eChapters

Being polytocous animal, sow give birth several (8-14) piglets in each farrowing, mother pig find several deficiencies and disorders during gestation, farrowing and postnatal conditions. Prior to birth intrauterine competition amongst the feotus piglets for nutrition and gas exchange is a big stress for abortion. Several infectious and non-infectious causes may hamper proper growth and pathological conditions resulting mortality (15-20%) in piglets than weaner and adults (Sarma, et al, 2012). Several risk factors are also responsible for piglet mortality.

Prenatal factors: Insults during pregnancy can impact a piglet’s ability to survive after birth and regulate their body temperature. Some maternal aspects that affect survability and mortality amongst piglets are prolong farrowing duration more than 4 hours, number of parity of sow, usually first and second parity show high mortality than subsequent parities and also older sow lose more piglets.

Introduction

Climate change, a global phenomenon of present time, has emerged as the greatest challenge of the world in the twenty-first century. Rising earth’s surface temperature is one of the most threatening factors coming into view. The substantial changes in the earth’s climate have an impact on ecosystems, economics and societies in a variety of ways (Sharma et al., 2024). It is one of the important environmental, agricultural, human and animal health issue. Climate change is an association of multidimensional effects involving physical characteristics, causes and consequences (Visschers, 2018). The climate change has resulted in to increasing global average temperature of air and ocean, melting of snow, rising of ocean level, change in the rainfall pattern and extreme whether events such as drought, flood, heat waves, storms etc.

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.

AMR is undoubtedly the most serious challenge ever faced by the world health community because of its multifaceted complex nature and its overwhelming impact over the human and veterinary communities. Livestock sector is no exception to have the serious and devastating impact from the emergence and spread of AMR. Because of a steady shift towards intensive farming and increased stocking density there has been increase occurrence of infectious diseases. Growing world population, rapid urbanization, and deforestation, shrinkage of grazing land all aided to this process. This leads to increased usage of antimicrobials in food animals – cause of concern for the scientific community as AMU is known the single most important driver of AMR.

The Central Nervous System not only consists of the Brain but also involves the Spinal cord.

The spinal cord is responsible for conveying information from the Brain to the rest of the body via the peripheral nervous system. The spinal cord can be divided into 4 functional segments.

1. C1-C5 (Upper Cervical Segments)

2. C6-T2 (Brachial Plexus)

3. T3-L3 (Thoraco - Lumbar)

4. L4-S3 (Lumbo-Sacral Plexus )

It is important to note that the motor and sensory function of the pelvic limbs are not only controlled by the Lumbo-Sacral plexus but also involve the Thoraco Lumbar segments (T3-L3) of the spinal cord. It is important to understand not only the neuroanatomy, but also the functional anatomy before approaching a neurological patient.

Cytauxzoonosis is an emerging tick-borne disease of domestic cats and wild felids caused by the protozoa of the genus Cytauxzoon. The common clinical findings in affected cats are similar to other hemoparasitic infections namely anorexia, depression, anemia, vomiting, icterus, and high fever. The first reporting of feline cytauxzoonosis with four fatal cases was done by Wagner in Missouri, USA in the year 1976.

Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are recognized as the natural wild reservoir of Cytauxzoon felis with prevalence reaching up to 100% in some enzootic areas (Zieman et al., 2017). This infection is highly fatal in domestic cats with 97% mortality without treatment (Meinkoth and Kocan, 2005). However, subclinical infection in some cats has also been evidenced i.e., they were infected with C? felis but did not display the acute clinical signs of the disease before diagnosis (Brown et al., 2010 and Rizzi et al., 2015).

Several other wild felids apart from bobcats and domestic cats have been found to be affected by fatal or nonfatal Cytauxzoon sp. infection. These include lions, jaguar, cougars, pumas, ocelots, Iberian lynx, meerkats, European wild cats and Asiatic wild cat, panthers, and tigers (Jakob and Wesemeier, 1996; Rotstein et al., 1999; Yabsley et al., 2006; Andre et al., 2009; Filoni et al., 2012 and Furtado et al., 2017).

Cardiomyopathies in acts can be classified broadly as Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and non-hypertrophic cardiomyopathies. Usually, no alarming clinical signs are detected during routine examination in the preclinical stage except cardiac murmurs in some cats with HCM. This is because, that the cats are sedentary and excellent in hiding the signs of illness from the pet parents. Hence the onset is often acute with the sudden appearance of the clinical signs linked to congestive heart failure like severe dyspnoea, cardiogenic shock, aortic thromboembolism, arrhythmias and even syncope and death

Cats with CHF will be presented with severe dyspnoea, due to fulminant pulmonary oedema and or pleural effusion. The pleural effusion associated with CHF is usually a modified transudate, some cases it may be chylous .In echocardiography ,the size of the left atrium should be determined .If the LA size is normal ,then the dyspnoea may not be of cardiac origin .The presence of B-lines in the lung area in association with LA enlargement confirms cardiogenic pulmonary oedema. Stress, anaesthesia, I/V fluids and steroids leads to decompensation and fulminant pulmonary oedema. Thoracocentesis is will be helpful if there is dyspnoea due to significant pleural effusion. At least 300ml of effusion can be usually removed. The dyspnoeic cat is very fragile and should be handled carefully. Butorphanol may be given for anxiolytic effect. Oxygen administration is beneficial. Furosemide when given intravenously has an initial venodilator effect and should be repeated as required monitoring the sleeping respiratory rate (SRR). Addition of nitro-glycerine (vasodilator) reduces preload, decreases left atrial pressure and help in reducing pulmonary oedema. If the clinical signs are suggestive of cardiogenic shock or myocardial failure, Pimobendan I/V or Dobutamine CRI should be considered.

