FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY PRACTICES FOR LIVESTOCK FARMERS
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IN CATTLE AND BUFFALOES
| Q.1 : | What is the importance of Artificial Insemination (AI)? |
| A : | AI is the technique in which semen is collected from the superior bulls and introduced into female reproductive tract at proper time with the help of instruments. The major advantage of AI over natural mating is that it permits the dairy farmer to use top proven sires for genetic improvement of his herd and control of venereal diseases. AI is also of tremendous value in making optimal use of different sires and enables dairy farmer to breed individual cows to selected sires according to their breeding goal. |
| Q.2 : | What should be the weight and age of cows and buffalo heifers at the time of AI? |
| A : | The weight and age of cow heifer should be 15-18 months and 275-300 Kg and that of buffalo heifers should be 26-30 months, 300-325 Kg at the time of first AI. |
| Q.3 : | How the animals can be detected in heat? |
| A : | The animals should be watched carefully for heat symptoms for half an hour atleast in the morning (5-7 AM) and evening (between 8-10 PM). The common heat symptoms in dairy animals are mounting behavior, mucus discharge from genitalia, restlessness, swelling of vulva, loss of appetite, bellowing, frequent urination and fall in milk yield. |
| Q.4 : | How the quality of semen can be assured? |
| A : | Quality semen should be procured from the well established breeding centers and stored properly in liquid nitrogen containers. These containers should be regularly watched for gas level. The semen should be thawed at 30-35oC for 30 sec just before loading to AI gun and insemination. Loaded gun should be protected from direct sun light and hygienic conditions should be maintained during AI. |
| Q.5 : | What is the ideal time of AI? |
| A : | As a thumb rule, animals coming in heat in the morning should be inseminated in the same evening and those coming in heat in the evening should be inseminated in the next morning. The animals remaining in heat for 24-36 hour should be inseminated 12-18 hrs after the onset of heat symptoms at least two times at an interval of 12 hrs apart. |
| Q.6 : | What is the ideal time for animal to get pregnant after calving? |
| A : | Following parturition the cow or buffalo should conceive between 80-100 days to maintain the calving interval of nearly one year. |
| Q.7 : | What is the ideal time for pregnancy diagnosis after insemination? |
| A : | The inseminated cow or buffalo not showing heat symptoms should be examined for pregnancy diagnosis two months after the AI. |
BREEDING SOLUTIONS
| Conception failure or infertility | |
| Q.1 : | Why a cow/buffalo fails to get pregnant after repeated services/inseminations? |
| A : | This could be due to:
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| Q.2 : | Why some cows show heat symptom for 5-6 days? |
| A : | This could be due to hormonal imbalance leading to delayed ovulation or formation of follicular cyst on the ovary. To diagnose the condition, the animal needs to be examined by veterinarian for status of genital organs particularly ovaries. Ultrasonography of ovaries and hormonal analysis of blood is also carried to diagnosis the condition and to decide line of treatment. |
| Q.3 : | Why a cow/buffalo is not cured for dirty discharge even after intrauterine medications? |
| A : | The cervico-vaginal mucus discharge of that animal should be tested for microbial isolation and drug sensitivity test. Depending upon the report, the treatment should be done. |
| Q.4 : | What is the relation of post service bleeding & conception? |
| A : | This type of bleeding is normal physiological in some of crossbred cows and is known as metestral bleeding. There is no relationship between metestral bleeding and conception failure. Rather this is a positive sign indicating that the animal has ovulated. The animal needs to be examined thoroughly to find the exact cause of conception failure. |
| Q.5 : | What are the causes of abortions in cattle & buffalo? |
| A : | Abortion can occur in dairy animals due to following causes:
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| Q.6 : | What is anestrus? |
| A : | It is the inability of the animal to show signs of heat due to inactive ovaries. It can be of different types like true anestrus, summer anestrus, postpartum anestrus and silent heat |
| Q.7 : | What are the main causes of anestrus? |
| A : | The different causes of anestrus are poor nutrition, hormonal imbalance, infectious diseases, anatomical defects, lactation, suckling and poor management. |
| Q.8 : | Why do some animals fail to come into heat for long period after parturition? |
| A : | This problem is more common in high yielding animals because a lot of energy is required for the parturition process as well as production after delivery. So animal looses weight. Therefore, good management through proper nutrition is required to meet the energy status of the animal and restore the reproductive performance of high yielding dairy animals. |
| Q.9 : | Why dairy animals especially buffaloes do not show estrus in summer season? |
| A : | The main reason is due to heat stress and lack of green fodder availability. Farmers are advised to reduce stress by keeping animals in shady areas especially under trees, providing fans/coolers and clean drinking water facilities in the shed. Provision of green fodder (Hay/silage can be used as an alternative in summer months) and allowing the animals for wallowing in ponds especially to buffaloes are also helpful to reduce the effect of summer stress. |
| Q.10 : | In certain buffaloes some mucus discharge is observed however, no prominent signs of |
| A : | In this condition the animal has functional ovaries, comes in heat regularly but it does not show the external behavioral signs of heat. Animal is usually cyclic and the owner should go for mating of their animals. Farmers are also advised to keep a close observation on the affected animals. |
| Q.11 : | Should hormonal therapy be used for onset of estrus? |
| A : | Hormones are effective only if the nutrition is balanced. Therefore, farmers are advised to check the nutrition of their animals regularly, before giving any other treatment. The hormonal treatment should always be administered in consultation with veterinary doctor. |
| Q.12 : | Most buffalo heifers do not come in estrus at less than 3 years of age? |
| A : | Generally such animals have a poor body weight. Normal body weight should be around 275 300 kg in case of buffalo heifers for onset of estrus. Therefore, feed good balanced diet as well as go for deworming of animals in order to have early onset of estrus. |
HEAT DETECTION DEMANDS TIME AND ATTENTION FOR SUCCESSFUL A.I.PROGRAM
Heat (estrus) is simply the period of time when a cow or heifer is sexually receptive and signals that an egg, ready to be fertilized, is about to be released. It normally occurs every 18 to 24 days. In a natural breeding program, the bull is the one that determines when a cow is in heat. In an AI program, you make the decisions.
Heat detection is just another step in the more intensive management system that is part of artificial insemination. It is not difficult, but it does demand both time and attention. If you want your AI program to be successful, you cannot cut corners here.
You have to learn what the bull knows instinctively, but once you have that knowledge, you can easily get the equipment needed for detection eyesight, a pencil and a notebook. Your cows must be identified, too. Ear tags, neck chains or number brands will work, just as long as they are easy to read and can be read from a distance.
