The genus Capripoxvirus (CaPV) comprises three members namely, sheep pox virus (SPPV), goat pox virus (GTPV) and lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) affecting sheep, goats and cattle, respectively. Capripoxvirus infections produce similar symptoms in sheep and goats, and the three viruses cannot be distinguished serologically. The Capri pox virus disease is an economically important notifiable disease of cattle, sheep and goats (OIE, 2018). This article reviews about the current scenario of Capri pox disease and the better opportunities for prevention and control of disease. Recent outbreaks of the disease have caused the major economic loss in most of the countries including India.

Follicle like structures with a minimum of 17 mm diameter and persisting for more than 6 days in the absence of corpus luteum is called as follicular cyst. It is the hypothalamo-hypophyseo gonadal axis that governs the reproductive events primarily. Plasma is a medium that reflects the changes in any organ apart from providing nutrients and draining the metabolic wastes. Cows brought for infertility treatment were screened and cows which were diagnosed as follicular cyst randomly allotted in to four groups of eight cows each. Different groups were subjected to different treatment protocols viz, Regular co-synch protocol, modified co-synch protocol, Trans-gluteal follicular cyst evacuation technique and trans-gluteal follicular cyst evacuation technique cum modified co-synch protocol for Group I, II, III and IV, respectively. Blood samples were collected from all the cows of different groups on day 0 (initiation of treatment), 7 and 9 of treatment and were analyzed for biochemical parameters. Cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, calcium and phosphorus concentration was quantified using an automatic analyser UV-VIS spectrophotometer. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) noticed between the mean concentration of biochemical parameters of different treatment groups, on days 0 and 7 in serum. The mean concentrations of cholesterol were 116.13±20.28, 59.67±10.50, 70.88±6.57 and 64.00±8.36 mg/dl in Group I, II, III and IV cows, respectively and were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in Group I. The mean concentration of all other biochemical parameters were non-significant (P > 0.05) between all treatment groups, on day 9 in serum. This might be due to steroid bio transformation of cholesterol. 

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic species of Leptospira interrogans. Dogs can act as maintenance host for some serovars and transmit to other animals and humans through direct and/or indirect contact with urine or contaminated water and soil. A study was conducted to identify the presence of Leptospira and assessment of seroprevalence in apparently healthy dogs in Cauvery delta region (Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts) of Tamil Nadu. Serum (n=50) and urine (n=50) samples were collected randomly from 50 dogs with history of non vaccination to leptospirosis. Dark field microscopic (DFM) examination revealed the presence of Leptospira in 12.0 per cent of serum and 24.0 per cent of urine samples. Serological screening was done by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using a battery of 12 Leptospira serovars (representing the serogroups of Australis, Autumnalis, Ballum, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Hardjo, Hebdomadis, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Javanica, Pomona, Pyrogenes and Tarassovi), which revealed 56.0 per cent seropositivity to either one or several serovars, which was Icterohaemorrhagiae (46.4 per cent), Grippotyphosa (32.1 per cent), Australis (32.1 per cent), Canicola (25.0 per cent) and Autumnalis (17.9 per cent) with highly significant difference (p<0.05) in seropositivity between serovars. The predominant serovar detected in dogs in this study was Icterohaemorrhagiae followed by Grippotyphosa. It is concluded that presence of leptospirosis in dogs in Cauvery delta regions of Tamil Nadu poses the risk of transmission to animals and humans and dogs can be used as sentinel animals for identification of leptospirosis.

A commercially procured flow cytometrically sorted semen was reanalyzed to validate the effect of flow cytometry on structural and functional viability of spermatozoa. Flow cytometric analysis of commercially procured sex sorted frozen thawed bull semen showed the percentage of X sperms to be 95.31± 0.21 and Y sperms to be 4.69 ± 0.27, respectively. As expected sexed sperm had lower post thaw motility than the non-sexed sperm. However, no significant differences in the percentage of sperms with intact acrosome and expression of ROS were observed. Interestingly, DNA fragmentation index was statistically lower for the commercially procured sorted than for unsorted frozen thawed bull semen.

A two-year-old female Dobermann dog was presented to the Veterinary Clinical Complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, with a history of unilateral epistaxis, dullness, and inappetence. Clinical examination revealed the presence of ticks all over the body surface and they were morphologically identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Blood samples were analyzed for haemato-biochemical parameters and blood parasites. Giemsa stained blood smear revealed the presence of morulae inclusion over monocytes. The dog was treated with a triple therapy protocol, and supportive care was provided. The dog exhibited signs of recovery from the third day of treatment. Follow-up examination on the seventh day revealedthe absence of morulae stage of Ehrlichia spp. and a gradual increase in blood cells. 

