CIRB, Hisar
District-HISAR
The Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) was
established at Hisar, Haryana in the year 1985 by acquiring the erstwhile
Progeny Testing Bull Farm of the Government of Haryana. The institute started
functioning on 1.2.1985 at Hisar with the joining of Dr. N. K. Bhattacharya as
Officer on Special Duty. Dr. V. D. Mudgal joined as
founder Director of the institute on 15th June 1985. A total number of
fifty-two posts were created. A committee of DARE recommended provision of 3-4
scientists for each division. However, only three scientists including Director
could be posted in the initial stages. At the end of VIIIth
five-year plan the institute has approved cadre strength of 35 scientists of
which only 22 scientists are in position including sub-campus.
MANDATE
v To promote and
undertake research on all aspects of buffalo production.
v
To establish nucleus breeding herd of important buffalo breeds.
v
To co-ordinate research work carried out by other institutions
in the country and to collaborate with
international agencies in the area of buffalo research and development.
v
To act as a repository of information on all aspects of buffalo
production and development.
v
To undertake technology transfer and extension activities.
To accomplish its mandate and objectives, the research activities
are organized in three divisions viz. Buffalo Genetics
Breeding and Management, Buffalo Nutrition and Buffalo Physiology and
Reproduction. These specialised
divisions have developed capabilities to take up front-line research activities
related to Genetics, Breeding, Nutrition, Physiology, Reproduction, Management
and Biotechnology. Transfer of
technology and extension work has been undertaken in two adopted villages
situated about 10-15 km from the Institute.
The Institute has a sub-campus at Bir-Dosanjh
farm about 8 km from Nabha town in
Land:
The
Institute at the main campus has 1009 acres of land of which only 25% is under
fodder cultivation. Some of the land, which was earlier suitable for
cultivation, has now become flood affected mainly due to the fact that the area
is low lying and city water led by a drain of Public Health Department, which
inundates it through over-flowing and seepage. About 300 acres of salt affected
land is being reclaimed in association with CSSRI, Karnal.
The sub-campus at Nabha has 584 acres of land.
MAJOR RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS
Superior germplasm produced, tested and
supplied
Twelve sets of Murrah bulls have been
evaluated through progeny testing. The Institute
has supplied over 170 Murrah bulls of superior
genetic merit to various developmental agencies and village Panchayats
in the country for breeding purpose.
Herd performance improved
Herd performance improved from 4.98 kg in 1985 to 6.44 kg per
animal per day in 1995-96. It was 5.55
kg in 1996-97 and 6.11 kg in 1997-98.
Higher level of immunoglobulins enhance
calf survivability
It has been revealed that 90% immunoglobulins
are absorbed from colostrum within 16 hours of
birth. Higher level of absorbed immunoglobulins result in reduced mortality in calves and
faster growth rate to the extent of 20-22% upto 2
years of age. Supplementation of immunoglobulins along with colostrum
in low levelled calves can boost growth rate in
calves.
Body weight changes during lactation influences milk production
High milk producing buffaloes lost significantly more body weight
than low producing buffaloes during lactation.
Semen from superior sires frozen
From superior bulls under progeny testing programme,
the germplasm centre at the Institute has produced over 80,000
frozen semen straws for test matings and nominated matings and for sale to developmental agencies.
Technology for improving the nutritive value of poor quality straws
developed
Stacking for 20 days and ensiling for 40 days, 4% urea treated straw at
35% DM were found equally good. Feeding 4% ammoniated straw at 35 % DM level ad
lib alongwith 40-50 g mineral mixture and 4-5 kg green fodder may serve as
complete maintenance ration in adult buffaloes.
Feeding formaldehyde treated groundnut cake (750 g/ head) alongwith 4% urea treated wheat straw as basal ration &
3-4 kg green fodder resulted in a body weight gain of 600-700 g/day in one year
old growing buffalo heifers.
Economic feeding regime for buffalo calves developed
Urea enriched and ensiled non-legume forages when fed ad lib to
growing buffalo calves alongwith a concentrate mixture in which 10%
costly cake was replaced with deoiled rice bran, a
body weight gain of 500-600 g/day was obtained and cost was reduced by 10-15%.
Legume hay can replace costly concentrate mixtures
About 1.20 - 1.35 kg of legume hay can replace 1 kg concentrate
mixture when non-legume fodders are used as basal ration. This leads to 30-40% reduction in cost of
animal feeding. Supplementation of cotton seed cake in place of conventional
concentrate mixture resulted in increases of milk yield in early lactation.
Improved
technology for freezing of buffalo semen developed
Embryo transfer technology successfully utilised
in buffaloes
Use of ETT has resulted into birth of 16 buffalo calves at the
institute
Achieved
success in in-vitro fertilization
Standardized technology of cryo-preservation
of oocyties\embryos and ultrasonography
for monitoring folliculogenesis and early pregnancy
diagnosis.
