National Dairy Research Institute
Recent publications
Ignoring quality standards in dairy and food industry can lead to financial and health problems in the face of today's strict legislation and growing customer awareness. The nutrient dense nature, perishability and wide popularity of dairy-based foods make them prone to adulteration and compromise in quality. High-performing systems at every stage of the production chain in dairy industry have become more prevalent in the food sector as a lookout for solutions. Dielectric spectroscopy is a high-performing sensor-based technology which is gaining popularity because of their ability to monitor, analyse and diagnose fault of various agricultural, food and dairy products. This paper attempts to fully explore basic principle of dielectric spectroscopy, the various factors influencing the dielectric parameters of milk and dairy products, and the findings of studies in which dielectric spectroscopy was used for quality assessment and monitoring of dairy processing. A summary of current research in this area is presented along with some comments on recent developments to provide a collection of recent data in order to make experimental data available as a valuable reference for more studies and applications.
The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of phytoadditive mixtures containing equal proportions of Curcuma longa & Allium sativum (PAM-1) and Curcuma longa & Ocimum sanctum (PAM-2) on live weight, blood parameters, hormonal profile and reproductive performance in Black Bengal goats. A total of 21 post weaned female kids of 3–4 months age and similar body weights maintained at Goat Research Unit of Eastern Regional Station (ERS), National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Kalyani, India during the year 2021–2022 were randomly distributed in three groups namely, Control, PAM-1 and PAM-2 for 10 months. Blood parameters i.e. glucose, urea, total protein, albumin, globulin, ALT, AST, ALP, total lipids, cholesterol, and Triglycerides, WBC, RBC, Hb and PCV %; NEFA levels and hormones i.e. prolactin, cortisol, T3 and T4 were estimated in all three experimental groups. Higher (P < 0.001) live weights were investigated in supplemented goats. Blood parameters including glucose, urea, total protein, albumin, globulin, ALT, AST, ALP, WBC, RBC, Hb and PCV% were similar (P > 0.05) in all groups. Lower (P < 0.001) blood lipids were found in supplemented groups. Higher Prolactin, T3 and T4 levels and lower Cortisol levels were reported in PAM-1 and PAM-2 groups (P < 0.001) than control group. Age at first estrus, first conception, first kidding and post kidding first estrus days were lower (P < 0.001) in supplemented groups. Therefore, it was concluded that supplementation of PAM-1 and PAM-2 improved reproductive performance, hormonal profile and lipid profile through improved live weights in Black Bengal goats.
The current study performed drying of tomato slices in a drying atmosphere with hydrogen gas (RADMIX; a gaseous mixture of 4% hydrogen, 5% carbon dioxide and 91% nitrogen), and compared with 100% air, 100% nitrogen drying environments. All the drying experiments were carried out at 60°C. Control samples and pretreated samples with 1% Potassium metabisulfite (KMS) treated samples were dried to a final moisture content of around 13.29% to 13.70% (wet basis), respectively. The drying behavior and quality characteristics including color change (ΔE), lycopene retention, total phenolics and rehydration ratio of the dried products were studied. The better retention of color and quality was observed in the sulfite pretreated and RADMIX dried sample. The color change (ΔE) was found to be 10.1, lycopene retention by 94.28% (3.3 mg/100 g), and the maximum rehydration ratio of 4.67 were observed in samples subjected to reduced atmospheric drying. Additionally, the color change was lesser for samples pretreated with KMS than the control samples. It was found that the use of hydrogen gas at 4% concentration (RADMIX) in the drying environment significantly impacted quality parameters of tomato slices. The sulfite pretreatment was advantageous technique in terms of moisture diffusivity, antioxidant compounds retention and rehydration ratio of tomato slices.