Tissue Doppler Imaging

Doppler echocardiography relies on detection of the shift in frequency of ultrasound signals reflected from moving objects. With this principle, conventional Doppler techniques assess the velocity of blood flow by measuring high-frequency, low amplitude signals from small, fast-moving blood cells. In TDI, the same Doppler principles are used to quantify the higher-amplitude, lower-velocity signals of myocardial tissue motion.

There are important limitations to TD interrogation. As with all Doppler techniques, TDI measures only the vector of motion that is parallel to the direction of the ultrasound beam. In addition, TDI measures absolute tissue velocity and is unable to discriminate passive motion (related to translation or tethering) from active motion (fiber shortening or lengthening). The emerging technology of Doppler strain imaging provides a means to differentiate true contractility from passive myocardial motion by looking at relative changes in tissue velocity.

Precision medicine and personalised treatment of systemic or tumour diseases gain their acceptance and application in veterinary care, too. The application of personalised medical protocols and companion diagnostics is easier and ethically well reasoned within the veterinary medical field – and it can offer many advantageous lessons to human clinical transformation, too [1]. In vitro companion diagnostics for testing the applicability and sensitivity levels of certain kinase inhibitor and immunotherapeutic drugs offer a greatly increased efficiency for veterinary cancer patients, too. As the understanding of cancer biology has advanced, the field of veterinary oncology has grown significantly, paralleling developments in human oncology. Precision medicine is an innovative approach to disease treatment and prevention that considers individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle. In the context of veterinary medicine, precision medicine aims to provide tailored therapies that are specifically designed for the unique genetic and molecular profile of each animal’s cancer. This approach moves away from the traditional “one-size-fits-all” model, instead focusing on targeted treatments that maximize efficacy while minimizing side effects. Companion diagnostics, such as molecular tests, help determine whether a dog or cat is likely to respond to a particular drug. For dogs and cats, precision medicine holds great promise in improving outcomes for cancers, which are among the leading causes of death in companion animals.

Introduction

One of the remarkable advancements in veterinary medicine recently is the application of interventional cardiology techniques to treat various congenital heart diseases. In dogs and cats, congenital heart diseases can be treated much more easily and with fewer complications using minimally invasive interventional approaches, rather than through traditional open-heart surgery. Among congenital heart diseases, treatment options are available for conditions such as PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus), AS (Aortic Stenosis), PS (Pulmonic Stenosis), VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect), ASD (Atrial Septal Defect), extrahepatic shunt, and stem cell applications. These diseases often cannot be significantly improved by medical treatment alone, making the use of the aforementioned interventional techniques essential for effective management.

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.

As the heart diseases in companion animals is becoming common as in humans, the research in canine cardiac diseases is one of the most extensive studies in the present scenario. As per the available literature, the overall occurrence of various cardiac abnormalities ranges from 0.37 percent to 1.67 percent in various parts of the country. Whereas, in western parts of the globe, nearly 8 million dogs suffer from heart disease accounting 10% of all dogs in the United States. Heart diseases are common among older dogs; up to 75% of senior dogs have some type of heart condition, and unfortunately, most go undiagnosed due to varied reasons. The recognition of canine cardiac diseases has been delayed, and ignored on account of lack of awareness and knowledge by the owner and inadequate diagnostic facility in our country. Physical examination, radiography, electrocardiography and echocardiography are most useful diagnostic procedures employed in diagnosing the cardiac diseases in dogs. However, majority of the acquired cardiac diseases are being managed medically with one or a combination of drugs. Improved diet management and health care of companion animals have led to increased life expectancy, as a result, cardiac diseases have become pivotal causes of death for both dogs and cats. For such reason, a major objective has become to increase the quality of life by reducing the expansion of cardiac diseases via early detection of diseases and provision of effective treatment.

Introduction

Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease marked by itching (pruritus), redness (erythema), and recurrent infections. While traditionally considered an immune-mediated condition, recent studies highlight the significant role of skin barrier dysfunction in its development. A key aspect of CAD is the compromised skin barrier, which increases permeability to allergens, irritants, and microorganisms, thereby worsening the disease. The skin barrier is a complex, dynamic structure essential for protecting dogs from environmental challenges. The stratum corneum—the outermost layer of the epidermis—serves as a crucial defense against environmental insults, allergens, and pathogens. In dogs with atopic dermatitis, this barrier often becomes impaired, leading to increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL), greater allergen penetration, and secondary infections. This dysfunction both results from and contributes to the condition, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of barrier disruption, inflammation, and immune dysregulation.

Learning objectives

1. Recognise inflammatory cell types

2. Recognise common skin pathogens

3. Diagnostic test are best for each case

4. Gain experience in interpretation

5. Recognise important artefacts

″The most crucial step towards healing is having the right diagnosis″. While approaching a case, a clinician should follow appropriate steps in a systematic way for accurate diagnosis of dermatological disorders. A careful history is a first step to choose appropriate diagnostic tests.

