In the present study, red acrylic delta traps were fabricated and evaluated in piggery and cattle farms to trap house flies. Two different pellet baits; one containing (Z)-9-Tricosene, fish meal and molasses (FMP) and other with added antioxidant, butylated hydroxy toluene (FMPB) were used in the traps. In piggery and cattle farms, the traps were suspended at a height of six feet from ground level using metal wires at a distance of three meters between each trap. Each trial was conducted for seven days and the trial was repeated six times continuously without replacement of baits. Trapped flies were counted after each trial. In piggery farm, a total of 1232 flies were trapped, out of which 454 and 778 flies were trapped in FMP and FMPB pellet baited traps, respectively. Total number of flies trapped in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth week of the study period was 308, 247, 196, 133, 204 and 144, respectively. In cattle farm, a total of 435 flies were trapped, out of which 160 flies were trapped in FMP pellet baited traps and remaining 63.21 per cent (275 flies) were trapped in FMPB pellet baited traps. Total number of flies trapped in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth week of the study period was 134, 96, 82, 55, 27 and 41, respectively. The variation in trap catches of flies in traps baited with FMP and FMPB pellets was highly significant in both piggery (χ2 value = 170.42** p<0.01) and cattle farms (χ2 value 60.80** p<0.01). Delta traps were found effective in luring house flies and can be used in livestock farms to control house flies. 

The study on the assessment of body weight gain in three indigenous chicken breeds viz., Aseel, Kadaknath and Siruvidai chicken were conducted in five poultry farms of Vendhoni village, Ramanathapuram district. The body weight gain both between the breeds and farms were statistically analysed for a period of 20 weeks. All the five selected farms were distributed with day old (0 Day) Aseel, Kadaknath and Siruvidai chicks (Each 10 Nos) and about 50 kg each of commercial chick mash (Nutrikraft®). The body weight gain was recorded and assessed every week until 20 weeks. Among the three breeds analysed, a highly significant difference (P ≤ 0.01) existed with Aseel breed having higher body weight gain (1.441 kg) followed by Kadaknath (0.887 kg) and Siruvidai (0.737 kg) at 20 weeks of age.  The weight gain recorded during fourth and eighth weeks of age showed a highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) change among all the three breeds. The weight gain of Kadaknath and Siruvidai were highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) during 12th and 16th week of age. Whereas the weight gain in Aseel was found to be non-significant (P ≥ 0.05) in the same period of study. During 20th week, Siruvidai showed highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) change in weight gain and Aseel and Kadaknath showed non-significant (P ≥ 0.05) change.  Overall, Aseel had higher body weight gain than Kadaknath and Siruvidai breeds. All the three breeds were found to be well adapted to the hot and humid climatic condition of this district.

A four-month-old male Labrador retriever puppy was presented to Referral Veterinary Polyclinic, Indian Veterinary Research Institute with the history of anorexia, vomiting, haemorrhagic diarrhoea and signs of hypovolaemic shock. The case was diagnosed as parvovirus gastroenteritis by rapid antigen detection test. Shock was managed by infusion of polyionic isotonic fluid.  Haematological examination revealed severe leukopenia with WBC count of 0.3×10³/µL, which was treated with administration of recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (Filgrastim) at 5 mcg/kg subcutaneously along with supportive therapy. Dog showed elevated WBC count and improvement in clinical signs after 48 h. Administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factor along with routine therapy enhanced the survivability in canine parvovirus gastroenteritis.

Fracture comprises one of the major surgical cases having serious impinge on small ruminants causing lameness. A retrospective study was undertaken on incidence of long bone fractures in reference to metacarpal and metatarsal in goats. Among 893 cases, 344 (38.5%) cases had fracture. Incidence according to the bone involved; metacarpal (28.4%), metatarsal (22.9%), tibia (15.9%), femur (14.2%), radius and ulna (11%) and humerus (8.13%). Fractures with special reference to the age, sex, nature, type, location in metacarpal and metatarsal were taken for the study. The age of animals with metacarpal fracture ranged from twenty days to 3 years and had a mean age of 9 months whereas metatarsal fracture ranged from one month to 2.5 years and had a mean age of 1.2 years. Out of 176 goats with metacarpal (98) and metatarsal (76) fractures, male goats (65.3%) and (68.4%) were mostly affected than female. Open fractures were 33% whereas closed fractures were of 67%. Fracture due to automobile accident in metacarpal (45.9%) and metatarsal (31.5%) was found to be the most common cause of fracture in goats.

The present study was undertaken to fortify the nutritive value of chicken cutlet with the addition pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) as filler and optimize its level of addition. The cutlet was formulated with broiler chicken meat, and the spices and condiments. Four different batches of cutlets were prepared with boiled and mashed pearl millet replacing the meat by 10% (PM10), 20% (PM20) and 30% (PM30) along with a control and subjected to physico-chemical and sensory evaluation. The pH before and after cooking significantly decreased with increase in the concentration of pearl millet. The cooking yield was similar in PM20 and PM30 and significantly higher than PM10 and control. In the sensory evaluation, the texture scores were higher for the control with which PM10 was comparable. Juiciness and tenderness scores increased with the addition of PM. Flavour score and the overall  acceptability scores significantly decreased with increase in the concentration of PM. Yet, the scores were above moderately acceptable level. It conclusion, pearl millet may be used as effective filler in chicken cutlets up to a level of 10% without much affecting the sensory qualities.