Buffaloes play a crucial role in Asian agriculture, enhancing food security and rural development. Their distinct metabolic needs drive tissue-specific mitochondrial adaptations, regulated by both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. This study explores how nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism vary across tissues—an area with significant implications for buffalo health, productivity, and human health. We hypothesize that tissue-specific variations in metabolic pathways are reflected in the expression of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes, which are tailored to the metabolic needs of each tissue. We utilized high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data to assess the expression of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism across various tissues in healthy female buffaloes aged 3–5 years, including the kidney, heart, brain, and ovary. Differential expression analysis was performed using DESeq2, with significance set at p < 0.05 for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. A total of 164 genes exhibited tissue-specific regulation, with the heart and brain, which have higher energy demands, expressing more genes than the kidney and ovary. Notably, the comparison between the kidney and ovary showed the highest number of differentially expressed genes. Interestingly, the kidney up-regulates gluconeogenesis-related genes (e.g., PCK2, PCCA, LDHD), promoting glucose production, while these genes are down-regulated in the ovary. In contrast, the brain up-regulates pyruvate metabolism genes (e.g., PCCA, PDHA1, LDHD), underscoring its reliance on glucose as a primary energy source, while these genes are down-regulated in the ovary. The higher abundance of EHHADH in the brain compared to the ovary further emphasizes the critical role of fatty acid metabolism in brain function, aligned with the brain’s high energy demands. Additionally, down-regulation of the StAR gene in both the kidney versus ovary and brain versus ovary comparisons suggests tissue-specific differences in steroid hormone regulation. These findings highlight tissue-specific variations in nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, reflecting adaptations to each tissue’s unique metabolic needs. This study lays a foundation for advancing mitochondrial metabolism research in livestock, with significant implications for human health. Insights could inform dietary or therapeutic strategies for metabolic disorders, such as cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome, while also enhancing livestock productivity.
The increasing prevalence of dairy protein allergies, lactose intolerance, and environmental concerns associated with dairy production have spurred interest in plant-based alternatives. Among these, pulse proteins are gaining recognition as promising ingredients due to their lower production costs, rich nutritional content, functional versatility, and health benefits. This review explores the nutritional, antinutritional, and functional properties of pulse proteins and their application in the development of dairy alternatives. It also examines how different processing techniques impact the characteristics of pulse proteins and assesses the environmental benefits of pulse production. The literature highlights that pulses are an excellent source of protein, particularly lysine, and are also rich in carbohydrates, fiber, and starch, though variations exist depending on the type of pulse. Additionally, pulses are a valuable source of prebiotics, which support gut health. Their functional properties, such as emulsification, solubility, gelation, and water holding capacity, vary significantly depending on the pulse type, composition, processing techniques, and factors like pH. In terms of product applications, researchers have explored developing yogurt, cheese, kefir, and ice cream alternatives using pulses. However, challenges remain in achieving desirable texture properties and sensory characteristics. Various traditional and novel processing techniques have been investigated to ensure microbial safety, mitigate antinutritional factors, and enhance the digestibility of pulse components. Pulse-based dairy alternatives present a sustainable and nutritious option, particularly for individuals with lactose intolerance. Despite their potential, challenges persist in optimizing protein content, refining processing parameters, and addressing scalability for commercial production. Overcoming these obstacles is crucial to advancing the development and market adoption of pulse protein–based dairy alternatives. Future studies should focus on generating robust literature to optimize pulse protein content, refine processing parameters, and develop effective strategies for scaling up production to enable successful commercialization.
Dry matter intake (DMI) determination is essential for effective management of meat goats, especially in optimizing feed utilization and production efficiency. Unfortunately, farmers often face challenges in accurately predicting DMI which leads to wastage of feed and an increase in the cost of production. This investigation aimed to predict DMI in Black Bengal goats by using body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), average daily gain (ADG), and metabolic body weight (MBW) by applying an artificial neural network (ANN) model. A total of 144 observations were collected from 18 goats over a 4-month period for each input (BW, ADG, MBW and BCS) and output (DMI) variable. These input variables were taken fortnightly and correlated with DMI. The presence of a significant positive correlation between DMI with BW (r = 0.968, p < 0.01), BCS (r = 0.687, p < 0.01), ADG (r = 0.608, p < 0.01), and MBW (r = 0.971, p < 0.01) indicated potential for ANN model development. ANN model with 10 hidden layer neurons trained using GDX and LOGSIG transfer function emergeds as the high-performing model for predicting DMI in Black Bengal goats, achieving the highest R² (0.9693) and the lowest MSE (0.0013) among the configurations considered. Comparison between the three models revealed that the DMI was estimated more accurately by the ANN model than by linear and second-order non-linear models. ANN may therefore be used to predict DMI with high accuracy and reliability in place of other regression methods.