Asiatic Elephant (Elephas maximus) is the national heritage animal of India. This particular species now exists in 13 Asian countries including India. As per 2017 census, India is home to an estimated figure of 29,964 elephants that is >60% wild population of the globe. Once distributed across the country, now they are squeezed to 14 states grouped in four regions ie., southern (14,612), north-eastern (10,139), east-central (3,128) and northern regions (2,085). There are 2675 captive elephants across different states under both private and government custody. This largest terrestrial mammal is protected under Seclude I species of Indian Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

Both central and state Government are implementing short- and long-term programmes for health and well-being of captive as well as free-range elephants. The Central Government has established an ‘Elephant Cell’ at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun to provide technical inputs to the ministry for strengthening the efforts towards conservation of elephants. Add-on, the ‘Project Elephant’ was launched in 1991-92 in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to restore the elephant habitats and reduce their sufferings. Elephant habitats are notified as Elephant Reserves that are basic management units for elephant conservation and managements. A total of 33 Elephant Reserves has been notified in the country. A book titled, ‘Caring for elephants: Managing health and welfare in captivity’ is edited for field officers, veterinary professionals and elephant handlers.

Introduction

A complete neurological examination is warranted whenever an equine patient displays signs consistent with neurological disorder or to establish that the horse is neurologically normal (e.g., pre-purchase examination). Neurological examination of equine patient is challenging due to their large size, which prevents veterinarian from using many of the tests used for small animals. The key to a successful neurologic examination is to do the examination in a consistent and organized fashion. It is important to develop a routine, then do it the same way each time. This approach ensures that some parts of the examination are not forgotten and it also increases the consistency of the exam as you examine more number of equine patients. A standardized examination form is a valuable aid in this and can be concise. The goals of the neurologic examination are to determine whether disease of the nervous system exists, to localize the lesion to a particular area of the nervous system, and to describe and record the responses as a baseline for future evaluations. In this paper, a complete neurological examination is described with special emphasis on field conditions.

Introduction

Mithun (Bos frontalis), or ‘Gayal’ or ‘Eso’ or ‘Sial’ or ‘Sandong’ or ‘Wei’, is a rare bovine species, exclusively found in the northeastern hill region (NEHR) of India at an altitude of 300-3000 m. It plays an important role in the socio-economic and cultural life of indigenous tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur and is aptly referred to as the ‘Pride of Northeast India’ (Mukherjee et al. 2019). Besides India, mithun population is distributed to China, Bangladesh, Thailand, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Malaysia. The Indian mithun is a medium- to large-sized majestic ruminant with a characteristic jet-black body, an ash-colored forehead, and ‘white stockings’ on all the limbs. This unique animal has a special preference for salt feeding, is a skilled browser even in steep, hilly terrain, and does not need pasture land like cattle. Mithun is primarily reared under a free range system as an important source of lean meat, rich in amino acids, proteins, PUFA, etc. On September 1, 2023, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officially certified the mithun as a food animal (Joshi et al., 2021; Lalchamliani et al., 2024; Ramesh et al., 2024). Compared to milk from other species, mithun milk has much larger quantities of fat, lactose, solids-not fat (SNF), calcium, important vitamins A, D, and E, essential amino acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (Devi et al., 2023).

Introduction

Avian medicine is a rapidly growing field, with an increasing number of exotic bird species being kept as pets. However, the unique anatomy, physiology, and behaviour of these birds present several challenges as well as new opportunities for veterinarians and researchers.Now a day’s birds are gaining popularity over dogs and cats because of various reasons listed below:

a. They are more suited in present life style as can be suited well in small spaces.

b. They require low maintenance with relative low cost of maintenance and live longer life.

c. They form very strong bonds with their owners.

Birds can be classified into different families, such as Psittaciformes, Passeriformes, Columbiformes, Piciformes, Anseriformes, Galliformes etc. containing numerous species (>10,000). The first documentation of parrot as a pet was found in Rig Veda, written more than 3000 years ago. Evidence of bird keeping is observed in ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, China and Egypt. In Greek mythology, Raven (a crow) was mentioned as a symbol of good luck and was associated with God Apollo (God of prophecy). Crows are also considered as ancestors in Hindu mythology and food (pinda) is offered to crows during ritual of paying homage to dead persons. In most of the countries psittacine and passerine birds are preferred as pet birds.

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.

Introduction

Wound is a disruption to the epithelial integrity of the skin, extended in-depth to subcutaneous tissue and other body parts such as ligaments, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and bone (Robson et al. 2001). An appropriate wound healing is essential for the restoration of disrupted anatomical continuity (Begum, 2000). We have observed increasing interest in research based on traditional medicines of the world in the recent era (Medina-Franco et al. 2013). Traditional and complementary medicine regains popularity not only in developing countries but also in developed countries. Common and known practices across the globe of traditional medicines include Herbal, Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Iranian, Islamic, Vietnamese, Chinese, Acupuncture, African and other pseudo-medical knowledge (Dorai 2012). According to World Health Organization (WHO), traditional medicine ‘the health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral-based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being’. Saxena et al. (2013) reported that phytochemicals present in plants are liable for preventing disease and promoting health. Antibiotics used in the treatment of wound infections are now proved to have adverse effects in the human body and in pathogens where resistance is emerging. Attention has, therefore, turned towards extracting biologically active compounds from plant species having wound healing property (Pattanayak and Sunita, 2008).

