A five-year-old intact male non-descript dog was referred to the Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital with a history of blindness, persistent fever, inappetence, lethargy and corneal opacity for a week. Clinical examination revealed pale mucous membrane, pyrexia, and enlarged superficial lymph nodes and ophthalmic examination confirmed bilateral corneal opacity (5/5) and related vision loss. Hemato-biochemical profile revealed anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia and elevated creatinine levels. The wet film examination was positive for Trypanosoma evansi (+++) and following which the animal was treated with Diminazene aceturate @ 3.5 mg/kg deep IM, tab. Prednisolone @0.5 mg/kg, oral hematinics and evaluated after 2 weeks. Corneal opacity cleared After 14 days of treatment; haemato-biochemical parameters were back to normal range, and after one week of clinical recovery, the dog showed neurological signs. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed mild splenomegaly, ocular ultrasonography revealed normal ocular structure. CSF was positive by PCR for Trypanosoma evansi upon which the animal succumbed to death.

Many plants are being used as food additives and also as traditional medicine because of their preservative and curative effects. Various phytochemicals from medicinal plants like polyphenols, flavonoids, and Vitamin C serve as lead compounds in drug design and discovery. These active compounds are used as an alternative medicine to treat diseases like cancer, cardiovascular, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. Plant extracts can positively affect the red cell membrane and many plants have serious adverse effects, which include induction of haemolytic anaemia. Therefore, many of the commonly used plants need to be evaluated for their potential haemolytic activity and it represents an important starting point in this regard. The haemolytic activity of any compound is the ultimate indicator of general cytotoxicity towards normal healthy cells. Methanolic extract of both Cleome gynandra plant (Stinkweed) and Annona squamosa (Custard apple) seeds were prepared. The haemolytic assay was conducted to check the haemolytic activity of both extracts as well as their combination. The study revealed that Cleome gynandra plant extract had the least haemolytic activity followed by Annona squamosa seed extract and a combination of both extracts. But the haemolytic activity increases when the concentration of all extract increases.

Test day milk yield data of 81,653 Jersey crossbred cows reared under farmers’ production system in Tamil Nadu state, over a period of 24 years (1999-2022) were utilised to determine the effects of non-genetic factors viz. agroclimatic zone, period of calving, season of calving and parity on lactation traits.  The production traits considered were 305-day milk yield (305DMY), total lactation milk yield (TMY), 180-day milk yield (180DMY), peak yield (PY), days to attain PY and lactation length (LL), the least-squares means of which were 2458.82 ± 7.02 kg, 2470.77 ± 7.04 kg, 1657 ± 4.71 kg, 10.69 ± 0.03 kg, 73.22 ± 0.56 days and 298.09 ± 0.17 days respectively. The agroclimatic zone had significant (P<0.01) influence on all the lactation traits studied with Western zone having the highest mean (2763.08 kg) for 305DMY followed by North Western zone and Cauvery Delta zone while North Eastern zone had the least (2066.85 kg) milk yield. Both period and season of calving significantly (P<0.01) affected all the traits. The estimated means of 305 DMY, TMY and 180DMY of 2960.99 kg, 2987.38 kg and 1934.75 kg respectively in period P2 (2004-2007) were significantly higher compared to other periods while period P1 (1999-2003) had the least milk production. Cows that gave birth in Northeast monsoon and Summer seasons produced more milk comparatively. Parity also had highly significant (P<0.01) influence on all the traits studied with cows above third lactation producing higher milk yield. The influence of non-genetic factors found on milk production of cows, revealed in this study will be useful in planning future breeding and management interventions for improving the milk production of the Jersey crossbred cattle under farmers’ production system in Tamil Nadu. 

Uterine prolapse in cats of twelve clinical cases brought to the Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital with a history of cats queened recently, severe straining, anorexia, pyrexia and round red swollen edematous mass protruding through the vulva were used for the present study. Based on the clinical examination, the cases were diagnosed as uterine prolapse either unilateral or bilateral horns. Ovariohysterectomy (n=6) was performed in six delayed cases and manual reduction (n=6) was done in six fresh cases. Cats that underwent surgery recovered uneventfully after one week of postoperative management. Manually reduced cases also recovered after one week of medical management. 

With the advancement of research and development of medical technology, there is an increase in the number of animals used in research. As millions of experimental animals are being used in different experiments worldwide, there is a lot of debate about the pain, distress, and death experienced by animals during scientific experiments. Experimental animals also require skilled manpower, time-consuming protocols and are costly. There are various alternatives to animal testing to overcome the drawbacks of animal experiments and avoid unethical procedures. Russell and Burch published principles of the Humane Experimental Technique which includes a strategy of 3 Rs (i.e. reduction, refinement, and replacement) in 1959. They introduced and defined the terms replacement, reduction, and refinement, which subsequently have become known as ‘alternatives’ or ‘alternative methods’ for minimizing the potential for animal pain and distress in biomedical research. Therefore, different methods and different alternative organisms are being used to implement the 3 Rs strategy. So, a brief account of these alternatives and the advantages associated is discussed in this review with examples. An integrated application of these approaches would give insight into the minimum use of animals in scientific experiments.

