a year to year significant difference also, which
again was different for the two artificial insemination centres. A year to year
significant variation in conception rate was also observed in the case of Bangalore
Artificial Insemination Centre. These results were interpreted as possibly due to
the acquisition of increased operative skill by the artificial insemination personnel
June, 1953] S. S. PRABHU AND P. BHATTACHARYA 133
coupled with their inherent initial difference in skill and the subsequent speed with
which they were able to attain the desired level of efficiency.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are indebted to Dr S. Datta, Director, Indian Veterinary Research
Institute, Izatnagar, for his interest in this work.
REFERENCES
Anderson, J. (1945). Semen of farm animals and its use for artificial insemination. Imp. Bur. Ani
Breed. Genet. Edinburgh
Erb, R.E., Anderws, F.N. and Hilton, J.H. (1942). J. Dairy Sci. 25, 815
Lasley, J.F., and Bogart, R. (1943). Uni. Mo. Res. Bull. 376
Mukherjee, D.P and Bhattacharya, P. (1952). Indian J. vet. Sci. 22(2), 73-91
Phillips, R.W., Kannp, B. (Jr.), Heemstra, L.C. and Eation, O.N. (1943). Amer. J. Vet. Res. 4, 115
Salisbury, G.W. (1944). J. Dairy Sci. 27, 551-561
ABSTRACTS
Experiments on Salmonellosis of fowls. ZAKI MORCOS (1952). Brit. Vet. J. 108,
376-381, 31
THE paper deals with the method of diagnosing Salmonella pullorum and Salo-
monella gallinarum infection by thinly plating a clot devoid of serum from the
blood of infected birds on MacConkey's medium. No colonies develop on plating
with whole blood on account of the bactericidal effect of the serum.
The characteristics of S. gallinarum and S. pullorum as regards reaction on
sugars, pathogenicity and resistence have been studied and found to resemble each
other except in their reaction on maltose which, according to the author is not
sufficient basis for differentiation of the two.
The above method of culture is suggested to be of use in diagnosis of other
bacteraemic diseases and considered more reliable as it avoids variation in titre,
agglutination, strains of antigens and suspicious reactions.
Terramycin in three successive doses of 250 mg. was effective as a curative and
the author prefers it to slaughtering of the infected and carrier birds. [B.N.G.]
The cattle trypanesomiasis, a cryptice focus of parasites in association with
a secondary stage of disease. FIENNES, R. N. T. W. (1952). Brit. Vet. J. 108,
298-306
T HE paper deals with the study of the cardiac lesions produced due to infection
of T. congolonse and T. vivax in six Guernseys and 21 Zebus. The condition in
the heart has been referred to as ' a secondary stage of trypanosomiasis '. The
heart was found to be the main seat of infection, even in cases where there was no
general invasion of the blood ; while in the other organs such as adrenals, hameo-
lymph glands, kidneys, livers, lungs, lymphatic glands and spleens, the trypano-
somes were found only sporadically. The infected heart muscles showed necrosis,
disintegration of muscle fibres, round cell infiltration, extreme capillary dilation,
separation of fibres and atrophy. Normal crypanosomes were also observed in
capillaries of cardiac muscle, though mostly degenerated trypanosomes were found.
These were not considered to be the development forms or latent bodies. This
fact, however, is not given as proof for non-existence of latent bodies in vertebrates,
on account of all organs not having been examined.
It is suggested that such severe lesions in the heart cause death in certain cases
due to direct failure of heart action.
No functional heart tests were done which might have revealed more about the
effect of such lesions on cardiovascular system. [H.K.L.]
135
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136
ABSTRACTS
[Vol. XXIII, Part II,
The disinfection prior to incubation of hen eggs contaminated with Salmonella
pullorum. LANCASTER, J. E., GORDON, RF. AND TUCKER, J. (1952). Brit.
Vet. J. 108, 418-431
T HE paper details experiments for finding out suitable disinfectants to destroy
Salmonella organisms on egg shells.
Eggs were inoculated by dropping over them an 18 hour culture of Salmonella
pullorum containing about ten million organisms. Treatment with disinfectant
followed and organisms, if any, were recovered on Selenite ' F ' medium incubated
for 18 hours at 37°C and later identified.
Egg dipping for 15 minutes in solutions of 0.2 per cent sodium salt of para-
toluesulphono-chloramide (Chloramine T), 1.8 per cent of 10 per cent sodium
hypochlorite (Deosan), 0.5 per cent cetylthrimethyl ammonium bromide (Cetavlon)
and 1.5 per cent chlorometa xylenol (Dettol) heated to 25°C was found effective in
killing Salmonella pullorum while dips with lower temperature than that of the egg
were ineffective. Addition of a detergent in the former two enhanced their
action. 0.4 per cent solution of para-toluesulphonochloramide plus detergent
retained its ability to kill Salmonella pullorum to a maximum of 46 immersions.
Salmonella thompson and Solmonella typhimurium were found more resistant to the
action of the disinfectants tested.
Dipping eggs in solutions of double the strength of various disinfectants required
to kill Salmonella organisms did not show any adverse effect on hatchability.
These disinfectants, however, did not improve the keeping quality of eggs by
controlling egg-rots. [B.N.G.]
Influence of crude fibre in the ration on efficiency of feed utilization by dairy cows.
NORDFELDT, S., IWANAGA, I., MORITA, K., HENKE, L.A., ANNIE AND TOM, K. S.,
(1950). J. Dairy Sci. 33, 473-485
I N order to find out if different levels of crude fibre in the feed of dairy cows have
any influence on the milk yield and also its optimum level for maximum yield
a feeding experiment was carried out on dairy cows of Holstein-Friesian breed.
Except for fibre, other nutritive factors (digestible protein and T. D. N.) were kept
alike in the different rations. A sufficient supply of vitamin and minerals were also
provided. Four different rations were tried, viz. A with 60 lb. mature Napier grass
(Pennisetum purpureum), B with 40 lb. Napier grass, C with 20 lb. Napier grass and
D with no Napier grass. The protein and T. D. N. needed to balance the rations
were made up of pine apple bran, soyabean oil meal, fish meal and molasses. The
crude fibre contents, in the different rations on dry matter basis were : A, 22.7 per
cent; B, 19.6 per cent; C, 16.1 per cent and D, 12.0 per cent. It was found that
the amount of crude fibre in the rations tested had a definite influence upon the milk
yield and the effect of its level was highly significant, statistically. The milk yield
definitely decreased as soon as the crude fibre content in the feed increased over 16
per cent, calculated on the dry matter basis, regardless of the fact that equal
amounts of T. D. N. and digestible protein were fed.