Veterinary Science & Technology

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between starch and amino acid levels of broiler diets on growth performance and feed efficiency. In this study, 240 one-day old chicks were distributed to 6 treatments using a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications. Three treatments were fed with high starch and three others were fed with low starch. Both type of diets were formulated as isocaloric with three levels of total lysine, varying from 1.34%, 1.43%, 1.48% for starter period (0-18 days) and 1.18%,1.3%,1.35% for finisher period (19-35 days). The result showed that high starch level increased body weight gain (p < 0.01) and feed intake at 35 days (p < 0.05). Feed conversion ratio was better for the birds were fed a high starch level diet (1.66) compare with the low starch level (1.71). No interaction between starch level and amino acid level was observed for body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio at 35 days. No differences for blood parameter glucose, uric acid and insulin. Significant interaction between starch level and amino acid was observed for uric acid. It was concluded that feeding high starch level based on corn soya diet increased body weight gain and feed intake. Starch level has relationship with blood glucose, insulin and utilization of protein and energy in broiler.

The study was carried out to assess the thermostability of Newcastle disease virus (local isolate) which was isolated, characterised and provided by the Department of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, West Bengal university of animal and Fishery Sciences. The thermostability procedure consist of three cycles which were carried out at 25°C for 36 days, 37°C for 29 days and 56°C for time period ranging between 5 minutes to 8 hours, respectively. The results showed that the infectivity titre of the virus was remained good at the end of the first thermal cycle i.e. the HA titre i.e., 28 and 108.5 EID50/ml, respectively. At the end of the second thermal cycle the infectivity titre of the virus was also in good level i.e. 27 and 108.50 EID50/ml, respectively. At last the infectivity titre of the virus decreased to 25 HA titre and 107.36 EID50/ml, respectively in 10 minutes of thermal exposure at 56°C and the HA titre and EID50 value became undetectable from 15 minutes and onward till the end of the third thermal cycle.

Ketosis is an important metabolic disease of dairy cows during the transition period, but it is fully unclear about its endocrine etiology. Our study is to clarify the relationship between oxidative stress, liver function, insulin resistance and ketosis in dairy cows. Sixteen ketotic Holstein cows (T) and twenty-four non-ketotic Holstein cows (C) were used as the experimental animals from an intensive dairy farm in Heilongjiang province, China. Blood samples from all experimental cows were collected at 14 days postpartum during morning fasting. Fifteen parameters for energy balance, liver function, oxidative stress, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance test between T and C were measured using commercial kits. Results showed that the concentration of plasma glucose (P<0.01) was lower in T compared with C cows, whereas there were marked increases in the concentration of plasma non-esterified fatty acids and beta-hydroxybutyric acid (P<0.01). The level of plasma AST (P<0.01), TBIL (P<0.05), and DBIL (P<0.01) increased significantly in T cows compared with C cows, but plasma CHE (P<0.01) and TP (P<0.05) decreased significantly, and no significant change in plasma ALT, IBIL, ALB, and GLO. Level of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly higher in ketotic cows than that of non-ketotic cows (P<0.05), but value of plasma revised quantitative insulin sensitivity index (RQUICKI) was lower significantly in T cows than that of C cows (P<0.05). Concentration of plasma Glc increased significantly in T cows compared with C cows during glucose tolerance test (P<0.05). Therefore, the ketosic cows were in condition of negative energy balance, suffered to certain extent from liver function abnormality, and experienced oxidative stress and low insulin sensitivity. Therefore, a closed relationship between ketosis and insulin resistance should be related to liver function and oxidative stress that can cause insulin resistance.

This article describes five representative cases of canine mammary osteosarcomas and induced tumours by a cloned canine mammary osteosarcoma cell line in nude mice. All five primary tumours were combined mammary osteosarcomas i.e. composed of both cartilage and bone tissues. In four of the five cases the metastases were also combined osteosarcomas. However, for the metastases in one dog and in the nude mice, only bone forming and spindle cell tumours were seen. The metastases were spread directly to the lungs by the blood in three dogs, and via the lymph nodes in two dogs. The metastases differed in morphology, both within and between different metastatic sites. Some of the metastases had an even lower grade than the corresponding primary tumour.

