A preliminary study of nearinfraredreflectance spectroscopy (NIRS)for the feasibility of analytical monitoring ofamino acids and total protein compositionsin edible bird’s nest (EBN) was conducted.The training (n=134) and validation sets todevelop the equations were built with localunprocessed EBN samples sourced fromdifferent states of Malaysia. The regressionmethod employed was modified partialleast-squares (MPLS). The values ofstandard error for cross validation (SECV)and the coefficient of determination (r2)of the calibrations of these constituentsfor use to predict of amino acids in EBNwere determined, but with a low predictiveability. To find an acceptable accuracyfor each constituent is to increase thenumber of training samples. The findings,however, showed a potential alternativefor the implementation of near-infraredreflectance spectroscopy technology inthis field of analysis.

The study was conducted toknow the anatomy of the brachial plexus ofWhite New Zealand Rabbit (Oryctolaguscuniculus). Ten healthy male and femaleWhite New Zealand rabbits were dissectedin this study. It was found that the brachialplexus of the White New Zealand Rabbitwas formed by ventral branches of C5,C6, C7, C8, T1 and T2 spinal nerves.The cranial trunk was formed by thecaudal branch of C5, C6 and caudal trunkformed by rami ventralis of C7, C8, T1and the cranial branch of ventral ramusof T2. Cranial pectoral nerve originatedfrom the caudal trunk spreading into thepectoral muscles. The musculocutaneousnerve innervates into the brachial muscleand the axillary nerve into the subscapularmuscle. The radial nerve was dividedinto two branches as ramus profundusand ramus superficial then divided intothe digital dorsal common III and IV.The thoracodorsal nerve innervates thelatissimusdorsi muscle. The median nervewas divided into digital dorsal commonI, II, III and IV nerves. The ulnar nerveformed the caudal cutaneous antebrachialthen digital dorsal common IV and Vnerves. Lateral thoracic and caudal pectoralnerves originated from the caudal trunk.The origin and distribution of brachialplexus resemble that of porcupines butdiffer from other mammals.

Colibacillosis is animportant disease affecting the poultryindustry in many countries, caused bythe Avian Pathogenic E. coli (APEC):it manifests as various clinical signs. Itcontributes significantly to economicloss for poultry farmers as a result ofhigh mortality and morbidity in poultry.To overcome this, antibiotics have beenwidely used to eliminate E. coli infectionin poultry farms in recent years. Treatmentwith antibiotics has been considered as avital regimen to control E. coli infectionat the farm level for many years. However,high frequency of antibiotic resistance ofE. coli isolates from chicken has becomethe centre of attention due to public healthimportance. The aim of the present study isto determine the multidrug resistant profilesof E. coli strains isolated from chicken.E. coli isolates obtained from clinicalcases were re-identified and classified byconventional methods. Multidrug resistantprofiles against 13 different antibiotics of125 E. coli isolates were determined byusing disk diffusion method accordingto Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute(CLSI). Antibiogram revealed that 81.6%of the E. coli isolates showed multidrugresistant profiles to different antibiotics.Most of the E.coli isolates were highlyresistant to erythromycin (52.8%), followedwith tetracycline (52.0%), spectinomycin(39.2%), trimethoprim (38.4%) andflumequin (37.6%). Out of 125 isolatestested, 19.2% were resistant to more thaneight antibiotics, with one isolates found tobe multidrug resistant to most of antibioticsexcept polymyxin B. These findings alsodemonstrated that most of the isolateswere susceptible to antibiotics commonlyused for E.coli infections treatment inpoultry with lowest resistant score againstpolymyxin B (92.8%) and colistin (92.0%).Moderate resistant profiles were observedtowards amoxycilin (25.6%), apramycin(16%), kanamycin (8.8%) and streptomycin(8.0%). High percentage of multidrugresistance was found among the E. coliisolated from chicken as an indicator tomore serious problems in animal health.Therefore, continuous surveillance of antibiotic resistance profiles in chicken andother food animals is crucial to ensure foodchain safety

This is a case report ofa captive female green peafowl (Pavomuticus) that was presented with severescaly legs with raised encrusted scaleson both legs. Diagnosis of scaly leg mitewas made based on history, clinical signs,and results of parasitological examinationfrom deep skin scrapping from the areaof lesions and response to treatment.Treatment consisted of Ivermectinsolution, administered orally at a doserate of 0.2 mg/kg. The gross lesionswere completely resolved 28 days posttreatment. It was concluded that based onthe treatment given, knemidocoptiasis orscaly leg can be successfully controlledwith good prognosis in captive birds. Careshould be taken as the mite is transmittedfrom bird to bird through prolonged closeor direct contact.

Stress is commonly used to describe the detrimental effectsof a variety of conditions surrounding animals on their health performance. Environmental stress causes an increasein oxidative stress and an imbalance in antioxidant status. Oxidative damage increases in stressed poultry when the plasma antioxidant vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, E, folic acid, and zinclevels declined. Stress factors in birds involve many elements of the transport processes which may be detrimental to the birds. These factors include alteration in atmospheric temperature, poor handlingby man, removal of feed and water (starvation), high ambient temperature (AT) and relative humidity (RH). Other factors incude vaccination, disease conditions such as coccidiosis, novelty,confinement, motion, noise, microthermal core within the vehicle and the use of inappropriate vehicles. Live birds of all ages are being transported mainly by roads to their various destinations and across different ecological zones throughout the year. Mortality increaseswith journey length. The adverse effects of these factors and their combinations may range from mild discomfort and aversion to death. This review was aimed at providing comprehensive information on the role of vitamin C in combating stress factors in poultry with the view of exploring its potentials for future research undertaking.Information compiled in this review were obtained from search engines such as Elsevier, Pubmed, Springer, Medline, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and a library search for articles published in peerreviewedjournals. 100 to 200 mg/kg feed of vitamin C is capable of converting stress factors in poultry and thereby improving the productivity.