Introduction

As India is the leading global economy with livestock contributing 4.66% in total GVA to Indian Economy (PIB, 2024) and ranks 1st in Milk Production, 2nd in Egg production, 5th in meat production (BAHS, 2024). Being the largest exporter of milk and meat in the world , this has led to the intensification of animal production due to the increasing demand of major livestock products (MLPs), which has led to an increasing overall use of antimicrobials. Antimicrobials are invariably used to preserve animal and public health, but also as growth promoters at a sub-therapeutic level. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics can contribute to antimicrobial resistance. The growing resistance to antimicrobial drugs could reverse the therapeutic benefits; animals’ resistance to antimicrobial drugs, reduces productivity and leads to economic losses. Unwanted antimicrobials residues may be present in products of animal origins, in animal waste contaminating soil and water and the environment. Seventy-five to ninety percent of antimicrobials used in livestock are excreted, mostly unmetabolized. AMR poses a serious threat to the safety and quality of animal origin food, food security and livelihoods. Unhealthy and unproductive animals are no longer able to generate food products of acceptable safety and quality for human consumption and can no longer contribute to income generation. Insufficient standards for residues in animal food products, reduces the livestock sectors potential of access to trade and increases public health risks (https://www.fao.org/antimicrobial-resistance/key-sectors/animal-production/ en/).

By 2050, the global population is projected to reach approximately 9.8 billion, requiring a 70% increase in food production to meet the growing dietary demands. The livestock sector will play a crucial role in addressing this rising need through sustainable animal production, contributing to food security, poverty alleviation, public health, and food safety. To tackle the challenges posed by population growth and to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), technological advancements and innovations will be essential in transforming the food and agriculture sectors.

In light of these challenges, Veterinary Services are more critical than ever. They are essential for enhancing livestock health and productivity, ensuring high-quality food that meets safety standards, and mitigating risks associated with animal diseases and public health. Additionally, Veterinary Services must contribute to global efforts in addressing issues such as food security, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and the depletion of natural resources.

Pests

The English name ‘Pest’ is derived from the Latin word ‘Pestis’, which means causing destruction. Pests are defined as ‘those organisms, which compete with man in his food supply, damage his possessions and attack himself’. They are of vital concern to mankind in their everyday life, as they cause considerable damage directly as well as indirectly to crops, domestic animals, birds and to man himself. They are also responsible for causing or transmitting many serious diseases. Pests include thousands of invertebrates such as, insects, nematodes, mites, ticks, snails and slugs, crabs etc. and vertebrates such as, rats, squirrels, jackals, pigs and boars, porcupines, rabbits, deers, bats, some species of birds etc., which are destructive to plants and livestock. Several microorganisms such as, fungi, bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma, phytoplasma etc. are also pests in nature. Weeds and phanerogamic parasites are also pests in the true sense.

‘Insect pest control’ includes all measures adopted to make the life of insects hard and ultimately to destroy them or to prevent their multiplication and spread. Such measures can be taken up before the appearance of the pests or after occurrence of the pests. To achieve this purpose , it is quite necessary to know the factors, which favor the occurrence of the pests and acquire enough knowledge about the nature and life cycle of the pests, the vulnerable growth stage at which they can be effectively destroyed and appropriate measures of control to destroy them Control measures may be either preventive or direct.

Need for pest control

Control measures for the control of pests have to be taken up as soon as the infestation reaches the economic threshold level. Failure to control the pests at this stage will result in further increase in the pest population and consequent loss in yield and economic loss.

The need for pest control is of two kinds :

i) For yield maximization. The only objective of pest control in this method is to maximize the yield. The cost incurred for pest control is most often more than the income accrued as a result of pest control. The method is adopted only with the object of increasing the yield as much as possible so that the country and the people may be benefited. In this method, pest control operations are taken up before the actual occurrence of the pest or before the pest infestation reaches the economic threshold level. Such treatments taken up to control the pests before their occurrence are known as ‘prophylactic treatments’

The chemicals, which can destroy pests or prevent their occurrence by their chemical action are known as ‘Pesticides’. Pesticides include ‘insecticides’, acaricides’, ‘nematicides’, rodenticides’, molluscicides’ etc., which are used to destroy insect pests, mites, nematodes, rodents, slugs and snails respectively. Pesticides have been used even before the time when man never knew how to read and write. Even before 200 BC, several substances were known to control pests. Sulfur, arsenic poisons, fluorine poisons, as well as some plant extracts and oils were used to control pests. However, these substances could destroy only a few specific pests only to some extent.

Advances in the invention of pesticides

The invention of many of the present day pesticides started only after 1867. ‘Paris green’, a synthetic chemical was the first pesticide used to control the ‘Colorodo beetles’ of potato. Up to 1939, only a few inorganic chemical compounds and plant poisons were used as pesticides. Only after the Second World War much advances were made in chemical research. After the invention of DDT in 1939, a revolution had started in the field of pest control. Following the introduction of DDT, several other pesticides were identified and introduced for pest control. In 1941, BHC was invented by the British and French scientists. During the same period, organophosphorus pesticides were invented by the German scientists and parathion, malathion, demeton etc. were introduced.

For effective and economic control of pests, besides selection of appropriate plant protection chemicals, application of the chemicals at the most vulnerable growth stage of the pests and use of chemicals at the correct dosage, selection of proper plant protection appliances to carry out the operation is also of vital importance, so as to ensure uniform application of the chemicals.

Plant protection chemicals are mostly used as sprays and dusts using sprayers and dusters respectively. However, in most of the cases spraying is preferred to dusting. Different types of sprayers and dusters are being used for these operations and in both, there are manually operated as well as power operated equipments and in sprayers there are both hydraulic and pneumatic types of sprayers.