Essentially, successful heat detection begins with understanding one simple fact: there is only one sure sign of heat — a cow stands while other animals mount her. This is appropriately termed standing heat.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
It is recommended that one person be responsible for heat (estrous) detection. For the sake of discussion, we are going to assume that that person is you.
During the time you are detecting, neither you nor the cows should be distracted in any way. Heat detection periods should not be scheduled to coincide with feeding. Success requires absolute, and total attention.
Because cows’ responses can be modified by disease, hunger, thirst, fatigue, or fear, it is up to you to make sure the cows are healthy and content and in a familiar environment. They should be given time to get used to the breeding pasture before the breeding season. The cows should be familiar with you and not afraid of your presence. When you detect, it is important to move through the herd quietly.
Adequate facilities vary from operation to operation. The area for detection should be large enough to allow the cows to mingle freely, but small enough so that all of them can be watched at once.
Of course cows have to be cycling, which means they must be healthy and have been receiving a good level of nutrition. Age and weight determine when heifers first cycle, but 13 to 14 months of age is a good rule of thumb. Cows need about 60 days after calving before rebreeding; first calf heifers may require a longer period of time, particularly if the nutrition program is less than optimal.
Be aware that weather changes and temperature extremes can cause cows to exhibit estrus differently (or less noticeably). You can’t do much about either of those factors, but you should watch even more carefully at those times.
All told, about five percent of a normal cycling beef herd should be showing heat (estrus) on any given day.
THE ROUTINE
You will need to spend at least one hour, twice a day, every day, heat detecting. Ideally, you will heat detect first thing in the morning and then again late in the evening. Both research and practical experience indicate this pattern of visual heat detection is well worth the time invested.
Data collected at the Meat Animal Research Center in Nebraska show that 58 percent of the cows in heat were spotted with one morning observation. Only 28 percent were found if the daily check was at noon; 49 percent were detected by checking only in the evening. With two checks, one first thing in the morning and the other late in the evening, 94 percent were detected.
A Cornell University study yielded similar patterns: from 6 a.m. to noon, 22 percent of the cows showed heat; from noon to 6 p.m., 10 percent did; from 6 p.m. to midnight, 25 percent; and from midnight to 6 a.m., 43 percent.
Accuracy of detection increases with frequency of observation, but the twice-a-day routine is practical and produces acceptable results.
Incidentally, technology does exist to heat detect electronically all day, every day. In a study at Colorado State University, researchers were able to identify more cows in estrus with the HeatWatch Electronic Heat Detection System (HW) than with twice-a-day visual heat detection.
In a nutshell, the HW system is an integrated electronic hardware and software system designed to detect, transmit, and record each time a cow is mounted during behavioral estrus. A transmitter mounted to the tailhead of cows records the frequency, time and duration of each mount. Using these real time observations, researchers discovered more cows in the study (235 head in two different herds) initiated standing estrus between 6 a.m. and noon than during any other six hour period of the day. Moreover, 28 percent of the unsynchronized cattle in the study displayed mounting behavior only in the darkness between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
All of this essentially means that timing is of great importance in a successful AI program. The average time a female is in standing heat is about 12 to 18 hours; cows usually ovulate 25 to 30 hours after first standing. The life of an egg, once released, is six to 10 hours.
On the other side of the fertilization equation, sperm cells have to be in the reproductive tract for about five to six hours before they are capable of fertilization. So, in an ideal world, insemination should take place six to eight hours before ovulation.
Traditionally, cows and heifers are inseminated about 12 hours after they are first observed standing. Those standing in the morning are bred that night; those standing in the evening are held over and then inseminated first thing the next morning. It works well with the twice-a-day routine established for detection.
Although conception rates will not drop significantly if insemination times aren’t exact, programs with consistently good results tend to inseminate close to the prescribed times. However, there is research to support that some flexibility in the breeding schedule can be economically feasible, especially if you hire an outside inseminator. In that case, many producers achieve success with once-a-day breeding. We suggest you have an AI professional advise you and that you consider all factors when making this sort of decision.
SECONDARY HEAT SIGNS
When you are detecting for estrus, remember the primary sign is standing heat. There are, however, secondary signs you should know and note. They can appear as early as 48 hours before standing heat.
A cow coming into heat may mount other cows, and she may urinate frequently. She may also lay her head over the backs of her herdmates. Nervousness, walking the fence, bawling, spooking, butting other cows and standing while others are lying down are other possible signs. In addition, a cow coming into heat can be off her feed. She may not let her milk down, and her calf may be protesting. The lips of her vulva can also be red and slightly swollen; she may have watery mucous hanging in strings from her vulva. She may pass a lot of mucous, which is most obvious when she is mounting another cow.
Cows in heat, or about to come into heat, tend to congregate. Because mounting activity increases when more than one cow is in heat, it is not a bad idea to keep a cow in the herd that is standing until it’s time for her to be inseminated. If you do that, keep in mind that footing must be good.
When a cow is in heat, she’s likely to have mud on her rump and sides, courtesy of the cows that have been riding her. For the same reason, the hair on her tail-head can be rough and matted (this will be most noticeable after heat – too late to be effective). Often you will have bull calves in the herd attempting to mount her as well.
After heat, her vaginal mucous will be thick and rubbery; one to three days after heat, you may notice a bloody discharge. This is no indication that she is or is not pregnant; it only means she’s been in heat. If you failed to observe heat and see a bloody discharge, write down the cow’s number and the date in your notebook so you can pay special attention to her in about 15 days.
Remember that the cow that rides may or may not be in heat and that the secondary signs vary so much in length and intensity that they are not reliable in determining when an animal should be inseminated. They are helpful, though. Once you’ve observed any of these secondary heat signs, make it easy on yourself by using your pencil and notebook to record them. Don’t trust your memory, write it down.
By the way, records also help in heat detection. Accurate information compiled and written on heat expectancy charts helps you anticipate when cows are most likely to come into heat.
DETECTION AIDS
In heat detection, observation is essential but there are times when a cow either will not stand or will stand for such a short period of time that you miss her. That’s when heat detection aids come in handy. Just remember they do not replace careful observation.
The chin ball marker is one such aid. It is a device worn beneath a detector animal’s chin that works like a large ball point pen, leaving a mark on the back of the cow that has been mounted.
Detector animals were originally bulls that had been altered to prevent their ability to breed. Alterations include removal of the penis, relocating the penis to the side, suturing back the penis, and blocking the tip. These bulls retain their sexual drive but can’t have sexual contact. Vasectomized bulls also can be used. They are sterile; however, because they can have sexual contact, they can spread disease.
