Human–wild pig conflict is one of the main threats to farmers as wild pig destroys the growing crops completely. Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu was purposefully selected for the study as it ranked first in human-wild pig conflict incidents in Tamil Nadu. Farmers who had at least one wildlife conflict incidence in their lifetime were selected for this study during 2015- 16 on adoption and effectiveness of traditional practices to manage human-wild pig conflict situations. Sixty participants were selected using the snow ball sampling and data were collected using semi-structured interviews, complemented by free listing techniques, nonspecific prompting and reading back. A total number of nine traditional practices were identified and found that they were adopted at various levels. Further, boundary clearing, using metal cow bells and using shining tapes (100 %) were found to be most effective traditional method followed by fireworks/ crackers (75 %), noise making (72.2 %) and scarecrows (69.6 %). Although encouraging, these results require more widespread testing and demonstration to ensure their effectiveness at broader scales.

Twining incidence is influenced by a wide variety of genetic and environmental factors ranging from 0.5 to 4%. This case report places on record the successful management of dystocia due to dizygotic twins in a pluriparous cross-breed cow of four and a half year of age in her third parity. Both fetuses were non identical and had separate placenta which suggest ‘Dizygotic twins’.

Fish are the source of high-quality protein and are preferable due to its exceptional richness in calcium, phosphorus and vitamins. Photobacterium damselae is a potential pathogen of marine fish and an opportunistic pathogen in humans which causes pasteurellosis. A study for the screening of Photobacterium sp. in the marine fish landings of Pulicat Lake, Tamil Nadu, India was undertaken between August 2018 and February 2019. About 113 samples of fishes belonging to various species viz., Ablenneshians, Rastrelliger kannagarta, Hemiramphus, Thunnus sp., Nemipterus bipunctatus, Leognathus sp., Scombroid sp., Saurida thumbil, Triacanthus biaculatus and Pomadasys sp. were used for the study. Photobacterium sp. has been isolated in 26 fish samples which include Rastrelliger kannagarta (13/16), Leognathus sp. (4/11) and Saurida thumbil (9/11). Pathogenic Photobacterium sp. could pose threat to the health of consumers through the ingestion of contaminated, improperly cooked seafood or may gain entry to the human body during handling of contaminated fish through the cuts or abrasions or by swimming and other recreational activities in the contaminated water bodies.

The study was undertaken to ascertain the present status of adoption of progesterone impregnated vaginal sponge like complete adoption, partial adoption, discontinuance and rejection and its perceived attributes like relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, observability and trialability using the schedule developed for this purpose and its economic impact. Partial budgeting was done to assess the economic impact of adopting progesterone impregnated vaginal sponge. Farmers were aware about the progesterone impregnated vaginal sponge through the constituent units of TANUVAS like veterinary colleges, KVKs and VUTRCs (84%); veterinary officers (47%); extension workers (46%); friends and relatives (34%). Majority (80%) of the respondents reported to have completely adopted the innovation for treating infertility while the remaining (20%) had discontinued it. Majority of the dairy farmers (78%) were in the medium level of adoption behaviour about the innovation followed by low (12%) and high (10%) level. Most of the dairy farmers perceived that progesterone impregnated vaginal sponge was cheaper in price, exorbitantly profitable, time saving, situationally and culturally feasible, physically compatible, trialable, adoptable and the results are observable. Partial budgeting analysis revealed that net income of the dairy farmers was increased by Rs. 28,041.90 per dairy animal due to the adoption of progesterone impregnated vaginal sponge in their infertile dairy animals. The present status of adoption of innovation by farmers was positively correlated with land holding and dairy animal possession and change in net income at 1% level, while their adoption behaviour was positively correlated with education and change in net income at 1% level and with land holding and extension agency at 5% level of significance.

A Jersey crossbred cow which was presented with the history of inanition and purulent vaginal discharge was investigated. Gynaeco-clinical and ultrasonographic examination revealed severe utero-ovarian adhesions and with presence of live ectopic foetus in the pelvic cavity. The present report places on record a rare case of secondary ectopic pregnancy in a crossbred cow.

A two months old desi chicken carcass was received for necropsy. On necropsy the oesophagus was found directly entering into the gizzard and the proventriculus could not be located grossly. Further complete telescoping of proventriculus into the gizzard was observed. Based on the gross findings, the case was diagnosed as proventricular intussusception into gizzard. On histopathological examination, the proventricular mucosa revealed diffuse moderate diphtheritic proventriculitis. The incidence of intussusception of proventriculus is rare and this condition might be due to increased peristalsis associated with intestinal helminthiasis.

Prosthogonimiasis is one of the most pathogenic neglected fluke infections affecting bursa Fabricii, oviduct and cloaca of poultry, reared in free ranging systems especially low intensity farming in rural areas. A farmer from Orathanadu brought a dead, ten months old hen with enlarged bursa Fabricii. A yellowish caseous mass of about 5 gm weight was present in the bursa Fabricii on the cut section. Microscopical examination of impression smears from caseous mass revealed a large number of ova of Prosthogonimus spp. Histopathologically, bursa Fabricii revealed proliferation of interfollicular fibrous tissue. Few follicles had turned into cyst like structures that contained irregular blue calcified material. Lymphoid depletion was seen in most of the follicles. This is the first report of Prosthogonimiasis in native chicken from Tamil Nadu.