The nature of the pesticide formulations to be used and the purpose for which they are used also determine the type of equipment to be used. Dusters are used for dusting insecticidal dust formulations. Sprayers are used for spraying insecticidal liquid formulations. Granular applicators are used to apply granular formulations. Fumigators are used to apply fumigants to fumigate godowns, warehouses, rat holes etc. Soil injectors are used to inject pesticides at a particular depth of soil under pressure. Flame throwers are used to throw f lames at specified targets.

Introdction

Fruits are an important supplement to the human diet, as they provide minerals, vitamins and fiber required for maintaining good health. Fruits are also rich in phytochemicals (7, xanthophylls, polyphenols, flavonoids, phenolic acids, organic acids etc.) which possess good antioxidant properties. India’s diverse climatic conditions ensure availability of almost all the varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables. According to FAO (2021), the country ranks first in the production of bananas (26.45%), mangoes (including mangosteens and guavas) (43.80%) and papayas (39.30%). The scenario of horticulture crops in India has become very encouraging. The percentage share of horticulture output in agriculture has become 33 per cent (Anonymous 2021). India has witnessed increase in horticulture production over the last few years. Significant progress has been made in area expansion resulting in higher production. Over the last decade, the area under horticulture grew by 2.1 per cent per annum and annual production increased by 3.9 per cent. During 2020-21, the production of horticulture crops was 334.60 million tonnes from an area of 27.74 million hectares. The production of fruits has increased from 76.42 million tonnes in 2011-12 to 108.34 million tonnes in 2022-23 (Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2022). The area under cultivation of fruits stood at 7.05 million hectares. The total production of fruits in the year 2020-21 was highest in case of Andhra Pradesh (17.70 million tonnes) followed by Maharashtra (11.73 million tonnes) and Uttar Pradesh (11.23 million tonnes) (Anonymous 2021). India now is the second largest producer of vegetables and fruits in the world. The country ranks at first position in the production of banana, mango, lime and lemon, papaya and okra. The area and production of fruits in India is presented in Table 1. The fruits namely banana, mango, citrus, papaya, guava, grapes, apple, pineapple and sapota account for more than 85 per cent of the total production of fruits. The other fruits which are produced in India are almond, walnut, jackfruit, bael, ber, custard apple, kiwi, passion fruit, peach, pear, plum, strawberry etc.

Horticulture crops contribute significantly for the total agricultural production and productivity. World production of fruits accounted for the total volume of 933 million tonnes (FAO, 2023). India being second largest producer for majority of fruit commodities had a production total reaching 108.34 million tonnes in 2022-2023 from an area of 7.15 million hectares. It accounts for 33 per cent to the agriculture GVA (Gross Value Added) and plays an important role in the Indian economy. India is second largest producer of majority of fruits and vegetables. Diverse agro-climatic zones in the country make it possible to grow almost all varieties of fruits in India. Produced fruits are used for domestic consumption, processing and export purposes. During 2022 23, fresh fruits exports was valued at 6219.46 crores (APEDA, 2023). The fruits grown in India includes domestic fruits and nuts along with the exotic fruits contributing for the food and nutritional security. The growth of these economically important fruits provides scope for maintaining rich germplasm, enhance bio-diversity and maintain ecological balance.

Fruits represent a vital component of global agriculture, serving as not only a significant source of essential nutrients but also a lucrative sector of the economy. However, from the moment of their inception on the tree to their arrival on consumers’ tables, fruits undergo a complex journey influenced by a myriad of factors. Among these, pre-harvest practices wield a profound impact on fruit quality, enzymatic activities, texture, ripening, and ultimately, post-harvest transportation losses. Each pre-harvest practice, from mineral nutrition to harvesting methods, plays a distinct role in shaping the biochemical composition and physical attributes of fruits, ultimately affecting their marketability and shelf life. Mineral nutrition stands as one of the foundational pillars of fruit production, with essential minerals serving as building blocks for various biochemical processes. Irrigation practices represent another critical aspect of pre-harvest management, as water availability profoundly impacts fruit development and composition. Different irrigation regimes can influence enzymatic activities, fruit texture, and the timing of ripening, necessitating strategic water management to achieve desired fruit quality while minimizing post-harvest losses. Canopy regulation, achieved through training and pruning techniques, offers growers a means to manipulate light penetration and airflow within the orchard. Moreover, the application of plant growth regulators (PGRs) emerges as a tool for fine-tuning fruit development and ripening processes. By modulating hormonal signals, PGRs can alter enzymatic activities, influence fruit texture, and mitigate transportation losses. However, judicious application is paramount to avoid adverse effects on fruit quality and safety. Harvesting decisions, including the determination of optimal maturity and the timing and method of harvest, profoundly impact fruit quality and post-harvest losses.

Horticulture sector, comprising fruits, vegetables, floriculture, medicinal and aromatic crops, mushroom, spices and plantation crops, had witnessed phenomenal growth in production and productivity during the last two decades. Resultantly, horticulture in India is recognised as one of the fastest growing sectors in the world. The production has reached to 351.92 million tonnes in 2022-23 as compared to 231 million tonnnes in 2010. Progressive urbanization, increased spendable income and awareness for balanced and nutritious food have contributed towards increasing demand of horticulture produce. The increasing demand coupled with higher income returns per unit area has triggered this growth pattern, which has been largely possible due to policy environment to support horticulture both for research and development.