India emerging as world’s largest producer with the annual milk production reaching to the level of 133 million tons in 2012-13 (BAHS 2012-13). Dairy farming is the single largest contributors to Indian GDP and employment. It contributes 5 percent of GDP and involves 70 million farming households. The productivity in the sector is six times below its potential at current factors costs. Poor yield (output per dairy animal) explains the gap between current and potential productivity. The yield is low due to inadequate dairy management, poor animal husbandry and poor quality animals. So, there is need of suitable and proper managemental techniques which can improve the efficiency of production. Precision livestock farming can become a tool in this context.

Precision Livestock Farming is the principal means by which sensors will be used in livestock farming. Unlike traditional mechanization, which depended on large equipment applied to large production units, “precision dairy management” uses sensor-based management tools that define animal needs and automatically delivers individual management applications.

This report describes a case of rabies in one month old kittens. At physical examination, the kittens were abnormally aggressive and restless with bilateral ocular discharge. Rapid Immuno chromatographic and Fluorescent Antibody Tests on the harvested brains were positive for rabies. Though report of rabies in cats especially kitten is rare, we advise that continuous reporting by researchers can give a better prevalence statistics of these occurrences due to its great public health significance. We also recommend annual anti- rabies vaccination campaign and destruction of stray cats.

The experiment was performed with the aim of determining fluctuations in cloacal temperature (CT) of Black Harco pullets, and effects of betamint® on the fluctuations and some performance indicesof the pullets during the hot-dry season. Twenty-five experimental pullets were each administered with betamint orally at a dose of 1 ml/kg daily, while 25 other control pullets were given only water for 21 days. The dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity inside the pen and CT of each pullet were recorded every two hours (from 06:00 h to 18:00 h) on days 7, 14 and 21. CT values in experimental and control pullets (41.63 ± 0.10°C and 41.64 ± 0.13°C, respectively) did not differ, but betamint reduced (P<0.05) CT values in the pullets from 12:00 h and 14:00 h. Water consumption in experimental (4.26%) pullets was lower than that of the control (23.63%) pullets. An increase in live weight gain (15%) and feed consumption (45.91%) was obtained in experimental pullets over that of the control pullets (P < 0.01). In conclusion, betamint administration alleviated the risk of adverse effects of heat stress and improved live weight gain in pullets.

A cutaneous melanoacanthoma on the forehead of a 5-year-old male mongrel dog was characterized by the presence of two populations of neoplastic cells: epithelial and melanocytic. The epithelial component consisted of nests of well-differentiated stratified squamous epithelium closely associated with neoplastic melanocytes. According to our survey, three cases of this rare pigmented skin neoplasm of the dog have been published. We present here the histological features of the fourth case of Melanoacanthoma in dogs. This report confirms the benign nature of this tumor and adds to the data that will help determine predilections of age, breed, sex and site of its occurrence.

Ninety liver samples of poultry, sheep and cattle, 30 each, were obtained from meat retail markets at Mosul city in Iraq, and were analyzed for enrofloxacin residue by using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay, ELISA [ Schen Zhen Lvshiynan Biotechnology Co., LTD. (china)].

The study revealed that the range and mean of residual enrofloxacin drug concentration in the examined liver samples of poultry, cattle and sheep were (0.01-10.69) (4.290); (0.03-3.61) (1.750); (0.02-1.32) (1.687) mg/ kg respectively. Also the study revealed that 30 (33.31%) of poultry liver samples tested positive, 8 (8.88%) of cattle samples were positive, and 5 (5.55%) of sheep samples were positive for enrofloxacin. 17 (56.66%) of the poultry samples exceeded the maximum residues limits (MRL), as did 8 (26.61%) of cattle samples, and 5(16.6%) of sheep samples. Our results have shown that the maximum mean enrofloxacin concentration was found in poultry livers (4.290) and the minimum mean was in the ovine liver samples (1.687) while bovine livers were (1.750). The difference between the residue of enrofloxacin of poultry liver samples and that of bovine and ovine liver samples was significant at (P<0.05).

