Qualifications :

• B.V.Sc & A.H., BCKV, Mohanpur, West Bengal, INDIA
• M. Sc. (Animal Genetics & Breeding), NDRI, Karnal, INDIA
• Ph.D. (Animal Genetics & Breeding), NDRI, Karnal, INDIA

Major Research Accomplishments :

• I worked in the projects related to “Genetic evaluation and improvement of Indian goat breeds (viz. Jamunapari and Jakhrana goats) for milk and/or meat production”. Genetic evaluation of different traits of interest (body weights, milk production traits etc.) was carried out in these goat breeds with an aim to improve the body weights and milk production through selective breeding. Similarly, my research involved on the genetic evaluation and improvement of production and reproduction traits of Muzaffarnagari sheep with an aim to improve the production and reproductive performance of sheep. Superior germplasm (sires) were produced at the farm level and supplied to various Govt./NGO’s for breed improvement programme in the field condition.
• I was actively involved in the project entitled “Molecular analysis of major genes and quantitative trait loci influencing growth, reproduction and disease resistance traits in Indian goats”. We are trying to characterize quantitative loci that control production, reproduction, disease resistance and meat quality traits in Indian goats.
• The studies of maternal effects on genetic evaluation of economic traits in goat and sheep breeds are another component of research and efforts have made to establish the role of maternal effects on different economic traits.
• I also worked in the field of “Genetics of disease resistance with special reference to natural infection with gastro-intestinal nematode” in goat and sheep. Indicator traits for resistance to gastro-intestinal nematodes have been established in Indian goats and sheep.
• I was also engaged to study the genetic variability of milk protein polymorphism for utilization in conservation as well as genetic improvement of Indian goat breeds for increasing both quality and quantity of milk production.

Institutional Projects:

• Evaluation of different Animal Models for analyzing the growth traits of sheep. Status- PI
• Genetic variants of polymorphic traits and gene marker studies in Indian goat breeds.
Status: Co-PI.

• Improvement of Jakhrana breed of goat for milk and meat production under farm and field conditions. Status- PI
• Improvement and Sire evaluation of Jamunapari goats for milk production (AICRP on Goat Improvement). Status- Co-PI
• Molecular analysis of major genes and quantitative trait loci influencing growth, reproduction and disease resistance traits in Indian goats.  Status: Co-PI.
Externally funded Projects:
• Network project on Genetic improvement of Muzaffarnagari sheep for body weight and wool yield. Status PI
• AICRP Project on Improvement and conservation of Jamunapari goats in their home
tract. Status: Co- PI
• DBT Project on Molecular characterization of different breeds of goats by DNA
fingerprinting using Bkm probes and other microsatellite markers. Status: Co-PI.

Guidance to students:

M.Sc.-7
Ph. D.-1

Awards:

• Awarded for the post doctoral fellowship at INRA, France for a period of 1 year (w.e.f. March 28, 2005- March 28, 2006).
• Senior Research Fellowship, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India
• Junior Research Fellowship, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India
• National Dairy Research Institute’s Fellowship.
• Special Recognition Award for outstanding contribution in Agricultural Sciences by Mobilization Society, New Delhi for the year 2008-09.
• Awarded Third prize in XXII Annual Conference of IAVMI and National Symposium on “Newer Concepts and Strategies for Disease Diagnostics and Immunoprophylactics for enhancing livestock health and production” for the poster of the research paper entitled “ Comparative evaluation of antibody response …. by ELISA” held on 25-26th Nov., 2008 at IVRI, Izatnagar, U.P.
• Awarded Best poster and bestowed with the ISSGPU Annual Award as a co-author for the poster of the research paper entitled “A study on effect on coccidian infection on growth performance of Barbari kids” in the National seminar on “ Stress Management in Small Ruminant Production and Product Processing” organised by the “Indian Society of Sheep and Goat Production & Utilization” on 29-31st January, 2010 at Jaipur, Rajasthan
• Acted as a peer reviewer for the reputed journals like “Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics”, Livestock Science, BMC Genetics, Indian Journal of Animal Sciences etc.