In terms of numbers, herds with high cycling activity need a detector animal for every 30 breeding females. In less frequently cycling herds, a 1:40 or 1:50 ratio is acceptable.
Another popular aid, KaMar Heat Mount Detectors, are used successfully in a number of AI programs, particularly when they’re used in conjunction with detector animals. It is a white plastic device that is glued to the tailhead of any cow eligible for breeding in the next 21 days. Prolonged pressure from a mounting animal’s brisket turns the device red.
The KaMar detector must be completely red, not just partly red, to give an accurate indication that a cow stood to be mounted. Keep in mind that the KaMar detector is not recommended when cattle are pastured in lots containing low tree branches or heavy brush since rubbing could cause a false reading or tear the KaMar detector off.
A more recent development is a similar system that goes by the name of Bovine Beacon. It is also applied to the tailhead. The design and technology behind it mean that a single mount will break the chemiluminescent ampule contained inside, giving off a bright red glow that can be seen in daylight or darkness.
As mentioned previously, electronic heat detection systems are also taking root in some programs as an effective heat detection tool. Once you have done your detecting, the cows you have determined to be in heat can be quietly moved from the herd to the holding area near the breeding facilities.
SILENT HEAT PROBLEMS
In this condition animal will not show behavioral signs of estrus although the physiological symptoms of heat will be present. Although the general pattern of sexual behavior is almost similar in cattle and buffaloes but the intensity of expression of behavioral signs of estrus in buffaloes is markedly less pronounced especially during summer months as the buffaloes are relatively inefficient to maintain their thermoregulation under increased environmental temperature and at high relative humidity. So due to this reason buffaloes are in constant heat stress during summers which causes the suppression of behavioral signs of estrus. The behavioral sign of heat such as bellowing may be absent and the heat is therefore termed as silent. In addition to this the other behavioral signs of estrus such as mounting to fellow animals and allowing other animals to mount, restlessness may also be expressed in much diminished intensity.
The vulva of buffalo in heat will be slightly swollen and slight radish in colour as well as a string of mucus found hanging from the vulva or present inside vulval lips is a sure sign of heat in summer season. However the behavioral signs of estrus are more pronounced during cooler hours of the day especially during early morning and late evening. So the buffalo in estrus can be detected by parading a teaser bull during these periods and also by close observation by a trained person during early morning hours. The incidence of silent heat has been found to be more in cows and buffaloes, which were neither allowed for grazing nor given any exercise, and being kept on concrete floors. The animals that are not given sufficient protective measures from the extremes of the weather are most sufferers.
In cattle the incidence of silent heat is found to be more in high producing cows while in heifers the silent heat is highest in those heifers that are low in position in the social hierarchy of the herd. If grouping of cows have been made without considering the ranks of cows in the herd this will results in decrease in efficiency of heat detection as the submissive cows may avoid mounting to dominant cows. In addition to this also the incidence has been found to be high when group size is very large in which there is ongoing social conflicts and that will result in to instability to social hierarchy.
SOLUTIONS TO OVERCOME SILENT HEAT PROBLEM
This problem can be overcome by removing different constraints such as allowing animals for grazing or left them loose for few hours where the animals have been tied. There should be provision of non-slippery or kuccha floors to facilitate the mounting activity of the cows that are in estrus. In summer season water should be sprinkled over the body of the animals for 5-10 minutes twice or thrice daily or allow them to wallow for two hours daily in the morning and in the evening to alleviate the impact of heat stress. At large organized dairy farm mistress cooling system installed inside the shed is found to be very effective in maintaining normal estrus behavior of buffaloes and cross-bred cows. If the roof are made up of asbestos or iron sheet then spread some paddy straw over it make wet by sprinkling of water. Animal should be fed green fodder and the feeding must be done during cool hours of the day. During summer the feed intake of the animal is reduce so the quality of the ration should be improved in order to fulfill their physiological needs. In addition to this there should be improved or efficient methods of heat detection. A combination of methods is better than relying on a single method of heat detection. Visual observation should be performed by trained persons during cooler hours of the day especially during early morning and late evening as the behavioral signs of estrus are more pronounced during this period. Parading of teasure /vasectomized bull during early morning and late evening.
HEAT DETECTION
A bull will always notice a cow in heat and will serve her if there are no boundaries between the bull and cow. Many cows have heat signs that are difficult to notice for humans. The heat signs that humans can see are:
- The animal becomes restless, sometimes separating itself from the rest of the herd, walking along fences to seek a bull.
- The animal tries to mount other animals, sniffs them and is sniffed at by others (see figure)
- The animal bellows in order to attract a bull (the Zebu does not do this).
- Standing heat: the cow stands still when she is mounted by other animals (standing is the only reliable practical test of heat, see figure).
- Signs that the animal has been mounted by others, such as mud on its flanks, bare patches of skin on the hook or the pin bone, ruffled hair on the back etc. (see figure).
- The lips of the vulva turn red and are somewhat swollen (see figure).
- There is a discharge of clear, thin mucus hanging from the vulva or adhering to the tail (see figure).
The average heat period lasts about 11 hours, so in order to detect heat you should check the cows at least 3 times a day: early in the morning, in the afternoon and late in the evening (spend about 20 minutes each time). Cows should be calm (not distracted by feeding or so).