Poor male fertility significantly affects dairy production, primarily due to low conception rates (CR) in bulls, even when cows are inseminated with morphologically normal sperm. Seminal plasma is a key factor in evaluating the fertilizing ability of bull semen. The extracellular vesicles (EVs) in seminal plasma contain fertility-associated proteins like SPAM1, ADAM7, and SP10, which influence sperm function and fertilizing potential. This study aimed to assess EV-associated fertility proteins in bulls with varying fertility levels and to investigate the effects of seminal plasma EVs (SPEVs) from high-fertility (HF) bulls on the spermatozoa of low-fertility (LF) Sahiwal bulls. Seminal plasma was isolated from the fresh semen of Sahiwal bulls, with four bulls classified as high fertility and three as low fertility. Fertility-associated proteins such as SP10, ADAM7, and SPAM 1 were highly expressed in SPEVs of high-fertility (HF) bulls. PKH26 dye-labeled SPEVs demonstrated significant uptake by spermatozoa at pH 6.8 with ≥ 4 h of co-incubation. Exposure of HF SPEVs to low-fertility (LF) spermatozoa reduced acrosome response, capacitation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Our findings suggest that protein repertoires in SPEVs influence sperm activities such as motility, acrosome response, and ROS production. Supplementing LF spermatozoa with HF SPEVs could enhance their functional characteristics, highlighting these proteins as potential resources to modulate cattle bull sperm fertilizing ability.
Yoghurt, a widely consumed fermented dairy product, requires precise control of incubation and cooling conditions to ensure optimal fermentation and product quality. Small and medium‐scale yoghurt manufactures often face challenges in maintaining consistent temperature and pH during fermentation, leading to inconsistencies in texture, flavor, and acidity. This study addresses the problem by developing a pH‐controlled automatic thermal modulation unit. The system was designed with a goal to integrate incubation and cooling in a single system. Process simulation was used to ascertain uniform air velocity and temperature distribution. The expert pH controller monitors the fermentation conditions during yoghurt production by maintaining incubation temperatures at 40°C and once set pH is attained, the system automatically switches from incubation mode to cooling mode. The system rapidly cooled yoghurt to 4°C within 90 min halting further lactic acid production. Experimental results demonstrated uniform temperature distribution across the chamber, allowing uniform fermentation and preventing temperature‐related inconsistencies in the final product. Various textural, chemical and sensorial parameters showed significant enhancement in yoghurt produced in the automated system compared to traditionally produced yoghurt. The developed system offers several advantages by seamlessly integrating automation with both incubation and cooling processes, like reducing the overall process time, minimizing handling and operational complexities, which helps to prevent defects such as uneven texture and excessive acidity. Additionally, the system's adaptable design allows it to be customized for other fermented dairy products, providing a versatile, automated and efficient solution for small to medium‐scale dairy producers.
This chapter explores the crucial topic of crop diversification using legumes for the purpose of achieving sustainable production with environmental gain. Faced with the environmental drawbacks of monoculture, the integration of legumes proves revolutionary. Crop diversification, strategically achieved through practices like intercropping and rotation, not only optimizes yields but also mitigates risks associated with pests and market fluctuations. Legumes provide a beneficial influence on cropping systems by suppressing diseases, facilitating alternative pest management, and enhancing nitrogen retention; thanks to their nitrogen-fixing capabilities. The integration of legumes in the cropping system improves resilience and decreases the overall environmental impact of farming. This sustainable approach offers a viable alternative to address the increasing global food needs.
Adoption of intensive agricultural practices is essential to ensure food availability and security, addressing the demands of a teeming global population amid limited land resources. Unfortunately, these practices have numerous ecological and environmental consequences. Diversified cropping is an important strategy to limit the existing agricultural challenges and promote sustainable agriculture, maintaining environmental quality and agroecosystem services. The plants and microorganisms interact with each other in the natural ecosystem, which succeeds as rhizosphere and phyllosphere in belowground and aboveground interaction, respectively. Understanding the aboveground and belowground and their interactions in diversified cropping systems is the most important criterion. About 25% soil microbial community is found below ground, which represents the biggest component of the earth’s biodiversity and plays a vital role in nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and soil structure formation. The soil contains roots of the plant, the region which is the rhizosphere, consisting of number of diverse organisms like rhizobacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Similarly, aboveground interactions in diversified cropping systems such as allelopathy and its role, companion planting strategy, pest and disease management through diversity, pollinators, and their importance, thus, ultimately improving crop yields and soil quality. Hence, the integration of below- and aboveground interaction scenarios of the diversified cropping system to improve soil health, increase food production, and increase farmers’ profitability. Therefore, globally, harnessing the below- and aboveground interactions in the above system could be an effective approach to achieving a more sustainable food production system.