A study was undertaken to know the effect of udder and teat shapes, parity and lactation stage on milkability and milk flow traits and their relationship with milk yield in Jaffarabadi buffaloes. A total of 150 animals from private farms located around Hyderabadwere selectedand grouped according to udder and teat shapes, parity (1st to 4th lactation) and stage of lactation (early, mid and late).Among milkability and milk flow traits, average milk let down time, milking time, stripping time and total milking time, stripping yield and average milk flow rate (AMFR) recorded in Jaffarabadi buffaloes under hand milking were 1.54 ± 0.01 min, 3.49 ± 0.04 min, 1.28 ± 0.01 min, 6.31 ± 0.05 min, 0.19 ± 0.001 kg and 0.65 ± 0.01 (kg/min), respectively. The AMFR in buffaloes with bowl shaped udders was highest (P<0.05) followed by globular, pendulous and goaty shapes and buffaloes with bottle shaped teats was highest(P<0.05) followed by cylindrical, funnel, pear and conical shaped teats.The AMFR was significantly (P<0.05) high in 3rd parity (0.67 ± 0.01) and low in 1st parity (0.60 ± 0.01) buffaloes and significantly (P<0.05) higher AMFR was recorded during early (0.66± 0.01 kg/min) and mid (0.64 ± 0.01 kg/min) compared with late (0.63 ± 0.01 kg/min) stages of lactation. Positive and highly significant (P<0.01) correlation was observed between average daily milk yield (ADMY)with milking time (r=0.523), total milking time (r=0.489) and AMFR (r=0.624) and significant correlation (P<0.05) with stripping time (r=0.188) and stripping yield (r=0.188).The total milking time and stripping yield had significant (P<0.01) positive correlation but total milking time was negatively correlated with AMFR (r=-0.366, P<0.01). The study concludes that,higher AMFR and higher ADMY were found in buffaloes with bowl shaped udders. Therefore, while selecting buffaloes for milk production, bowl shaped udder should be taken into consideration.

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of citric acid supplementation on growth performance of weaned LWY pigs up to market weight at 205 days. Thirty LWY weaned pigs were selected, divided randomly into five experimental groups and fed with five iso-nitrogenous and iso-calorie ad libitum diets, that contained citric acid at 0, 0.5 %, 1 % and 1.5 % and 2 % of feed. Feed intake was measured daily and body weight was recorded at fortnight intervals. The Escherichia coli count of excreta was estimated for all the weaned pigs for initial, middle and end of the experimental period. The weight gain was significantly (p<0.01) increased by 2.61, 4.59 and 4.74 % at 1 %, 1.5 % and 2 % citric acid supplemented groups than control. The feed intake decreased (p<0.05) and feed conversion efficiency improved (p<0.01) in citric acid supplemented groups as compared to control. Best feed efficiency was observed in 1.5 and 2 % citric acid supplemented groups. The Escherichia coli count in feces was significantly (p<0.01) decreased in citric acid supplemented groups than control and best results were observed in 1.5 and 2 % citric acid supplemented groups. It was concluded that the minimum level of citric acid supplementation at 1.5 % improved the growth performance and cost effectiveness to the maximum extent with lower faecal E. coli count in LWY pigs.

A study was conducted to determine the effect of extrusion of swine grower feed on the nutrient digestibility and production performance in twenty- four conventionally weaned LWY piglets 30 days of age and 7.60 kg average body weight. They were grouped in to two groups with twelve piglets in each group and fed individually with mash feed (MF) and extruded feed (EF) ad libitum.The experiment was conducted for 90 days. The feed was formulated with maize (62.5%), soybean meal (10%), fish meal (6%), wheat bran (8%), deoiled rice bran (11%), mineral mixture (2%) and salt (1%). The extrudate was air-dried overnight and analysed for its chemical composition.The results indicated that the moisture (MF- 9.54% and EF - 5.17%), total ash -TA (MF- 7.77% and EF - 6.35%), crude protein-CP (MF- 18.14% and EF - 17.36%), ether extract -EE (MF- 2.04% and EF - 1.74%), crude fibre– CF (MF- 6.13% and EF - 5.04%), nitrogen free extract – NFE (MF- 65.05% and EF - 69.51%), calcium (MF- 0.07% and EF - 0.06%), phosphorus (MF- 0.44% and EF - 0.45%) and gross energy– GE (MF- 3870.55 kcal/kg and EF - 4105.75 kcal/kg). The extrusion process decreased moisture, TA, EE and CF significantly (P<0.05) and also increased NFE and GE significantly (P< 0.01) in the extruded feed.The digestibility of dry matter (MF- 84.19% and EF -87.28%), CP (MF- 91.29% and EF -93.21%), EE (MF- 69.21% and EF - 1.74%), CF significantly (P<0.05) and also increased NFE and GE significantly (P< 0.01) in the extruded feed.The digestibility of dry matter (MF- 84.19% and EF -87.28%), CP (MF- 91.29% and EF -93.21%), EE (MF- 69.21% and EF - 1.74%), CF (MF- 81.44% and EF -87.54%) and energy (MF- 77.94% and EF -83.36%) were recorded.The digestible nutrients of EE and CF were increased significantly (P<0.05) and energy of (MF – 77.94%) extruded feed was increased significantly (P<0.01) by 7 per cent than the mash feed (EF- 83.36%).The average feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) different from MF (2417.43g/day) to EF (2106.97g/day) group. The average daily gain (MF- 446.02g and EF - 479.44g) and feed conversion ratio (MF- 5.42 and EF - 4.39) were highly significant (P<0.01) in EF group. The average feed cost for every kg body weight gain was Rs.108.40/- for mash feeding and Rs. 92.29/- for extruded feeding. Extrusion of mash feed increases the gelatinization and surface area of starch granules, which improves starch utilization present in the maize, energy utilization, palatability and nutrient digestibility. Extruded feed increases the feed conversion ratio and reduces the feed cost. Hence, it is concluded that extruded feed is recommended for feeding pigs to improve the production performance.