An experiment was conducted by feeding diets with different levels of lysine (1.20, 1.30 and 1.40 % in pre-starter diet, 1.10, 1.20 and 1.30 % in starter diet and 0.95, 1.05 and 1.15% in finisher diet) and methionine (0.45, 0.55 and 0.65% in pre-starter diet, 0.40, 0.50 and 0.60 % in starter diet and 0.35, 0.45 and 0.55 % in finisher diet) to commercial broilers for a period of five weeksto assess the cumulative feed consumption and feed conversion ratio in environmentally controlled and open sided deeplitter housing system. The results of the study revealed that broilers reared in environmentally controlled housing system consumed more feed than in open sided housing system. In addition the housing system also inÀuenced the feed conversion ratio irrespective of various combinations of dietary lysine and methionine in broilers.

In India fast growing sub-sector of agriculture is the livestock production. The present study made an attempt to analyse the seasonal inÀuence on the retail price of mutton in Tamil Nadu. The data relevant for the study were collected from the Annual Statistical Abstract published by the Department of Statistics, Government of Tamil Nadu for the period from April 1975 to March 2018 and using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) formula the time value of money was calculated. The results revealed that significantly higher average retail price was noticed during winter summer season (Rs. 17.24 ± 0.16; 17.25 ± 0.13) than monsoon (Rs. 16.80 ± 0.11) and post monsoon (Rs. 16.69 ± 0.13). The result of current study gives an idea to the small ruminant farmers on the future strategies to fetch more income from animal rearing.  

Occurrence of lice infestation is not uncommon in wild and exotic birds. The present report deals with occurrence of lice in a Brahminy kite, Haliastur indus belonging to Accipitriformes. External examination of free range Brahminy kite from Vandaloor zoo, Tamil Nadu revealed presence of large sized louse in the feathers and was identified as Laemobothrion maximum on the basis of morphology and morphometry. The present report is found to be first of its kind from Tamil Nadu.

The sternum of the Victorian crowned pigeon (Goura victoria) was a long (10.40cm), and triangular bone. The dorsal surface was deeply concave and showed very large foramina behind the cranial border in the centre. The dorsal surface showed a groove in the centre, which contained numerous small pneumatic foramina. The cranial border was thick, convex and narrow. Below the dorsal ridge of cranial border, a large, round pneumatic foramen was present. The sternal spine was rudimentary. The craniolateral processes were 1.0 cm long, thick, pneumatised, projected upwards and cranially. The lateral borders contained three articular cylinders for the sternal ribs and the troughs between them contained pneumatic foraminae. The thoracic processes were large, well developed and scythe-shaped. The caudolateral processes were 1.5cm long, thin and projected caudally. It enclosed along with the lateral borders of the corpus sterni, a triangular notch, an incisura ovalis. The caudal border of the corpus sterni was very narrow (0.5cm), convex and should be ended as blunt. The sternal crest was large and triangular in shape. It began from below the ventral ridge of the cranial border extended deeply ventrally, formed a gentle curve in the cranial half and a steep curve in the caudal half and reached up to the caudal border of the corpus sterni. It was 11.50 cm long and the height of the sternal crest between the midpoint of the cranial border of the sternum and the highest point of the sternal crest (H) was 6.10cm.

A study was undertaken with an objective to evaluate the effect of sugarcane bagasse as analternate roughage source on the feed intake, nutrient digestibility and growth performance in crossbred calves. Eighteen crossbred calves aged one year with an average body weight of154.28 kg were utilised in the study for 6 months. The animals were divided into 3 groups and fed with two different inclusion levels of sugarcane bagasse (25% and 50%) replacing conventional fodder and a control diet based on roughage and concentrates, commonly adopted in the region. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference between control and treatment groups in the digestibility of DM, OM, CF, NFE, however the digestibility of EE differed significantly (p<0.05).Even though DCP showed highly significant difference among the groups, the TDN contents were similar to the control diets for both treatment groups. The dry matter intake did not differ significantly for the 1st and 2nd months. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in the bodyweight of the animals in the entire study period.Therefore sugarcane bagasse can be safely included up to the level of 50% in the diet and can potentially replace the conventional green fodder without affecting the growth and daily dry matter intake in crossbred growing calves.