Introduction

Fresh fruit journey from the farm to the consumer’s table is an intricate process which needs a lot of attention. The way that the produce is harvested and handled is of supreme importance in relation to its quality shelf life and general market attractiveness. Improper handling practices during these critical stages can bring both quantitative and qualitative loses hence the perishable produce will lose its commercial value and appeal to the consumers (Kader, 2005). No doubt the significance of successful harvesting and post-harvest handling practices is crucial and has an impact on quality features and safety in case of fresh fruits. Poor management can cause physical assault ripening speed and more susceptibility to the growth of micro-organisms which makes the produce unsuitable for consumption or processing.

The production of fruit crops is largely dependent on the environmental conditions and nutritional status of the plants. Any alteration in the environmental conditions and nutritional status may results in different physiological disorders which affect the growth of the plants and also the quantity as well as quality of the fruits. The precise and early recognition of physiological disorders is important for the timely adaptation of remedial strategies to reduce the crop loss. Physiological disorders in fruits crops may be due to single factors or multiple factors may be involved in the appearance of physiological disorders. A sound knowledge about the cause of physiological disorder is useful to adopt suitable remedy for the disorder.

Introduction

The abnormal growth behavior or unusual external and/or internal conditions of fruits which results due to adverse environmental conditions and nutritional imbalances are considered as physiological disorders. Physiological disorder is best defined as external or internal malfunctioning resulting from improper environmental or cultural conditions before and/or after harvest. Variation from normal temperature, light, moisture, nutrient, harmful gases, insufficient supply of growth regulators, deficiencies or excesses of nutrient etc. are some of the important environmental and cultural factors of physiological disorders (Fig. 1). Physiological disorders affect the quality as well as quantity of the fruit crops. Detection of precise physiological disorders is not easy and requires a strong knowledge regarding them.

India is the second largest producer of fruits However, the export potential of fruits and vegetables is very negligible. This is because of improper knowledge to the farmer about proper post-harvest infrastructure facilities. Fruits have a high-water content ranging from 70-95 per cent. They dry quickly under any normal atmospheric condition. These causes loss of rigidity and shrinkage of the cells cause wilting and shrivelling. Appropriate packaging ensures prolonged the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by preventing moisture loss and thereby wilting. Transportation is a critical phase in the fruit supply chain that can significantly affect the quality of fruits. Several factors during transportation can lead to quality degradation such as temperature/humidity fluctuations, mechanical damage, transit time etc. To mitigate the adverse effects of transportation on fruit quality, best practices ie, real-time monitoring, temperature and humidity control, loading/unloading techniques can be employed. Quality evaluation is a critical component in the fruit industry, encompassing a range of assessments to ensure fruits meet the desired standards for consumer satisfaction, shelf life, regulatory compliance, and market competitiveness. It involves a comprehensive approach that includes physical, chemical, and sensory assessments, supported by advanced technological tools, to maintain and enhance the quality of fruits throughout the supply chain. This book chapter deals with the effective packaging, transportation, and quality evaluation of fruits, ensuring that consumers receive fresh, high-quality produce.

Introduction

India is bestowed with huge production of fruits, vegetables, cereals, millets, sugarcane along with meat production, milk production, fish production and poultry. Despite such a huge production in India, owing to perishable nature of these produce around 25-30 per cent of the produce is being lost as post harvest loss. The one important reason for this may be the production of the crops are season specific and during the peak season the production is more while demand for consumption is less. It may be possible to cut down losses to great extent, if these produces may be transported from the produce states to those who are not producing due to agro-climatic reasons. So for making transportation of the perishable a successful venture in decreasing post harvest loss, there must be proper storage facilities both at producing site as well as marketing place. The aim of the storages must be to keep the produce in saleable condition during entire storage periods. Some products are stored for short period whereas fresh fruits, vegetables require cold storage. Foods before keeping into the storage room need some pre-storage treatments for better results.

Introduction

Agricultural production is necessary to fulfil nutritional requirements for human populations and global food security. The agricultural sector also forms the economic backbone of many low-income countries in which millions of farmers are employed (Anushka et al, 2022). However, managing agricultural production to achieve multiple objectives of providing food, supporting livelihoods and protecting biodiversity and forests is a challenge especially in tropical, low-income countries (Anushka et al, 2022). Usually, the growth in global agricultural production is largely driven by commercial and export oriented commodities. One such agricultural commodity that has high global demand is cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.). Cashew is presently cultivated in 33 countries including India in the world. Global land area for cashew cultivation between 1980 and 2018 has seen an eleven-fold increase from 526,250 ha to 5,972,724 ha (Anushka et al, 2022).

Coconut, arecanut and palmyrah, which hold significant cultural and historical importance in India, have been the primary focus of cultivation efforts. Cocoa, a relatively recent addition to India, serves as a companion crop to coconut and arecanut, contributing to the economic well-being of farmers nationwide. However, the current situation emphasizes the crucial role of value addition and product diversification in stabilizing prices. Despite the initial stages of value addition in India’s palm crops, recent innovations and established value chains have the potential to empower farmers as entrepreneurs, thereby augmenting their income. Moreover, the value-added products from these palms have enormous export potential. This chapter explores the advancements in value-added products and the diversification of coconut, arecanut, palmyrah, and cocoa, providing insights into opportunities for cottage or small-scale industries.