MASTITIS IN DAIRY ANIMALS
| Q.1 : | What is mastitis? |
| A : | Mastitis is inflammation of udder/ mammary gland characterized by change in milk. |
| Q.2 : | What should I do after onset of Mastitis? |
| A : | If it is possible, milk sample for culture sensitivity test (CST) (to know the sensitive antibiotics) should be submitted before starting treatment. Broad spectrum antibiotic and supportive treatment with consultation of veterinarian should be given to the animal. If antibiotics are already being given to the animal, the milk sample should be submitted 4 days after end of therapy. |
| Q.3 : | How should I take the milk sample for testing to the laboratory? |
| A : | You should collect the milk sample in sterilized test tubes or in sterilized vials. The test tube should be labeled appropriately. At least 5 ml of milk sample should be submitted to the laboratory as early as possible. If delay is expected, samples should be kept in ice-container. Udder should be cleaned and soaked with neat piece of cloth. Teat orifice should aseptically be cleaned. Before taking sample in test tube, first few strippings (1-2 strippings) should be discarded. |
| Q.4 : | What should I do to avoid infection during dry period? |
| A : | As there is no specific dry cow therapy available in India, one should take care of the managemental aspects. If prevalence of infection in the herd is high, all the animals at drying- off should be injected with Intra-mammary infusions. |
| Q.5 : | What should I do to avoid recurrence of mastitis? |
| A : | Individual animal should be treated and her udder immunity enhanced by using mineral mixture of standard quality, cleaning of udder before milking, milking of infected teat at the end and teat dipping after milking.. Milk samples should be tested regularly after 15 days using SLS paddle test. The positive animal’s milk samples should be tested for CST in the laboratory. Treatment of sub-clinical case is more desirable. |
| Q.6 : | Why does the swelling of udder occur just after calving while there was no sign during late pregnancy? |
| A : | There are chances of subclinical mastitis at drying-off and during dry period. This infection gets flared-up after parturition due to certain stress factors. |
| Q.7 : | What is the treatment of udder/teat fibrosis? |
| A : | Udder/ teat fibrosis occurs as a result of chronic infection. Treatment of udder and teat fibrosis in that particular lactation can result into resolution to some extent, but chances of recovery may be expected in the next lactation when new lacteal tissue formation will ensue. |
| Q.8 : | There is problem of warts over the teat of animals. How to treat it? |
| A : | Please, Consult nearest available qualified veterinarian for treatment. |
| Q.9 : | I have a buffalo which has developed sores at the base of teat since one month. Milk yield is normal. Advise me appropriate treatment. |
| A : | This problem is usually chronic running for many months. The best treatment for this is to apply antiseptic solutions like Betadine/Povidine regularly. If no recovery occurs apply a powder mixed in equal parts containing boric acid, kaolin and zinc oxide once daily. The healing in such cases is slow and takes 3-4 weeks. Do not use antibiotics, which will increases the cost of treatment only. |
| Q.10 : | What are the mastitis control measures? |
| A : | The important features of a successful mastitis control programme are:
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| Q.11 : | What is Post-milking teat dipping? |
| A : | The teats of all the lactating cows and dry cows (during first 10-14 days of dry period) are dipped regularly after every milking in a germicidal solution. The recommended teat dips are
The iodine teat dip is the best as it treats various types of teat lesions and injuries also. |
MINERAL DEFICIENCY
| Q.1 : | What is Hematuria?. |
| A : | It is the presence of blood in urine and can be due to many reasons like phosphorus deficiency, Babesia infection, etc. |
| Q.2 : | What is leucoderma ? |
| A : | It is associated with copper deficiency. |
| Q.3 : | What are the clinical signs of copper deficiency? |
| A : | The clinical signs are as follows:
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| Q.4 : | How we can diagnose and treat the copper deficiency? |
| A : | We can diagnose the copper deficiency by low serum and hepatic copper concentration and response to treatment. Copper deficiency can be treated by oral administration of copper sulphate or inj. copper glycnate . Consult any nearest available veterinarian for this purpose. |
| Q.5 : | My cow calved last night and is now unable to get up. |
| A : | Many times high yielder cows suffer from milk fever after parturition which is due to calcium deficiency. Following calcium treatment, there is quick recovery. |
| Q.6 : | What is the management of hyperthermia? |
| A : |
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| Hyperthermia in farm animals | |
| Q.1 : | What are the common causes of high body temperature (hyperthermia) in cattle during summer season? |
| A : |
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| Q.2 : | What are the clinical signs of hyperthermia? |
| A : |
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FLOUROSIS IN DAIRY ANIMALS
| Q.1 : | Does excess fluoride is also harmful for animals? |
| A : | Yes. Excess fluoride intake can produce harmful effects in animals also, though clinical signs may be absent in mild cases. Flourosis is common in animals reared in district Mansa, Bathinda, Ferozpur and Sangrur. |
| Q.2 : | What are different clinical signs of fluorosis? |
| A : | Clinical signs of fluorosis include changes in teeth and bones. Teeth become brown-blackish and loose. Bones become weak and prone to fracture. The animal shows weakness, lameness, reduced appetite and weight loss. |
| Q.3 : | What are different sources of excess fluoride for animals? |
| A : | Water containing excessive fluoride concentration is the major source. Poor quality mineral mixture or dust coming out from brick kilns or other industry are other sources. |
| Q.4 : | Is fluorosis fully curable? |
| A : | No. Changes in bone and teeth are irreversible and can not be fully cured. However, animals sufferings can be reduced after treatment. |
| Q.5 : | How fluorosis can be prevented or treated? |
| A : | Remove sources of excess fluoride. Do not give deep bore well water; rather give water from ponds (surface water). Give calcium carbonate or good quality mineral mixture after consulting the veterinarian. |
IMPACTION IN DAIRY ANIMALS
| Q.1 : | Why impaction is very much prevalent in dairy animals? |
| A : | It is due to lack of green fodder in diet or giving excess Jowar/maize straw(Kutti). Ingestion of sharp metallic foreign bodies in cattle and buffalo may also be responsible. |
| Q.2 : | What should be done to avoid impaction in cattle and buffaloes? |
| A : | Feed green fodder mixed in Kutti throughout the year. Avoid access of animals to nails, needles, wires and sharp farm equipment parts etc. |
| Q.3 : | What is first aid before reaching hospital? |
| A : | Tie and confine the animal to one place. Make available ample of drinking water throughout the day and seek the advice of veterinarian as soon as possible. |
LAMENESS IN DAIRY ANIMALS
| Q.1 : | Whether there is any affect on reproduction/fertility? |
| A : | Yes, due to pain animal does not express signs of heat. It is related with reproduction failure. |
| Q.2 : | How farmers can control/ check lameness? |
