No abstract

In this paper, several connectionist models have been described to detect mastitis in Murrah buffaloes using milk parameters, viz., pH, electrical conductivity, temperature (udder, milk and skin), milk somatic cells, milk yield and dielectric constant. A total of 600 milk samples were collected from 100 lactating Murrah buffaloes; which were analysed for Somatic Cell Counts in milk. Accordingly, animals were classified into three categories, i.e., healthy, subclinical mastitis and clinical mastitis animals. These basal values were utilised for developing connectionist models to identify healthy versus mastitis animals. Also, Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) models were developed for comparing classification accuracy of proposed connectionist models using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) technique. The connectionist models were found to be superior (RMSE = 0.01) as compared to MLR models (RMSE = 4.08). Hence, it is deduced that connectionist approach could be used as a suitable technique for detecting mastitis in Murrah buffaloes.

A large area of Gujarat and Rajasthan is rain-fed exposing rural population to food prices spike due to frequent droughts. The present study was conducted in year 2020 and is based on NSSO data on household consumption expenditures of rural households of these states for the year 2009 to analyse the effects that food price changes have on food expenditure and calorie intake. The results show a strong negative effect of price rises on calorie intake. The negative impact of prices of foods particularly wheat, and milk is more on richer than on poorer households as they have the capability to cut calorie intake in the event of a price rise while its opposite for coarse cereals. The food prices particularly, milk, wheat and, pulses also have highly positive influence on food expenditure of poorer households. Rice price does not have much significant effect on food security in both the states.

The present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of different season, stages of lactation, parity and milk production on milk inflammatory parameters in healthy and mastitis infected Sahiwal cows. Three parameters, viz. pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and somatic cell count (SCC) were taken to assess the quality of milk. The study was conducted on 100 selected Sahiwal cows maintained at livestock farm at National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana. Significant higher values of pH, EC and SCC were found in milk samples during rainy season, followed by winter and summer. Effect of parity, lactation and milk production on inflammatory parameters was non-significant. The pH, EC and SCC also differed significantly in healthy, subclinical and clinical stages of mastitis. A significant positive coefficient of correlation was observed between SCC and EC (r=0.679) whereas moderate (r=0.526) but significant positive correlation was found in pH and EC. In view of above results, it can be deduced that the elevated value of pH, EC and SCC indicates inflammation into the udder of the animals which leads to reduced quality of milk. Hence it is imperative that pH, EC and SCC need to be considered along with effective management strategies.

Livestock products are not only rich in calories but have a high nutritional value too. The northern hill states of Himachal Pradesh (HP), Uttarakhand (UK), and erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir (now a UT) face unique challenges which may have a direct bearing on food security. The present study used NSSO reports pertaining to the year 2011-12 to analyse the consumption pattern of livestock and nutritional contribution in northern hill states. Apart from high CAGR in real MPCE (2.6-4.8%) on livestock products, their share in total food expenditure has also risen and it has overtaken the expenditure on cereals in the states considered. Liquid milk was the major livestock product consumed and its level of consumption was much higher than national average. Highest consumption of milk in HP in India calls for ramping up the cattle productivity. Consumption of chevon/mutton in JK and HP was unparalleled. There is huge demand for the market curd in urban areas of the hill states. Livestock products contributed a major chunk of proteins (18-28%) and fats (33-37%) in the northern hill states. Consumption of eggs, fish, and meat in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh was very less.