Research

This section depicts various research activities of the Institute carried out during the preceding year in a summarized form.

ANIMAL GENETICS AND BREEDING

• The results of genotyping assay revealed a moderate level of genetic diversity, ranging from 0.17 to 0.25, with overall low inbreeding level in the mithun population.
• The Admixture analysis showed a genetic uniformity in both farm and field population of mithun with a few instances of cattle introgression indicating sporadic events of crossing between mithun and cattle in the field.

ANIMAL NUTRITION

• Study to evaluate the feasibility of using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) drums for storing wet cake (a cheap agro-industrial by-product from distillery industry) showed that wet cake can be stored under an airtight condition as long as 50 days without any microbial contamination.
• Developed an innovative technique of drying of wet cake in polyhouse which allowed drying of wet cake with minimum permissible microbial contamination (3.0 x 105 CFU g-1) and without any fungal growth.
• Standardized a technique for making pellets from wet cake without using any additional binder.

ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY & REPRODUCTION

• Standardized a method of semen collection using artificial vagina (AV) method. The quality of the semen samples collected using AV method was superior to those collected using massage method.
• Optimized a rate of cooling/freezing of mithun semen for cryopreservation using Bio-freezer.
• Comparative evaluation of egg yolk based and egg yolk free extenders revealed the superiority of egg yolk free extenders in terms of postthaw motility, live sperm count, and acrosomal integrity.
• For the first time, a comprehensive study to evaluate various morphometric parameters of freshly ejaculated mithun sperm was carried out.
• Artificial Insemination (AI) has been implemented at the Institute Mithun farm. During the reporting period, 19 animals were inseminated with frozen t h a w e d mithun semen and 14 (73.68%) animals were confirmed pregnant. Till March 2017, 11 AI inseminated cows were calved producing 09 females and 02 male calves.
• Exogenous administration of Metastin, a synthetic neuropeptide and kisspeptin analog, resulted in an early resumption of cyclicity in post-partum anestrus Mithun cows.
• Testicular, seminal and endocrine profile of breeding mithun bulls was studied across the seasons and it is observed that the spring and winter seasons were the most favorable seasons.

ANIMAL HEALTH

• Histopathology of the tissue samples infested with different helminth parasites was studied.
• A digital library and herbarium of medicinal plants (n=69) collected from different parts of Nagaland were prepared. The chemical fingerprinting of the extracts of these medicinal herbs suggested having antioxidants, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY

• Carcass characteristics of mithun (general appearance, color, dressing percentage, hide weight, blood yield etc) were studied
• Some value-added mithun meat products namely patties, meat ball, nuggets were developed.

VETERINARY TYPE CULTURE

• Tannin degrading bacteria were isolated and identified from mithun dung collected from free range Mithun from the field.

EXTENSION AND TRIBAL SUB PLAN (TSP)
Under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP), later renamed as Schedule Tribe Component (STC), various programmes were organized in all the four mithun inhabited states viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. Efforts were also made to introduce mithun in other non-mithun rearing states viz., Meghalaya and also in some non-mithun rearing villages of Nagaland.

• A total of 20 programmes were organized including 04 Mithun Meal, 07 Farmer’s Awareness Programmes, 03 Health Camps, 03 Interface meeting, one Brainstorming workshop and 02 exposure visits.
• A total of 4183 farmers were participated/ benefited from these programmes.
• Inputs were also distributed in the form of piglets, poultry birds and common veterinary medicines and stationery items for school children.
• In order to popularize the semi-intensive rearing of mithun, the materials for construction of low-cost night shelter/ mithun shed, water trough and salt lick, and fencing the mithun rearing area were also distributed through the village Council.

KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRA (KVK), PHEK

• Carried out 7 On-farm trials (OFT) and 10 front line demonstration (FLD) benefiting 24 and 69 farmers, respectively.
• Conducted four vocational training for rural youths and extension functionaries of State Govt./NGOs attended by 40 participants.
• Carried out 327 other extension activities benefiting 3303 farmers.