The major research achievements in brief for different institute projects under different research disciplines during the evaluation period are given below.
ANIMAL HEALTH
Comparative evaluation of different tuberculin skin tests in mithun has been done
The efficacy of different diagnostics test for detecting brucellosis in mithun has been evaluated
The prevalence of the various infectious and non-infectious diseases in mithun has been studied
The immune response following polyvalent FMD vaccination has been studied
Different causes of calf mortalities in mithun have been investigated
Seroprevalence of Toxaplasma gondii antibodies in mithun has been investigated
The status of different parasitic infection in mithun calves has been investigated
Anthelmintic efficacy of fenbendazole against naturally acquired moniziasis in mithun calves has been evaluated
Detection of Mycobavterium paratuberculosis infection in mithun using indirect ELISA has been standardised
Study has been conducted to detect ketone body in mithun milk and urine
Abortus Bang Ring Test (ABRT) has been standardised to detect brucellosis using mithun milk samples
Incidence of different diseases in mithun under semi-intensive system has been monitored and diagnosed
Common protozoan and ectoparasitic diseases have been identified in mithun
Deworming schedule and preventive/control measure against important parasitic diseases in mithun have been formulated
Control measure for ectoparasitic diseases in mithun has been formulated
DOT ELISA technique for detecting Oesophagostomum species and Bunostomum species in mithun has been standardised
Seroprevalence of Rotavirus and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in mithun under semi-intensive system as well as free-range system has been investigated
Prevalence of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus and serological survey on Bovine Adenovirus-3 in mithun have been conducted
Mass vaccination programme with polyvalent FMD vaccine has been conducted at farmers’ herd
Competitive ELISA technique based Seroprevalence studies of blue tongue virus, malignant catarrhl fever virus, Neospora caninum and Anaplasma marginale have been conducted in mithun under semi intensive and free-range system
Detection of virulent genes (Stx1, Stx2, hlyA and eaeA) and enterotoxin genes (ST and LT) of E.coli (isolated from diarrhoeic faecal samples) in mithun has been done through PCR technique
RAPD based characterization of different E. coli strains isolated from mithun has been done
LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
Biochemical properties of mithun rumen fluid have been studied
Total and differential counts of mithun rumen ciliates have been established and fourteen different species of rumen ciliates have been identified
Diurnal variations of different milk constituents and milk yield in mithun have been established
Changes in milk production and different milk contituents during the different lactation stages have been established
Lactation curves for milk yield and different milk constituents have been established
Levels of different macro and micro-elements in mithun plasma and locally available fodders have been estimated
Absorption efficiency of colostral immunoglobulin in neonatal mithun calves has been investigated
Effect of time and method of first colostrum feeding on serum immunoglobulin profiles in mithun calves has been established
Profiles of different immunoglobulins in serum during first three months of age in mithun calves have been established
A sensitive radioimmunassay for estimating FSH in mithun plasma has been developed and validated
Endocrine control of natural estrous cycle in mithun has been established
The hypothesis related to the endocrine control of follicular wave development and ovulation has been developed in mithun
The profiles of estradiol-17β, progesterone, LH, FSH and PGFM during natural estrous cycle in mtihun have been established
Endocrine control of behavioural estrus in mithun has been established
Secretion pattern of estradiol-17β, progesterone, LH, FSH and PGFM around the time of estrus during natural estrous cycle in mithun has been established
The role of LH and PGF2α on the development and regression of corpus luteum during mithun estrous cycle has been established
Secretion patterns of estradiol-17β, LH and FSH during estrus and mid-luteal phase of natural estrous cycle in mithun have been established
Methods for preserving mithun semen at 4°C and ultra-low temperature (-196°C in liquid nitrogen) have been developed
The technique of artificial insemination (AI) using cryopreserved semen has been standardized in mithun and birth of the first AI mithun calves could be achieved
Preliminary investigation on mithun’s draft capability has been conducted
Thirteen important bacteria have been identified in mithun rumen fluid through PCR amplification of 16S rDNA and genetic diversity of some of these bacteria has been established
SDS pattern of whey protein fractions in mithun milk has been established
Distribution of different casein protein fractions in mithun milk has been established
ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY
Sensitive ELISA procedures for estimating growth hormone (GH), LH, estradiol-17β, total estrogen, prolactin, PGFM and oxytocin in mithun plasma have been developed and validated
A sensitive radiommunoassay procedure of estimating progesterone in unextracted mithun plasma has been developed and validated.