NETWORK ON BUFFALOES
The coordinating unit of “All India Coordinated Research Project on
Buffaloes” is located at this Institute with an objective to undertake
associated progeny testing in Murrah buffaloes. Ten
institutional herds of Murrah buffaloes are
participating with total herd strength of 1805 buffaloes of which 150 are
elite. Three sets of 13-15 bulls in each set have been used. Fourth set of 14
bulls is in progress . Semen of 8 progeny tested bulls
is available for elite mating.
Institute, sub-campus and centres of
network project
v
v HAU, Hisar
v CIRB, Hisar
v NDRI, Karnal
v IVRI, Izatnagar
v CCBF, Alamadi
v GLF, Majhra
v GLF, Hastinapur
v GLF, Mamnoor
ACHIEVEMENTS
v
Herd of Nili-Ravi buffaloes established.
v
Seventy-six bulls of superior genetic merit sold to village panchayats/development agencies and private organizations.
v
Since 1988 wet average and herd average increased by 37.08 and
33.45 per cent, respectively.
TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED
Production & maintenance of superior germ plasm
Murrah bulls of high genetic potential are generated at the institute. Young bull calves are selected on the basis of
Dam’s milk yield and
reared under intensive management system. The production potential of bulls is
evaluated through progeny testing.
A Computer based buffalo herd data management system
(BDMS) software has been developed. This
user friendly menu driven software allows updation of
day to day information on insemination, pregnancy diagnosis, calving, milk
production, body weight, milk constituents and all other operations conducted
at the farm daily, weekly or monthly interval. Software allows searching of virtually each
and every record in the
herd for which previous information has been updated.
Improved protocol for
freezing of buffalo semen
A simple, reliable and economic method for freezing
of buffalo semen has been developed. The
improved procedure has shown to be effective even to freeze the static
ejaculates successfully - a phenomenon specific to buffaloes which greatly reduced
the efficiency of utilization of buffalo semen for artificial insemination.
Embryo transfer
technology for buffaloes
Efforts have been made in developing and improving
the technology for the development of embryo transfer technology for buffaloes
which has resulted in the production of 16 calves out of embryo transfer at
this institute. Technology for
large-scale production of in-vitro matured and in-vitro fertilized embryo using
slaughterhouse ovaries has been developed.
Future projections include production of calves out of IVM\IVF embryos
and embryo micromanipulation. The embryo
cryo- preservation and evaluation of ovaries using
ultrasound has also been perfected.
Uromol preparation
Uromol is a compound prepared by heating urea
and molasses in the ratio of 1: 3 and then mixing it with equal amount of wheat
bran\deoiled rice bran. Four kg urea along with 12 kg
molasses is heated in a container for 30 minutes slowly. Then equal amount (16kg) of wheat bran or deoiled rice bran is mixed in it while hot and is cooled to
room temperature. This is UROMOL. This material contains 36% DCP and 72% TDN
and can replace conventional compound feeds upto 8-10
litres milk production in buffaloes.
Urea molasses mineral
blocks (UMB)
Urea molasses
mineral blocks are prepared as mentioned in case of UROMOL, however, additional
mineral mixture and salt binder is added.
By feeding these blocks ad lib alongwith other
feed ingredients, about 20% of the conventional concentrate mixture can be
saved.
Area specific mineral mixture developed
A survey carried out in adjoining villages in Hisar revealed
deficiencies in 80 per cent buffaloes of essential minerals like calcium, phosphorous zinc and
manganese. These were supplemented with
specially developed mineral mixture. With feeding of this mineral mixture in
buffaloes it was observed that 70 per cent animals conceived within period of
2-4 weeks.
LINKAGES WITH THE FARMERS
The institute has very strong linkages with the
farmers. Extension activities like
infertility camps vaccination campaigns, deworming
camps and weekly treatment of animals are organized in the adopted
villages. Technologies developed at the
Institute are demonstrated to the farmers on their farms. Nutritional surveys are conducted to identify
deficiencies and steps are taken to ametiorate
them. Queries of the farmers are also
answered through correspondence. The
institute has also initiated a field progeny-testing programme
in village Juglan.
Total population of 3500 buffaloes in the adjoining villages will be
covered under this project.
A genetically superior bull was stationed at village Thaska and it produced more than 200 progenies. The male calf born out of an elite buffaloes
in village Chikanwas (inset) was introduced in the
set of an Network project for test mating. This
buffalo was recorded to produce 24 kg milk during her peak. A buffalo Mela was
also organized in 1991 where more than 1000 buffalo owners participated and
brought more than 300 animals for milk competition, judging and calf rally.
NATIONAL FELLOW
The role of anaerobic rumen microorganisms is being
studied under different feeding regimes to generate information on qualitative
and quantitative aspects of digestion and metabolism in the rumen and posterior
tract of buffaloes.