Impacting Farmers’ lives through Science Biotech-Kisan & Cattle Genomics

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Science & Technology
26-October, 2016 16:43 IST
Impacting Farmers’ lives through Science Biotech-Kisan & Cattle Genomics

As a part of the Government’s focus on the development of programmes that aim to directly and positively impact people’s lives rapidly, the Ministry of Science and Technology has been at the forefront in many of these initiatives. Two Farmer-Centric initiatives of this Ministry are Biotech-KISAN and Cattle Genomics.

The Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan shared details on these new initiatives with the Press in New Delhi today. The two programs are intended to have major impact on rural livelihood through science. The Minister in his address stated that the Prime Minister’s emphasis on the importance to work on the problems faced by our farmers is a great motivation factor for the scientist community.


Biotech- KISAN (Krishi Innovation Science Application Network) Empowering Small- and Women- Farmers with Science Implementation


Biotech-KISAN is a new programme that empowers farmers, especially women farmers. Cash crops and horticulture can be a major source of income but the vagaries of climate, disease and market often prevent this. Farmers are eager to use scientific tools that can mitigate these factors. The Department of Biotechnology is partnering to stimulate these exciting directions.

The Scheme is for farmers, developed by and with farmers, it empowers women, impacts locally, connects globally, is Pan-India, has a hub-and spoke model and stimulates entrepreneurship and innovation in farmers.

Biotech-KISAN is:

· For Farmers: The Biotech-KISAN is a Farmer centric scheme launched by of the Department of Biotechnology, where scientists will work in sync with farmers to understand problems and find solutions.

· By Farmers: Developed in consultation with the farmers. Soil, Water, Seed and Market are some key points that concern small and marginal farmers. Biotech-KISAN aims to link farmers, scientists and science institutions across the country in a network that identifies and helps solve their problems in a cooperative manner.

· Empower women. The woman farmer is often neglected. It is important to empower the women farmer, help her meet her concerns for better seed, storage of seed and protection of the crops from disease and pest. The women farmer is also the prime caretaker of livestock and she is eager to combine traditional wisdom in handling the livestock and with current best practices, especially in the context of emerging livestock disease. The scheme includes the Mahila Biotech- KISAN fellowships, for training and education in farm practices, for women farmers. The Scheme also aims to support the women farmers/ entrepreneur in their small enterprises, making her a grass root innovator.

· Connects Globally. Biotech-KISAN will connect farmers to best global practices; training workshops will be held in India and other countries. Farmers and Scientists will partner across the globe.

· Impacts Locally. The scheme is targeted towards the least educated marginalised farmer; Scientists will spend time on farms and link communication tools to soil, water seed and market. The aim is to understand individual problems of the smallholding farmers and provide ready solutions.

· Across India. Biotech KISAN will connect farmers with science in the 15 agro-climatic zones of the country in a manner, which constantly links problems with available solutions.

· Hubs and Spoke. In each of these 15 regions, a Farmer organisation will be the hub connected to different science labs, Krishi Vigyan Kendra and State Agriculture Universities co-located in the region. The hub will reach out to the farmers in the region and connect them to scientists and institutions.

· Farmers as Innovators. The hub will have tinkering lab, communication cell and will run year-long training, awareness, workshops and which will act as education demonstration units to encourage grass root innovation in the young as well as women farmers.

· Communicating Best Practises There will be a communication set-up to make radio and TV programmes for local stations, as well as daily connectivity through social media.



Cattle Genomics: Taking Indigenous Livestock to Pole Position


Livestock contributes significantly to the livelihood of rural poor in our country and has enormous potential to reduce poverty. There is a predicted increase in demand for animal food products in India by 2020. In the wake of climate change challenges, quality breeding of indigenous livestock is essential. When breeding is selective, the native livestock can transform the lives of small farmers. Genomic selection will ensure high-yielding, disease-resistant, resilient livestock.

Selecting hardy livestock that give high-yields. Better livestock can be genetically, selected which ultimately leads to enhancement of productivity in a sustainable, resilient manner.

Traditional Breeding takes time. Genetic improvement of livestock through traditional selection for increasing livestock productivity has major limitations. To overcome these, genomic selection has played a crucial role in livestock industry globally.

Global best methods for local livestock. Genomic selection will transform local livestock breeding. This uses information on variation in DNA sequences between animals to predict the breeding value of animals more accurately.

Genome sequencing of indigenous cattle breeds from all registered cattle breeds of India by involving various stakeholders is to start soon.

Development of high-density DNA chips. This will reduce the cost and time interval of breeding program in future and productivity of indigenous cattle will be enhanced.

