Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) is a veterinary university founded in 1989 in Madhavaram Milk Colony, Chennai, India. It is composed of the Madras Veterinary College, Vepery, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli; Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu, Thanjavur and the Institute of Food and Dairy Technology, Koduvalli, Chennai-52. Research farms are for leprosy bacteria, for prawn and edible fish culture, and for animal feed safety..
The contamination of soil by heavy metals has turned out to be an increasingly greater global environmental concern attracting much public attention, mainly increasing anxiety over the safety of agricultural products. Heavy metal exposure in agricultural produce has turned out to be an emerging concern in the developing nation of India due to anthropogenic activities like industrialization, farming practices, and poor environmental management. Heavy metals are defined as various metals and metalloids, with biological toxicity, among which lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr) indeed pose serious threats to crop viability and food safety. The bioaccumulation of heavy metals in crops ultimately results in decreased agro-productivity and lower nutritional quality and these metals lead into future health hazards in humans. The heavy metals can bind to soil surfaces and then be absorbed by plant tissues. Cereals, pulses, fruits, and vegetables are the major supply of micronutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and other nutrients essential for human growth. Therefore, the consumption of agro crops grown in wastewater-irrigated land poses a potential threat to humans. Since wastewater irrigation cannot be eliminated in the Indian (semi-)urban areas because of the ever-increasing demand for irrigation water, it is important to assess the impact of heavy metals grown by wastewater irrigation. The current review emphasizes the long-term consumption of agro products cultivated in wastewater-irrigated lands from the Indian sites and the health risks factor with humans, and to create awareness on food safety and security in India. This review provides rigorous data of heavy metal infiltration into the Indian food supply, evaluating the mechanisms of bioaccumulation and public health vulnerability. It addresses a critical research gap by characterizing the specific contaminant profiles of a developing nation’s agro-industrial ecosystem. Ultimately, this work offers a systematic framework for understanding the pathways of heavy metal transmission and the resulting imperatives for risk mitigation in the region.
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), once regarded as environmental pathogen, are now recognized as opportunistic pathogens capable of infecting humans and animals, interfering with the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis and posing significant therapeutic challenges in humans. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of NTM in bovines and to characterize circulating species using genetic and protein mass profiling methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 409 bovine samples, including nasal swabs (154), faecal samples (157), milk (50) and lung tissues (48) collected from farms and slaughterhouses across Tamil Nadu. Samples were processed using standard bacteriological protocols and acid-fast isolates were confirmed by PCR targeting the hsp65 gene, followed by partial gene sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS for species identification. The overall prevalence of NTM was 2.2% (9/409). Identified species included Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium asiaticum, Mycobacterium kyorinense, Mycolicibacterium fortuitum and Mycolicibacterium smegmatis. All species identified in this study, except M. kansasii, are reported for the first time from animals in India, and M. kyorinense is reported for the first time from animals globally. Sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS showed good concordance for species identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution method against selected first and second line antimycobacterial drugs, revealing diverse resistance patterns, with several isolates exhibiting resistance to first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs. This study provides novel data on NTM prevalence and species diversity in bovines, highlighting their zoonotic potential and emphasizing the need for improved surveillance, accurate diagnostics and antimicrobial stewardship in livestock-public health interfaces.
Feline coronavirus (FCoV), the etiological agent of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), represents a major clinical and economic challenge in feline populations worldwide. However, molecular prevalence and genetic diversity data from India remain limited, and the relatedness of circulating strains to vaccine isolates is poorly defined. In this study, 24 suspected feline cases from Chennai were screened by RT-PCR targeting a 698 bp fragment of the spike (S) gene, and FCoV was detected in 10 cats (41.7
Abstract Hydroponic fodder production has gained global attention as a resource-efficient alternative to conventional green fodder, particularly under conditions of land scarcity, water limitation, and climatic variability. Despite increasing adoption, evidence on its nutritional value, water-use efficiency, and animal performance responses remains fragmented. This systematic review synthesizes published evidence on hydroponic fodder production systems, nutritional transformations during sprouting, water management strategies, and their effects on livestock and poultry productivity. A systematic literature search was conducted across major scientific databases including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar for studies published between 1985 and 2024. Keywords included hydroponic fodder, sprouted grains, livestock feeding, nutrient composition, and animal performance. Eligible studies included experimental, observational, and controlled feeding trials evaluating hydroponic fodder production characteristics, nutritional composition, intake, digestibility, productivity, and economics in livestock and poultry. Data were extracted and synthesized qualitatively due to methodological heterogeneity. A total of 92 studies met the inclusion criteria. Hydroponic fodder systems ranged from manual low-cost units to fully automated climate-controlled systems, with water savings of 90–98% compared to conventional fodder cultivation. Germination consistently enhanced crude protein concentration, mineral bioavailability, antioxidant content, and digestibility, although dry matter content declined due to high moisture accumulation. Barley, maize, oat, cowpea, and sun hemp emerged as the most suitable crops based on biomass yield and cost efficiency. Feeding trials demonstrated neutral to positive effects on nutrient digestibility, milk yield, growth performance, oxidative status, and economic returns when hydroponic fodder partially replaced conventional fodder. Excessive inclusion, however, reduced dry matter intake due to rumen fill limitations. Hydroponic fodder represents a viable supplementary green feed for livestock and poultry when integrated strategically into balanced rations. System optimization, crop selection, and controlled inclusion levels are critical to realizing its nutritional and economic benefits. Future research should prioritize standardized protocols, long-term productivity trials, and life-cycle sustainability assessments.
Given livestock’s crucial role in global food security and economic stability, the alarming threat of climate change calls for the implementation of effective mitigation strategies for climate-resilient livestock production. Management and nutritional strategies offer temporary relief, whereas genetic approaches represent a permanent solution. The role of genetic tools in enabling the development of climate-resilient livestock breeds is widely recognized. Genetic tools like microarrays, RNA-seq, omics, and GWAS can improve the understanding of livestock’s climate adaptability at a molecular level. These tools facilitate the identification of biomarkers for thermo-tolerance, bordering on climate-resilient livestock breeding. Among them, studies employing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have increased in recent years. GWAS have the potential to improve the genetic basis of thermo-tolerance in heat-stressed livestock populations. GWAS have been used to identify candidate genes for complex and economically important traits in livestock. These include growth, reproduction, disease resistance, milk, meat, and wool production traits under heat stress conditions. This makes GWAS a useful tool for identifying biomarkers that can be incorporated in breeding programs through marker-assisted selection (MAS). The integration of these potential biomarkers into selection and breeding programs would allow GWAS to substantially refine breeding strategies, thereby advancing the climate-resilient potential and sustainability of the livestock sector. Furthermore, GWAS, when utilized along with emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL) for genomic prediction, can predict genetic aspects of livestock adaptation more efficiently and precisely. Thus, future studies should focus on integrated modeling approaches for improving the climate resilience of livestock without jeopardizing their production potential. Such an effort will contribute to sustainable livestock production as well as ensure food security for the growing human population amid changing climate conditions.
