An inactivated oil-based Newcastle disease vaccine was prepared using Mukteswar vaccine strain. The virus was propagated in 10-day old embryonating eggs and inactivated by 0.12% formalin for 48 hours at 37 degree C. The vaccine was formulated with 1 part antigen (aqueous phase) and 4 parts oil base. The oil base contained Tween-80 1%, Arlacel-A 10% and Mineral oil 89%. The stability of the vaccine was found satisfactory after 6 months and its viscosity and injectability was fairly ideal. The antigenicity of the vaccine was determined in 16 week-old pullets. The seromonitoring of the vaccinated and the control pullets was carried out for three months post- vaccination by Haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. Blood samples were taken at fortnightly intervals. The Geometric mean HI titre of the vaccinated pullets on the day of vaccination 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 and 120 days post- vaccination was 18.4, 4.9, 87.5, 192.3, 257.6, 111.4, 91.7, 63.9 and 30.0. However, in non-vaccinated control pullets it was found to be 18.4, 3.7, 3.7, 4.3, 3.8, 4.0, 3.5, 2.8 and 2.3 respectively. The inactivated oil-based vaccine induced a marked antibody response which continued upto three months.

Nutrient broth with iron was used for obtaining high yields of epsilon toxin by clostridium perfringens type D. In this study iron balls, iron nails and ferrous sulphate were used as iron source. Results showed that the presence of iron nails and iron balls in nutrient broth slightly increased the bacterial growth but did not show increase in toxin production.

In this study twenty four isolates of Pasteurella multocida were collected from field out breaks of Haemorrhagic septicaemia (H.S) in cattle and buffalo from various regions of the country from 1991-2001. The isolates were subjected to detailed cultural, biochemical and pathogenicity test in albino mice. The stereotyping was done by indirect haemagglutination test for determination of their capsular antigen. Serologically all the isolates were classified on the basis of their capsular antigen as Carter Type B. All the twenty four isolates produced oxidase, catalase and indole and reduced nitrate. They did not produce urease. All the isolates fermented fructose, glucose, sucrose and sorbitol and mannitol with the production of acid whereas dulcitol, lactose, silicon were found negative. Variable results were found among isolates on the fermentation of arabinose and maltose. It was concluded that all the isolates were serologically and immunologically homologous to H.S. vaccine strain produced in the institute.

This study was conducted to examine the present productive potentials of field Desi chickens housed under deep litter system. For this purpose a detailed survey was conducted in rural areas of Punjab Province (Pakistan) to know availability of true specimens of Desi birds. After the survey a total number of 1329 adult Desi birds were selected from different villages of Mianwali and Bhakkar districts. The birds were housed at Govt. Poultry Farm, Mianwali for initial acclimatization for 6 to 8 weeks and subjected then to prophylactic vaccination and then they were shifted to Breeding and Incubation Division of Poultry Research Institute, Rawalpindi. A total number of 450 Desi birds (150 each of black, dark brown and light brown varieties) were randomly selected and were sub-divided into 3 groups of equal size. They were maintained on littered floor in 9 separate pens under optimal managemental conditions for a period of 42 weeks. The results indicated that black, dark brown and light brown groups of Desi chickens produced 1.93, 1.96 and 2.17 dozen eggs (0.0459, 0.0467 and 0.0516 dozen eggs per week) with intake of 29.75, 29.29 and 29.64 kg feed, respectively. The results showed similar performance in egg production and feed intake of different groups of Desi chickens. A similar pattern in egg weight, egg mass and FCR (feed/kg eggs) was observed, however, FCR in light brown Desi (13.68) was found to be significantly (P less than 0.01) better than that of Desi black (15.42) birds. The results further showed depression in production potential of field Desi chickens in comparison to previous production data recorded in the earlier period.

One of the first potential biotechnology products for animals production is BST. Effect of BST on lactating buffaloes was studied 8 buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) were injected with sustained release formation Boosting-250, after 60 plus minus 5 days of calving. The overall increase in milk production was observed 18 percent and in milk fat 6.1 percent. BST is a protein hormone. Quality of management is the major factor affecting the magnitude of milk response to BST.

A study was conducted to determine the effect of different nutrients i.e. metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) content of ration on the egg production and egg weight of rural layers. For the purpose six different experimental rations containing 2700, 2900 kcal/kg ME and 14, 16, 18 percent CP were offered to the birds. The results indicated that egg number increased with proportional adversely affected as the CP of the ration was increased weight of the layers was proportionally increased with ration at constant ME level, while increase in ME level egg weight. increase in ME, while it was at constant ME level. The egg increase in CP content of the did not significantly affect the egg weight.

This study was conducted to examine comparative productive performance of different varieties of Desi chickens identified from group of Desi flock procured from rural field conditions of Mianwali and Bhakkar districts of Punjab province (Pakistan). A total of five varieties of Desi chickens viz., dark brown, medium brown, light brown, black and mixed colour were identified on the basis of their plumage colour and uniformity of body characters. Four hundred and eighty birds (96 of each variety) were selected for further study. The birds of each variety were randomly divided into 3 equal replicates. They were maintained in 15 separate pens on deep litter system under optimal managemental conditions and were fed a balanced layers ration ad-libitum. The birds were provided 16 hours light per day. The experiment was conducted for 8 weeks. The results indicated that varieties differed significantly in egg production, feed conversion efficiency and egg mass, whereas, no difference was observed in feed intake and egg weight between them. Based on the findings of this study, it appeared that different varieties of Desi chickens identified and selected during the course of this study on phenotypic basis differed in their productive potential on the basis of better productive potentials in terms of egg yield, FCR and egg mass, dark brown, and black varieties of Desi chickens could be used to carry out further selective breeding work to study possibility of improving their productive potentials.

In this study ELISA was standardized for detecting antibodies against Hydropericardium Syndrome Virus. Factors like Antigen, Conjugate and incubation time were studied. Standardization was carried out by checker board titration method. Optimum incubation time for colour development was found to be 15 minutes while 50 mug/ml of antigen gave better results than 100 mug/ml. The conjugate dilution of 1:500 was observed to give satisfactory results as determined by regression analysis. Cut off value was determined by adding 2SDs and 3SDs in the mean optical density (OD) values of negative serum samples. It was found that mean OD+2SD (0.0684) resulted in better diagnostic sensitivity) and diagnostic specificity than mean OD+3SDs (0.0741).

In this study five samples each of serum glucose, serum cholesterol and uric acid contents were measured in Fayoumi, Rhode Island Red, Parent desi, desi Fl and desi F2 strains of chickens. Cholesterol contents were found to be lowest in desi F2 chickens whereas in other strains there was least significant difference, which can be attributed to reduced lipogenic activity in desi F2 generation. When five samples each of meat from two locations i.e. breast and thigh was subjected to proximate analysis it was found that there was no difference (P greater than 0.05) in crude protein, crude fat, total ash and moisture contents regardless of sex and strains. Dry matter contents differed (P less than 0.05) in breast meat and found to be lowest in Parent desi stocks.