A four years old primiparous Jersey crossbreed cow of one-month lactating was presented with swelling of right fore quarter and straw yellow milk. The grade of CMT test on milk was (+++). Klebsiella spp., isolation done by bacteriological culture of milk using blood agar. Plasma fibrinogen and plasma protein ratio was used as an indicator for assessment of recovery. Inj.Gentamicin 5 mg /kg IV & 10 ml intramammary along with supportive therapies were given for 5 days. 12thday post treatment the milk quality drastically improved.

The genetically improved modern commercial layers are capable of producing 330 eggs in their productive life of up to 72 weeks. The journey of genetic improvement continues and the breeding companies now developed ‘long life’ layers that can lay 500 eggs in 100 weeks of age. The changing production dynamics of layer chicken calls for better understanding of nutrient requirements and good nutritional programming. Prediction models are being used to assess the nutrient requirements of the hybrid layers; while, precision feeding of quantity of feed and or nutrients can lower feed costs and ensures more predictable bird performance. In-ovo and early chick nutrition give jump start at juvenile stage of chicken. The idea of split feeding, although beneficial in certain production parameters, suffers the disadvantages of additional infrastructure and workforce requirements. The nutritional programme foregg size, shell quality and feeding for value added designer egg production is aimed at increasing the profit to the farmers. In recent days, feeding for healthy gut that enables efficient digestion and absorption of nutrients has also gained paramount importance. The concept of feed nanotechnology can help in increasing nutrient availability and environment protection; while, phytogenic products can some extent replace the role played by antibiotic growth promoters. The advancements in biotechnology has opened up not only numerous opportunities for the development of products and technologies for poultry feeding, but also to study the influence of nutritional factors on genomics, proteomics and metabolomics.

‘New generation’ Dried Distillers’ Grains with Solubles (DDGS) collected from modern ethanol plants were analysed for its nutritional composition and included in the diet to assess the performance of commercial Vanaraja chickens. Six numbers of commercial ‘new generation’ DDGS samples collected from modern ethanol plants were analyzed for their basic nutrient composition and amino acid profile. Five isocaloric and isonitrogenous experimental diets containing graded levels of ‘new generation’ DDGS (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10% DDGS) were formulated as per ICAR-DPR standards for Vanaraja chickens basis, and fed for chicks (9 replicate pens containing 6 chicks each) of commercial dual purpose birds of Vanaraja strain for the period of 6 weeks. Growth performance of birds was recorded at 7, 14, 21, 35 and 42 days of age and 9 representative birds per treatment (one each from replicate pen) were randomly selected and processed to study their carcass yield and characteristics. The ME and CP content of ‘new generation’ DDGS is 2850±57 Kcal/Kg and 27.35±1.16%, respectively. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in the growth performance of birds during chick stage (7 to 21 days) and during early finishing stage (35 days) birds fed diets containing ≥5.0% ‘new generation’ DDGS had shown lower weight gain and significantly (P<0.05) poor feed conversion compared to Control. There was no significant difference in the carcass yield and its characteristics between the dietary treatments. Good quality protein rich ‘new generation’ DDGS can be used (10%) in the diets fed to commercial Vanaraja chickens without significant impact on overall performance of birds.

The present investigation was conducted in four districts (Namakkal, Tiruppur, Tirunelveli and Vellore) of Tamil Nadu with an objective to record animal husbandry breeding related ethnoveterinary medicines (EVM) and its scientific rationale. For this two blocks were chosen purposively from each of the selected districts and two villages from each block were selected randomly. Fifteen livestock rearers were selected randomly from each of the villages selected thus making a final sample of 240 livestock farmers. Results of this study revealed that, a total number of five ethno veterinary medicinal practices for anestrum and six EVM practices for retained placenta were adopted by the farmers. Out of these practices, use of half of a coconut and rhizome of viralimanjal (Curcuma longa) of 10 g for 10 days orally to the anestrum cow and feeding of the animals with bamboo leaves for the retained placenta was found to be having highest scientific relevant score of 0.5781 and 0.8437 respectively. On the basis of this study it was recommended that dairy cow owners should be made aware of using these two successful EVM treatment for anestrum and retained placenta after validating  these practices through suitable clinical trials.