Oil palm is a major source of edible oil globally and plays a crucial role in meeting the dietary needs of millions of people. India has been focusing on expanding oil palm cultivation to reduce its dependence on imported edible oils. Oil palm can yield high oil compared to other vegetable oils. Palm oil production rate depends on post-harvest handling, and milling and extraction processes. After harvesting, some quality changes occur in oil palm fresh fruit bunches which leads to reduce the oil quantity and quality. With proper handling of post-harvest bunches and adapting best extraction methods can increase the oil yield and quality. Palm oil alone has the potential to make India sustainable in edible oil production.

Introduction

Oil palm (Elaesis guineensis Jacq.) originated in the tropical rain forest of western Africa and is now being cultivated in more than 45 countries around the world especially tropical regions i.e., Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Nigeria, Columbia, and Ghana. This crop was introduced in India during the early 1990s, to meet the demand and to attain sustainable edible oil production in India due to its high oil-yielding capacity compared to other vegetable oil crops. It produces two distinct oils, i.e., palm oil and palm kernel oil. Palm oil is derived from fleshy mesocarp of the fruit and palm kernel oil obtained from the kernel of stony seed.

Foot and Mouth disease

Foot and mouth disease is a contagious viral disease of cloven footed animals caused by a picorna virus and characterized by presence of vesicles in oral mucosa and foot (Fig.1.1).

Etiology

• RNA virus of picornaviridae family

• Picorna virus

• Serotypes A,O,C, SAT-1, SAT-2, SAT-3, Asia-1, serotype ‘O’ is most common in India.

Pathogenesis

Inhalation is the main route of infection in ruminants; however, ingestion of contaminated feed and water, inoculation of contaminated vaccines, insemination with contaminated semen and contact with fomites such as clothing, instruments etc. may also transmit the infection. When animal gets infected through respiratory tract, viral replication starts in pharynx followed by viraemic spread to other tissues and organs like epithelium of mouth. Viral excretion commences about 24 hours prior to the onset of clinical form of disease and continues for several days. The aerosols of infected animals contain large amount of virus particularly of swine. Large amount of virus is excreted in milk. In cattle and sheep, virus may be detectable up to 2 years and 6 months of exposure, respectively.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial disease of cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goat and pigs caused by Mycobacterium sp. and characterized by presence of tubercle nodules in lungs, spleen and lymph nodes (Fig.2.1).

Etiology

• Mycobacterium tuberculosis

• M. bovis

Pathogenesis

Disease spreads through contact with infected animals or their discharges or morbid tissues. The infected animals release the organisms through sputum at coughing and contact animals get infection through droplet inhalation.Besides sputum, faeces, urine, vaginal discharges, semen, milk, lymph and wound discharges may act source of infection. It is also transmitted through contaminated instruments, utensils and beddings. After entry through inhalation or ingestion, bacilli localizes at the point of entry and produce typical tubercle in associated lymph nodes. Mostly pharyngeal and mesenteric lymph nodes are affected. From lymph nodes, infection may extend across body cavities, blood vessels and lymph vessels. The inhaled organism enter in the bronchial tree after lodging in bronchi a tissue reaction takes place. Neutrophilic infiltration is there and when neutrophils are necrosed, macrophages come to destroy the organism but they fail then many macrophages becomes elongated to form epithelioid cells, the hall mark of granulomatous inflammation. Some macrophages are joint together to form giant cells to destroy the acid fast bacilli. As a consequence of this some bacilli are phagocytosed and are destroyed. A zone of lymphocytes, macrophages, epithelioid cells, giant cells and fibrous connective tissues are formed around the central necrosed area.

Chlamydiosis

Chlamydiosis is an infectious disease of animals caused by Chlamydia sp. and characterized by encephalitis, polyarthritis and pneumonia in calves and abortions in cows and sheep.

Etiology

• Chlamydia psittacii

Pathogenesis

Chlamydial infection spreads through inhalation of contaminated dust from infected birds. Organism multiplies in lungs and through blood it spreads to liver, spleen, kidneys, brain, joints and placenta to cause pathology.

Characteristic symptoms

Calves

• Fever, dyspnoea

• Nasal discharge, hypersalivation

• Swelling of joints

Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis is an infectious disease of animals caused by a rickettsia and characterized by icterus, enlargement of spleen, pale tissues, thin watery blood and petechiae over serous membranes (Fig.4.1).

Etiology

• Anaplasma centrate

• A. marginale

• A. ovis

Pathogenesis

The disease is transmitted through bite of tick (Boophilus), biting flies (Tabanus) and also in some cases due to mosquitoes. It is intra cellular organism and multiplies inside the erythrocytes by binary fission. The infected erythrocytes are engulfed by the cells of reticuloendothelial system (spleen, bone marrow). The process of erythrophagocytosis cause extra vascular haemolysis leading to anemia. It also causes autoimmune reaction leading to lysis of erythrocytes.

Contagious

Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is an infectious disease of cattle caused by Mycoplasma sp. and characterized by cuprous pneumonia, pleurisy and dilation of lymph vessels (Fig.5.1).

Etiology

• Mycoplasma mycoides

Pathogenesis

The infection spreads through inhalation of droplets from infected animals. The recovered animals act as source of infection at least for a period of 3 years. After entering through respiratory tract the organism reaches to bronchioles. It may remain in retropharyngeal gland from where it may spread in whole body. The organism from bronchioles enter into interlobular septa and causes inflammation followed by edema which causes dilation and subsequent thrombosis of lymph and blood vessels prior to development of pneumonic lesions. Death occurs due to anoxia and toxaemia.