Initial periods of life, beginning before birth and lasting until weaning are characterised by the greatest neural plasticity. Early postnatal stress causes lasting changes in a variety of behaviours as well as stress reactivity. Cow-calf contact for an extended period is believed to improve the social skills of calves and has also been linked to improved productivity of mothers. This research was carried out to investigate the impact of weaning stress on the growth, behaviour and performance of Sahiwal cows and their calves. For this, 32 healthy cows and their calves were selected from the Sahiwal herd of the Livestock Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute. They were grouped equally into two groups of 16 cow-calf pairs, which became the treatment groups (i.e., ‘Fenceline’ contact and ‘Separated’ groups). Calves in the fenceline contact group were allowed to suckle during the morning and evening milking and were housed together with fenceline separation. In the separated group, calves were separated from their mothers immediately after birth and fed colostrum and milk with a bottle throughout the experiment. Each calf was monitored for its growth and behavioural responses while cows were monitored for their production performance and behaviour. The results showed that growth and behaviour responses were better for fenceline calves compared to separated calves and also production performance and behaviour of Sahiwal cows provided with fenceline contact were better when compared to separated cows. From this study, it was concluded that fenceline cow-calf contact improved growth, behavioural response of calves; and production performance and behaviour of cows compared to separated cows and calves.
The livestock sector is a vital component of India's agricultural economy, providing essential support to rural communities and ensuring food security. Efficient reproductive performance is critical to sustaining livestock productivity, yet age-related declines in both male and female fertility pose significant challenges. The current review highlights that male reproductive efficiency is closely tied to semen quality, which deteriorates with age due to oxidative stress, leading to reduced fertilizing capacity and embryonic developmental potential. Similarly, female reproductive longevity is predominantly influenced by ovarian health, which declines with age due to diminished oocyte quality and quantity. This decline is exacerbated by oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to reproductive senescence and reduced offspring viability. Understanding the mechanisms of reproductive aging and developing strategies to mitigate its effects are crucial for enhancing livestock productivity and sustaining the agrarian economy.
Yogurt is one of the most popular fermented milk products consumed worldwide. Fortification of yogurt with different food components, including fruit pulp, is a common practice to make it more palatable and healthier. In India, mango fruit is easily available. It is rich in nutrients and bioactive components. However, in-depth studies on mango fruit yogurt are scarce. Therefore, in this study, we prepared synbiotic mango fruit yogurt using response surface methodology (RSM) with three different independent factors (sugar 4%–6%; prebiotic inulin 1%–3%, and mango pulp 5%–15%) to determine the response antioxidant activity. The optimal conditions were as follows: sugar 6%, mango fruit pulp 6.562%, and prebiotic inulin 1%. There were no significant differences between the results of the experimental and predicted values of antioxidant activity by this model. The optimized product was analyzed for physicochemical, biofunctional, and technofunctional properties, including total polyphenol content, total flavonoid content, proteolytic activity, antioxidant activity, and ACE-inhibitory activity. The bioactive peptides derived from synbiotic mango fruit yogurt were also extracted (3 kDa, 5 kDa and 10 kDa) and determined for their biofunctional attributes. The antioxidant activity was recorded as 1,047.95 ± 2.20 mmol/L, 1,208.07 ± 2.92 mmol/L, and 1,293.09 ± 1.10 mmol/L Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, while ACE-inhibitory activity was 45.68% ± 1.23%, 64.20% ± 1.24% and 82.72% ± 1.24% inhibition in 3 kDa, 5 kDa, and 10 kDa, respectively. The 10 kDa bioactive peptide exhibited superior results than the 3 kDa and 5 kDa peptides. The synbiotic mango fruit yogurt and its bioactive peptides showed significant biofunctional activities.
Background Ruminant milk is a very complex table food and naturally encrypted with different components possessing various health-promoting characteristics. Aim In the present study, we focused on breed-wise compositional difference in milk including various components and release of fatty acids and peptides during digestion. Methods First, milk samples were analysed using lactoscan LW milk analyser, MALDI-TOF and gas chromatography. In addition, in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion of milk was performed to determine the fatty acid and peptide concentration. Results Percentage fat was significantly less in Karan Fries (KF) and Holstein Friesian (HF) milk compared to Sahiwal (SW), Tharparkar (TP), Gir (GIR) and Karan Swiss (KS). The mean conductivity displayed the healthy status in SW, TP, GIR, KF and HF milk. The protein was significantly higher in KF milk compared to SW, TP, GIR and HF milk. KS milk possessed the highest number of peptides followed by HF, SW, TP, GIR and KF milk. The fatty acid compositional difference was primarily observed in saturated fatty acids including the C4:0, C21:0 and also w6 linoleic acid. On the basis of peptide number of MALDI-TOF, milk from SW and KS was selected for digestion in in vitro to check the availability of fatty acids and peptides in the intestine. There was more release of fatty acids in SW milk and more peptide from KS milk in intestinal conditions. Therefore, the difference in composition exists based on protein and fat components in indigenous and crossbred cows’ milk. Conclusions The breed-wise difference in composition of milk is important to study as it not only reflected the nutritional value and various biological activities, but also emphasis on specific proteomic and lipidomic of milk that eventually can be used as criteria for selection of milk.