| A : |
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DEWORMING AND VACCINATION
| Q.1 : | What are the common diseases prevalent in Punjab against which we should go for vaccination? |
| A : | Animals should be vaccinated for Foot and Mouth disease (FMD), Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (H S), Black Quarter(BQ) and brucellosis. Consult the veterinarian for this purpose regularly. |
| Q.2 : | Precautions to be taken while vaccinating the animals? |
| A : | Vaccines should be procured from reliable source. Cold chain should be maintained from purchase of vaccine till its administration. Don’t put vaccine in direct heat and sunlight. |
| Q.3 : | At what age we should start deworming in our animals. |
| A : | At the age of < 1 month we should start deworming. |
MISCELLANEOUS
| Q.1 : | There is serious problem of ticks in our animals. How to control it. |
| A : | Apply Butox/Taktic/Cypermethrin @ 3ml/liter of water over the body of affected animals. The same solution should be sprayed in the animal premises. Avoid spraying the medicine in mangers. Animal should not lick the medicine during application. |
| Q.2 : | There is problem of blood in milk recently after parturition. What is the treatment for it ? |
| A : | Some time it is physiological and automatically resolves within few days. Milk sample can also be sent to the mastitis lab. In the department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine for cultural sensitivity examination. |
| Q.3 : | My buffalo is suffering from diarrhea from last two months. Initially diarrhea was intermittent. Milk yield and appetite is normal. |
| A : | Get the dung sample tested for worms and a disease known as “Johne’s disease”. If the report shows Johne’s disease, isolate the animal so that feeding and watering of the animals is not with other animals. |
| Q.4 : | There is problem of diarrhea in calves at our farm. What should be done to control/minimize it ? |
| A : | New born calf should be fed first milk “colostrum” within 6-12 hour after birth @ 10% of the body weight of the calf. Calves should be kept in comfortable environment. Clean the calf shed daily with Chlorasol disinfectant or any other suitable disinfectant. Diarrheic calves should be kept separate from healthy calves. Diarrheic calves should be treated with parenteral/oral fluids, antibiotics, herbal antidiarrheals under the supervision of a veterinarian. |
| Q.5 : | Milk yield of the cow has been reduced for the past few days. How to increase it? |
| A : | First of all send the milk sample to Vety Hospital for diagnosis of infection in the udder. After that deworm the animal with broad spectrum dewormers like albendazole, fenbendazole, ivermectin to make the animal free from endoparasites in consultation with the Veterinarian. Provide good quality feed including green fodder, concentrate and mineral mixture as per the milk yield of the animal. |
VETERINARY TOXICOLOGY
| Q.1 : | What should be done if an animal has consumed a poisonous substance? |
| A : | If an animal is suspected of consuming something poisonous, local veterinarian should be contacted/consulted immediately. Samples can be submitted in the lab by qualified veterinarians only. |
| Q.2 : | Which are the potentially harmful substances that can poison the animals? |
| A : |
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| Q.3 : | What information should be collected while investigating a toxicity case? |
| A : | During toxicological investigations, the following information can be of utmost help:
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| Q.4 : | What are the symptoms/signs of nitrate toxicity in cattle? |
| A : | In acute nitrate poisoning, the cattle are often observed to be normal one day and dead the next day. This occurs within 30 minutes to 4 hours of ingestion of plants high in nitrates. Initial signs include salivation followed by frequent urination. These are followed by difficult breathing, increased respiratory rate and dark brown or “chocolate” colored blood and mucous membranes. The animals become weak and reluctant to move and may exhibit convulsions before death. Exposed pregnant cattle usually abort soon after recovering. |
| Q.5 : | What are the main causes of nitrate toxicosis? |
| A : | The most important cause of nitrate/nitrite toxicity is the presence of high levels of nitrates (or nitrites) in the feed or water. These compounds are converted to nitrites in the rumen of cattle, which are absorbed across the rumen wall into the blood stream. The nitrite in blood reacts with hemoglobin to form a compound, methemoglobin, which lacks the oxygen-carrying capacity. Thus, the animal dies because of oxygen deficit to the vital organs of the body. |
| Q.6 : | Where do the nitrates come from? |
| A : | Nitrates are concentrated in water sources from fertilizer run-offs, decaying organic matter, animal wastes or other sources of nitrogen. The nitrates are generally higher after periods of excess runoff after fertilization or after heavy rainfalls. Occasionally, deep, drilled wells can have high levels of nitrates. In addition, certain weeds such as Johnson grass and nightshade are also high in nitrates. Almost any crop can have high nitrate levels however, Sudan grass hay and oat hay are more likely to have levels of nitrates that are potentially toxic. |
| Q.7 : | When is the nitrate toxicity suspected? |
| A : | Nitrate toxicity problem should be suspected in cases of acute animal death after a recent change in feeding practices (oat hay, Sudan grass hay, etc), change in water supply, moving from one field to another, etc. However, differential diagnosis should be done ruling out other common causes of acute death in cattle, such as red water disease, anaplasmosis and other toxicities. For confirmation of nitrate toxicity, rumen samples, feed samples as well as water samples are routinely analyzed. |
| Q.8 : | What is the treatment of nitrate toxicity? |
| A : | The animal should be provided veterinary aid immediately. The antidote for nitrate toxicity is methylene blue, a chemical that restores the hemoglobin content of blood. However, the efficacy of this antidote is higher if administered in the early stages of toxicosis. The survival rate is indirectly proportional to the time spent in seeking veterinary aid. |
| Q.9 : | How can nitrate toxicity be prevented? |
| A : | Under normal circumstance, animals usually do not consume weeds high in nitrate content. These weeds are taken up by animals only during periods of drought or due to lack of quality forage. Therefore, thorough testing of feed and water is essential in drought and high-risk areas. In addition, animals should be exposed to these forages gradually over a period of time. |
| Q.10 : | What are the main routes of exposure to pesticides in animals? |
| A : | Animals can be exposed to pesticides either by absorption through the skin or eyes (dermally), through the mouth (orally) or through the lungs (inhalation). |
| Q.11 : | Which are the most commonly used insecticides? |
| A : | Pesticide poisoning cases usually involve either organophosphate or carbamate insecticides. Some commonly used organophosphate and carbamate insecticides are enlisted below: Organophosphates Carbamates Malathion Sevin Parathion Carbaryl Chlorpyrifos Carbofuran Monocrotophos Triazophos Fenamiphos |
| Q.12 : | What are some common signs associated with organophosphate or carbamate insecticide poisoning? |
| A : | Mild exposures:
Moderately severe: all the signs found in mild poisonings, but in addition, the animal:
Severe poisonings are indicated by incontinence, unconsciousness and seizures. The order in which these symptoms appear may vary, depending on how contact is made with the insecticide. If the product is swallowed, stomach and other abdominal manifestations commonly appear first; if it is absorbed through the skin, gastric and respiratory symptoms tend to appear at the same time. |
| Q.13 : | Which pyrethroid insecticides are commonly used in agriculture and Veterinary Practices? |
| A : | Some of the commonly used pyrethroid insecticides are: Allethrin Cyfluthrin Cypermethrin Deltamethrin Esfenvalerate Fenvalerate Flucythrinate Fluvalinate Permethrin Resmethrin Tetramethrin Tralomethrin |
| Q.14 : | What should be done in a suspected case of pesticide poisoning in animals? |
| A : | A veterinarian should be immediately consulted and the following information should be made available:
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| Q.15 : | What is the need to mix whole blood tubes or separate the serum immediately after collection? |
| A : | The EDTA or heparin added in whole blood tubes to prevent blood clotting does not automatically blend with the blood, so unmixed samples will still clot. During cold weather or if packed in ice, clots in serum tubes will hemolyze, thus altering test results. |
| Q.16 : | Which are the plants that are toxic to animals and shouldn’t be kept around the house? |
| A : | The common plants which are poisonous to animals are:
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| Q.17 : | What are the most common food hazards for the pets? |
| A : | The following foods should never be given to pet animals:
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PARASITE INFESTATION IN ANIMALS
| Q.1 : | What are various types of parasites affecting animals? | ||||||||||||
| A : |
Nematodes (Roundworms) Toxocara sp., Strongyles, Strongyloides sp. Ascaridia galli, Oxyuris sp. etc. Cow, Buffalo, Sheep, Goat, Dogs, Poultry Contaminated feed and water and arthropods Blood protozoa Trypanosoma evansi Cow, Buffalo, Horse, Dogs Through flies Blood protozoa Babesia sp. Cow, Buffalo, Horse, Dogs Through hard tick Blood protozoa Theileria annulata Cow, Buffalo Through hard tick Blood protozoa Anaplasma marginale Cow, Buffalo Through flies, hard tick Blood protozoa Ehrlichia sp., Hepatozoon canis Dog Through hard tick Intestinal protozoa Coccidia Cow, Buffalo, Sheep, Goat, Dogs, Poultry Contaminated feed and water Arthropods Hard tick, soft tick, flies, lice, fleas, mites Cow, Buffalo, Sheep, Goat, Dogs, Poultry |
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| Q.2 : | What are the common symptoms of parasitic diseases? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Reduced or no feed and water intake, dullness, rough body coat, fever, diarrhea, loss of production (milk, meat/wool etc.), and presence of vectors/intermediate hosts. | ||||||||||||
| Q.3 : | How to diagnose these various parasitic diseases? | ||||||||||||
| A : | For diagnosis of the parasitic infections/infestations examination of faecal, blood and skin scrapings is necessary. This should be done in a well equipped laboratory viz. Department of Veterinary Parasitology (Ph.: 0161-2414029) and Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory, Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex (Ph.: 0161-2414052). | ||||||||||||
| Q.4 : | How to send the samples for diagnosis of various parasitic diseases? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Blood should be sent well mixed in EDTA or methanol fixed blood smear can be sent; faeces should be sent in 10% formalin and skin scrapings in 10% potassium hydroxide solution. With any one of the above sample, information like type of animal; age of animal; sex of animal; clinical symptoms etc should be provided. | ||||||||||||
| Q.5 : | What are the clinical signs of (surra) and what is the causative organism? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Surra is caused by a blood protozoa, Trypanasoma evansi and the signs are as follows: Horse: Intermittent fever, emaciation, oedema varying from urticarial plaques on the neck and flanks to legs and lower parts of the body, haemorrhages at the junction of skin and mucus membrane especially at nostrils, eyes and anus. Dogs: Fever, marked oedema, corneal opacity, change in voice and death. Cows and Buffaloes: Dullness, sleepiness, rise in temperature may be seen, staggering gait, eyes staring wide open, hard and noisy breathing, circling movements, nervous excitement, hitting of head against hard objects, apparent blindness, stamping of feet, bellowing, groaning, frequent micturition, profuse salivation, muscle twitching, shivering of body and coma and death. | ||||||||||||
| Q.6 : | What are the clinical signs of babesiosis and red water fever? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Cows and Buffaloes: High grade fever, haemoglobinuria, profound anaemia and profuse diarrhoea followed by marked constipation and death. Horses: High grade fever, anaemia, listlessness, depression, haemoglobinuria (may be present or absent) and posterior paralysis (may be present or absent) and death. Dogs: High grade fever, malaise, listlessness, depression, disinclination to move, anorexia, jaundice and pale mucus membranes and death. | ||||||||||||
| Q.7 : | What are the clinical signs of Theileriosis? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Cows and Buffaloes: Marked rise in temperature, depression, emaciation, lacrymation, nasal discharge and swelling of superficial lymph nodes and death. | ||||||||||||
| Q.8 : | What are the clinical signs of Anaplasmosis? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Anorexia, high fever, jaundice, severe anaemia, dysponea and death. | ||||||||||||
| Q.9 : | What are the important signs of coccidiosis? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Sheep and goats: Young animals up to the age of 4-6 months are affected; brownish to yellowish green diarrhoea which may be streaked with blood, abdominal pain, anaemia, inappetence, weakness and loss of weight and death. Cows and Buffaloes: Young animals up to the age of 3 weeks to 6 months are affected; abdominal pain, foul smelling diarrhoea with or without blood and masses of mucus and clots of blood, rough coat, droopy ears, listlessness, partial paralysis of anal sphincter, weakness, rectal tenesmus, anaemia, anorexia, rapid respiration, convulsions and emaciation and death. Dogs: Pups are severely affected; there is weakness, rough hair coat, emaciation and diarrhea with or without blood and death. Poultry: Diarrhoea with or without blood and mucus casts, stunted growth, decline in egg production, listlessness, anorexia, anaemia, dehydration and death. |
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| Q.10 : | What are the measures to control snail borne diseases? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Ponds/lakes etc. should be cleaned from time to time and fenced.
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| Q.11 : | What are general measures to control parasitic diseases? | ||||||||||||
| A : |
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| Q.12 : | How do the arthropods harm the animals? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Annoyance, blood loss, lower hide value, myiasis, skin inflammation, allergy, production losses, and act as vectors of economically important infectious diseases.
