Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are obligatory hematophagous ectoparasites of a variety of vertebrate hosts and play an important role in the transmission and ecology of infectious pathogens causing diseases in humans and animals worldwide. Sixty-eight species of ticks exist in Brazil, and at least 23 are found parasitizing wild birds. This number is increasing with the advent of new studies highlighting the underestimated role of birds in the life cycle of these arthropods. In South America, many of these ticks are involved in epidemiology of the life-threatening spotted fever diseases caused by bacteria from the genus Rickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae). The aim of this paper is to present up-to-date knowledge about the bird-tick fauna of Brazil and their association with rickettsioses. The available literature concerning ticks on birds and tick-borne diseases related to these ticks in Brazil has been revised. It could be concluded that birds play a primary role in life cycles of various tick species, especially during immature stages (larvae and nymphs). The best known is a bird-tick fauna from the Atlantic Forest and from Brazilian savannah called Cerrado in southern and central Brazil, respectively. On the other hand, the knowledge about bird tick parasitism from other Brazilian biomes such as the Amazon, Caatinga, Pantanal and Pampas regions is very scarce and requires further study. Moreover, no studies about the role of birds as mobile hosts for spreading ticks to new areas exist, nor has their role in the natural life cycle of Rickettsia been thoroughly examined.

A functional understanding of the epididymis makes it possible to increase a species’ fertility, since it facilitates the preservation of gametes for use in assisted reproduction techniques. This study analyzed the histological features of the different regions of the epididymis of the Pecari tajacu and the associated pathologies found in the spermatozoa present in this organ. After an orchiectomy surgery to remove the testicles and epididymis obtained from eight adult animals bred in captivity, fixation and histological processing of samples were carried out. The presence of pseudostratified columnar epithelium with stereocilia was observed in all regions of the epididymis (caput, corpus and caudal). Similarities were noted between the average height of the corpus and caudal epithelium, which differed from that found at the caput (1- proximal: region associated with the efferent ducts; 2- distal: region associated with corpus epididymis). It was also observed that the proximal caput presents a smaller average of the tubules diameter compared to other portions of the epididymis. Regarding pathologies of the spermatozoa, thirteen different types of morphological modifications were observed. Underdeveloped spermatozoa and detached heads were most frequently encountered along the epididymis of the collared peccaries. This study is a pioneer in the area and its data will serve as a basis for comparative research on the reproductive biology of artiodactyls, thus contributing to their conservation and reproduction.

The somatic cell count (SCC) is a screening test for the evaluation of intramammary infection; however, changes in mammary secretion during colostrogenesis can promote a physiological increase in the SCC, potentially reducing its reliability in the diagnosis of mastitis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate bovine colostrum SCC as an indicative parameter of breast infection in Holstein periparturient cows. A total of 80 samples were harvested from the first milking colostrum of 20 cows and were subjected to manual SCC and bacteriological examination. Bacterial growth was present in 36.62% of the crops; coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) was the predominant microorganism (76.92%). The median SCC in infected cows (1.8 × 106 cells/mL) was significantly higher than in uninfected cows (0.9 × 106 cells/mL) (p = 0.0451). The sensitivity (100–15%), specificity (100–2.2%), and false positive (100–2.2%) of the SCC decreased gradually when thresholds of 0.2–10.0 × 106 cells/mL were adopted. In contrast, the proportion of false negatives (0–84.6%) revealed an opposite trend. The threshold of greatest concordance between SCC and bacteriological examination was 10.0 × 106 cells/mL; however, the sensitivity rates (15.4%), specificity (2.2%), and false positive (2.2%) were very low. Based on these results, we conclude that SCCs increased prior to the infectious processes of the mammary gland, particularly in the CNS group. However, physiological changes caused by colostrogenesis resulted in poor concordance between the SCC and bacteriological examination of the colostrum.

Experiments were conducted to determine whether thigh meat from death chicken can be identified through Warner-Bratzler (WB) shear value and using the impedance value.  Thirty of thigh meat (Biceps femoris) were obtained from commercial slaughtering house classified into three groups namely halal slaughtered healthy chicken (AHS), slaughtered death chicken (AMS), and slaughtered stressed chicken (ALS).  Biceps femoris muscles were used to microscopic procedures and to assess WB score values and impedance values. This study showed that shear values of AMS thigh meat were lower than AHS and ALS after 5 and 9 h PM. This study indicated that the impedance value of AMS were significantly lower (P0.05) than AHS and ALS, it can be used to distinguish between halal thigh and the thigh meat from slaughtered death chicken.

Recent reports reveal that in the globalised era farming will move towards meat and milk production from traditional rice and grain agriculture in line with the changing consumer tastes. The joint report by Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome and the Paris based organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) of 34 leading world economies contained price and production forecasts to 2023 revealed that world meat production will have gone up by 58 million tones with developing countries making up 80 percent of increase. Report highlights that livestock production is projected to grow at higher rates than crop production. Moreover animal protein sources are easiest way through which protein malnutrition can be corrected easily. Since the commodity value of livestock products are high when compared to agriculture commodities in the coming years livestock products will the focus area for augmenting GDP in Agriculture sector. So institutional support are required for increasing production, productivity, food security, food safety, knowledge dissemination and services to achieve these objectives.

abstract

In goats, we tested the sensory value of meat in the goat after oral treatment with palm kernel meal (PK), katuk leaf powder (KL) and betel nut powder (BN), separately and in combination. This study were used 8 Boerka goats that allocated among four groups of 2: the Control group was given distilled water; PK only was given to Group P1; a combination of all three was administered to Group PK-KL-BN, and a combination of KL and BN was administered to Group KL-BN. All treatments were administered orally for 35 consecutive days. animals were weighed before treatment (Day 0) and on Day 40 (5 days after the end of treatment). On day of 40, the animals were slaughtered using halal standard. Then, sample of meat was taken from bicep femoris of right leg of each animals for sensory evaluation, which comprised of tenderness, colour, aroma, taste, and juiciness. A number of 30 panelist were involved in the evaluation. The results showed that the meat were tender in the group of PK-KL-BN and KL-BN (the hedonic scale of 2, tender). Then, for the other parameters were not different between groups. In conclusion, the administration of combination of palm kernel meal, katuk leaf powder and betel nut powder, can improve the tendernes of meat in goats.

The purpose of this research was to compare the use of PCR method and histological examination to diagnose toxoplasmosis in tissues of Balb/c mice infected with sporulated oocysts through drinking water. A total of 20 male Balb/c mice aged approximately 2 months were used in this experiment. Each mouse was infected with 1x103 Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites intraperitoneally. Tissue samples (liver, lung, heart, kidney, and brain) were collected from 5 mice on day 1, day 5, day 7, and day 9 after infection. Samples were then examined by PCR and histological methods. The data collected were analyzed descriptively. The results showed that PCR method was more sensitive than histological examination. PCR examination using primer invitrogen gen can amplify DNA T. gondii at 436 bp of the samples from liver, lung, heart and brain on Day 7 and Day 9 after infection. The histological examination showed that the cyst of toxoplasma was found in the brain while mononuclear cells infiltration was found in other internal organs.

National audience