eChapters

Checks and Balances in Biotechnology Applications
    
Biosafety Issues in Animal Biotechnology Application
    
World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
    
Recombinant DNA Safety Guidelines (1990)
    
Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 (2006)(Draft Amendment)
    
Revised Guidelines for Research in Transgenic Plants and Guidelines for Toxicity and Allergenicity Evaluation of Transgenic Seeds, Plants and Plant Parts (1998)
    
Guidelines for Generating Preclinical and Clinical Data for rDNA Vaccines, Diagnostics and other Biologicals (1999)
    
The Food Safety and Standards Act (2006)
    
Transgenic Animals Bioreactors
    
First Patent in Biotechnology
    
Biotechnology - Ethical Concerns
    
Some Priority Areas in the Field of Biotechnology
    
Suggestions for Future Development of Biotechnology Activities in the Field of Animal Health and Production in India
    
Epilogue

Introduction

Development of feeding strategies that are more efficient and more eco-friendly by reducing waste is one of the key priorities in poultry production today. Thus, there is a focus on reduction of the crude protein content in a diet fortified with adequate amounts of currently available free amino acids (e.g. L-Lys, DL-Met, L-Thr, L-Val and L-Trp) in order to optimize protein utilization efficiency while maintaining production performance and reducing nitrogen excretion in chicken. Baker et al (1978) reported that animals do not need dietary protein to provide amino acids. Since, then numerous studies have been conducted to study amino acid requirement of poultry. They are components of tissue proteins and provision at insufficient levels leads to reduced protein synthesis. Provision of the different essential amino acids is therefore a prerequisite for maintaining optimal rates of protein synthesis. However, optimizing amino acid nutrition requires consideration of the different functions of amino acids, which are recognized to have several significant influences. Amino acids are precursors of important molecules.

Introduction

Minerals are essentially required for growth maintenance, egg and meat production, health, nutrient metabolism, physiological function, reproduction, skeletal growth and development and maintenance of normal immune function. There are 25 essential minerals, seven are major minerals, as they are present in relatively higher amount in the body than the trace minerals and need to be supplemented in higher quantities in the feed. These major minerals are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium, and sulphur. The micro minerals are present in small quantities in the body and their requirements in the diet are below 100 mg/kg. The 18 trace minerals are iron, copper, zinc, manganese, iodine, selenium, cobalt, molybdenum, chromium, tin, vanadium, fluorine, silicon, nickel, arsenic, aluminium, lead and rubidium. Among these, the first nine micro minerals have been identified to play a significant role in birds. Total minerals in diet include feed sources and supplementary sources. 

Vaccines
    
Veterinary v/s Human Vaccines
    
Modern Veterinary Vaccines
    
rDNA Technology to Prepare Vaccines
    
Veterinary Viral Vaccines
    
Live Vaccines
    
Killed Vaccines
    
Genetically Engineered Viral Vaccines
    
Veterinary Bacterial Diseases Vaccines
    
Veterinary Parasitic Vaccines
    
Vaccines against cancer
    
Swine Flu
    
Foot and Mouth Disease
    
Adenovirus Vector Vaccine
    
Johne’s Disease
    
Diseases of Poultry
    
Newcastle Disease in Poultry
    
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
    
Rabies
    
Disease Diagnostics
    
The Nucleic Acid-hybridization Technique
    
Diagnostics Based on pcr
    
Diagnosis by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms and Related DNA-based Approaches
    
Diagnosis by DNA Probes and DNA Microarray Technology
    
Antigen-Capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Proteomics
    
Disease Diagnosis Kits Developed
    
Brucelosis
    
Rabies
    
Canine Distemper and Canine Parvo Virus
    
Canine Hepatitis Virus
    
Foot and Mouth Disease
    
New Castle Disease
    
Egg Drop Syndrome Virus-76 (EDS-76)
    
Proteomics for Disease Diagnostics
    
Nanotechnologies in Diagnosis and Vaccine Development
    
Monoclonal Antibodies
    
Immunotherapy
    
Problems
    
Animal Genomics for Disease Resistance
    
Gene Knockout Technology
    
Gene Pharming
    
Gene Therapy
    
Types of Gene Therapy
    
Germ Line Gene Therapy
    
Somatic Gene Therapy

r DNA Biotechnology
    
Concept of r DNA
    
DNA Preparation from Tissue
    
Reagents
    
Preparation
    
DNA Buffer (Tris-EDTA)
    