Secretion pattern of GH in growing mithun has been established and the relationship of high plasma GH level with age and body weight of mithun has been established
Secretion pattern of LH in growing mithun has been established
Twenty-four-hour rhythmicity of GH in adult mithun has been established
Twenty-four-hour secretion pattern of LH in female mithun has been established
Effect of exogenous GH-releasing hormone administration on pattern of LH secretion in growing mithun has been investigated
Diurnal changes in blood metabolites and their relation to plasma GH and feeding time in mithun heifer have been established
The relationship between plasma GH concentration and temperamantal behaviour in mithun has been established
The optimum dosages of GH-releasing factor for enhancement of growth in mithun calves have been standardised
Changes in plasma prolactin and oxytocin during milk letdown process in mithun cows have been established
Peripheral plasma concentration of estradiol-17β, progesterone, LH, GH and prolactin during estrous cycle especially during peri-estrous period in mithun has been established
Changes in the concentration of non-esterified fatty acid, glucose and α-amino nitrogen and their relationship with GH, estradiol-17β in cyclic mithun have been established
The possible causes of silent estrus in mithun has been defined
Different estrus/ovulation synchronization protocols in using prostaglandin, progesterone, estrogens, gonadotropins or their combination have been standardized for mithun
Role of oxytocin on the development of mother-neonate bond in mithun has been investigated
Detection of the transcripts of fertility associated antigens(heparin binding protein and osteopontin) in mithun seminal plasma and its association with semen quality have been done
Suitable superovulation protocols for embryo transfer in mithun have been standardized
ANIMAL NUTRITION
More than 200 locally available feed resources have been identified from different mithun grazing areas and evaluated for nutritional quality
Propagation techniques for important locally available fodder plants have been standardized
Biomass production and seasonal variations in macro and micronutrient contents of important locally available fodders have been established
Voluntary feed intake and nutrient utilization in mithun fed on locally available tree leaves based total mixed ration have been investigated
Nutritive value and nutrient utilization of Thumero tree leaves in mithun have been established
Comparative nutritional evaluation of different tree lopping and concentrate based total mixed ration has been done in mithun
Effect of different fodder and concentrate based total mixed rations on nutrient utilization and growth performances in mithun calves have been evaluated
In sacco degradability of forest based foliages available in Nagaland has been studied in mithun
Effect of feeding tree leaves based total mixed ration on nutrient utilization, growth performances and rumen fermentation patterns in mithun has been investigated
Nutrient utilization and nitrogen balance in adult mithun fed on urea treated rice straw and concentrate based feed blocks in mithun has been investigated
Economics of feed block feeding system in mithun has been carried out
The effect of feeding Lagerstromia speciosa and conventional fodder based ration on nutrient utilization and body weight gain has been investigated
Variations in the concentration of ruminal pH, total volatile fatty acid (VFA), ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen and different VFA fractions on feeding tree leaves and conventional fodders has been established
Important digestive enzymes in mithun rumen fluid have been estimated
The contents of different macro and micro-minerals in important locally available fodders have been estimated
Effect of feeding bakers yeast on performance of mithun on roughages based diet has been investigated
ANIMAL GENETICS & BREEDING
Under the collaborative programme with the Division of Animal Genetics and Breeding, IVRI, DNA polymorphism in genes associated with growth performance (GH, GHRH and IGF-1) in mithun has been investigated
Least square means for important economic traits in mithun have been established
Karyotype of male and female mithun has been established
C- and R-banding techniques for mithun chromosome have been standardized
Characterization of partial κ-casein gene in mithun has been done
PCR amplification of partial leptin gene has been done