Chicken nuggets prepared from spent hens’ meat by incorporating fermented bamboo shoots at 10 per cent, beet root at 10per cent and cabbage at 15per cent levels were evaluated for different physicochemical, microbial and sensory qualities under frozen (-18±1°C) storage condition. The pH of all nuggets increased significantly (P<0.05) during the storage period. The hardness, redness (a*), yellowness (b*) and chromavalues of all the nuggets decreased significantly (P<0.05) during storage period. The ΔE values of all the nuggets increased during storage period. There was no growth of microorganisms in all the nuggets during the period. The beet root incorporated nuggets recorded better sensory qualities compared to other nuggets in the study under frozen (-18±1°C) storage up to 90 days.

The study was conducted to find out the effect of age on carcass, meat quality characteristics and nutritional composition of Nandanam Turkey-II. Totally twelve birds were separated into two different age groups viz., young (20 weeks) and adult (40 weeks). The birds were slaughtered and breast muscle was obtained. The carcass, meat quality characters, proximate composition, amino acid, fatty acid and cholesterol content of meat of two age groups were analysed. The carcass characteristics viz., edible offal weight, in-edible offal, blood weight, feather weight and head weight had significant difference (P<0.01) between two age groups. Meat quality characteristics viz., pH (P<0.05), muscle fibre diameter (P<0.01) and myofibrillar fragmentation index (P<0.01) of young turkey meat were significantly lower than adult turkey meat. The young turkey meat had significantly higher moisture content (P<0.01), while it showed significantly lower protein, fat and total ash content than adult turkey meat. The significant difference (P<0.05) was observed in lysine and phenylalanine and highly significant difference (P<0.01) was observed in arginine, isoleucine, threonine, valine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and glycine contents of meat from young and adult age groups of turkey. The meat of young turkey had significantly lower total saturated fatty acids (P<0.01), mono unsaturated fatty acids (P<0.05) and higher poly unsaturated fatty acids (P<0.01), P/S ratio when compared to adult turkey meat. The cholesterol content of young turkey meat was significantly (P<0.01) lower than adult turkey meat. Based on the results it was concluded that the meat of young Nandanam Turkey-II had the superior meat quality characters and nutritional composition than the meat of adult birds.

Wet distiller's grain is one of the important agroindustrial by-products used for feeding dairy cattle. A study was conducted to enhance the shelf life of distillers grains and identify and quantify the deficit nutrients in it so that a supplemental strategy could be evolved to enhance its nutritive value. Twelve samples were collected from grain-based distilleries in Southern India and subjected to proximate analysis (AOAC, 2000), fibre fractionation (Goering and Van Soest, 1970) and were also analysed for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper and zinc. In vitro degradability studies were conducted using rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC) described by Czerkawski and Breckenridge (1977). Also, another study was conducted to enhance the shelflife of wet distiller’s grain by addition of deoiled rice bran (DORB) and salt at twelve differentlevels.Samples were collected on 2nd,4th, 6th, 8th and 10th days for estimation of pH (Wilson and Wilkins, 1972), mould count and yeast count (Jenkins, 1992). The degradation rate/hour, degradable soluble, degradable insoluble, undegradable and effective degradability of dry matter respectively were 0.16±0.02, 53.8±1.32,31±1.41, 15.2±1.07 and 76.87±0.43 percent and the same for nitrogen respectively were 0.12±0.01, 31.2±1.16, 53.8±1.28,15±0.95 and 62.39±1.59 per cent in wet distillers grains.The results indicate that mould count was significantly(p<0.05) lower in wet distiller’s grain and deoiled rice bran (DORB) combination of 70:30 irrespective of the number of days of preservation. Further adding salt in all combinations of distiller’s grain and DERB reduced the growth of yeast or mould.

Anaemia is one of the major clinical manifestations seen in various diseases in canines. Reticulocytes and erythrocyte counting are the hallmark for evaluating the anaemic status and bone marrow response to anaemia. In this study, a simple technique was developed and followed to count both reticulocytes simultaneously with the help of Neubauer counting chamber using the diluting fluids prepared from two different supravital stains to score the merit of the method for adoption. Blood samples for the study were  collected from the dogs presented to Madras Veterinary College Teaching hospital. The dogs were classified into apparently healthy and anemic group with each of 30 dogs. The total erythrocytic count was significantly low in the anomalous group compared to the healthy group (p<0.01) and the corrected percentage was higher in the oculous group than in healthy group. The corrected percentage is called as corrected percentage (CRP). The increased corrected percentage of reticular cells (CRC) was significantly higher in ominous group. Moreover, the corrected value of CRP was significantly lower in anaesthetized dogs than in the healthy dogs. This technique can be utilised as an ideal laboratory tool in identification of the health status of the animal and to evaluate the treatment regimen in the animal.

Lantana camara is a weed which affects both livestock production and the growth of other plants near them. It is a sturdy plant with multi-colored flowers which can grow well in diverse climatic and soil conditions. Initially cultivated as an ornamental plant and transferred to various regions of the world; the plant has now become one of the  common weeds in agricultural land and forest regions. It is found in almost all parts of India and its invasion in forest cover of the country is a great concern as the plant has inhibitory effect on growth of other plants. It has been listed among the ten most toxic weed in the world. Although grazing animals primarily do not consume this plant, scarcity of pasture lands cause the animals to eat this plant. Consumption of this plant cause hepatotoxicity and secondary photosensitization in animals. The toxic compound in this plant is ‘Lantadenes’ and is predominantly found in leaves of the plant. The history, phytochemistry, toxicity in animals, toxicopathology, treatment and prevention of toxicity are reviewed in this article.