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease of animals caused by spirocheate Leptospria sp. and characterized by widespread haemorrhage in visceral organs, nephritis, icterus, hepatitis and anemia (Fig.6.1).

Etiology

• Leptospira ictehaemorrhagae

• L. pomona

Pathogenesis

The organism is transmitted through direct contact with urine of infected animals or ingestion of urine contaminated feed or water. It can also be transmitted through aborted fetuses and infected uterine discharges. The organism enters through abraded skin and mucous membrane and reaches in blood and multiplies rapidly in blood producing septicemia and high rise in body temperature. Thereafter the organism localizes in the kidneys leading to acute or chronic nephritis. In kidneys, it multiplies in proximal convoluted tubules (PCT) and is excreted in urine which acts as source of infection.

Spongiform encephalopathy

Spongiform encephalopathy is an infectious disease of animals caused by prion proteins and characterized by presence of vacuoles in brain.

Etiology

• Prion proteins

• Sheep – Scrapie or Ovine spongiform encephalopathy

• Cattle - Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Mad cow disease)

• Feline encephalopathy

Pathogenesis

Scrapie is also known as ovine spongiform encephalopathy. The principle means of transmission of disease is from infected mother to their lambs early in life; placental transmission has also been reported. The incubation period of disease is very long (2-5 year). The clinical form is restricted in adults. The prion proteins (PrP) occur normally in the central nervous system of all domestic animals and man bounded with neuronal surface. Animal susceptible to prion disease have a gene (PrP gene) which encodes for normal “Prion protein (PrP)” or “cellular prion protein (PrPc). In scrapie prion protein (PrPsc)/ scrapie associated fibril protein (SAI) is generated which are resistant for protease digestion. Accumulation of PrPsc in neural tissues appears to be the cause of the pathology in prion disease. When prion protein contaminated meat and bone meal are fed to the cattle as part of their concentration, the agent (prion) got introduced into cattle. Prion protein (PrP) on reaching brain slowly and progressively converted into and abnormal form (PrP sc) and this abnormal protein causes development of lesions including vacuolation in nerve cells.

Ringworm

Ringworm is a fungal disease of skin affecting animals characterized by popular skin lesions in circular form discharging serus exudate.

Etiology

• Microsporum canis- dogs

• M. gypseum- dogs, horse, pig

• Trichophyton verrucosum- bovines

• T. equinum- horses

Pathogenesis

The fungi enter in skin through abrasion and the hyphae appear in stratum corneum after germination and invade the hair follicles. The hyphae growth and spore formation in stratum corneum leads to hyperkeratosis and the fungus spreads centrifugally from the point of primary invasion leading to ring shaped lesion (Fig.8.1).

Trypanosomosis

Trypanosomosis is an infectious disease of animals caused by protozoan parasite and characterized by emaciation, enlargement of spleen and lymph nodes, petechiae on serous membranes, ulceration on tongue and gastric mucosa and gelatinous exudate in subcutaneous region.

Etiology

• Trypanosoma evansi

Pathogenesis

The disease is mainly transmitted through bite of flies like Tabanus, Stomoxys, Haematopota etc. The carrier animals remain as potential source of infection. The pathogenesis of disease is not completely known. After entering in mammalian host, trypanosomes multiply in blood stream by binary fission leading to parasitaenia. The parasites has variable surface glycoproteins which cause continuous exposure of immune system leading to hyperplasia of spleen and lymph nodes. In chronic cases, due to formation of antigen- antibody complexes glomerulonephritis and vasculitis is seen.

Equine Rhabdomyolysis

It is also known as Azoturia or Monday Morning Disease. The disease occurs in well fed horse after a spell of inactivity. Suddenly after walking a few steps, the horse is unable to move further and feels pain with intense sweating and hardening of muscles.

Etiology

• Accumulation of lactic acid in muscles.

• High glycogen storage.

• Lack of oxygen supply.

Cyanide poisoning

Cyanide poisoning occurs in animals due to sorghum and/or other chemicals and characterized by ataxia, incoordination, cystitis, paralysis, and death.

Etiology • Sorghum – drought resistant varieties.

• Fumigants, fertilizers,

• Pesticides.

• Industrial leakage/waste, electroplating.

• Photographic processes.

Tyzzer’s disease

Tyzzer’s disease is an acute infectious disease of laboratory animals including rats caused by Clostridium spp and Characterized by watery diarrhoea, necrotic hepatitis and death

Etiology

• Clostridium piliforme

• Gram positive, Spore forming, Anaerobe

Pathogenesis

• Horizontal transmission- faecal oral route

• Contaminated feed, water

• Bacteria in gut causing enteritis

Feline Leukemia

Feline leukemia is an infectious viral disease of cats, lion, tiger etc. caused by oncorna virus and characterized by malignant lymphoma, lymphocytosis and immunosuppression. It is also known as feline lymphoma or feline lymphosarcoma.

Etiology

• Oncorna virus of retroviridae family

• Type C oncorna virus, RNA virus has reverse transcriptase

Pathogenesis

The virus is transmitted horizontally through salivary and nasal secretions of sick cats. It affects lymphocytes causing their proliferation leading to production of neoplastic growth.

Characteristic symptoms

• Enlargement of superficial lymph nodes

• Lymphocytosis

• Chronic diarrhoea

• Abortion