The  research  work  was  aimed  at  investigating physiological,  biochemical,  analgesic  and  anesthetic indices of dogs anesthetized with propofol-ketamine and  maintained  with  repeat  bolus  and  constant infusions  of  propofol.  Eight  dogs,  assigned  to  two groups (n=4), were used in this study. All dogs were pre-medicated with atropine (at 0.03 mg/kg bwt) and xylazine (at 2 mg/kg bwt). Anesthesia was induced by a  concurrent  administration  of  propofol  (at  4  mg/kg bwt)  and  ketamine  (at  2.5  mg/kg  bwt).  Maintenance of  anesthesia  in  Group  1  was  done  with  a  repeat bolus of propofol (at 2 mg/kg bwt), while in Group 2 it was  done with a constant infusion of propofol (at 0.2  mg/kg  bwt/min).  Gastrotomy  was  performed  in both  groups,  and  anesthesia  was  maintained  for  60 min.  Physiological,  analgesic,  anesthetic  parameters and  plasma  glucose  concentration  were  measured. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference found in the  analgesia  and  pedal  reflex  scores,  durations  of  analgesia  and  recumbency,  recovery  time  and standing  time  between  the  groups.  The  heart  rate, respiratory  rate  and  rectal  temperature  reduced significantly  (P<0.05)  from  the  baseline  values.  The heart and respiratory rates were significantly (P<0.05) lowered  in  Group  1  than  in  Group  2.  Blood  glucose was  significantly  (P<0.05)  elevated  at  recovery  from anesthesia  in  both  groups.  However,  the  value  did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between the groups. In  conclusion,  both  maintenance  protocols  are suitable  for  dogs,  although  the  repeat  bolus technique  produces  marked  cardiopulmonary depression.http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/javar.2015.b114

The  study  was  conducted  to  know  the  effects  of several  genetic  and  non-genetic  factors  like  season, sex, year of birth, genotype of calves and milk yield of  dam  associated  with  growth  performance  of crossbred calves. Data were collected from registered farmers during the period of May, 2011 to April, 2013. Birth weight, three-month weight, six-month weight, weaning  weight  and  heritability  estimates  of  those growth performances were performed using a total of 82 registered calves which had pedigree information having the genotypes of 25% Local - 75% Friesian and 37.5% Local - 62.5% Friesian. The average birth, three-month, six-month and weaning weight of calves were 29.33,  64.32,  99.06  and  151.77  kg,  respectively.  The effects of non-genetic factors like sex, season of birth and  genotype  were  non-significant  (P>0.05)  for  the traits  birth weight, three-month, six-month, weaning weight  and  average  daily  gain  of  calves.  However, year of birth was found significant on birth (P<0.01), three-month and six-month (P<0.05) weight; but non-significant  (P>0.05)  on  weaning  weight  and  average daily  gain  of  calves.  The  heritability  estimates  were 0.40±0.09,  0.46±0.08,  0.39±0.12  and  0.50±0.12  for  the traits  birth  weight,  three-month  weight,  six-month weight  and  weaning  weight,  respectively.  Estimated heritabilities  of  live  weights  suggest  that  individual own  performance  basis  selection  would  be  more effective for increasing growth and therefore, should be  paid  more  emphasis  in  cattle  improvement program. http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/javar.2015.b116

In this study, an attempt was undertaken to know the prevalence and antibiogram profile of Mycobacterium spp.  in  poultry  and  its  immediate  environments.  A total of 130 samples comprising of droppings (n=80), egg  washing  (n=18),  drinking  water  (n=14),  hand washing  from  farm  workers  (n=6)  and  litter  (n=12) were collected from six poultry farms located in and around  Bangladesh  Agricultural  University  (BAU). Samples  were  inoculated  onto  7H10  Middlebrook agar and incubated aerobically at 37ºC for 7-14 days. Identification of  Mycobacterium spp. was performed by  colonial  morphology,  acid  fast  staining,  and biochemical  tests.  Molecular  identification  of Mycobacterium spp. at genus level was performed by polymerase  chain  reaction  (PCR)  assay  targeting  65-kDa heat shock protein gene. Antibiogram profile of Mycobacterium  spp.  was  performed  against  five antibiotics  namely  Rifampin,  Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Streptomycin and Doxycycline by disc diffusion  method.  Three  Mycobacterium  spp.  were isolated  from  dropping  samples  of  poultry.  The overall  prevalence  of  Mycobacterium  spp.  was  2.3% (n=3/130). All the isolates were resistant to Rifampin and  sensitive  to  Azithromycin  and  Ciprofloxacin. Data of this study indicated that multidrug resistant Mycobacterium  spp.  are  prevalent  in  the  poultry farms of the study area which underscore the need of implementation  of  good  biosecurity  to  poultry husbandry  practice  to  ensure  poultry  and  human health.http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/javar.2015.b118