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[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...breeds-to-boost-milk-yield/article9275571.ece

We have usually relied on foreign breeds for our milk production, says Union Minister Harsh Vardhan
To make India’s cows yield more milk, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has said it will embark on a year-long project to map and analyse the genomes of at least 40 local breeds of cattle. India is the world’s largest producer of milk, due partly to importing European cows and cross-breeding them with local varieties as well as a successful decades-long programme to source milk from small farmers via cooperatives. However, the milk productivity of its cattle, ranging from 2-4 kg a day, is much lower than the 25-38 kg a day of cattle in the U.S., Europe or Israel. Officials in the biotechnology department told The Hindu that the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology in Hyderabad — a DBT-funded organisation — would sequence the genetic structure of several strains of cattle and then take steps to ensure that these cattle were bred and popularised.

Largest population
India is home to the largest cattle population (13.1 % of world’s cattle population) in the world which constitutes 37.3 % of its total livestock. Several of these varieties have evolved in varied ecological zones while adapting to a harsh native environment, while being a repository of unique genes that may be useful in developing resistance to tropical diseases and external parasites. So far there are 60 local, eight regional trans-boundary and seven international trans-boundary cattle breeds from India, though barely a tenth are maintained for milk production such as Sahiwal, Gir, Rathi and Sindhi, according to an analysis of the genetic diversity in Indian cows by Rekha Sharma and colleagues in the journal BioMed Central Genetics, in June 2015.

‘Make use of technology’
“We have usually relied on foreign breeds for our milk production,” said Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan at a press conference. “We must use technology to improve our local varieties,” he said. Having better breeds would help identify the susceptibility of cattle to disease, their resistance to heat and drought and improve economic prospects for small and marginal farmers, he added.

The project is likely to cost Rs. 50 crore to Rs. 60 crore, said an official, and would use the services of private genome-analysis companies. After sequencing, the department hopes to be able to develop a device, called a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) –array that can be used to detect pieces of genetic material known to contribute to high yield. “We aren’t doing something that hasn’t been done before,” said Mohammed Aslam, a senior DBT official, “but these chips will make identifying good animals faster.”

For its programme, the DBT will also coordinate with institutes of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research, who have institutes that specialise in cattle breeding, to identify appropriate animals. “All other countries have sequenced the genomes of their cattle such as the Holstein Friesian (A Dutch breed known for its yield and also cross-bred with Indian varieties),” said an official, “but we’ve not done so for our own cattle. We need to sequence about 400 animals at least. After cattle, we’ll move on to chicken.”

 

[Hindustani78]

Tough times:Many farmers are selling their cattle at reduced prices to settle debts.— photo: M.A. Sriram


A number of areas in the district, including K.R. Nagar, H.D. Kote and Hunsur, are witnessing distress sale of cattle after farmers are finding it difficult to cope with the shortage of water and fodder.

Owing to lack of resources, small and marginal farmers are finding it difficult to maintain their cattle. Farmers, who have milch animals for additional income, are selling them at reduced prices compared to the market price.


one animal consumed over a tractor load of hay a month for which he had to spend nearly Rs. 8,000.

Milch cows are being sold in the range of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30,000, while the actual price was between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 60,000.

 

[Hindustani78]

The State government is willing to reconsider the proposal to locate a breed development programme for Deoni bulls that are native to Bidar district, on the government farm in Ballari district, A. Manju, Minister for Animal Husbandry, said in Bidar recently.

“We were planning to start the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, a centrally-sponsored programme to protect and preserve native breeds, on the government farm in Kurikuppe in Ballari district. However, some people feel that Bidar district is the native tract of Deoni bulls and should not be disturbed. We will consult experts and take a call. I will personally look into the matter,” the Minister told presspersons. The government was open to running the programme in the KVAFSU’s Deoni Research and Information Centre in Bidar, he added.

‘No shifting’

He denied allegations that he was trying to shift the animal polyclinic from Bidar to his constituency of Arkalgud in Hassan district. “We are only asking officials to relocate clinics from the district headquarters to unserved taluks,” he said. He clarified that the polyclinic sanctioned to Bidar would not be closed or shifted. Each polyclinic has been established at a cost of Rs. 12 crore, and has eight veterinarians, including some specialists. Mr. Manju said the vacancies of 39 assistant directors’ and 284 veterinary officers’ posts in Hyderabad-Karnataka would be filled in phases.

Officials warned

He said that he had warned officials that funds meant for the construction of animal hospitals would be diverted to other taluks if work did not start by December. He said he had given clear targets to officers to distribute sheep, goat, pigs and chicken, along with cattle, to poor families under the flagship Pashu Bhagya programme.