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| Q.13 : | What is myiasis? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Myiasis is an animal disease caused by parasitic dipterous fly larvae feeding on the host’s necrotic or living tissue. | ||||||||||||
| Q.14 : | What are the common ways to control myiasis? | ||||||||||||
| A : |
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| Q.15 : | How to control tick infestation in animals? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Application of acaricides like amitraz, malathion, flumethrin, cypermethrin, pestoben etc after consulting with a qualified veterinarian. | ||||||||||||
| Q.16 : | What is mange? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Mange is a contagious skin disease caused by parasitic mites. Commonly sarcoptic, psoroptic and demodectic (or red mange) mange is seen in cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, dog etc. | ||||||||||||
| Q.17 : | How to control mange? | ||||||||||||
| A : |
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| Q.18 : | What is pediculosis? | ||||||||||||
| A : | The term pediculosis is used to denote lice infestation in animals and birds. | ||||||||||||
| Q.19 : | What are the effects of lice on their hosts? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Irritation, restlessness, self inflicted injury, reduced feeding, inappropriate sleep and production loss. | ||||||||||||
| Q.20 : | How to control pediculosis? | ||||||||||||
| A : | In poultry, control is achieved by dusts or sprays of carbaryl or coumaphos, toxaphene, hexachlorocyclohexane, melathion etc. In cattle or large ruminants, crotoxyphos, coumaphos, cruformate, farphur, ronnel, cypermethrin, malathion etc spray is effective. | ||||||||||||
| Q.21 : | What are the parasitic diseases transmitted by fleas? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Fleas act as vector the diseases like Dipylium caninum, Dipetalonema reconditum etc. | ||||||||||||
| Q.22 : | How to control fleas? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Flea collars are very popular means of control. A combination of dichlorovos and fenitrothion is effective for dogs. Hexachlorocyclohexane is useful in dogs. Corticosteroids may be used to reduce pruritus in animal. | ||||||||||||
| Q.23 : | What is Ehrlichiosis? | ||||||||||||
| A : | Ehrlichiosis is caused by Ehrlichia caves in dog. The pet show the symptom of fever, other non specific symptom, epistaxis,nasal bleeding. Have bllod examination and contact your Vet for treatment. |
MILK
| Q.1 : | How can we keep the milk for longer period? |
| A : | The milk should be stored at 4°C within 2 hr of milking to keep it for longer period. |
| Q.2 : | Can any chemicals are used to extend the shelf life of milk? |
| A : | Legally no chemicals are allowed as preservative in milk. |
| Q.3 : | What is the use of lactometer? |
| A : | It is used to measure specific gravity of milk. It can also give an idea regarding adulteration of milk with water. |
| Q.4 : | Is dairy processing is profitable business? |
| A : | Yes, it can be more revenue churner on the production of value added milk products. |
| Q.5 : | Which dairy products are considered as more profitable? |
| A : | Curd, lassi, flavoured milk, ice cream etc. |
| Q.6 : | Can we utilize paneer whey in some useful manner? |
| A : | Yes, whey can be used for the preparation of whey drink even at cottage level. |
| Q.7 : | Is there any agency which provide loan for setting up of dairy plant? |
| A : | Yes, nationalized banks as well as other financial institutions provide loans for it. |
| Q.8 : | Is there any subsidy is also provided on the setting up of dairy plant? |
| A : | Yes, the amount of subsidy varies with the conditions. |
| Q.9 : | What are the income tax benefits on income from dairy plant? |
| A : | Presently, Govt. is providing tax holidays on dairy plant business. |
| Q.10 : | What is the standard of cow milk in Punjab? |
| A : | Minimum 4.0% milk fat and 8.5% solids not fat (SNF) |
| Q.11 : | What is the synthetic milk? |
| A : | It is the mixture of various ingredients such as urea, detergent etc. which looks like milk but no other property matches with milk. |
| Q.12 : | Can synthetic milk be identified at home level also? |
| A : | Yes, synthetic milk when rubbed between fingers give soapy feeling and on boiling smells like soap. |
| Q.13 : | What are the common adulterants in milk? |
| A : | Carbonates & bicarbonates to decrease acidity of milk, formalin, boric acid & hydrogen peroxide as preservative in milk, salt, sugar and starch to increase SNF and viscosity of milk |
| Q.14 : | Can you identify adulteration of milk at home also? |
| A : | Yes, NDDB through Punjab Dairy Development Board is marketing a kit which can check 50 samples worth appx. Rs100/-. This kit is handy and can be used easily at home level. |
| Q.15 : | Whether paneer and cheese are same or different? |
| A : | NO, both of them are totally different. Paneer is prepared with the use of acid such as citric acid, tartaric acid etc whereas cheese is prepared with enzyme rennet. |
| Q.16 : | What is mozzarella cheese? Can it be prepared at home level also? |
| A : | Mozzarella cheese is fresh cheese also called as pizza cheese. Yes, it can be easily prepared at home level also. |
| Q.17 : | Whether milk is an ideal food? |
| A : | It is almost ideal food however, it is deficient in Vitamin C, Iron etc. |
| Q.18 : | Can milk be digested by all easily? |
| A : | Yes, only those have lactose intolerance can not digest. |
| Q.19 : | Can we drink pasteurized milk directly without boiling? |
| A : | Yes, if the pasteurized milk packet is not leaky and from authenticated source can be taken directly without boiling. |
| Q.20 : | Is it necessary to keep the pasteurized milk packets in refrigeration? |
| A : | Yes, it should be kept at temperature below 4oC till it is consumed. |
| Q.21 : | What is the pasteurization temperature of milk? |
| A : | It is 63oC for 30 min known as LTLT method and 72oC for 15 sec in HTST method. |
| Q.22 : | Can we keep UHT milk packaged in tetra pack without refrigeration? |
| A : | Yes, we can keep this milk packet at room temperature till seal is not broken, after seal is broken keep it in refrigerator and consume with in 24 hr |
| Q.23 : | Is cream available on small dairies or halwai shop are safe for direct servings? |
| A : | No, always consume pasteurized cream for direct consumption as well as for any dish preparation, however it can be used for ghee preparations. |
| Q.24 : | What is toned milk? |
| A : | Toned milk should have minimum 3.0% milk fat and 8.5% SNF |
| Q.25 : | What do you mean by standardized milk? |
| A : | It is market milk having a 4.5% milk fat and 8.5% SNF content. |
| Q.26 : | Is 1lt of milk weighs 1 kg? |
| A : | No, One lt of cow milk weighs around 1.028-1.030 kg and buffalo milk weighs around 1.030-1.032 kg |
| Q.27 : | Is paneer consumption is good for health? |
| A : | Paneer is good for health. It is rich in proteins. It is also safe for the diabetic patient because it does not contain sugar. |
| Q.28 : | What is the common packaging material for packaging of butter? |
| A : | Parchment paper is used for packaging of butter. |
| Q.29 : | What is the shelf life of ghee? |
| A : | Ghee can be safely stored at cool place away from sunlight for six months. |
MEAT
| Q.1 : | Whether ramp is required during loading and unloading of animals from the truck? |
