A study was carried out to analyse the efficacy of neem leaf powder, administered in a capsule against coccidiosis in young goats as well as to identify the species of coccidia found in a selected private farm in Sungai Siput, Perak. A total of seven Eimeria spp were found, in faecal samples from the experimental goats, namely; E. arloingi,E. hirci, E. alijevi, E. christenseni, E. jolchijevi, E. ninakohlyakimovae and E. caprina at a rate of 40%, 23%, 14%, 7%, 5% and 2% respectively. Two types of treatment for coccidiosis, herbal and synthetic, were given to 24 young goats for a period of 8 weeks to evaluate the effectiveness of a herbal product, that is the neem leaf powder capsule, a product of the Veterinary Research Institute.Results show that there is no significant differences (p>0.01) between neem capsule treatment and a synthetic drug (sulphurbased) treatment in treating coccidiosis infection. This study shows that neem leaf powder can be an effective substitute for controlling coccidiosis in goats

TVT, also known as infectious sarcoma, venereal granuloma, transmissible lymphosarcoma or sticker tumour is a benign reticuloendothelial tumour that affects particularly mucosa of external genital organs and rarely internal genital organs in dogs of both genders. TVT is usually transmitted by coitus but also can be transmitted by licking, sniffing, biting,and scrabbling of the tumour affected area or through damaged skin of mucosa. Transmissible venereal tumour (TVT) is usually observed in stray animals live in tropical and subtropical lands. The affected animals are usually within 9-13 months of age and with high sexual activity. Tumour is frequently located in posterior vagina and vestibulovaginal junction. The averagechromosome count of TVT cells is 59 (57- 64). TVT specific antibodies were found in blood samples of affected animalswhich suggest that they may have a role in natural regression mechanism. The primary objective of tumour treatment is total elimination by surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Controlling of the disease is very difficult because stray dogs are carriers.

A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the level ofawareness of selected dairy farmers to herd health program (HHP) and compliance in the Program LadangAngkat (PLA). The study also determined the association between farmers’ awareness and compliance in promoting herd health. An open-ended questionnaire was randomlyadministered to five dairy cattle farms within Selangor and Negeri Sembilan as representative dairy farms enlisted into the PLA of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia. The mean herd size of the farms was 102.20±20.80, with a range of 30-160 heads of dairy cattle, having an average mean number of milking cows at 29.40±11.22. There was a higher (p<0.05) mean herd health awareness level (72.86±5.78%) among the farmers once compared with the mean compliance level (61.2 ± 4.1%) for 10 out of the 14 HHP components; with the lowest compliances being disease monitoring programme(33.20%) and biosecurity (39.9%). There was a significant (p<0.05), direct, weak positive correlation (r = 0.245; p = 0.042) between farmers’ awareness and farmers’ compliance to the 14 components of the HHP. This study highlights an appreciable level of awareness among dairy farmers in the PLA, with a relatively low compliancelevels to the HHP components.

A study was carried out to report the phylogenetic analysis of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensisby using molecular techniques from samples submitted to the Regional Veterinary Laboratory, Bukit Tengah.In this study, identification and genetic characterization of Brucella isolated samples using molecular analysis based on IS711 sequence between localisolates and foreign countries accesses in GenBank was done successfully. A total of 31 samples were isolated for Brucella species and then were amplified byPCR, directly sequenced and compared genetically to published sequences which were obtained from GenBank. The most common Brucella species that was found in both bovine (76.5%) and caprine (85.7%) through diagnostic samples in Regional Veterinary Laboratory, Bukit Tengah, was Brucella melitensis. PCR and sequencing were confirmed positive with 76.5% for Brucella melitensis, 23.5% for Brucella abortus and 23.5% for mixed infectionfrom the total of 17 bovine samples. In caprine, the detection of Brucella melintesis and Brucella abortus showed 85.7% and 21.4% respectively meanwhile total mixedinfection showed 21.4%. These clustering between local isolates of Brucella melitensis were phylogenetically related to other Asian countries such as Singapore,Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The Neighbour Joining Analysis clustered the Brucella abortus local isolates for both bovine and caprine were most closely related to India,Iran, Italy and USA. Interestingly, all the isolates within Malaysia have a close relationship (>95%) with the low level of genetic diversity. When local isolates arecompared to GenBank data, it gives an indication on the possible sources of these infections. Eventually, it will improve the import and export policies to controlbrucellosis in Malaysia.