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the oral supplementation with ascórbic acid on plasma levels in Marwari horses. The experiment was planned to supplement ascorbic acid @ 5 mg/kg. Body weight orally for 4 days on plasma ascorbic acid levels in horses. There was no significant difference in plasma ascorbic acid levels between day 1st and day 5th in supplemented group and control group. After that, a second trial was undertaken with supplementation of sodium ascorbate @ 20 mg/Kg body weight for 30 days in exercising horses. Exercising horses were under gallop + canter exercise of 5 km per day in sandy track. Blood samples were taken on each 10th day of the study period. There was no significant difference found in plasma ascorbic acid levels between supplemented and non-supplemented group of exercising horses. It was also found that plasma ascorbic acid levels were also significantly low in exercising non-supplemented horses than the horses which were under rest. So it was concluded that continuous 5 km gallop+ canter exercise in sandy track for a month reduces plasma ascorbic acid levels in horses but it cannot be replenished by oral supplementation of ascorbic acid because bioavailability of ascorbic acid on oral supplementation in Marwari horses is very poor.

The deployment of dead-in-shell embryos, the bacterial etiology of the condition, and the epidemiology of the dead embryos in three local hatcheries in Erbil province were investigated using standard bacteriologic techniques. Deployment of the condition in the three hatcheries was found to be 37%, 21.6% and 40.5% respectively. Bacteria that were isolated arranged in order of decreasing frequency, included Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp, Streptococcus spp, Pseudomonas spp.

The number of dead-in-shell embryos in association with the various bacteria isolated from the three hatcheries were 18 (Escherichia. coli), 8 ( Staphylococcus spp), 2 (Streptococcus spp), 9 (Pseudomonas spp). Epidemiologically from this study, it was concluded that dead-in-shell embryos are quite common in hatcheries in Erbil Province and that bacterial contamination in the hatcheries constitute an important threat to the poultry industry in the area.

Dietary zinc oxide is often used in pharmacological concentrations to promote health as well as performance of weaned piglets due to its bacteriostatic effects. This study was conducted to provide an in depth analysis of the bacterial composition in weaned piglets fed different amounts of dietary zinc oxide. Piglets were fed diets containing 57 (low), 164 (medium) or 2425 (high) mg/kg dietary zinc. Zinc above the basal dietary level was supplied from analytical grade zinc oxide (ZnO). DNA was extracted from stomach and ileum digesta samples of 32 and 53d old animals (n=4 per group) and used to generate bar-coded 16S ribosomal DNA amplicons for deep sequencing analysis. A total of 9 phyla, 40 orders, 75 families and 328 genera were detected in 8.76 x 105 sequencing reads. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla, but no significant differences between treatment groups were observed. Lactobacillales (16.3-59.9%), Bacteroidales (2.2-59.1%), Clostridiales (0.05-70.2%) and Selenomonadales (2.6-17.5%) were found as the dominating order. Noteworthy changes on the order level were found for numerically or significantly increased ratios of Clostridiales, but significantly decreased Lactobacillales in the high dietary zinc group. The bacterial diversity for the high dietary zinc diet was significantly higher for the total microbiota than the medium or low zinc diet. However, Lactobacillales diversity decreased, while Clostridiales and Enterobacteriales diversity increased significantly. Principal component analysis confirmed changes in the microbiota, most notably for the high dietary zinc treatment. This study has shown that pharmacological doses of high dietary zinc can drastically alter the bacterial composition and development of the microbiota in weaned piglets. The quantitative shift of bacterial groups due to high dietary zinc was most pronounced one week after weaning, while the more developed microbiota in older animals seemed to be able to adapt to high concentrations of dietary zinc.

The mastitis is one of the principal pathologies in the dairy bovine exploitation. The majority of the cases are caused by bacteria, but there are also cases caused by fungi. The objective of our study was to evaluate the occurrence of these fungi in mammary glands of 39 cows (mastitic cows and clinically healthy cows) belonging to two types of farms (4 exploitations using manual milking and 3 exploitations with milking machine) in the area of Sidi M’hammed Ben Ali, Wilaya of Relizane and to assess some risk factors (the tubes of drug, animal excretions, goblets - milkers, the milker hands and the litter). For this purpose, 150 sample of milk and 94 swabs were carried out. Our results revealed the presence of a heavy load of fungi cells in healthy and in the mastistic milks; with a strong frequency of the Trichosporon sp. (43, 58%) followed by the Candida sp. (30.76%). The same yeasts were isolated from swabs.