As pregnancy can adversely affect the immune response of vaccination against foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) due to physiological immunosuppressive milieu, we tested the effect of FMDV vaccination during midgestation on the antibody response. Pregnant and non-pregnant cows of crossbred and indigenous breed (n = 28/ group) were vaccinated with inactivated FMD vaccine covering O, A, and Asia1 serotypes and the sera were harvested at weekly interval till day 42 post-vaccination. Virus neutralization test (VNT) was done and the analysis of log10 VN50 antibody titer by mixed model ANOVA indicated that pregnancy did not significantly affect the log10 VN50 titer for FMDV serotype O and Asia1. Though pregnancy significantly decreased the titer for FMDV serotype A, the effect size was small. The experiment was repeated in purebred HF cows (n = 10/group) and the results were reproducible. It was concluded that mid-pregnancy would not hamper the herd immunity to FMD vaccination in the cow.
Stem cells are unique, undifferentiated cells that have the ability to both replicate themselves and develop into specialized cell types. This dual capability makes them valuable in the development of regenerative medicine. Current development in stem cell research has widened their application in cell therapy, drug discovery, reproductive cloning in animals, and cell models for various diseases. Although there are substantial studies revealing the treatment of human degenerative diseases using stem cells, this is yet to be explored in livestock animals. Many diseases in livestock species such as mastitis, laminitis, neuromuscular disorders, autoimmune diseases, and some debilitating diseases are not covered completely by the existing drugs and treatment can be improved by using different types of stem cells like embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. This review mainly focuses on the use of stem cells for disease treatment in livestock animals. In addition to the diseases mentioned, the potential of stem cells can be helpful in wound healing, skin disease therapy, and treatment of some genetic disorders. This article explores the potential of stem cells from various sources in the therapy of livestock diseases and also their role in the conservation of endangered species as well as disease model preparation. Moreover, the future perspectives and challenges associated with the application of stem cells in livestock are discussed. Overall, the transformative impact of stem cell research on the livestock sector is comprehensively studied which will help researchers to design future research work on stem cells related to livestock diseases.
Sperm motility is the prime functional attribute for semen quality and fertility of the bull. However, the bull’s age directly affects the semen quality, and the bull’s fertility and productive life decline with age. Even though research on age has been conducted in the past, it is still unclear how old a bull should be maintained at artificial insemination centers. The minimum standard protocol (MSP) states that a bull has an 8-years productive lifespan, yet it has been shown that some bulls older than 8 years have produced freezable ejaculates. It has yet to be established what the bull’s ideal productive life is under the tropical climate of India without affecting in-vitro sperm functions. For the validation of the maximum age of a bull up to that it could be utilized in the artificial insemination centers, cut-off values of oxidative stress in freezable semen ejaculates were used. The current study was done at the Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-NDRI, Karnal, Haryana, India. A total of eighteen Sahiwal breeding bulls were divided into three groups: Young (2–4 years), Adult (> 4–8 years), and Older (> 8–11 years). Three ejaculates were taken from each bull; thus, a total of 18 ejaculates were utilized in each group for semen examination. Semen quality of Young bulls was poor compared with adult and older bulls. Seminal parameters such as dead, moribund, apoptotic, reacted acrosome, and protamine deficient sperms were higher in older bulls than in adult bulls; however, the values were non-significant. Less difference was found in the semen parameters among adult and older bulls. This indicates that the semen quality of older Sahiwal bulls was optimum, freezable, and can be utilized for up to 11 years (Average 9.5 years). Keywords Sperm motility · Bull’s age · Productive life · Oxidative stress
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885 members
Manoj Kumar Singh
  • Department of Animal Biotechnology
T. K. Mohanty
  • Artificial Breeding Research Center
Dr Mohammad Raies Ul Haq
  • Department of Biochemistry
Abdul Hussain
  • Department of Dairy Technology
Sudarshan Kumar
  • Department of Animal Biotechnology
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