A study was planned to analyze the changes in livestock population growth rates and its trends in Tiruvarur district. Tiruvarur shares 2.94 per cent of goat and 2.1 per cent of cattle population to the respective population of Tamil Nadu. The remaining livestock species (buffalo, sheep, pig and poultry) including poultry share of Tiruvarur to states respective species population was negligible, contributing less than one per cent. Recent 20th census, evinced a positive growth rate with highest favourable growth rate of 64.65 per cent for poultry, followed by 2.3 per cent in cattle and 1.44 per cent for goat population of Tiruvarur. Negative growth rates were recorded for other species, which was found to be similar to the state population growth trend. Tiruvarur had a decrease in total livestock population and species-wise too showing negative growth rates between inter census period. Percentage population change over from the base year was 3.23% for goat whereas this was on negative trend for all other species. Analyzing the compositional share of livestock population, goat had the highest share with 53.03±2.62 per cent. All other livestock showed a decreasing trend from 16th to 20th census in Tiruvarur livestock population change. Inadequate infrastructure facilities (77.3%) topped among the five constraints analysed, followed by non-availability of feeds and fodders, mortality and environmental factors. Least constraint was found to be marketing facility. It can be concluded that increasing demand for goat meat, which fetch high remunerative price along with easy managemental practices and favorable conducive environment than other livestock, makes goat farming a highly suitable farming system for Tiruvarur.

A proper care, prompt reporting and immediate surgical inervention will save the life of the animal. A four year old pluriparous doe was presented with the history of dog bitten wound with eviscerated mass from the injured site at the left lateral aspect of the abdomen. The goat was kept on lateral recumbancy, on clinical examination revealed eviscerated rumen without any lacerations. Surgical area was prepared aseptically, under Inj. Xylazine as premedication and Inj. ketamine and inj. diazepam as induction anaesthesia reconstructive surgery was performed. Rumenotomy was performed to reduce the content and rumen was closed by the two rows of inversion suture. Peritoneum and transverse abdominus muscle were apposed by inversion suture pattern and oblique abdominus internus and externus muscle were apposed by interrupted suture pattern using catgut no 1. Skin was apposed by interupted suture pattern using cotton thread (no 8). Postoperatively Inj. Tetanus toxoid (5 Lfu), ceftriaxone @ 10 mg per kg and meloxicam @ 0.5 mg per kg were given intramuscularly and the animal was maintained with fluid therapy, antibiotic and analgesic for five days and animal recovered after one week.

A five year old Large White Yorkshire sow gave birth to a conjoined cephalothoracopagus, which was stillborn.

The plant Limonia acidissima belongs to family Rutaceae. Various parts of this plant like fruit, seed, rind, bark, leaves and roots are being used to treat human and animal ailments. The fruits of the plant are most essential therapeutic portion containing bioactive molecules. This study is intended to reveal presence of some phytoconstituents from leaf extracts and review it thoroughly in order to validate its medicinal use. In the study it was found that aqueous and ethanolic extracts revealed maximum types of phytochemical classes as compared to acetone and petroleum ether extract which can be used for treatment with reference to its mentioned use. Many phytochemicals namely alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, proteins, saponins, phenols, resins, etc. were detected which  reflects its therapeutic value.

Contamination of locally fermented cow milk (Nono) by pathogenic bacteria constitute a major public health problem. This was because contaminated milk was a good medium that can support the growth and propagation of microbial pathogens. This study was designed to assess the bacteriological quality of locally fermented cow milk consumed in Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria. Totally, forty (n = 40) samples of fresh, locally fermented cow milk (Nono) were collected and used in this study. Ten (10) milk samples each were collected from four randomly selected selling points (Monday Market, Custom Market, Kasuwan Shanu and Tashan Bama). The bacteriological quality of each milk sample were analysed using standard procedures for isolation, identification and enumeration of pathogenic bacteria. The mean total plate count ranged from 1.44x10 8 CFU/mL to 10.31x10 8 CFU/mL, while the mean total coliform count range from 0.57x10 8 CFU/mL to 11.17x10 8 CFU/mL. Statistically, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the mean total plate count and coliform count of milk samples collected from the four sampling points.Bacteriological culture and biochemical identification of all the isolates revealed Escherichia coli29(72.5%), Klebsiella specie3(7.5%), Salmonella specie 2(5%), Staphylococcus aureus 14(35%) and Streptococcus specie15(37.5%) respectively. All the results were above the acceptable limits (1.0 to 3.0 x 10 5 CFU/mL for total plate count and no coliform count per 100ml of milk sample) set by NAFDAC. Therefore the Nono products consumed in Maiduguri was not safe and wholesome for public consumption. Hence, the need to ensure the maintenance of standard hygienic protocols during the collection, storage, processing and marketing of locally fermented cow milk (Nono) in order to minimize microbial contamination.