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of sex on growth pattern and carcass characters of commercial broilers. One hundred and twenty numbers of day-old chicks were wing banded, weighed and reared up to 40 days of age. The body weight was individually recorded from all the birds on 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 40 days of age to assess the influence of gender on body weight. At the end of the experiment 12 males and 12 females were subjected to slaughter studies to assess the carcass characters. The body weight between males and females were similar up to 14 days of age and thereafter, males recorded significantly (p<0.01) higher body weights on 21, 28, 35, 40 days of age, weighing 35.79, 107.69, 179.73, 211.88 g respectively higher than females. The ready-to-cook weight (%) and dressed carcass (%) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in males; whereas, New York carcass (%) was significantly (p<0.05) higher in females. Among the cut of parts, the drumstick percentage was significantly (p<0.05) higher in males, whereas, the wings percentage was significantly (p<0.05) higher in females. Among processing yields and losses, only shank & feet and abdominal fat (%) showed significant (p<0.05) difference between sexes; while, feather, blood, head, viscera, kidney and total offal yields had non-significant difference between sexes. Among giblets, only the heart yield was significantly (p<0.05) different between sexes with higher value in females. The results showed that the males attain marketable weight early, therefore can be marketed early. The males can be slaughtered earlier than females for producing specialized products from drumstick; whereas, females can be slaughtered early to harvest drumette.

The socioeconomic importance of nomadic donkey rearing, perception on health benefits of donkey milk and the marketing channels involved remain unexplored. This paper aims at providing details on nomadic donkey rearing, a traditional system prevailing in Tamil Nadu. Donkey played a significant role in the livelihood of its owners who had migrated throughout Tamil Nadu for selling donkey milk.  They traversed around 30 – 40 km per day to sell the donkey milk besides meeting the grazing needs of the donkeys. Majority of the nomadic donkey rearers were young to middle aged and were scheduled tribes. Two third of the respondents were involved in nomadic donkey rearing for nearly eight months in a year and for the remaining four months they earned their livelihood as  agricultural labourers. The study revealed that on an average, lactating jenny yield milk for six months. At the end of the lactation period, the donkey rearers sold the dry jenny to the traders and in turn purchased the lactating jenny from them. The nomadic donkey rearers believed that the donkey milk had medicinal benefits to cure ailments such as ulcer, indigestion, pneumonia,  jaundice, leukorrhea and hypernatremia. The respondents preferred institutional support in marketing donkey milk so that they could settle in one place and thrive better. 

To improve the production performance of white Guinea fowl, selective breeding was carried out continuously for six generation. A total 1000 Guinea fowl hatching eggs were procured from various government institutions and private entrepreneurs, and subsequently keets were hatched out and base population was created. The production traits were given due importance during selective breeding for six generations to improve both body weight and egg production. The traits such as hatch weight 4th, 8th, 12th,16th and 24 week body weight (g), FCR, livability, age at sexual maturity (days), Hen – Day Egg Production (HDEP) and Hen - Housed Egg Production (HHEP), annual egg number, egg weight (g), adult livability, total and fertile hatchability (%) were studied in all six generations. The day-old chick weight of all six generations ranged from 26.46 to 28.10 g. The 4th and 8th week mean body weight of the first generation white Guinea fowl was 180.85g and 481.69 g respectively, which increased to 220.95 g and 494.13 g, respectively in 6th generation. Similarly, the 12th and 16th week body weights in 1st generation increased from 767.12 g to 805.29 g and 951.04 g to 1079.15 g, respectively, at 6th generation. The linear regression analysis of 4th and 8th week body weight over generations revealed significant increment of 7.59 g and 7.72 g, respectively, per generation. Similarly, the 12th and 24th week body weight in each generation had a positive change with high degree of goodness of fit. The 12 and 16th week FCR showed a positive change of high magnitude over generations. The hen day and hen housed egg production (29-51 weeks) from 1st generation to 6th generation increased from 39.26 to 40.55 % and 37.53 to 38.83 %, respectively, during the course of selection. The total and fertile egg hatchability also showed marked changes due to selection with values varying from 49.52 to 53.14 % and 71.37 to 72.38 % across the generations. This study concluded that the multi stage short-term selection can improve both body weight and egg production in white Guinea fowl.  

A six-year-old Siberian husky bitch was presented to Small Animal Gynaecology and Obstetrics Unit, Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital, with a history of proestrus bleeding and prolonged breeding failure due to shyness. Based on progesterone value (8 ng/mL, artificial insemination was done. On day 45 post AI, ultrasonographic examination revealed the presence of a viable foetus and lateral abdominal radiography showed the presence of a single foetus. Based on the observations, the owner was made aware of chances of risk of dystocia due to single puppy syndrome and the case was kept under observation. However, the case was presented on day 65 of gestation with signs of inappetence and greenish black vaginal discharge for the past 6 hrs. Based on the Ultrasound examination, Radiography and progesterone concentration, the case was diagnosed as dystocia due to single puppy syndrome. Under local anaesthesia, episiotomy was performed and a viable foetus (650 gm) was delivered. The episiotomy wound was closed in simple interrupted suture pattern using polyamide (1-0). After one week of  postoperative care, the bitch had an uneventful recovery.

Fifteen days old Jersey crossbred calf was brought to the hospital with the history of sudden hair fall around the trunk and legs and the other calf was apparently normal in twin birth. Clinical examination revealed severe alopecia in both fore limbs, hind limbs, trunks and easy epilation of hairs, along with erythematous skin and pruritus and mild scaling around its thighs, flanks and trunk. Dermatological analysis of skin scrapings revealed negative for ectoparasites and trichogram showed no hair growth abnormalities. Haemato-biochemical parameters were in normal range except low plasma ascorbic acid (0.16 mg/dL). The case was diagnosed as vitamin C responsive dermatosis and treated with single dose of intravenous injection of 2.5 g of ascorbic acid diluted with normal saline. The owner was advised to follow tab. vitamin C total dose of 2 g/day for 10 days orally. After one week, further hair was loss ceased and complete regrowth of hair noticed after four weeks of treatment.