Training:

• Attended the training programme on “Certificate Course in Computer Applications” at ET & T Corp. Ltd., Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India for 75 days (w.e.f. Sept. 4 to Nov. 15, 1998).
• Attended the training programme on “Computer Packages for Analysis of Animal Breeding Data” at Dairy Cattle Breeding Division, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India for 21 days (w.e.f. Nov. 8-28, 2000).
• Attended the training programme on “Application of Molecular Genetics Techniques for Livestock Improvement” at Dairy Cattle Breeding Division, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India for 21 days (w.e.f. Feb. 6-26, 2002).
• Attended the training programme on “Gene Characterization and biodiversity analysis” at National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal, Haryana, India for 10 days (w.e.f. Oct. 4-13, 2004).
• Attended the training programme on “Sustainable Production in Farm Animals through Breeding and Management Interventions” at Dairy Cattle Breeding Division, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India for 21 days (w.e.f. Nov. 30-Dec.,20. 2004).
• Participated in virtual online (Web-based) training programme on “Estimation of Genetic parameters using Likelihood and Bayesian Methods” from 5th October to 15th December, 2005 organised by Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Tijele, Denmark.

Patents, Technology, Methodology, Genetic Stock, Variety, etc.:

• Production of superior germplasm (rams) and distributed to farmers’ for breed improvement programme.
• Increasing awareness regarding ill effect of inbreeding on performance of the Jamunapari flock at village level (i.e., Chakarnagar area).
• Increasing awareness for using vaccination, dewormer and coccidiostat for better health of animals

Publications:

• Rout, P.K., Kumar, A., Mandal, A., Laloe, D., Singh, S.K. and Roy, R. (2010). Characterization of casein gene complex and genetic diversity analysis in Indian goats. Animal Biotechnology, 21: 122-134.
• Mandal, A., Neser, F.W.C., Rout, P.K., Roy, R. and Notter, D.R. (2009). Estimation of direct and maternal genetic parameters for greasy fleece weights in Muzaffarnagari sheep. Journal of Animal Breeding & Genetics, 126: 22- 29.
• Singh, S.K , Rout, P. K, Agarwal, R. Mandal A, Singh,S. K, Shukla, S N, Roy, R (2009) Characterization of Exon 2 and Intron 2 of leptin gene in Indian goats. Animal Biotechnology, 20(2): 80-85.
• Kushwaha, B.P., Mandal, A. Arora, A. L., Kumar, R. and Kumar, S. (2009). Direct and maternal (co)variance components and heritability estimates for body weights in Chokla sheep. Journal of Animal Breeding & Genetics, 126: 278-287.
• Mandal, A. and Sharma, D.K. (2008). Inheritance of faecal nematode egg count in Barbari goats following natural Haemonchus contortus infection. Veterinary Parasitology, 155 : 89-94.
• Rout, P.K., Joshi, M.B., Mandal, A., Laloe, D. Singh, L. and Thangaraj, K. (2008). Microsatellite based phylogeny of Indian domestic goats. BMC Genetics, 9:11, Article URL http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2156/9/11
• R.Roy, Mandal, A. and Notter, D.R. (2008). Estimates of (co)variance components due to direct and maternal effects for body weights in Jamunapari goats. Animal, 2:3, 354-359.
• Mandal, A., Roy, R. and Rout, P.K. (2008). Direct and maternal effects for body measurements at birth and weaning in Muzaffarnagari sheep of India. Small Ruminant Research, 75: 123-127.
• Mandal, A., Prasad, H., Ashok Kumar, Roy, R. and Sharma, Nagendra (2007). Factors associated with lamb mortalities in Muzaffarnagari sheep. Small Ruminant Research, 71: 273-279.
• Ajay Kumar, Rout, P.K., Mandal, A. and Roy, R. (2007). Identification of the CSN1S1 allele in Indian goats by the PCR-RFLP method. Animal,1:8, 1099-1104.
• Mandal, A., Neser, F.W.C., Rout, P.K., Roy, R. and Notter, D.R. (2006). Genetic parameters for direct and maternal effects on body weights of Muzaffarnagari sheep. Animal Science, 82:133-140.
• Mandal, A., Neser, F.W.C., Rout, P.K., Roy, R. and Notter, D.R. (2006). Estimation of direct and maternal co(variance) components for pre-weaning growth traits in Muzaffarnagari sheep. Livestock Science, 99: 79-89.