This research work was conducted to investigate the effects  of  age,  sex  and  breed  on  the  induction  of immune  response  against  experimentally  prepared inactivated  trivalent  (type  O,  A,  and  Asia-1)  FMD vaccine. Twenty six cattle were divided into four test groups (Group A, B, C, and D; 5 cattle in each group) and one control group (n=6) based on breed (local and cross),  age  (?12  months  and  >12  months),  and  sex (male  and  female).  Test  cattle  were  vaccinated  with the  experimentally  prepared  trivalent  FMD  vaccine. Pre-  and  post  vaccinated  sera  from  the  vaccinated cattle were collected upto 63 days, and the sera were tested  using  liquid  phase  blocking  enzyme  linked immunosorbent  assay  (LPBE)  that  was  specific  for FMD  serotypes  O,  A,  and  Asia-1.  Antibody  titers  of all  the  pre-vaccinated  serum  samples  were  found  to be under protection level. The females were found to be more protected (90%; n=9/10) as compared to males (70%;  n=7/10).  The  titers  obtained  were  statistically analyzed  using  t–test  to  observe  the  effects  of  age, breed and sex. It was observed that the mean values of antibody titer in cattle aging >12 months against O, A,  and  Asia-1  serotypes  were  significant  (P<0.05)  at 21, 49 and 63 days as compared to the values obtained from the cattle aging ?12 months. In conclusion, the local  female  cattle  aging  >12  months  showed  better immune response towards trivalent FMD vaccine. http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/javar.2015.b121

Infectious and zoonotic disease outbreaks have been linked to increasing volumes of legal and illegal trade. Spatio-temporal and trade network analyses have been used to evaluate the risks associated with these challenges elsewhere, but few details are available for the pig sector in South Africa. Regarding pig diseases, Limpopo province is important as the greater part of the province falls within the African swine fever control area. Emerging small-scale pig farmers in Limpopo perceived pig production as an important means of improving their livelihood and an alternative investment. They engage in trading and marketing their products with a potential risk to animal health, because the preferred markets often facilitate potential longdistance spread and disease dispersal over broad geographic areas. In this study, we explored the interconnectedness of smallholder pig farmers in Limpopo, determined the weaknesses and critical control points, and projected interventions that policy makers can implement to reduce the risks to pig health. The geo-coordinates of surveyed farms were used to draw maps, links and networks. Predictive risks to pigs were determined through the analyses of trade networks, and the relationship to previous outbreaks of African swine fever was postulated. Auction points were identified as high-risk areas for the spread of animal diseases. Veterinary authorities should prioritise focused surveillance and diagnostic efforts in Limpopo. Early disease detection and prompt eradication should be targeted and messages promoting enhanced biosecurity to smallholder farmers are advocated. The system may also benefit from the restructuring of marketing and auction networks. Since geographic factors and networks can rapidly facilitate pig disease dispersal over large areas, a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the complexities that exist around the animal disease epidemiology becomes mandatory.

In developing countries, foetal wastage from slaughtered ruminants and the associated economic losses appear to be substantial. However, only a limited number of studies have comprehensively evaluated these trends. In the current study, secondary (retrospective) and primary data were collected and evaluated to estimate the prevalence of foetal wastage from cattle, sheep and goats slaughtered at an abattoir in Minna, Nigeria, over a 12-year period (January 2001 – December 2012). Time-series modelling revealed substantial differences in the rate of foetal wastage amongst the slaughtered species, with more lambs having been wasted than calves or kids. Seasonal effects seem to influence rates of foetal wastage and certain months in the year appear to be associated with higher odds of foetal wastage. Improved management systems are suggested to reduce the risk of foetal losses.

Skins and hides are perishable resources that can be damaged by parasitic diseases and human error, which result in downgrading or rejection. This study was conducted to identify defect types and to determine their prevalence in pickled sheep and wet blue goat skins and wet blue hides. Each selected skin or hide was examined for defects in natural light and the defects were graded according to established quality criteria in Ethiopian standard manuals. Major defects were captured by digital photography. The major pre-slaughter defects included scratches (64.2%), cockle (ekek) (32.8%), wounds or scars (12.6%), lesions from pox or lumpy skin disease (6.1%), poor substance (5%), branding marks (2.3%) and tick bites (1.5%). The presence of grain scratches in wet blue hides (76.3%) was significantly higher than in pickled sheep (67.2%) and wet blue goat (59.1%) skins. The major slaughter defects included flay cuts or scores, holes, poor pattern and vein marks, with a higher occurrence in wet blue goat skins (28.7%; P 0.001) than in wet blue hides (22.8%) and pickled sheep skins (11.1%). The most prevalent postslaughter defects were grain cracks (14.9%), hide beetle damage (8%), damage caused by heat or putrefaction (3.7%) and machine-induced defects (0.5%). Grain cracks (27.04%) and hide beetle damage (13.9%) in wet blue goat skins were significantly more common than in wet blue hides and pickled sheep skins. These defects cause depreciation in the value of the hides and skins. Statistically significant (P 0.001) higher rejection rates were recorded for wet blue hides (82.9%) than for pickled sheep skins (18.3%) and wet blue goat skins (8.5%). Improved animal health service delivery, effective disease control strategies and strong collaboration between stakeholders are suggested to enhance the quality of skins and hides.

