peer reviewed

The mRNA from distal ileum of Indian goat was cloned and characterized after purification. cDNA was synthesized using goat ileal epithelial RNA, omniscript and sensiscript reverse transcriptase and amplified by Hotstart Taq DNA polymerase with primers designed by taking conserved regions of cattle enteric _Ò-defensin, cattle lingual antimicrobial peptide(LAP) and goat _Ò-defensin-2 sequences. The amplified cDNA of 253bp was, ligated to linearised TA cloning vector and transformed into XLblue strain of E.coli which was grown overnight at 37oC in a LB plate containing ampicillin, IPTG and X-Gal. The recombinant plasmid was isolated and digested with NcoI. The white colonies showed a release of 253bp insert. The sequence analysis showed 26, 16 and 5-nucleotide substitution having 85.6%, 91.3%, 97.4% homology with reported cattle EBD, buffalo EBD and goat BD2 mRNA respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence encodes for a 64 amino acid precursor peptide showing 12,18 and 4 amino acid substitution having 80%, 70.8%, 93.8% homology with buffalo EBD, cattle EBD and goat BD2 peptide respectively. Both nucleotide and amino acid sequence homology showed that the cloned sequence was closer to goat BD2.

The effect of addition of Melia azedarach (fruit), Pimpinella anisum (seed), Cuminum cyminum linn (seed), Murraya koenigii (leaves), Emblica officinalis (fruit), Allium sativum linn (bulb), Terminalia arjuna (bark), Sapindus trifoliatus (seed), Zingiber officinale (rhizome), Trigonella foenun-graecum (seed) at three dose level (1.5%, 2.0% and 3.0% of DM) on pH, dry matter and organic matter digestibility of feed was studied with rumen liquor of goat. There was no significant change in the in vitro fluid pH, showing no adverse effect of herb addition. The addition of all the herbs at 1.5% level had no significant (P 0.05) effect on in vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility. There was slight improvement in dry matter and organic matter digestibility with the addition of Trigonella foenungraecum at 2% level as compared to control. At 3% level of addition of this herb, there was significant (P 0.05) increase in the in vitro dry matter digestibility (%) with Trigonella foenun-graecum (51.97) as compared to control (43.95). Similarly there was significant (P 0.05) increase in the in vitro organic matter digestibility (%) with Trigonella foenun-graecum (54.95) as compared to control (46.87) having with no addition of herbs. So Trigonella foenun-graecum (seed) at 3% dose level can be further explored in in vivo experiment to utilize it as a feed additive to increase the digestibility of feed in goats.

Recombinant LipL32 and LipL41 outer membrane proteins of Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola were produced, and used as a pooled antigen in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect leptospiral antibodies in bovine sera samples. The optimum concentration of the pooled antigen was found to be 50ng of each antigen per well by using known positive and negative cattle sera. Using a total of 500 bovine sera samples the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of pooled antigen based ELISA as compared to microscopic agglutination test (MAT) were 100%, 88.1% and 91.6%, respectively. The results suggested that antigen in ELISA could be preferred for detection of all those cases, which might have remained undiagnosed by performing MAT.

Heat stress is major concern for maintaining optimum production in livestock. The improvement of productivity in dairy animals, exposed to adverse environmental conditions, is primarily focused on improving the microclimate and nutritional management of the animals. The experiment was conducted on three groups of animals comprising six adult buffaloes in each group. Two groups were exposed to heat stress in the psychrometric chamber (40oC), the third group was kept under ambient conditions as control. One of the exposed groups was offered ascorbic acid (20g/day/animal). The blood samples were taken at every 4th day up to 16th day. Samples were analyzed for the total plasma protein and plasma albumin. Results showed that as the days of exposure progressed, the level of stress increased which is evident from the elevated level of total proteins. When compared with the ascorbic acid supplemented group (7.28±0.09 gm/dl), the non-supplemented group had higher protein content (7.93±0.13 gm/dl). There was significant difference (P 0.05) in protein levels among the groups. The level of albumin also followed the same pattern as that of total protein but in heat stressed (2.42±0.17gm/ dl) and ascorbic acid supplemented animals (2.41±0.19 gm/dl), the globulin levels declined as compared to group kept at ambient conditions (2.79±0.33 gm/dl). Further, the Albumin:Globulin ratio was significantly (P 0.05) higher in heat stressed animals (2.78±0.43) and ascorbic acid supplemented animals (2.19±0.30) as compared to control group (1.61±0.37). It can be concluded that ascorbic acid supplementation would be beneficial to buffalo producers of the arid/ semi-arid regions in amelioration of stress challenge imposed by the harsh weather.