Expressing concern over the scarcity of an adequate quantity of anti-snake venom in government hospitals, The Minister said the government would ensure that the hospitals stored enough medicinal doses. “I will ensure coordination between the Health and Animal Husbandry Departments,” he said. He said a research project was ongoing at the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAHVB) in Bengaluru.

“The government will fund the research. We are also willing to support research and development projects that will help farmers,” he said.

The government will speed up the process of appointment of teachers and staff to the Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Sciences University once a full time Vice-Chancellor is appointed, the Minister, who is also pro-chancellor of the university, said.

Vaccination programme

He announced that the deaths of cattle had reduced after the universal vaccination programme was introduced. “The vaccination programme prevented the death of over 14,000 cattle. We are into the 11th round of vaccination now, he said. Most of the vaccines, except the one for foot and mouth disease, are produced by IAHVB,” he said.

Deoni Bull

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-they-dilute-gene-strength/article9285522.ece

Updated: October 31, 2016 02:12 IST
Tamil Nadu has four breeds suited to the climate that have retained their purity over time
Cross breeds may not really be superior, at least among goat species. The Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) says the experience with four native goat types points to the need to maintain genetic integrity.

“We experimented with cross breeding of Kanni goats with Boer breed of South Africa at our farm in Kattupakkam, but the results were not promising. The cross-breed is susceptible to diseases. The meat is also not popular,” said a senior TANUVAS scientist.

Pure breeds have evolved in Tamil Nadu based on agro-climatic conditions. Milch cows subjected to cross-breeding lost their original character, but four goat breeds in the State have retained their unique traits.

In fact, TANUVAS and the Animal Husbandry Department have advised farmers to drop cross-breeding since exotic breeds lead to genetic dilution and uniqueness of the specific breeds.

Besides Kanni, distributed across Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli districts, Tamil Nadu has Kodi Aadu in the southeastern coastal areas, Salem black reared by the nomadic tribes of Salem and Dharmapuri districts, and Molai Aadu, predominantly distributed in Gobichettipalayam, Bhavani, Sathyamangalam, Perundurai taluks of Erode district and also in Namakkal, Salem and Karur districts. All are primarily reared for meat.

“Exotic breeds generally show poor adaptability and require major alterations in management and feeding systems,” a TANUVAS scientist said, adding a caveat that the possibility of utilising some genes in suitable cross-breeding programmes should not be ruled out.

The gut factor
Why do exotic goat breeds fail to thrive? The senior scientist said microbes in the gut of the local breeds responsible for fermentation and digestion depend on rainfall, irrigation pattern and other physical, ecological and social factors.

“An exotic breed suffers as it may not be able to adapt to local conditions. Moreover the character and production of cross-bred animals cannot be fixed. The first generation may manifest some standard characters that could not be expected in the next generation. Even the yield may go down in subsequent generations,” he said.

Efforts are, however, on to upgrade the local nondescript goats using improved breeds in their locality. “We are doing it with goats from Thalassery in Kerala. But at no point should cross-breeding of goats be resorted to,” scientists said, pointing out that strict measures had saved the natives over hundreds of years.



VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, NAMAKKAL

Second veterinary college at Namakkal was started on 14.06.1985 as a constituent college of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. It later became a constituent unit of India's first veterinary varsity, the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University on 20.09.1989.

Government of Tamilnadu established the first veterinary and animal sciences university in Asia on 20th September 1989 with its head quarters at Chennai with the name Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (popularly abbreviated as TANUVAS).

Two more veterinary colleges, one at Tirunelveli and another at Orathandu in Thanjavur district were started in the year 2012 - 13. The Institute of Food and Dairy Technology, Koduvalli, Chennai which was established in the year 1993 was upgraded as College of Food and Dairy Technology (CFDT) on 10.04.2012.

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VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, TIRUNELVELI

VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, ORATHANADU

Tamil Nadu is leading the states in broiler production with a record production of 397 thousand tonnes in 2009-10. Tamil Nadu ranks second in the country's egg production with a production of 10.8 billion eggs. Tamil Nadu accounts for 17.71 per cent of the poultry population of the country.

 

[Hindustani78]

Mecheri

• It is distributed in Salem, Erode, Karur, Namakkal, and fewer parts of Dharmapuri districts of Tamilnadu.
  
  

Chennai red

• This is distributed in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai districts of Tamilnadu.
  
  

Ramanadhapuram white

• This is distributed in Ramanadhapuram, Sivagangai, and Virudhunagar districts of Tamilnadu.
  
