Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Veterinary Science
This domain covers breeds, reproduction, feeding, disease control and clean milk production, and Madhya Pradesh breeds are asked almost every year.
Breeds
- State cattle: Malvi of Malwa, a draught breed; Nimari of Nimar, red with white patches; Kenkatha of Bundelkhand.
- Buffaloes: Murrah (Haryana, highest fat), Jaffarabadi, Surti, Mehsana, Nili-Ravi.
- Goats: Sirohi, Barbari, Jamunapari, Beetal. Poultry: Kadaknath of Jhabua district, black skin and meat, GI tagged.
Reproduction and feeding
Gestation is 280-285 days in cattle, about 310 in buffaloes, about 147 in sheep, 150 in goats and 114 in pigs. Colostrum within the first hour supplies IgG before gut closure. A balanced ration meets maintenance plus production needs and includes green fodder, concentrate, mineral mixture and salt.
Health cover
Foot and mouth disease needs the trivalent vaccine with boosters; haemorrhagic septicaemia and black quarter are vaccinated annually before the monsoon; anthrax in endemic belts; brucellosis vaccination of heifer calves; mastitis controlled by milking hygiene and teat dipping.
Dairying
Operation Flood (1970, Verghese Kurien, NDDB) built the cooperative chain of village society, bulk milk cooler, district union and state federation. In Madhya Pradesh the brand is Sanchi, and payment is fixed on fat and SNF.
Worked example
A buffalo calves on 1 January. Counting back 310 days of gestation places service in the last week of February of the previous year. Dry-off and calving-pen planning are scheduled from that service date, not from the calving date.
Traps
- Applying cattle gestation length to buffaloes.
- Naming Murrah as a Madhya Pradesh breed; it belongs to Haryana.
- Delaying colostrum to the second day, when antibody absorption has already stopped.