VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, NAMAKKAL

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL GENETICS AND BREEDING

The Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding was established during 1987 by offering Undergraduate courses. The Postgraduate programme was stared in the Department during the year 1993. To its credit, the Department has well equipped Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics Laboratory. Apart from Undergraduate and Postgraduate teaching, the Department involves in the survey, evaluation and Characterization of native breeds of livestock.

Objectives

General Objectives

To offer Animal Genetics and Breeding courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students
To formulate new research projects / schemes with financial assistance from University / external funding agencies.

Research objectives

Survey, evaluation and characterisation of native breeds of livestock
Molecular characterisation of trait specific genes pertaining to production, reproduction and disease resistance

Education

The following courses have been offered to the undergraduate and postgraduate students at this Department.

Undergraduate

AGB 121 –Principles of Genetics and Population Genetics (2+1)
AGB 211 – Livestock and Poultry Breeding (2+1)

Postgraduate

AGB 601 – Animal Cytogenetics and Immunogenetics (2+1)
AGB 602 – Molecular Genetics in Animal Breeding (2+1)
AGB 603 – Population and Quantitative Genetics in Animal Breeding (2+1)
AGB 604 – Selection Methods and Breeding Systems (3+1)
AGB 605 – Biometrical Techniques in Animal Breeding (3+1)
AGB 606 – Conservation of Animal Genetic Resources (2+0)
AGB 607 – Cattle and Buffalo Breeding (2+1)
AGB 608 – Small Farm Animal Breeding (Sheep, Goat, Swine and Rabbit) (2+0)
AGB 609 – Poultry Breeding (2+1)
AGB 610 – Laboratory Animal Breeding (1+0)

Ph.D.

S.No	Course Code	Course Title	Credit hours
1	AGB 801	Recent Advances in Animal Genetics	2 + 0
2	AGB 802	Recent trends in Animal Breeding	2 + 0
3	AGB 803	Advances in Biometrical Genetics	2 + 1
4	AGB 804	Advances in Selection Methodology	2 + 1
5	AGB 805	Bioinformatics in Animal Genetics and Breeding	2 + 0
6	AGB 806	Advances in Molecular Cytogenetics	2 + 0
7	AGB 807	Utilization of non-additive genetic variance in farm animals	2 + 1

Research and extension activities

Ongoing Research Projects

Biotech Centre for Fecundity Genes - funded by Government of India, New Delhi
Molecular characterization of BoLA – DRB3 gene and their association with mastitis in crossbred dairy cattle of Tamil Nadu - funded by Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi

Ongoing Extension Project

Sheep husbandry based integrated approach for empowerment of SC/ST rural women in tribal villages of Kolli hills of Tamil Nadu - funded by Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi.

Completed Research projects

S.No	Name of the Scheme	Funding Agency	Year of Start
1	A Survey of Kangayam Cattle	ICAR, New Delhi	1993 –1997
2	Operational research project on “Field Application of Artificial Breeding in Goats	Tamil Nadu State Council For Science and Technology (TNSCST), Chennai.	1993 – 1996
3	Survey, Evaluation and Characterization of Coimbatore Sheep	NBAGR, Karnal.	2004 - 2006
4	Performance analysis of Jersey cattle at Exotic Cattle Breeding Farm, Eachenkottai	TANUVAS, Chennai.	2006-2007
5	Sexing of Emu chicks using PCR based Molecular Technique	TNSCST, Chennai.	2010 - 2011
6	Characterization and Evaluation of Kodi Adu Breed of Goats of Tamil Nadu, India.	International Foundation for Science, Swedan.	2010 - 2012

Publications

Number of research articles published: 50
Number of books published: Three
Number of Monographs published: Four

Salient achievements

Survey, Evaluation and Phenotypic Characterization of native breeds of livestock viz., Kangayam cattle, Toda buffalo, Kanni Adu, Kodi Adu goats and Vembur and Coimbatore sheep were completed.
Monographs on Kangayam Cattle and Coimbatore Sheep and Kanni Adu and Kodi Adu Goats were published.
Reported the performance of Jersey cattle at Exotic Cattle Breeding Farm, Eachenkottai and Murrah buffalo at Central Cattle Breeding Farm, Alamadhi, Chennai.
Studied the genotoxic effect of industrial pollution on chromosomes of cattle and goats in the industrial areas.

The following postgraduate research work were successfully completed and awarded degree

S.No	PhD: Thesis	Year
1	Sister chromatid exchange analysis in cattle chromosomes.	2002
2	Genetic analysis of milk production and reproduction traits of a Murrah buffalo herd in coastal region of Tamil Nadu.	2008

S.No	MVSc: Thesis	Year
1	Evaluation of production and reproduction performance of Toda buffalo	1995
2	Distribution and characterization of Kangayam cattle.	1995
3	Characterization of Kangayam cattle with haemoglobin, albumin and transferrin variants as genetic markers	1996
4	Genetic polymorphism of milk proteins in Kangayam cattle	1997
5	Characterization and evaluation of Kanni Adu breed of goats	1997
6	Characteristics and performance of Vembur sheep in the habitat	1998
7	Studies on haemoglobin, transferrin and serum alkaline phosphatase variants in Kanni Adu breed of goats	1998
8	Factors affecting production and reproduction performance of Jersey cattle in the Nilgiris	1998
9	Sister chromatid exchange analysis in chromosomes of goats inhabiting industrial area	2008
10	Karyological studies in Indian donkey (Equus asinus)	2008
11	Molecular Characterization of Goat Breeds of Tamil Nadu Using Microsatellite Markers	2011
12	Molecular Characterization of Pattanam and Nellore Sheep Breeds of South India	2012

Infrastructure available

Separate undergraduate and postgraduate laboratory
Postgraduate laboratory is equipped with Real Time PCR, Thermal Cycler, Gel Documentation System, Refrigerated Centrifuge, Ultra Low Temperature Freezer, Gel Rocker, Tube Agitator, Gel Dryer, SCC Reader, Mini Spin, Laminar Flow Clean Air Work Station and Leica DM2500 Trinocular Photo Microscope to carryout research in the field of Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics.

Thrust areas of research

Evaluation, conservation and propagation of important indigenous breeds of livestock.
Identification of molecular variation in genes associated with production and reproduction traits of native breeds of livestock.
Exploitation of genetics resistance through marker assisted selection for disease management.
Cytogenetic screening of breeding bulls and infertile animals for genetic defects and diagnosis of freemartinism.

Faculty

Dr. N.Murali, Professor and Head
Dr. A.K.Thiruvenkadan, Professor
Dr. R.Saravanan, Assistant Professor
Dr. M.Malarmathi, Assistant Professor
Dr. M.Jeyakumar, Assistant Professor