RNase A (20 mg/ml)
    
Toe DNA Preparation for Southern Blots
    
Southern Blot
    
PCR
    
Polymerase Chain Reaction
    
The Cycling Reactions
    
Denaturation at 94°C
    
Annealing at 54°C
    
Extension at 72°C
    
DNA Sequencing
    
The Sequencing Reaction
    
Denaturation at 94°C
    
Annealing at 50°C
    
Extension at 60°C
    
Separation of the Molecules
    
Detection on An Automated Sequencer
    
Assembling of The Sequenced Parts of a Gene
    
Freezing of Buffalo Semen (Jindal, 1995)
    
Tissue Culture
    
Preparation of Media
    
Laboratory Procedure for IVF (Kharche et al., 2008)
    
Source of Oocytes
    
Preparation of Estrous Goat Serum
    
Collection of Oocytes
    
Laparoscopic Ovum Pick-up
    
Oocyte Retrieval from Ovaries Collected form Slaughter 
    
House
    
Slicing Technique
    
Follicle Puncture Technique
    
Follicle Aspiration Technique
    
Follicle Isolation Technique
    
Evaluation of Oocytes
    
In vitro Maturation of Oocytes
    
Preparation of Cells for Co-culture
    
Assessment of Nuclear Maturation After in vitro Maturation of Oocytes
    
Analysis of Nuclear Status is Ascribed to One of the Following
    
Sperm Preparation for in vitro Fertilization of Oocytes
    
In vitro Fertilization of Oocytes
    
Assessment of in vitro Fertilization of Oocytes
    
Assessment of Cleavage
    
In vitro embryo culture

Punjab, known as the “breadbasket of India,” relies heavily on livestock, particularly cattle and buffalo, for its agricultural prosperity. These animals play a crucial role in the region’s dairy industry, contributing significantly to milk production and rural livelihoods. However, like all livestock, cattle and buffalo in Punjab are susceptible to a range of diseases that can impact their health, productivity, and overall well-being. Timely and accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment and prevention. This article explores some of the most common diseases affecting cattle and buffalo in Punjab, along with the diagnostic procedures used to detect and manage these health issues, ensuring the sustainability and growth of the dairy sector.

Hydatidosis

Hydatidosis is a zoonotic disease caused by metacestode stages of parasite Echinococcus granulosus and is recognized as a major public health problem worldwide. This tapeworm is found in small intestine of the canid (definitive host) where it produce proglottids containing eggs. Upon shedding through faeces the later are ingested by the cattle, buffaloes and other intermediate hosts including man. These hatch in their intestine and the oncosphere invade circulatory system and lodge in various organs (liver, lung, brain etc.) where they develop into large thick walled unilocular cavity called hydatid cyst, which expands and can reach very large size and buds hundreds and thousands of protoscoleces endogenously. In a survey on hydatid cysts, a prevalence rate of around 5% has been recorded in more than 4000 meat samples of different animals in Punjab.

Introduction

Canine epilepsy, a prevalent neurological disorder, significantly impacts the quality of life for both dogs and their owners. Traditional anticonvulsant therapies often yield inconsistent outcomes, necessitating the exploration of alternative treatments such as homeopathy [1][2]. Homeopathy’s individualized approach aligns with the principles of unicism, focusing on holistic care tailored to each patient’s unique symptom profile [3]. However, the subjective nature of remedy selection and response assessment poses challenges for practitioners.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) offers a promising avenue to address these challenges [4]. Predictive models can analyze complex datasets to uncover patterns that guide remedy selection and treatment strategies. This study evaluates the comparative performance of Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and XGBoost in predicting treatment outcomes for canine epilepsy managed with homeopathic remedies.