The use of metallic silver as an antimicrobial agent has been recognized for centuries. Silver nanoparticles (SNP) are now incorporated in apparel, wound dressings, appliances, cosmetics, paints and plastics for their antimicrobial properties. Generally, silver nanoparticles are prepared by a variety of chemical methods. In this study, we have used Phyllanthus amarus and Andrographis paniculata herbal plants leaves and stem extracts to synthesis SNP and were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). SNP capped with plant extracts gave absorption peak at 420 nm as expected for silver and broadening of peak were also noticed. TEM images suggested that they were of almost spherical shape and in the range of 7-60 nm in size. Antibacterial activity of plant extracts capped SNP were tested in Mueller-Hinton agar by well diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium.  SNP of 1 mg/ml and 5 mg/ml of P.amarus exhibited almost similar antibacterial activity, whereas, 5mg/ml, not 1 mg/ml of SNP capped with A. paniculata exerted antibacterial activity. The highest zone of inhibition was noticed against B.subtilis followed by S.aureus and P.vulgaris and the least zone of inhibition was observed against E.coli and S.Typhimurium. Green synthesis of SNP is cost effective and environment friendly. Further studies are required to explore the possibility of use of P.amarus capped silver nanoparticles for the treatment of burn and wound.

The brain samples were collected from 10 calves and 10 adult Indian buffaloes. Routine histological and histochemical processing and sectioning were done. The hippocampus was a curved elevation, lying immediately ventral to the splenium of the thalamus. Longitudinal section showed the ependyma, the alveus, the stratum oriens, the stratum pyramidale, the stratum radiatum, the stratum lacunosum and the stratum moleculare from above downwards. The prominent layer was the stratum pyramidale, composed of pyramidal cells in 2-3 rows. The four fields of the cornu ammonis, (CA1, CA2, CA3 and CA4) were identified based on the sizes of the pyramidal cells and their dendritic arborizations, both in the calf and in the adult. The presence of mucopolysaccharides was recorded. 

Six dogs with unstable diaphyseal fracture of femur of different breeds of either sex and bodyweight ranging from 10 to 30 kg presented to the Small Animal Orthopedic Unit of the Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital, over a period of two years underwent fracture fixation with latest technique of linear locking compression plates. Different sizes and length of new generation locking plate system were used for different configuration of unstable fracture of femur. The post operative assessment of fracture healing was evaluated by radiographs at different intervals and estimation of bone specific serum alkaline phosphatase enzyme by fluorimetric methods. In the present study, the locking compression plating technique provided adequate apposition, stable fixation and promoted early weight bearing of traumatized limb. The locking plate system had a unique combi hole design in a single implant and enabled to select the function best suited for the fracture configuration to achieve the most stable fixation. The locking plate system acted as a single beam construct which increased the stiffness of the implant and was found appropriate in management of unstable or comminuted diaphyseal fracture of femur in dogs.

The carrot tops had high crude protein (144 g/kg), calcium (24.3 g/kg) and phosphorus (7.7 g/kg), comparable to sun hemp (Crotalaria junctea), fodder berseem and oil cakes, respectively. Milk from animals fed with carrot tops were free from residues of organochlorine, carbamate and organophosphorus pesticides. Carrot tops are perishable in nature and hence were preserved as feed blocks to extend shelf life. The nutritional value and keeping quality of the blocks were also studied. The studies revealed that carrot whole tops can be a promising alternate source of green fodder, especially in hilly regions where there is a shortage of green fodder during winter.

Methane (CH4) is second major gas after carbon dioxide (CO2) responsible for the warming of environment and ozone layer depletion. Although CH4 production is necessary for efficient digestion, it represents an energetic loss of up to 12% of the gross energy intake in ruminants. Methane is produced by strict anaerobes belonging to the sub-group of the Archaea domain. The past decade has shown a lot of interest in the use of plant extracts to mitigate methane production in ruminants. Addition of plant essential oils, can limit the growth of the micro-organisms participating in methane formation in the rumen, thus resulting in the reduction of its production. Reduction of methane production in the rumen ecosystem is possible to achieve with the use of plantsaponins. Tannins have been found to be toxic for many of the rumen microbes, especially ciliate protozoa, fibre degrading microbes and methanogenic bacteria as a result of this methanogenesis in the rumen is reduced.