Goose Parvovirus (GPV) also known as Derzy’s disease is aninfectious viral disease of waterfowl which causes serious economic loss in industrial production of geese and Muscovy ducks. In year 2014, Derzy’s disease was detected in Pekin ducks from Sarawak. The affected farm recorded up to 50% mortality, affecting only young ducklings (starting at the age of 3 weeks). Polymerase chainreaction (PCR) from liver samples were performed based on partial region of VP3 gene of GPV, generated amplicon of 801 bp. Sequence analysis showed that the isolate shared 99% sequence similaritywith goose parvovirus strain YBLJ and YZYZ20130304 from China. Phylogeny based on VP3 showed that this isolate is grouped under Asian strains. This is the first report of GPV in Malaysia focusingon the molecular analysis. Notably, this study revealed that GPV not only can be detected from goose and Muscovy but also from Pekin duck.

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

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.

In most countries, poultry are reared by traditional farmers d ue tothe relative minimum capital needed to start off, availability of feed and the fast period of the birds to grow. This research was conducted on turkeys which aims to study the abundance and prevalence of ectoparasites from three localities around Kedah, Malaysia. Atotal of 20 turkeys (eight males and twelve females) were examined for ectoparasites infestation and endoparasites infection.Six species of ectoparasites: five lice and a mite have been discovered. The most prevalent ectoparasite was Menopon gallinae with occurrence of 45%. Other external parasites recorded includeLipeurus caponis and Megninia cubitalis with occurrence of 40%, Menacanthus pallidulus (35%), Goniocotes gallinae (30%) and Chelopistes meleagridis (20%). There was a significant difference between the ectoparasite abundance in Jabatan Perkhidmatan Veterinar and Alor Belat Barat [ANOVA, F(2,17)=6.33, p=0.009]. These lice commonly found in the fluff of the feathers, especially at the neck,abdomen, and wings. Lipeurus caponis was found to have the highest infestation in all male and female turkeys and Menacanthus pallidulus was noted as the less common ectoparasite infesting both the male andfemale turkeys. Endoparasite infection was recorded in two species of parasite eggs of nematodes and protozoa. Oocyst of Eimeria spp. recorded the highest faecal egg count with 7300 epg compared to Capillaria spp. with only 1200 epg. Scavenging and pecking behaviour of turkeys in barn area with unsuitable farm housing environmentwere the major contributing factors to the infestation of ectoparasites as well as endoparasites infection.

Nematodes resistant to anthelmintics are of increasing concern to sheep farms in Malaysia. Thus to ascertain the degree of anthelmintic resistance in the sheep population, faecal egg count reduction (FECR) trials were conducted on sheep in the Veterinary Institute, Kluang. A total of 60 weaned sheep were selected and divided into six (6) equivalent groups. Group A was treated with ivermectin, Group B with Closantel, Group C with Fenbendazole, Group D with Levamisole, Group E with Cydectin and the remaining 10 were untreated controls. Faecal samples were collected from each sheep before treatment and repeated on day 14, 30, 45 and 60 post treatment. The worm egg counts were estimated by using McMaster’s method. The population of worm was classified as resistant if the adjusted percentage reduction was less than 90%. It is concluded that only levamisole can be used for helminthiasis control. The results showed that worms at the Sheep Unit of the Veterinary Institute, Kluang was suspected to be resistant to Ivermectin, Closantel and Cydectin. The worm population showed total resistance to fenbendazole. The strongyle population is mainly made up of 80% Haemonchus contortus and 20% of species were Oesophagostomum and Bunostomum.

Temporary quarantine stations (TQS) are transitory premises that havebeen approved to facilitate the quarantine of imported live animals in Malaysia. These stations must abide to the standard operating procedures (SOP) for animal quarantine as outlined by the veterinaryauthority in Malaysia. However, the level of awareness for the quarantine procedures among the TQS operators and managers has not been assessed. This study was conducted to describe thedistribution of the TQS in 2012-2013 and the level of awareness among its operators on the quarantine procedures and the fundamental requirements for quarantine establishments. Eight TQS from 25 wereselected and operators or managers were interviewed using a questionnaire and the facility was visited. The study found thatmajority (82.5%) of the TQS operators were aware of the quarantine procedures but the auditors from the veterinary authorityrevealed vice versa.