Soon after completing masters in Veterinary Pathology, Dr Chauhan joined as Teaching Associate in the department of Microbiology and Public Health in Pantnagar and taught BVSc &AH students systemic Bacteriology, meat hygiene and milk hygiene. However, this period was very short of only few months as he joined as Assistant Professor/ Assistant Disease Investigation Officer in HAU Hisar (1983-1996) and was entrusted disease investigation besides teaching of UG and PG students. He taught hygiene to BHSc students, and Epidemiology, Zoonosis, Livestock and Poultry Disease Investigation courses to masters and doctoral students. He also guided several masters and doctoral thesis research on pesticide toxicity, reoviral infection, and protozoan parasite infections. He has written a book on “Text book of Veterinary Clinical and Laboratory Diagnosis which was released by Hon’ble Central Education Minister Km Shailja ji. Students were fond of Dr Chauhan because of his teaching skills, easy to learn process and friendly behaviour; among them are Dr Naresh Jindal, Dr NK Mahajan, Dr SK Khurana, Dr Rajsh Khurana, Dr RK Vaid, Dr Devendra Bist etc.
In Feb1996 he joined at Pantnagar as Associate Professor and was given responsibility of Veterinary Pathology teaching to BVSc&AH, MVSc and PhD students. The teaching skills of Dr Chauhan were appreciable and were very useful to the students. He prepared power point presentation of each and every topic with photographs, line drawings, video and graphs/ bar diagrams etc to make it more understandable to the students. Particularly Dr Chauhan’s teaching include the Indian perspectives including animal diseases which showed the right things present in the field. Many disease conditions are different in India in comparison to other countries; some important diseases present in India are mentioned in the books of foreign writers and similarly many diseases occurs in other countries are not having any presence in India. So it is very important to impart education to students in right perspective which they will face in the field. Dr Chauhan always discusses the epidemiology part of the disease whether the disease in present in India or not; if present then what is the magnitude of disease. Such information is not available in literature, it comes by virtue of experience.

Dr. Chauhan, a renowned figure in the field of veterinary science, has left an indelible mark on the discipline through his groundbreaking research, innovative teaching, and unwavering dedication to the advancement of animal health and welfare. Over the years, his exceptional contributions have earned him a multitude of prestigious awards, medals, and honors, making him a luminary in his field.
His illustrious career began to gain recognition with the Best Young Scientist Award in 1992by Indian Association of Veterinary Pathologists, an acknowledgment of his potential and early contributions to veterinary science in general and Veterinary Pathology in particular. This award marked the start of a journey filled with accolades that would underscore his relentless pursuit of excellence. Four years later, in 1996, he was honored with the IAAVR Award, further solidifying his position as a promising researcher and academic.
By 1999, Dr. Chauhan’s expertise and dedication had earned him the National Fellow Professor chair of ICAR, a prestigious recognition that highlighted his growing influence in veterinary research. Around the same time, he was conferred the title of Fellow NAVS (2000) and Fellow SIIP (2001), reflecting his significant contributions to national and international veterinary organizations. These fellowships were a testament to his role in advancing scientific understanding and his collaborative efforts within the veterinary community.
Dr. Chauhan’s profound impact on the field was also recognized with several specialized awards, including the K.S. Nair Memorial Award in 1999, the Vigyan Bharti Award in 2000, and the Dr. C.M. Singh Trust Award in 2002. These honors celebrated his ability to merge academic rigor with practical applications, benefiting both the academic community and the agricultural
sector. Similarly, the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Award (2002) and the Shri Ramlal Agrawal National Award (2000) underscored his contributions to veterinary science in India.

Animal’s response  to external stimuli is a behavior. Domestic animal behaviour and performance are correlated. Man’s intervention has led to huge modifications and modulations in animal behaviour patterns over ages but certain characters and normal behaviours of animals are needed to be expressed, otherwise may lead to abnormalities or performance loss. Animal freedoms also ensure certain basic freedoms to domesticated animals including freedom to express normal behaviour. With the developing concern over animal welfare among consumers, growers and animal activists, the need to ensure animal freedoms is call of the hour. Measuring animal welfare is a complex process which requires multidisciplinary approaches. There are four approaches to determine animal welfare viz, productivity, animal health and disease, physiology and behavior which are used individually or in combination.

Egg Formation Phenomenon

The chicken egg consists of a very small Reproductive cell or Germinal disc [orBlastoderm;which iscapable of developingintoanEmbryo, iffertilized by a Sperm]. This tiny cell is surrounded by :

• Yolk
= OVARYis responsible for its synthesis.