A study of the distribution of Culicoides species was conducted by establishing 12 light trap sites over five rainy seasons between 1998 and 2003 covering all the geo-climatic natural regions of Zimbabwe. In total, 279 919 specimens of Culicoides were trapped over a total of 163 trapping nights. The highest median counts of Culicoides per trapping night were recorded in natural region III, which has climatic conditions conducive to the successful development of the larvae. Culicoides imicola, the major vector of bluetongue and African horse sickness viruses in Africa, was found to be the most abundant species (80.4%), followed by Culicoides enderleini (5.9%) and Culicoides milnei (5.2%). This study identified 10 species of Culicoides that had not been previously described in Zimbabwe, including Culicoides loxodontis and Culicoides miombo, which are members of the C. imicola complex. A total of 23 994 Culicoides midges were collected from five trap sites in Harare, Zimbabwe, with the dominant species, C. imicola, representing 91.6% of the total collection. Seventeen arboviruses were isolated from these midges, 15 of which were bluetongue virus. The predominant bluetongue virus serotype was serotype 11, followed by serotypes 1, 8, 12 and 15. Bluetongue virus serotypes 1, 2, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16 and 18, detected in this study, had not been previously reported in Zimbabwe.

Slaughterhouses provide a safeguard that prevents the public from consuming meat of poor quality or meat which may be infected with zoonotic diseases. This work reviews a 3-year database of cattle that were slaughtered and inspected between 2010 and 2012 at Dodoma abattoir, Tanzania. In addition, meat inspection was undertaken for 1 month (December 2013). The aim of this study was to establish causes of organ and carcass condemnations and their financial implications as well as the magnitude of slaughter of pregnant cows at Dodoma abattoir. During retrospective study, it was found that a total of 9015 (10.5%) lungs, 6276 (7.3%) intestines, 5402 (6.3%) livers, 3291 (3.8%) kidneys and 41 (0.05%) carcasses were condemned. Pulmonary emphysema (3.4%), fasciolosis (4.5%), pimply gut (5.7%), kidney congenital cysts (1.9%) and hydatidosis (3.1%) were major causes of organ condemnations. This large number of condemned edible organs and/or carcasses implies that public health considerations result in deprivation of valuable protein. Occurrence of hydatidosis, cysticercosis, fasciolosis and tuberculosis illustrates the possible public health problem and presence of environmental infections. Of the 794 cows slaughtered in December 2013, 46% were pregnant. Financial loss as a result of organ and/or carcass condemnations was estimated at $9892. Condemnation of organs and/or carcasses and indiscriminate slaughter of pregnant cows represent a significant loss of meat and revenue and a reduction in growth of future herds, which has a negative effect on the livestock industry. This justifies appropriate surveillance and disease control programmes coupled with strict enforcement of legislation governing animal welfare to curb the slaughter of pregnant animals.

This blinded field safety study was conducted in Senegal to assess safety and immunogenicity of administration of the registered dose of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) Clone 13 vaccine (Onderstepoort Biological Products) to sheep and goats of West African breeds under natural conditions. A total of 267 small ruminants (220 sheep, 47 goats) were included; half received RVFV Clone 13 vaccine at the recommended dose and half received the diluent (as placebo) only. The study was performed on three commercial farms in the northern and eastern region of Senegal in accordance with veterinary good clinical practices. The animals were observed daily for 3 days after vaccination, and then weekly for 1 year. In both sheep and goats vaccinated against RVFV seroconversion rates above 70% were recorded. No seroconversion related to RVFV was observed in placebo-treated animals. No statistically significant differences were determined between placebo and vaccinated groups for mean rectal temperatures for the first 3 days after administration (p 0.05). No abnormal clinical signs related to treatment were noted, and only one slight injection site reaction was observed in one vaccinated animal for 2 days after vaccination. Out of 176 births assessed over 1 year (93 from the vaccinated group, 83 from the placebo group), 9 were abnormal in the placebo group and 3 in the vaccinated group (p 0.05). The frequency of adverse events was similar in the placebo and vaccinated groups. RVFV Clone 13 vaccine administered according to the manufacturer’s instructions was safe and well tolerated in West African breeds of sheep and goats, including animals of approximately 6 months of age and pregnant females, under field conditions in Senegal. Antibody levels persisted up to 1 year after vaccination.