Zonulin elucidated as a thoroughly known protein, is capable of modulating the gut integrity of intercellular connections. Intestinal permeability and its modulation by zonulin have been well-defined. Zonulin levels could increase in response to several stimuli, i.e. infection/gluten ingestion. Even if the latter occurs, zonulin signals into the body for elevating the permeability of the gut lining, permitting larger molecules to pass through. All aforementioned conditions initiate inflammation. In the present prospective field study, the aim was to determine the specificity of zonulin as a noninvasive selected biomarker of gut barrier function to identify and debug calves suffering from diarrhea.  Furthermore, another purpose was to define the appearance of leaky gut (LeaG) among calves with diarrhea. By use of commercially available Bovine Zonulin ELISA test kits with a well-designed methodology all 11 diseased and other relevant healthy calves gave positive test results. Circulating zonulin levels (ng/mL) expressed as (±SEM), there were significant differences (p<0.001) between healthy (26.43±3.528) and diarrheic calves (57.97±4.250). As a preliminary conclusion, it should not be unwise to draw the hypothesis that zonulin levels debug diarrheic calves from healthy ones. Further studies are warranted.

Vibrio is a major sea food pathogen which needs to be monitored regularly for devising appropriate control strategy to ensure food safety among sea food consumers and handlers. The present study aims to ascertain the occurrence of Vibrio spp. in seafood viz fishes, prawn/shrimps, crabs and water samples collected from various fish markets in and around Chennai city, Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 175 samples were screened, of which 106 (60.57%) samples were found positive by PCR targeting the 16s rRNA of Vibrio genus and all the positive isolates were subjected to toxR gene identification by Multiplex PCR for species level identification. At the species level 28(26.41%) were positive for Vibrio parahemolyticus (Vp), 6 (5.67%) positive for Vibrio Cholerae (Vc), 2 (1.89%) positive for Vibrio vulnificus (Vv). The presence of mixed vibrio species were also observed of which 56 samples (43.40%) revealed the presence of Vp and Vc, 7 (6.60%) with Vp and Vv, 3 (2.84%) with Vv and Vc and 14 samples with (13.20%) Vp, Vv and Vv. The present study identified the presence along with mixed Vibrio spp. in most of the samples tested from the study area.

Bovine Lymphocyte Antigen DRB3 (BoLA-DRB3), a gene of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has received attention because this is considered to be a potential genetic marker associated with disease resistance traits in cattle. Hence, a study was taken up to characterize BoLA-DRB3.2 alleles in the 60 Ongole animals. The most common alleles observed in Ongole cattle was *15 and *6 with frequency of 0.225 and 0.200, respectively. Of the 22 identified alleles detedted, these 7 allleles (BoLA-DRB3.2*15,*6,*12,*13,*23, *31 and *47) represented 77.5 percent of allelic frequencies. Result indicated that the BoLADRB3 exon 2 was highly polymorphic in Ongole cattle. Direct sequencing BoLA-DRB3.2 allele reveled that at nucleotide at position 91 and 133 of the sequence had both A and G nucleotides in contrast to T nucleotide of Bos taurus breed and the variations leads to different band pattern in gels.

A study was conducted to assess the quality control practices of both physical and chemical methods of evaluation adopted by feed mills in India while procuring the feed ingredients for preparing poultry feeds. Based on physical methods of evaluation of different feed ingredients, 6.4 % of lots were found to be inferior quality out of 2606 lots tested. The results indicated that the moisture content of grains procured during the period from October to December months was high whereas it was low from April to July. The protein content of soybean meal varied from 45.5 to 47.5% while its solubility varied from 72.1 to 83.2%. The rejection of raw material consignments was 7.85 %. The major reasons for rejection included high moisture, low protein, high level of sand amp; silica, adulteration / contamination with foreign materials. the findings of this study emphasis ther sgnificance of strict quality control measures to be adopted to ensure feed and food safety.

A 3 time calved cross bred Jersey cow with its 20 days old calf was presented to the outpatient medical unit of Veterinary Clinical Complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal with the history of anorexia, mild respiratory distress and eruptions on the skin for a period of 10 days. General clinical examination revealed high temperature, anaemia, icteric conjunctival mucous membrane, enlarged prescapular amp; cutaneous lymph nodes, eruptions on the skin and presence of ticks on the body. Fine needle aspiration cytology of pre scapular lymph node and pheripheral blood smear examintaion confirmed theileriosis. Incidentally its 20 days old calf too had similar symptoms. Both the dam and the calf were treated with suitable therapeutic regimen including blood transfusion.