Drug interaction is the effect produced by combination of various drugs administered in a biological system which may produce beneficial or adverse effects.Due to continuous usage of antibiotics to bacterial infections, pathogenic bacteria developed resistance mechanisms which leads to reduced antibacterial activity of different antibiotics. Combination of antibiotics with phytochemicals became an alternative to enhance the efficacy of antibiotics. In this connection,in the present study, the effect of certain phytochemicals namely Quercitin, Morin, Ellagic acid,  Chloragenic acid Rutin and Naringenin in combination with antibiotics Amoxycillin and Ciprofloxacin were evaluated. Staphylococcus aures and Escherichia coli were used as test organisms. They were isolated from the mastitis milk samples and their presence was confirmed using Polymerse Chain Reaction .The antibacterial activity of the antibiotics and antibiotics in combination with phytochemicals were determined using broth dilution method and agar well diffusion assay. The MIC and zones of inhibition were used as indicators for drug interaction.

Milk is one of the primary protein diets of high biological value available to the human population. As bovine beta casein gene is highly polymorphic with functional implications, this study was designed to detect the beneficial A2 genotype in the native Umbalachery cattle breed. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood samples of Umbalachery cows and A1 and A2 variants were detected by Tetra ARMS polymerase chain reaction. It was observed that the A2A2 genotype frequency was 82% and that of A1A2 was 18%. The A1A1 genotype was not detected in Umbalachery cattle in the present study. It may be concluded that majority of the Umbalachery cows retain their original beta casein protein variant that produce safer A2 milk for human consumption and that Tetra ARMS PCR is an efficient and rapid method that allows detection of single nucleotide polymorphism of A1 and A2 variants of beta casein gene.

Physico-chemical parameters of fresh milt and mitochondrial activity of fresh spermatozoa of the endangered golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton) were investigated. Cryopreservation and fertility evaluation of cryopreserved-thawed spermatozoa of T. putitora were carried out. The concentration of spermatozoa and the spermatocrit values of the fresh milt were estimated to be 3.96±0.12 x 107 spermatozoa/ml and 70.00±1.53% respectively. The motility percentage of spermatozoa in the fresh milt was estimated to be 94.84±0.43. The elemental composition analysis revealed that the concentration of K+ was higher i.e., 14.13±0.32 mg/l when compared to that of Na+, Ca+, Mg+ and Zn+. The concentration of total reducing sugars and total proteins were estimated to be 51.79±0.47mg/100 ml and 40.57±0.75 mg/100ml respectively. The absorbance value of the fresh spermatozoa in Sperm Mitochnodrial Activity Index (SMAI) assessment by Nitro Blue Tetrazolium (NBT) assay was estimated to be 0.33±0.012. The optimum sperm: egg ratio was estimated to be 3.96 ±0.12 x 104+ no./egg. Hatching percentage of 45.97±1.72 was recorded for the cryopreserved-thawed  spermatozoa while the fresh milt control recorded a hatching percentage of 73.10±0.82.

 The experiment was conducted to assess the effect of replacement of maize by wheat bran on growth and feed conversion efficiency in Large White Yorkshire (LWY) pigs. Thirty weaned piglets were randomly divided into three groups and were allotted to the three dietary treatments, T1 (control ration as per NRC, 1998), T2 (50 per cent of maize of control ration replaced by wheat bran) and T3 (100 per cent of maize of control ration replaced by wheat bran) and maintained for 70 days. The daily feed intake, fortnightly body weight were recorded and average daily gain and feed conversion efficiency were calculated. The average daily gain and feed conversion efficiency were 813.00, 769.86, 678.43 g and 2.80, 2.88, 3.08, respectively for three dietary treatments. There was no significant difference in the performance between pigs belongs to T1 and T2 treatments but had higher average daily gain and feed conversion efficiency than that of T3 treatment. This study reveals that pigs fed diet with 50 per cent of maize replaced by wheat bran performed in a similar way to that of control fed group and was better than those fed diet with 100 per cent replacement of maize by wheat bran.

The present study was undertaken to induce gonadal maturation of Mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala using Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) implants in captive conditions. The male and female fishes of C. mrigala were implanted intramuscularly with hCG implants at the dosage of 1000 IU/kg body weight, to study the effect of hCG hormone. Hormone implants were given once in two months during the experimental period of February to June. Histological observation in the ovary of C. mrigala revealed the presence of four types of growing oocytes namely perinucleolar, previtellogenic, vitellogenic and hydrated oocytes. Histological observation of the testis of C. mrigala showed the presence of five types of spermatogenic cell types namely spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes, spermatids and spermatozoa. Hence, the present study recommends that hCG implants can successfully be used to induce sustained maturation of C. mrigala in captivity even during off season.