The objectives of this study were to screen the possible effects of B. subtilis and its soluble byproducts against C. perfringens, a causative agent of necrotic enteritis (NE) in chickens. The use of B. subtilis strain was found to be inactive in vitro against C. perfringens but its cell filtrate byproducts produced after growth of B. subtilis at 37°C with medium pH adjusted at 5.0, having inhibitory effect in the form of inhibitory zones; measured inhibition of 12 mm. The produced anticlostridial factor was not affected by heat treatment at 70, 100 or 121°C for 15 minutes. The study recorded the responses of broiler chickens to oral administration of C. perfringens and the possible antagonistic effects of B. subtilis and its cell-free filtrate byproducts in vivo. Results revealed that B. subtilis decreased the severity of intestinal necrotic lesions produced after oral inoculation of C. perfringens and the suggested anticlostridial effect was more clear when the cell- free filtrate produced by growing B. subtilis at 37°C with pH 5.0 was added to feed at a dose of 20 ml/kg of ration.

A retrospective study including reproductive and productive data of 1587 primiparous Holstein cows covering a period of eight years. The reproductive data ( interval to 1st service, service period, days open, number of inseminations per conception and calving interval ) and the productive data ( total milk yield, average daily milk yield and 305 day milk yield) were studied as a function of age at first calving and postpartum disorders. Furthermore, other data including life span longevity, number of parities, the cumulative productive days and the average calving interval were also studied as a function of age at first calving. Cows were classified according to the age at first calving into young age calvers (< 24 months), mid age calvers (> 24-28 months) and old age calvers (> 28 months). The obtained data were statistically analyzed, tabulated and discussed. The overall mean age at first calving was 26.68 months in Holstein cows under Egyptian circumstances. Most of first calving (90%) were recorded in cows less than 30 month of age. The results indicated that, the young age calvers tend to have prolonged interval to 1st service, days open and calving interval and the reverse was correct in old age calvers. The postpartum disorders had significantly detrimental effects on the reproductive performance among the different age groups. Young age calvers had a higher incidence of postpartum disorders than those of mid - age calvers and much higher than had the old age group. The postpartum disorders were associated with high milk production specially in mid and old age calvers which may indicate the high predisposition of superior producer cows to postpartum disorders. Life span, longevity, number of parities and the cumulative production days were found to be increased as a function of age at first calving. Meanwhile, the average calving interval of the young age calvers was longer than the other two age groups. Finally, it was recommended to avoid insemination of maiden Holstein heifers less than 17 month of age specially those having superior productive traits.

Rinderpest is one of the few diseases which have changed the course of world history. Originally an Asian disease, for centuries it had a devastating impact in Europe when introduced by returning and marauding armies accompanied by cattle as well as by cattle trade. Nowhere was its impact more dramatically expressed than in Africa where the sequel to its introduction into the Horn of Africa was a devastating panzootic throughout sub-Saharan Africa during the last decade of the 19th century extending into the 20th century. Massive deaths of livestock, wild animals and the people dependent on them led to widespread human misery and changed the face of the African continent forever.

Research on this economically important disease of ruminants, especially sheep, which had been named bluetongue by farmers in the 19th century, has been part and parcel of the activities at Onderstepoort ever since its establishment in 1908 and therefore covers a full century of the OVI's existence. In view of Onderstepoort's centenary celebration a brief overview of this research is given in terms of the historic milestones which influenced and guided global research on this and other viral diseases of animals.

Sir Arnold Theiler's research in 1908/09 led to the discovery of the first rickettsial pathogen, Anaplasma marginale, and set the stage for his development and implementation of an effective live vaccine based on a less virulent strain, A. marginale ss. centrale. His 1910 report, describing A. marginale, is among the classic monographs in infectious disease research, presenting not only observations in exacting detail but also highlighting the deductive reasoning leading to association of a new pathogen with a specific disease. With a centennial perspective and both conceptual frameworks and molecular tools unimaginable in Theiler's time, the significance of several observations in the original report - cyclic bacteremia, strain superinfection, and taxonomic position - is now clear and highlight the broad applicability of key principles of pathogen biology.

Ten tails of buffaloes were used in this study from apparently healthy adult animals. They were dissected to reveal their nerve supply. Eight photographs illustrated the results in the study. The study revealed that there are five pairs of caudal nerves, sympathetic and parasympathetic innervations of the tail are demonstrated.

Tsetse-fly and the disease it transmits, trypanosomosis, remain an enormous disease challenge in the 37 countries of sub-Saharan Africa where the impact continues to be manifest in disease burden, increased level of poverty and decreased agricultural productivity. The impact also extends over an estimated 10 million km2 (a third of the African continent) of land area, a third of which contains some well-watered part of the continent, thus denying humans and livestock of potentially rich arable and pastureland.

The declining efficacy of acaricide treatment as a means of reducing the prevalence of Theileria parva infections in sub-Saharan Africa has intensified efforts to achieve control through immunization of susceptible cattle. The infection and treatment method of immunization has enjoyed a resurgence with the availability of more effective cold chain facilities, although concerns remain regarding the possibility of vaccine strains spreading in local tick populations. In addition, an in-depth understanding of protective mechanisms deployed by immune cattle and the antigens targeted by them has led to substantial progress in the development of candidate subunit vaccines against both sporozoite and schizont stages of the parasite. The likely success of these vaccines, as well as infection and treatment immunization, will ultimately depend on the extent to which they disturb the endemic status of the parasite. These issues are discussed in the light of recent information on the genotypic diversity of T. parva in the field and the extent to which this is compromised by the immune response.

This study was performed to evaluate repeated-dose oral toxicities of Chelidonium majus extract in Fischer 344/N rats. Chelidonium majus extract was administered orally to rats at dose levels of 0, 25, 74, 222, 666 and 2,000 mg/kg/day. Each group consisted of 10 rats of each gender. The Chelidonium majus extract was given once a day, 5 times a week, for 90 day repeatedly. This study was conducted in accordance with the Protocol of Korea National Toxicology Program (issued by National Institute of Toxicological Research) and The Standards of Toxicity Study for Medicinal Products (issued by Korea Food and Drug Administration). In the present study, There were no toxicologically significant changes in mortality, clinical signs, body weight gains, ophthalmoscopy, urine analysis, hematology, serum biochemistry, necropsy findings, organ weights, histopathology, estrus cycle and sperm examination of all animals treated with Chelidonium majus extract. These results suggest that the oral no observed adverse-effect level of the test item, Chelidonium majus extract, in rats is higher than 2.000 mg/kg/day in both genders. The target organs were not established.

The zebra shark Stegostoma fasciatum which had been reared in the commercial aquaria was found dead and submitted for postmortem examination. A pure bacterial culture was isolated from pale and enlarged liver. The analysis of ureC and 16S rRNA genes confirmed the isolate as Photobacterium (P.) damselae subsp. damselae and this pathogen was sensitive to gentamicin. Although, no mortality in mouse was observed in the experimental infection study, the isolation of this pathogen in aquarium fish is significant because it can act as a reservoir to other aquatic animals and can also be zoonotic potential to human during aquarium management. This paper describes the first isolation of P. dameselae subsp. damselae from zebra shark.