• Albumen, Shell membranes, Shell and Cuticle
= These are produced in the OVIDUCT.

[A] OVARY

Although there are two ovaries and two oviducts in the hen, but only the left ovary and left oviduct are functional [because, the right ones are atrophied during embryo development]. Before egg production, the ovary is a group of small follicles of different sizes containing ova.

Formation of Yolk

• The yolk is just a source of food material for the small Reproductive cell (Blastoderm).

• Major amounts of yolk material is produced in the liver and transported to ovarythrough blood.

• Two days afterthe formationof First yolk. Second yolkbegins to develop.

• It takes about ten days for a yolk to mature.

Objectives of book keeping

How much have we earned this year?

How much during the past year?

Is our business improving?

Also, how much cash do we have?

How much our customers owe us?

The acidifiers could be used to favourably manipulate the intestinal microbial populations and improve the immune response, hence perform an activity similar to antibiotics in feed. Acidifiers also improve the digestibility of nutrients and increases the absorption of minerals. The incorporation of organic acids also leads to thinning of the intestinal lining which facilitates better absorption of nutrients and its efficient utilization. However, their effect will not be similar among all types of organic acids as their mechanism of activity is based on its pKa value. At present, coated salts of acidifiers are available commercially for use in feed of poultry.

Acute tympany, commonly referred to as bloat, is a serious digestive disorder in ruminants characterized by the rapid accumulation of gas in the rumen,, leading to ruminal distension. If untreated, this condition can cause severe discomfort, respiratory distress, and even death due to circulatory failure or suffocation. Tympany is categorized into two types: frothy bloat and free-gas bloat, each requiring distinct management approaches. Nutritional management is central to preventing and treating acute tympany. This chaper provides an indepth discussion on the causes, pathophysiology, clinical signs, and nutritional
strategies to manage and prevent acute tympany in ruminants.
Types of tympany
1. Frothy bloat: Occurs when gas produced during fermentation becomes trapped in a stable foam, preventing its release through eructation (belching). It is associated with diets high in lush legumes (e.g., alfalfa, clover) or finely ground grains.
2. Free-gas bloat: It results from physical or functional obstruction of the esophagus or impaired eructation mechanisms. Common causes include esophageal obstruction, hypocalcemia, or damage to rumen motility.

Introduction

The egg production in India is 75 billion and the broiler production is 4.2 million tonnes per annum. The growth rate of layer market is 6-7 percent per annum and broiler market is 8-10 percent per annum. The Indian poultry sector is valued at INR 1 lakh cr or USD 15.38 bn. Approx. 80 percent of egg production is contributed by commercial poultry farms, remaining comes from household/ backyard poultry. Backyard poultry plays a key role in supplementary income generation and family nutrition to the poorest of the poor. It is estimated that there are around 30 million farmers engaged in backyard poultry as per 19^th Livestock Census. Backyard poultry are being practiced for its inherent strengths. Free range birds reared by the farmers have the advantage of small body size, coloured plumage, broodiness to hatch chicks, adaptation to harsh climatic condition, lower diseases and production with least investment. The birds are scavenging in the backyard, supplemented by kitchen waste and are kept in low height houses for shelter using locally available materials. It helps to improve the nutritional status of rural poor and also improve the subsidiary income of the poor people. Such stocks make minimal use of land, labour and capital and integrate well into the backyard. Backyard poultry production system is self-sustaining because of minimal needs and can be afforded by poor people of the rural areas. The high yielding white feathered chicken varieties being reared in the intensive poultry farming are not suitable for backyard / free range backyard poultry farming due to the adverse climatic and high pathogen load prevailing in such rearing practices. Backyard poultry farming is an in-separable part of the poor tribal people and it will continue to be due to its advantages. Although backyard poultry production is not an occupation per se, it often supplements household income, primarily for poor families. Strengthening backyard poultry production may help overcome poverty and malnutrition in impoverished communities. However, the effect of climate change on these birds needs to be studied for its sustenance.