         An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of application of cattle urine at a rate of 0.7 l/m2 area on carbon dioxide (CO) emissions under low, medium and high pasture cover blocks of the grazing area during rainy season at Hyderabad. CO2 emissions was significantly (P<0.05) higher in experimental plots which received cattle urine than without cattle urine. Mean CO2 concentration increased linearly with the time i.e., from 0 to 60 minutes of sample collection under different pasture cover blocks and the differences were significantly (P<0.01) different. The CO2 emissions flux (mg/m /h) ranged from 9.10 to 28.80, 12.30 to 27.80 and 10.40 to 32.50 with a mean of 16.50 ± 1.24, 17.50 ± 1.00 and 21.30 ± 1.58 mg/m2/h under low, medium and high vegetation covered chambers, respectively and no trend was observed in CO2 flux among different vegetative cover blocks. The differences in mean CO2 emissions flux among different vegetation cover plots were significantly (P<0.05) different with highest under high vegetation and lowest under low vegetation cover. It is concluded that, pasture growth would influence the CO2 emissions from the grazing lands when applied urine of grazing animals hence, appropriate pasture management combined with rotational livestock grazing helps in containing global warming.

Avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) is the causative agent of colibacillosis in broiler chicken and various antibacterials used to control the infection may lead to the development of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and pan drug-resistant bacteria. Further, antibacterial resistant bacteria also emerge as a result of inappropriate use of antibacterials in chicken, reducing the efficacy of antibacterials used for medical purposes. Keeping this in view, this study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial property of vitamin C against resistant bacteria when used along with enrofloxacin. A total of 60 liver swabs collected from the field were used in this study. E. coli were isolated using selective media and were genotypically confirmed by amplification of Adk gene. The resistant genes (qnrA, qnrB and qnrS) were detected through PCR. E. coli isolates were subjected to antimicrobial screening against enrofloxacin and vitamin C (L- ascorbic acid) both by qualitative method and quantitative method. Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion revealed enrofloxacin resistance in 83.33 percent of samples. The MIC of enrofloxacin against resistant isolates was 90.25 μg/ml, but when vitamin C was administered, the MIC was non-significantly lowered to 86.16 μg/ml in the macro broth dilution method. It was also found that vitamin C alone exhibited antibacterial activity at a concentration of ≥ 5 mg/ml. Hence, it is likely that vitamin C may improve antibacterial effects of enrofloxacin in poultry.

A Jersey crossbred heifer was presented to the Gynaecology Unit of Veterinary Clinical Complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu for pregnancy diagnosis. Rectal examination revealed rigid cervix and flaccid uterine horns. Further examination revealed that left uterine horn was adhering with the adnexa like a firm mass and unable to retract. However, the right uterine horn and both the ovaries were free of adhesions and were easily movable. Ultrasonographic examination revealed left uterine horn was curled and there was synechiae as evidenced by dense hyperechoic bands around the contours of left uterine horn which confirm the unilateral left uterine horn adhesion.

Follicular cyst is one of the major factors affecting the fertility of buffaloes. The present study was conducted to assess the proteo- biochemical characters of the follicular fluid (FF) and granulosa cells (GCs) of normal and cystic follicles of buffaloes. Ovaries were collected from slaughtered buffaloes and follicles were classified based on their diameter as: small (SF: < 4mm), medium (MF: 4 – 9 mm), large (LF: > 9 mm) and cystic (CyF: > 17mm). FF and GC were collected aseptically and subjected for further studies. Biochemical analysis of FF revealed significantly high concentrations of glucose and triglyceride in CyF when compared to LF, which could be due to poor metabolic activities of the damaged follicular cells. Protein fraction analysis of the FF and GC revealed increased expression of proteins in the molecular weight ranges of around 30,70 and 200 kDa relating to insulin like growth factor binding protein, heat shock protein 70 and vasculo endothelial growth factor respectively in CyF. It was concluded that poor utilization of proteins and deranged metabolic and angiogenic proteins in the follicular microenvironment would have led to the anovulatory status and persistence as cyst in buffaloes.  

Mixed infections with four gastrointestinal parasites were recorded in a desi fowl presented for post mortem in Chennai. The morphological characters of the worms found in the lumen of the gizzard, duodenum and caecum of a desi fowl were studied and the worms were identified as Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum. The caecum of a bird showed pathological changes including congestion and haemorrhages. Examination of the intestinal contents revealed the presence of eggs of A. galli and Capillaria spp along with oocyst of Eimeria spp.