Current Science

Ashish Kumar ¹, Bakul Rao ¹, Arun Kumar De ²

Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, IN
2 Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, ICAR, Port Blair 744 101, IN

Abstract

Increasing evidence supporting the correlation between bovine beta-casein and disorders in milk consumers has led to the development and popularity of A2 milk and milk products worldwide. The indigenous cattle population of India harbours the preferred A2 allele of beta casein; however, genetic improvement of this cattle population by crossbreeding with exotic breeds is spoiling the gene pool as most of the exotic breeds contain A1 allele of the gene. In this study, we aim at evaluating the status of beta-casein in the Indian dairy sector and provide a discussion of future implications to the A2 milk industry. Our results show that the genotypic frequencies of A1 and A2 genes in a sample cattle population were 0.365 and 0.635 respectively. Based on the pure nature of the A2 allele in indigenous cattle, the presence of the A1 allele was assumed to be attributable to crossbreeding with exotic cattle breeds. Current options to drift the frequency of herds towards A2 are highly limited, raising serious questions regarding breeding policies in India and the lack of availability of certified A2 semen straws. The absence of any official standards and certification procedures in the country for A2 milk and milk products aggravates the situation from a food safety perspective. The future focus of sorted sexed semen and embryo transfers by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in India for dairy development should include A2 certification as an integral component. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India should define and establish standard protocols for certification of A2 milk and milk products to safeguard the rights of consumers against the potential food fraud.

Keywords

Beta-caseins, Genotyping, Livestock Breeding Policy, Milk Safety, Milk Proteins.

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Sujatha Tamilvanan ¹, Arun Kumar De ¹, Jai Sunder ¹, Gayatri Samaddar ¹, Perumal Ponraj ¹, Sneha Sawhney ¹, Debasis Bhattacharya ¹, Eaknath Bhanudasrao Chakurkar ¹

Affiliations
1 ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 744 101, IN

Abstract

Genus Avipoxvirus, an important member of the family Poxviridae, has 12 species which have been recognized by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). Fowlpox virus and pigeonpox virus are two important species that may affect other species of birds, besides chicken and fowl. Hence, accurately identifying species, clades and subclades of Avipoxvirus is vital to design and implement adequate control strategies. The present study was carried out in a pigeon colony showing symptoms of pox. A fragment of viral Pan-genus 4b (P4b) gene was amplified and sequenced. As an equivocal and prototype species, sequence information of fowlpox virus isolated from an infected bird was also generated. The generated sequence information was compared with those of previously reported strains. It was found that both fowlpox and pigeonpox viruses belonged to clade A, and there was circulation of A1 and A2 subclades in chicken and pigeon respectively. From India, one report showed the circulation of A1 and A3 subclades in Indian chickens and pigeons respectively, since the other reports were based on clinical symptoms, histopathological examination and comparison of sequence information with those available without distinct demarcation of clade and subclade of Avipoxvirus. This study describes the findings of the novel A2 subclade of Avipoxvirus and the existence of pigeonpox in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.

Keywords

Avipoxvirus, Chicken, Clade and Subclade, Fowlpox Virus, Pigeon.

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