Advances in technology are revolutionizing the detection of metabolic diseases in animals, making diagnostics more precise, rapid, and non-invasive. From wearable sensors and metabolomics to AI and nanotechnology, these tools are enhancing animal health and productivity. As these technologies become more accessible, they promise to transform veterinary medicine and animal husbandry, ensuring early detection, effective management, and improved outcomes for animals.
Sensor-based technologies have emerged as a game-changer in the detection and management of metabolic diseases in dairy animals. These tools provide continuous monitoring, early detection, and real-time insights, enabling better health management and increased productivity. This chapter explores the most promising sensor-based technologies used for diagnosing metabolic diseases in dairy animals, their applications, and the future of sensor-driven animal health management.
Metabolic diseases like ketosis, milk fever (hypocalcemia), acidosis, and displaced abomasum significantly impact dairy productivity and animal welfare. Early detection is critical for reducing treatment costs, improvingrecovery rates, and minimizing production losses. Traditional diagnostic methods are accurate and often invasive, time-consuming, and not feasible for large-scale monitoring. Therefore, sensor-based technologies offer a solution by enabling continuous and non-invasive monitoring of physiological and biochemical parameters.

Renal failure is one of the most commonly presented conditions in veterinary clinics world over. Although the potential for recovery is favorable, most animals die due to multisystemic effects induced by azotemia. Hence, extracorporeal removal of endogenous and exogenous toxins is very essential for expanding the window of recovery. Hemodialysis has been used in treatment of veterinary patients for the last 50 years and is still one of the most expensive and technically demanding treatment modalities in veterinary medicine. It is an advanced extracorporeal renal replacement therapy which has recently transitioned from a clinical curiosity to a more advanced standard for management of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in companion animals particularly dogs and cats.

In addition to eliminating selective toxins that cause AKI, regardless of renal function, hemodialysis is also effective in the removal of pharmacokinetically active soluble uremic substances in CKD to enhance life expectancy and quality of life (Singh, 2021). Other common indications of hemodialysis in veterinary medicine include fluid overload, dysregulated body fluid composition, drug overdose or intoxications (Foster, 2020; Singh et al?, 2024). Medical management alone is often insufficient to control the clinical signs and metabolic abnormalities associated with uremia when AKI is severe or when there is involvement of acute on chronic kidney disease. Consequently, animals are at risk of death within a short therapeutic window, despite the potential reversibility of AKI and the improvement of life expectancy in CKD.

Food packaging protects products from physical, chemical, biological and environmental influences while helping to maintain safety, freshness and quality. Advanced packaging systems perform functions beyond simple containment by regulating gases, moisture, temperature and microbial activity. The chapter examines modified-atmosphere, controlled-atmosphere and vacuum packaging, together with active and intelligent systems. Time-temperature indicators, freshness indicators and biosensors enable real-time monitoring of product condition. Edible and biodegradable materials provide more sustainable alternatives to conventional packaging, while nanotechnology can improve mechanical, barrier and antimicrobial performance. Shelf-life modelling and hurdle technology are also considered as tools for designing integrated packaging systems suited to specific foods and storage conditions.

Field-ready pregnancy diagnostic tests are an important tool for improving reproductive performance in livestock. They help optimize breeding programs, resource allocation, and decision-making processes, leading to better economic outcomes and sustainable livestock production systems. Pregnancy diagnosis is an important tool for improving reproductive performance in livestock for several reasons:

1) Timely management: early and accurate pregnancy diagnosis allows farmers and livestock producers to make timely decisions about the management of pregnant and non-pregnant animals. This includes adjusting feeding regimes, providing appropriate veterinary care, and establishing breeding plans.

2) Optimized breeding programs: In livestock, controlling the timing of pregnancies is critical to maintaining a well-organized breeding program. With accurate pregnancy testing, farmers can identify non-pregnant animals and breed them back earlier, optimizing resource utilization and shortening the generation interval.

3) Resource allocation: early identification of non-pregnant animals helps avoid unnecessary allocation of resources such as feed and health care to animals that will not produce offspring in the current cycle. This efficient allocation of resources is essential to maintaining a cost effective production system.

4) Lower costs: unproductive animals consume resources without contributing to farm productivity. By quickly identifying non-pregnant animals, farmers can avoid the cost of keeping these animals during their non-productive period.

5) Genetic improvement: for livestock programs focused on genetic improvement, accurate pregnancy diagnosis is critical. It enables the selection and promotion of animals with desirable traits for breeding purposes, thus accelerating genetic progress.