Brucellosis, caused by Brucella melitensis, is a significantproblem for both public and animal health worldwide. The Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) antigen from Brucella melitensis local isolates were developed in this study. The performance of the assay wasinvestigated using serum samples collected from goats. A total of 1063 serum samples obtained from goats were examined for thepresence of antibodies against Brucella by in-house RBPT (LRBPT), commercial RBPT (Veterinary Laboratory Agency – VLA, UK) and Compliment Fixation test (CFT). The sensitivity and specificity wascalculated using CFT as the gold standard. Out of 1063 goats sera analyzed 364 (34.24%), 335 (31.51%), and 373 (35.08%) were found to be positive by LRBPT, commercial RBPT and CFT, respectively. The sensitivity calculated for the LRBPT, was 90.1% compared to commercial RBPT 85.0%. However, the specificity of the LRBPT was lower (95.9%), than the commercial RBPT (97.4%). Furthermorethe LRBPT has better value of NPV (94.7%) than commercial RBPT NPV(92.3%). While the PPV, of the commercial RBPT is higher (94.6%) than LRBPT (92.3%) respectively. High sensitive and low cost LRBPT compared to cRBPT B. melitensis RBPT test was successfully developed in this present study. Therefore it was concluded that this diagnostic test kit can complement and replace the availablecommercial RBPT which is relatively more expensive and less sensitive in detection of brucellosis in goats. It could also be used for epidemiological surveillance of caprine brucellosis in Malaysia.

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that causes toxoplasmosis in humans and animals. It belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa, subclass Coccidiasina and family Sarcocystidae. The Felidae family is thedefinitive host for this disease where the parasites undergo a sexual cycle of replication (oocysts). In this study, cat faeces were collected from private clinics around Johore Bahru, Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 61 samples were tested using microscopy to detect for presence of T. gondii oocyst via two methods; namelythe Modified Kato-Katz with Kinyoun staining and Sheather’s sugar floatation methods. The results showed that 40.98% of the faecal samples tested were positive for T. gondii oocysts. These two methodswere successfully used in diagnosing toxoplasmosis in cats in this study. Morphological approaches for Toxoplasma oocysts identification have been neglected in recent years, due to the upsurge of moreprecise technologies. This study suggests that this modified technique could be introduced for screening and detection of oocysts excreted in faeces of suspected animals of the Felidae family.

The worm ova estimation method is important to assess the degree of worm infestation in domestic animals. Currently, the method used in many veterinary laboratories is the McMaster method which can enumerate the number of eggs per gram of faeces. Due to emergingand re-emerging diseases currently being diagnosed in Veterinary Research Institute, Ipoh, it is important to seek new, less risky methods for diagnosis of faecal samples. In view of increasing risk to the laboratory personnel conducting tests on faecal samples, the Parasep® method was assessed to indicate its suitability as aroutine test method. The results indicate that there was no significant differences between the worm egg counts enumeratedby conventional McMaster method and Parasep® method (Z = -1.111, P = 0.267). It is however, critical that assessment based on costs, time and ease of conducting the tests for lab staff be done before adopting this method in diagnostic laboratories.

Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) has been reported in many countriesin the world. The IBH characterized presence of intra-nuclear inclusion bodies in hepatocytes in chickens. On December 2015, an onset of high acute mortality in a flock of 12, 18 and 23- day-old broiler chickens in Malacca and Johore was reported to the RegionalVeterinary Laboratory, Johor Bahru, Peninsular Malaysia. The birds showed lethargy, huddling, ruffled feathers, and inappetence. At necropsy, the livers were enlarged, pale yellow, friable andwith multiple petechial hemorrhages, the kidney were congested and enlarged, with hydropericardium and gizzard erosion. Large eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were seen in hepatocytes. PCR revealed liver were positive of FAdV at expected band of 1219 bp and the nucleotide sequence share 95-99% identity with the fowl adenovirus species E, serotype 8b. Based on the acute high mortality, age of the broilers, gross and microscopic lesions (especially intranuclear inclusion bodies) and molecular finding, the condition was diagnosed as adenovirus inclusion body hepatitis.

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is the causative agent of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) a contagious and infectious disease in smallruminants. This report describes a case of CLA in a Boer cross goat infected with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. The manifestation of abscess in the superficial lymph node presented as a mass ofapproximately 5 cm by 5 cm in diameter at the base of the ear. The mass was solid and non-movable upon palpation. The mass was incised and the caseous material was aspirated and sent to the bacteriologylaboratory where Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis was isolated. Thewound was cleaned and flushed with diluted chlorhexidine and iodine solutions daily. This procedure aids in the complete healing of the wound after a few weeks. However, the agent of the disease persistsin the animal in its entire life and culling is recommended to prevent the spread of the disease in the herd.