The buffalo calves became ataxic at 6.16±1.07 minute of acepromazine administration. There was good sedation. The animals stood up with ataxia at 131.5±17.80 minute and complete recovery took 211.83±6.94 minutes. Significant hypotension and tachycardia were observed after acepromazine administration. Midazolam caused ataxia at 3.33±0.76 minute and animals went into sternal recumbency at 34.0±15.85 minute. There was good muscle relaxation. Complete recovery took 183.5±10.92 minutes. Significant increase in respiratory rate was observed at the its peak effect. A significant reduction in mean arterial pressure (MAP) was also seen at 30 minute of midazolam administration. Diazepam produced ataxia within one minute and animals went into sternal recumbency. It produced quick onset of action and delayed recovery. A significant hypotension was observed at 5 minute of diazepam with decreased pulse pressure. No change was observed in electrocardiograph on administration of acepromazine and diazepam but slight increase in the amplitude of primary T-wave was observed after midazolam administration.

A study was carried out in 2161 quarter milk samples of 550 cows in Durg district Chhattisgarh. Out of 550 animals, 385 (70%) animals were found to be positive for sub clinical mastitis (SCM) by Modified White Side Test (MWST), 432 (78.54%) by Modified California Mastitis Test (MCMT) and 462 (84%) by somatic cell count (SCC). The quarter wise prevalence of sub clinical mastitis was 47.99%, 55.25% and 60.90% by MWST, MCMT and SCC respectively. Prevalence of blind teats was 1.77%. prevalence was highest during second and third lactations and at 5 and 6 years of age. Infection rate was higher during early and late stages of lactation. HF and Jersey cross bred cows were more susceptible than indigenous cows. Microorganisms isolated were predominantly Staphylococci. ABST revealed sensitivity to cefotaxime whereas most of the isolates were resistant to ampicillin.

The effect of vacuum packaging on microbiological quality of roasted chicken. Roasted chicken were subjected to two different type of packaging treatment i.e. aerobic packaging with low density polyethylene bags (con) and vacuum packaging using barrier bags (VP.). Microbiological analyses were done on 0th, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th day at refrigeration temperature (4±1oC). Studies revealed that microbial counts in terms of total plate count, proteolytic count and yeast and mold count increased significantly (P0.05) with the advancement of storage period and were significantly higher (P0.05) for aerobically packaged product throughout the observation period however, yeast and mould count observed only on 10th, 15th and 20th day of observation period. Lactic acid bacterial counts of vacuum packaged product were significantly higher as compared to aerobically packaged sample.

Twenty-three crossbred cows with endometritis were randomized into three groups. The animals of group I and II were treated with methanol fraction of neem oil and neem seed powder (25 ml each by intra-uterine route), respectively. Whereas, the control cows (gr III) were administered with groundnut oil at similar times. Efficacy of both neem preparations was assessed by Whiteside test (color reaction to cervico-vaginal mucus) and bacterial load at subsequent estrus. The results indicate that the administration of neem preparations retrieved the cows from endometritis as majority of them showed negative to Whiteside test (100 % in gr I and 62.5% in gr II) following treatment. Reduction in bacterial load was also of higher magnitude in neem-oil (96.02±2.02%) and seed-powder fraction (98.70±0.46%) treated animals compared to controls (24.97±29.64 %). Further, a higher pregnancy rate (71.42%) was obtained in oil fraction-treated cows than seed powder fraction-treated or control cows (25% each). In this study, the therapeutic efficacy of methanol fraction of neem oil appeared superior to neem seed powder in endometritic cows.

The efficacy of two methods of spraying of acaricides on tick-infested sheep and goats was assessed. Two pyrethroid acaricides, 0.15% sumicidin and 0.20% butox were sprayed on individual animal one by one or on group of ten animals kept in small enclosures at a time, totally involving 40 sheep and 40 goats for each method. The efficacy, as seen from the total efficacy score (TES) of the former method of spraying, was found to be higher than the latter. But the advantages of the group spraying were that it saved the time in spraying and the quantity of acaricidal emulsion.