The orthopedic surgeon is often faced with the loss of bone substance indiaphyseal region of long bones. Our study is based on a biological approach to the filling of segmental bone loss by implanting an autoclaved orthotopic allograft of one centimeter length covered and uncovered with propolis in the femoral diaphysis. The experiment involved eight adult dogs, from local breed and different sex; split into two groups. An autoclaved allograft without propolis was implanted for the first animals group then the same graft this time covered with a thin layer of propolis has been implanted to the second animals group. The aim of our study is to determine if the propolis accelerates the osteointegration of the allograft covered with propolis, to follow up that process radiologically until obtaining a total consolidation. The results show that the use of a graft covered with propolis enhance and accelerate the osteointegration process; it has been demonstrated by an early passage of the callus at both proximal and distal interfaces, with an average duration of four weeks and eight weeks respectively.

A study was conducted to identify major health constraints of livestock, giving emphasis to cattle, sheep, goats and poultry in GantaAfeshum district, Eastern Zone of Tigray from March 2013 to June 2013. Questionnaire survey and case observational study methods were carried out for data collection. In the questionnaire survey, 120 livestock owners were interviewed and respondents indicated that the major farming system practiced in the area were mixed crop livestock production. Respondents view towards the major constraints of livestock production in the locality indicated that lack of adequate veterinary services were considered to be the dominant production challenges in the area. On the health aspect, they also confirmed that the most important diseases affecting cattle’s were FMD (17.7%), Pneumonic Pasteurelosis (15.5%), Ectoparasitic/tick infection (14.9%), Anthrax and GIT Parasitism (each with equal response of 11.5%). In sheep and goats GIT-Parasitism (16.1%), pneumonic-pasteurelosis (15.9%), coenuruses (15.8%) and Ectoparasite infection (15.4%) were regarded as the most important diseases. Furthermore, Newcastle disease (79.1%) followed by foul pox (11.6 %) and Coccidiosis (6.7%) were considered as the most important diseases in poultry. Case observational studies were also conducted at the district veterinary clinics (Bizet and Adigrat) and a total of 465 diseased animals were tentatively diagnosed based on history and clinical signs. Among the diseases which were diagnosed, Ectoparasitism (35.55%), endoparasitic problems (25.4%), Mastitis (8.6 %), Pneumonic Pasteurelosis (7%), and FMD (6.64%) were the most frequently observed diseases (cases) in cattle. In sheep and goats, Pneumonic Pasteurelosis (28.85%), endoparasitic problems (22.8%), Ectoparasitism (16.78%), FMD (7.4%), Bloat (4.7%) and sheep and Goat pox (4.7%) were commonly encountered diseases. In Poultry, Newcastle Disease (60%), foul pox (18.3%) and Coccidiosis (11.7%) were found to be commonly encountered health problems. Overall results indicated that shortage of animal feeds, poor management practices, lack of adequate veterinary services and livestock health problems (diseases) were the major constraints existing for livestock development in the area and hence there is a need to expand the veterinary services in terms of quality and quantity in order to tackle the problems associated with livestock health and to boost the awareness of the livestock producers of the community.

Salmonellosis is an infectious disease of human and animal caused by organisms of the two species of Salmonella (S. enterica and S. bongori). A Salmonella pathogen are highly adaptive and potentially pathogenic to human and other domestic animals; young, pregnant and lactating animals are the most susceptible and are capable of producing a serious of infections having foodborne zoonosis importance. Enteric disease is the commonest clinical manifestation, but a wide range of clinical signs, which include acute septicaemia, abortion, arthritis and respiratory disease, may be seen.Worldwide there are 16 million annual cases of typhoid fever, 1.3 billion cases of gastroenteritis and 3 million deaths. Poultry, egg, meat, dairy products and fruits and vegetables serve as vehicles of transmission. Most human salmonellosis cases are foodborne, but each year infections are also acquired through direct or indirect animal contact in homes, veterinary clinics, zoological gardens, farm environments or other public, professional or private settings. Salmonella passes through M-cells overlying Peyer’s patches, through dendritic cells or through the epithelial lining in the lower part of small intestine or proximal colon to arrive in the sub epithelial location which is also transported to extra intestinal sites such as the liver, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Salmonella pathogens are common in cattle and potentially infect human that come in contact with cattle. Bovine salmonellosis is caused by S. typhimurium and dublin. The disease in cattle is characterized by septicemia, acute or chronic entritis or abortion. Salmonella entrica sub species entrica develop a resistance to multi antibiotics in which results in increasing failure of treatment and severity of infection. Basic hygiene practices and the implementation of scientific based management strategies can efficiently mitigate the risks associated with animal contacts. However, the general public is frequently unaware of the specific disease risks involved and high-risk behaviors are common. The disease can be also controlled by vaccination of cattle.