A study was undertaken with the objective of assessing the utilisation pattern of ICT (Information Communication Technology) among undergraduate veterinary students in southern states of India. Data were collected from 248 final year undergraduate students of 12 veterinary colleges in five southern states of India viz. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka Andhra Pradesh and Telangana through pretested questionnaire. The findings of the study revealed that majority of the students studied had 3-4 years of experience in using internet and accessed internet through mobile phone (61.29%). One-third (33.06%) of the students used internet 2-3 days in a week for academic activity while, 30.65% used internet every day for personal activity. The study revealed that students used internet mainly for the preparation of assignments (97.58%). The major problems faced by the students in using ICT tools were slow speed of internet (77.82%) and inadequate number of computers (75.81%) in the institutions. It could be concluded that veterinary students had accessed substantial information technology resources and had knowledge towards computer and internet. Provision of structured information technology training for veterinary students would help them to acquire necessary skills to maximise the utilisation of online veterinary resources. nbsp;

Oestrus detection plays an important role in the reproductive management of a dairy farm. To improve the post-breeding oestrus observation practice among the farmers, a reproductive management tool called ‘Oestrus Monitoring Chart’ (OMC) was designed and developed. The effectiveness of this technology on oestrus detection, timed artificial insemination and pregnancy diagnosis was studied in a small scale crossbred cattle dairy farm. Breeding parameters viz., number of inseminations carried out per animal, duration between two successive inseminations for each animal, duration between artificial insemination and pregnancy check-up and conception rate was studied for a period of one year before (G1) and one year after installation of OMC (G2). Perusal of the data revealed that the duration between successive artificial insemination (AI) and the duration between AI and pregnancy diagnosis was significantly (P lt; 0.01) decreased in G2 group when compared with G1 group. The conception rate was also significantly improved after the installation of the OMC and introduction of OMC as a reproductive management tool improved the oestrus detection attitude among the farm personnel.

The present study was conducted with the aim of establishing the basic data about gross morphometric measurements in lactating and non-lactating (n=15 each) adult Tellicherry she-goats. These goats had two mammary glands (right and left halves) divided by an inter mammary groove and each had a single teat. Udder circumference and inter teat distance differed between lactating and non-lactating animals. Udder length (UL) width of right (R­UW) and left (L-UW) quarter, right and left teat length, teat diameter at base (TDB), teat diameter at tip (TDT), Teatto floor distance (TFD) and teat end floor distance (TEFD), right and left teat diameter at base (TDB), right and left teat diameter at tip (TDT) did not differ between lactating and non-lactating Tellicherry she-goats.

Indigenous duck breed of Assam are popular with considerable production potential with minimal input and mostly reared under semi intensive system of management. These ducks are maintained in all agro climatic zones of Assam and different from other indigenous duck genetic resources available in the country. But the genetic structure of these duck varieties was not fully studied; hence the genetic characterization of Assam ducks was assessed with 23 FAO recommended duck specific microsatellite markers using advanced automated genotyping technique. The analysis revealed that totally 91alleles were observed with the number ranging from 1 (CAUD025) to 7 (CAUD004 and APH009) and an overall mean of 3.957 ± 0.32 across the loci. The mean observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.4444 and 0.5113. All the microsatellite loci were found to be highly polymorphic except CAUD025. In Assam ducks, PIC value ranged from 0.14 (APH001) to 0.71 (CAUD004) with a mean value of 0. 4813. Nearly 14 out of 23 loci had PIC values of more than 0.5 indicating that these markers can be effectively used for genetic diversity analysis. The Chi-square test revealed that among the 23 microsatellite studied, only 12 were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium proportions and the rest departed from equilibrium. Selection and non-random mating could be the main reasons for this disequilibrium. The markers used in the study were found to be highly informative, explores high genetic variation in the population which could be exploited for their improvement.

A study undertaken to analyse the design and operational aspects of Needlefish gillnets of four different fishing villages of Ramanathapuram district of Tamilnadu, revealed the existence of notable difference with respect to catch rate despite having many common design features. Relatively shallow and broader continental shelf boarded with coral reef was found to serve as an ideal habitat for Needlefishes along the coastal villages of this district. Six species viz.,Ablenneshians, Tylosurus crocodiles, T. choram, T. agus,Strongylura strongylura and S. leiura were found to constitute the fishery of Needlefish in gill nets with the dominant species being either A. hians orT. crocodiles.A. hians was dominant in the gillnet catches Gulf of Mannar while T. crocodiles showed its dominance in the gillnet catches from the fishing villages of Palk bay. Trawling was found to be a common disturbing activity forNeedlefish gillnetting in all the four fishing villages studied. Among four villages, Mundal was found to be notable for Needlefish gillnetting as relatively longer gill nets involving more number of fishing crafts were found to be operated from this village. The catch composition of gillnets revealed that the mean Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) of Needlefishes ranged from 23 to 25 nos/boat/day while the CPUE of commercially important fishes such as seer fish, barracudas, mackerels, flying fish, queen fish and sail fishes altogether ranged from 15 to 19 nos/boat/day. The study suggests evolving a selective pelagic longline gear for capturing Needlefishes considering the rich resource of Needlefish along the coast of Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.