| A : | Yes. To avoid fracture of bones, injuries etc it is mandatory to use ramp during loading and unloading of animals from truck. |
| Q.2 : | Whether ante-mortem inspection is required when animals are in the farm? |
| A : | Yes. Ante-mortem inspection requires when animals are in the farms, during and after transportation, in the lairage and just before slaughter. |
| Q.3 : | Is it necessary to keep fasting of the animals before slaughter? |
| A : | Yes. Animals/birds should be kept on fasting from afternoon prior to slaughter next day morning. But they should provide plenty of fresh water during fasting. |
| Q.4 : | Why fasting should be done to meat animals? |
| A : | Fasting empties the gastro-intestinal tracts induces better bleeding, reduces microbial load, helps in good quality of meat. |
| Q.5 : | Can use of gourds for forward movement affect meat quality? |
| A : | Yes. Use of gourds or any electrical device for forwarding the animals during slaughter can affect meat quality. |
| Q.6 : | Whether animal can be slaughtered in front of other animals? |
| A : | No, other animals may be excited and feared affecting meat quality. |
| Q.7 : | Why stunning should be done during slaughtering the animals? |
| A : | This induces unconsciousness of the animal so that unnecessary struggling is avoided. |
| Q.8 : | How stunning helps to improve meat quality? |
| A : | Stunning induces better bleeding, reduces microbial load, helps in tenderization of meat. |
| Q.9 : | What precaution should be taken while removing the skin of the animal? |
| A : | The trained flayer is required to obtain better quality skin by following scientific methods of flaying. |
| Q.10 : | Can skins be thrown on the slaughter floor? |
| A : | No, skin should be collected in chute/wheel barrow immediately to the hide and skin section of the slaughterhouse. |
| Q.11 : | How skins and hides can be preserved? |
| A : | The fresh skins and hides are trimmed off meat and fat tissues from the flesh side and either dry curing or wet curing is followed for preservation. |
| Q.12 : | How blood, inedible viscera, condemned parts and carcasses can be used? |
| A : | Blood and inedible viscera can be profitably used by preparation of blood meal, carcass meal, meat meal, meat-cum-bone meal and be recycled as livestock feed. |
| Q.13 : | Whether viscera and skin can be kept in the same room along with meat? |
| A : | No, viscera and skin should be kept in separate room and maintain temperature at 7°C. |
| Q.14 : | After bleeding whether carcass needs hanging for removal of skin and viscera? |
| A : | Yes. When carcass is hanging that make easier to remove skin and viscera and microbial quality of meat will also improve. |
| Q.15 : | Whether washing is necessary after removal of skin and viscera? |
| A : | Yes. Washing with potable water should be given after removal of skin and viscera |
| Q.16 : | Which type of floor is required for slaughtering of animals? |
| A : | Non-slippery, non-absorbable concrete floor is required for slaughtering of animals. |
| Q.17 : | Whether wooden structure can be used for cutting of meat? |
| A : | No. Because wooden structure cannot be cleaned and dried properly after cutting and also there is a chance to come wooden piece along with meat. |
| Q.18 : | Which type of cutting board is required for cutting meat in to pieces? |
| A : | Thick cutting board made up of PVC available in the market should be used for meat cutting. |
| Q.19 : | Whether black or any coloured packaging films can be used for packaging of meat and meat products? |
| A : | No. Always use colouless polyethylene (LDPE/HDPE) bags for packaging of meat and meat products |
| Q.20 : | How many days raw meat can be kept in refrigeration (4°C) cabinet |
| A : | Raw meat can be kept maximum up to 7 days in refrigeration (4°C) cabinet (except pork) before preparation. |
| Q.21 : | How many days chicken curry can be kept in a refrigerator? |
| A : | Chicken curry can be kept for three days in a refrigerator. |
| Q.22 : | How people can get license for meat processing plant? |
| A : | You need to give application to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, New Delhi, Telefax- 011-24360934-36. |
| Q.23 : | What are meat nuggets and how these are prepared? |
| A : | Meat nuggests are emulsion based meat product prepared by muxung minced meat and all te recipes ingredients filled in moulds, steam cooked and sliced in the shape of nuggets. |
| Q.24 : | What are meat sausages? |
| A : | Minced meat alsong with all other ingredients are filled in the casings ( prepared from intestines/synthetic) and steam cooked or smoked etc. |
| Q.25 : | What is the shelf life of these processed meat products? |
| A : | These products can be kept in the refigerator for 2 weeks whereas in deep freezer ( -18°C) for 3-6 months. Their shelf life can be further enhanced with vacuum/modified atmosphere packaging. |
| Q.26 : | What are the traditional meat products? |
| A : | Tandoori chicken, shami kabab, seekh kababs etc. |
EGGS
| Q.1 : | What are the different grades of eggs? |
| A : | There are 4 grades (extra large, large, medium and small) as per BIS grading of eggs. |
| Q.2 : | Should eggs be cleaned? |
| A : | Yes, eggs should be cleaned by dry cleaning method or using egg washing machine, but the difference in temperature of egg wash water and egg should not be more than 10oC. |
| Q.3 : | Why eggs are required to be cleaned? |
| A : | This is done to remove any dirt, dung, or dirty material adhered on the surface of eggs to increase the esthetic sense and to decrease microbial load . |
| Q.4 : | Why cleaned eggs are sprayed with egg coating oil? |
| A : | There is opening of egg pores after cleaning giving chance for entry of microorganism into the egg contents. Egg pores are sealed by spraying with egg coating oil. The shelf life of eggs is extended. |
| Q.5 : | How soiled eggs should be cleaned? |
| A : | Soiled eggs can be cleaned with sand paper or by washing with chlorinated water but chlorine concentration should not be more than 50 mg per lit of water. |
| Q.6 : | How many times in a day egg need to be collected from laying house? |
| A : | Eggs should be collected at least 4-5 times during summer and 3-4 times during winter periods. |
| Q.7 : | How lime water treatment to be given for shell eggs preservation. |
| A : | Boil 1 lit water; add 1kg lime to it. Bring the solution to room temperature. Add 5 lit cold water and 225g sodium chloride to it. Allow the mixture to settle down. Decant the solution. In the clear fluid eggs are immersed for 16-18 hours. |
| Q.8 : | How many days’ eggs can be kept after lime treatment? |
| A : | These eggs can be stored for 3-4 weeks. |
| Q.9 : | What is thermostabilization? |
| A : | Immersing of eggs in heated water at 49°C for 35 min or 54°C for 15min, or 56°C for 10min or 60°C for 5 min to stabilize the thick albumin. |
| Q.10 : | What is flash heat treatment? |
| A : | Brief immersion of shell eggs into hot water (71°C) to destroys bacteria present on the egg shell surface and also coagulate thin albumin immediately beneath the shell membrane and seals the shell internally. |
| Q.11 : | Which oil is used for coating of shell eggs? |
| A : | Light mineral oils, liquid paraffin and vegetables oils mixed with 0.0125% BHT can be used for coating of shell eggs. Oil use for coating should be colourless and odourless. |
Dr. Ajeet Singh,
Global Veterinary Clinic and Surgery Centre, Gorakhpur
Source-https:ahd.aponline.gov