Sugarcane press mud (SPM) is one of the potential agro-industrial by-products available in India and research exploring its utilisation in ruminant nutrition is scanty. In this direction, the present study evaluated the feasibility of dietary incorporation of SPM at graded levels in a feeding trial lasting 180 days to crossbred growing calves. A total of 18 numbers ofJersey crossbred growing calves were randomly distributed into three groups of six each based on comparable body weight (90.70±3.43Kg) and age (~5 Months) following a completely randomised design. The three dietary treatments were SP0, concentrate mixture without SPM; SP10, concentrate mixture comprising 10% SPM and SP20, concentrate mixture comprising 20% SPM on air-dry basis.The experimental calves were offered weighed quantity of designated isonitrogenous and isoenergetic concentrate mixture (coarse mash) along with ad libitum Co-FS 29 (chopped to 1-2 cm length) to fulfil nutrient requirements prescribed by Indian Council of Agriculture and a 6 days digestion trial was conducted towards end of the feeding trial. Representative pooled sub-sample of daily collected and acid preserved urine samples were analysed for purine derivatives to assess the microbial N supply to host animals. Blood samples were collected on 0, 60, 120,and 180 day of experiment to assess the metabolic status of growing calves. Results revealed no significant (P>0.05) differences in the intake and digestibility of basal nutrients, nitrogen balance, nutritive value of diets, average daily gain as well as feed conversion ratio among the treatment groups. Dietary Caretained by growing calves was significantly (P<0.05) higher in SP20 as compared to SP0. Urinary purine derivatives concentrations and serum biochemical parameters were did not differ (P>0.05) among the treatments. The cost of formulated concentrate mixture (Rs/day) was reduced (P<0.05) in SP20 (Rs.36.80) followed by SP10 (Rs.39.70) when compared to SP0 (Rs.42.44). These findings suggested that SPM could be safely fed up to 20% level in the concentrate mixture by substituting expensive traditional feed ingredients without negatively inflicting the performance of growing crossbred calves.

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.

The study was conducted on pregnant bitches at Small Animal Gynaecology Ward, Department of Clinics, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai- 600007, Tamil Nadu to evaluate the use of four-dimensional (4D) ultrasonography in staging embryonic and fetal development and for predicting the pregnancy outcome and to study the fetal anomalies and fetal resorptionin bitches. Twelve pregnant bitches of different breeds of 10 to 40 kg body weight were the experimental animals for the study. All the twelve pregnant bitches were subjected to both 2D and 4D ultrasound examinations at days 30, 40, 50 and 60 post breeding. The accuracy of gestational age prediction based on gestational sac diameter and head diameter using 4D ultrasound was studied and compared with 2D (two-dimensional) ultrasound. The present paper reports the use of 4D ultrasonography in diagnosing fetal activity, fetal anomalies and fetal resorption in bitches.  

The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of boric acid on serum biochemical, tibia morphometry and mineralization of Japanese quail fed diets supplemented with boric acid at different levels of 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 ppm were prepared in a 5 x 3 design. A total of 150 day-old Japanese quail chicks were individually weighed and allotted randomly into five treatment groups with three replicates containing ten birds each, the birds were fed with experimental diets for a period of 5 weeks. At the end of the 5th week, two birds per replicate an average of six birds per treatment were slaughtered. Blood and tibia were collected accordingly. Serum calcium level significantly (p<0.05) increased but serum phosphorus, serum alkaline phosphatase, tibia morphometry and mineralization were not influenced by dietary boric acid supplementation. Results indicated that dietary boric acid level can be further increased in the quail diet for optimum bone mineralization.

           Curcumin derived from curcuma longa has been reported for its anti-cancer activity, but low bioavailability limits the therapeutic potential of curcumin. In this study curcumin and solid lipid nanocurcumin were tested for its therapeutic use and methotrexate was used as the standard drug. Methotrexate at a dose rate of 3.5mg/kg bodyweight and curcumin and nanocurcumin at a dose rate of 100 and 50 mg/kg bodyweight were evaluated in Dalton’s Ascites Lymphoma-bearing mice by assessing various hematobiochemical parameters. Hematological parameters were estimated using auto hematology analyzer and biochemical parameters with automatic serum biochemical analyzer.   Dalton’s Ascites Lymphoma-bearing mice showed reduction in RBC count and amount of Hb and increased leukocyte count with neutrophilia in comparison with normal control group. The tumor control group also showed elevated levels of ALT, AST and ALP while albumin and total protein levels decreased in serum. Treatment with curcumin and nanocurcumin showed significant increase in RBC and Hb count as well as decrease in WBC count. There was a significant decrease ALT, AST and ALP and increase in albumin and total protein levels. Precisely curcumin and nanocurcumin showed significant influence in the restoration of various hematobiochemical parameters.

An experiment was conducted to assess the growth performance of Madras Red sheep on hydroponic maize fodder replacing Bajra Napier grass Co(CN)-4 at 50 and 100 per cent level. Madras Red ram lambs of about 4 months of age (33 Nos.) were randomly divided into three groups. All the lambs of three groups were fed with concentrate feed @ 100 g/ day. In addition, Group-1 lambs were fed with 100 % Co(CN)-4; group-2 lambs were fed with 50 % Co(CN)-4 and 50 % hydroponic maize fodder and group – 3 lambs were fed with 100 % hydroponic maize fodder to meet out their dry matter and nutrient requirement. The trial was conducted for three months. During the trial period the data collected were initial body weight, monthly body weight, final body weight, feed intake, and cost of feeding. No significant differences were observed in the average weight gain, dry matter intake and feed conversion ratio among the treatment groups. Cost of feeding per kg live weight gain was found higher as the inclusion level of hydroponic fodder included increased in the ration. Hence, hydroponic fodder can be recommended when acute fodder deficiency occurred especially during summer.