  

Keezhakaraisal

• This is distributed in Ramanadhapuram, Sivagangai and Thirunelveli districts of Tamilnadu.
  
  

 

[Hindustani78]

Vembur

• It is distributed in Vembur, melakarandhai, keezha karandhai, nagalapuram regions, Tuticorin and Virudhunagar districts of Tamilnadu.
  
  

Neelagiri

• These are distributed in Neelagiri district of Tamilnadu.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Trichy black

• These are distributed in Trichy, Perambalur, Dharmapuri and Salem districts of Tamilnadu.
  
  

Coimbatore

• It is distributed in Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu.
  
  
  

 

[Hindustani78]

Deccani

• Deccani breed is an admixture of the woolly types of Rajasthan and the hairy types of Andra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Nellore

• It is distributed in Nellore, Prakasam and Ongole districts of Andhra Pradesh.
  
  
  
  

Mandya

• It is distributed in Mandya district of Karnataka.
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

[Hindustani78]

Indian Goat breeds
1. Jamunapari

• Jamunapari breeds are found mainly in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Beetal

• • It is are found mainly in the state of Punjab
  
  
  
  
  Barbari
  • • This is short haired and erect-horned goat popular in urban areas of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gurgaon, Karnal, Panipat and Rohtak in Haryana state.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  Tellicherry
  • • Tellicherry breed is also called as malabari breed.
    
    
    
    
    
    

 

[Hindustani78]

• 
  Sirohi
  
  
  
  
  
  Osmanabadi
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kanni aadu
  
  • • These are the tallest goat breeds found in Thirunelveli and Ramanadhapuram districts of Tamilnadu.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

 

[Hindustani78]

Kodi aadu

• • These breeds are taller and found with different colors, but predominantly black
  
  
  
  
  Black Bengal
  

Chegu

Changthangi

 

[Hindustani78]

Rich tradition:Kodapa Laxmi (right), a Gond woman offering ‘naivedyam’ to neighbours to offer it to her cows as part of Laxmi Puja at Jainoor mandal headquarters in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district on Monday.— Photo: S. Harpal Singh
Cows continue to be a measure of wealth among Kolams and Gonds in the Agency area and the bovines are worshipped for Lakshmi puja

While the world measures wealth in terms of currency the Adivasi Gonds and Kolams of Agency areas in Adilabad district continue to measure wealth in terms of number of cows and for these tribes Lakshmi Puja, on the day after Diwali, is time to worship cows.

On Monday the members of the two tribes performed ‘Mura Mituswal’ or cow worship, an important event in the Adivasi ethos. The cows are fed with sauted round eatable made of green gram ‘garkang’, a stuffed sweet roti ‘puran poli’ and rice with ghee ‘ghato’ before its puja.

According to the tradition the woman of the household stands close to the cattle shed handing out rice to neighbours for sprinkling on the cows to bless the animals. The householders are then greeted by those who worshipped their cows.

As Gond and Kolam farmers were livestock breeders the tradition was well celebrated until about three decades ago. Every Adivasi household in the Agency areas of the undivided Adilabad district had boasted of at least five cows.

For example, Kanaka Pollu of Marlavai village owned 30 cows in the mid 1990s. Now he has only three as taking care of the bovines became an increasingly difficult task due to lack of hands in the family. From a milk consuming society, these aboriginal people have strangely been rendered as those who have no use for the dairy product, within the last three decades. Not many own cows these days and those who do, are a shade better in terms of resources but aim only at breeding bullocks.

“Pastures are dwindling, fodder has become costly and we are unable to spend time for herding the cows to graze in nearby jungles,” Kodapa Rama Rao of Jainoor in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district said explaining the reasons for the dwindling number of livestock.

 

[Hindustani78]

Buffalo fight in Ujjain

People enjoying the traditional Buffalo fight to mark the Govardhan Puja in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

 

[Indiran Chandiran]

Wonderful read.Hats off to you bro.It's after a long time I've discovered something new to add to my knowledge bank. It's articles like these which make visiting this forum worthwhile.

 

[Hindustani78]

Scientists in the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) said the State had five native breeds –Kangeyam, Pulikulam, Umbalachery, Bargur and Alambadi. The Alambadi breed is on the verge of extinction. “Mechanisation of farm activities have already elbowed out bulls.”

“Since beef eating is anathema to a large section of our population, jallikattu is probably the only reason that encouraged farmers, who have moved on to breeding hybrid milch cows, to retain native bulls,” said a TANUVAS scientist who has done extensive research on indigenous breeds.