The present study was conducted from November 2013 to April 2014 in Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia on the in-vitro antibacterial activities of the steam bark of Combretum molle, the leaves of Xanthium strumarium and FR1 against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from bovine clinical mastitis. The in-vitro antimicrobial test was found with encouraging results against the test bacteria. Among the plant preparations which were tested the Mean Zone of Inhibition (MZI) of Xanthium strumarium was found with the widest zone of inhibition when compared with the other two with Mean Zone of Inhibition (mm) of 20.5, 18.5, 16, 15.25, and 13 to the 10%, 5%, 2.5%, 1.25%, and 0.625% concentrations, respectively against Staphylococcus aureus. The Mean Zone of Inhibition (mm) of FR1 was found to be 23.25, 21.25, 18.75, 16.5 and 13.75 to the 10 %, 5%, 2.5%, 1.25%, and 0.625% concentrations, respectively, which was the widest MZI when compared with the other two plant extracts of similar concentrations against Streptococcus agalactiae. The plant extracts were found with dose dependent inhibition zone against both bacterial isolates. The 10% preparations of the plant extracts were comparable with the standard antimicrobial used (Gentamicin) as positive control which show better zone of inhibition than Tetracycline. The result of the present study is indicative that these herbal preparations might be considered as an alternative option for the treatment of resistant isolates of clinical bovine mastitis after studying their safety of margin in-vivo.

A cross sectional study was carried out during the period between November, 2013 to April, 2014 to determine the prevalence of major skin disease and to identify the dominant risk factors for this disease in Gondar university veterinary clinic. A total of 1296 ruminants that came to the Clinic were involved in the study. Out of this 513(39.6%) cattle, 631(48.7%) sheep and 152(11.7%) goat was included. Skin scraping, morphological identification and clinical presentation were the methods employed for identification of mange mites and Dermatophilosis, gross ectoparasites and viral skin disease respectively. 468(36.1%) were infested with one or more skin diseases. The prevalence of skin diseases in cattle, sheep and goats were 142(27.68%), 268(42.47%) and 58(38.12%) respectively. The difference in the prevalence of skin diseases among the three host species was statistically significant (p<0.05). The major skin diseases identified on ruminants were tick 116(8.95%), mange 31(2.39%), lice 91(7.02%), sheep ked 72(5.56%), lumpy skin disease 29(2.24%), Dermatophilosis 9(0.69%), orf 45 (3.47%) and sheep and goat pox 77(5.94%).The prevalences of ectoparasites at genus level were tick (BoophilusHyalomma, Amblyommaand Rhipicephalus), mange mite (Demodex, Sarcoptesand Psoroptes) and Lice (Damalina and Linognathus). The difference in the prevalence of skin disease infestation between poor and good body condition was statistically significant in ruminants (P<0.001).The predilation site of skin disease were tick in hairless area, mange mite and lice in neck and head areas, Dermatophilosis on the back, orf in face region of, sheep ked in hairy parts of sheep, lumpy skin disease and sheep and goat pox in whole body parts of cattle and small ruminants. The study demonstrates that skin disease is among the most important health constraints of ruminants in and around Gondar town, hence requires immediate attention and control interventions.

The present study was designed to evaluate the ameliorative effect of Aloe vera extract on fluoride induced toxic changes in soft tissues of rats. The present study was carried out by procuring 72 male Wistar albino rats that were randomly divided into four groups consisting of 18 rats in each group. Sodium Fluoride was gavaged per orally using water as vehicle @ 18 mg NaF/kg body weight to groups II and Aloe Vera @ 200 mg/kg body wt. in distilled water was given along with Sodium Fluoride to group IV for 6 weeks to study ameliorative effects. Group I and III were treated with distilled water and Aloe vera respectively. Six rats from each group were sacrificed at fortnight interval. Gross changes were noticed in liver, testis, lung and spleen. Histopathologically, the liver revealed perivascular and periportal infiltration of MNCs, vesicular fatty change, periportal fibroblast proliferation, extensive bile ductular proliferation. In kidneys, atrophied and cystic glomeruli, extensive degenerative changes in tubular epithelial cells were noticed. Cerebrum revealed gliosis and demyelinating changes and in cerebellum. In testes, interstitial edema, desquamation of germinal epithelium and eosiniphillic granular debris in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules and necrotic changes were noticed. In Aloe vera ameliorated rats, these changes in different organs were less intense and by the end of experiment liver came to near normal appearance.