Objective: This study aimed to assess the organoleptic, physico-chemical, and microbial quality as well as the presence of any adulterants in different commercial and local milk samples. Materials and Methods: Three brands of ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk, three brands of pas­teurized milk, and three raw milk samples were procured and analyzed for different quality tests. Consumer preference about the milk samples were studied by evaluating the organoleptic prop­erties by a testing panel of 15 panelists. Physico-chemical, adulteration, and microbial analysis of the milk samples were performed by following different standard methods. Results: Most of the organoleptic properties were varied significantly at p ≤ 0.05 for UHT and pasteurized milk samples, while raw milk samples were equally acceptable to the panelists in most cases. From physico-chemical analysis, it was found that raw milk contained the highest amount of moisture (90.68%), whereas UHT had the lowest (87.60%), and other components were ranged as 0.68%–0.78% ash, 3.20%–3.58% protein, 3.15%–3.56% fat, 4.35%–4.62% lactose, 0.14%–0.22% acidity, 6.17%–8.95% solid not fat, 9.32%–12.40% total solid, and 1.026%–1.034% specific gravity. All adulteration tests responded negatively for raw samples, whereas commercial milk samples showed positive response only on added sugar test. Total standard plate count and coliform count tests showed that there was no microorganism in a detectable range in commer­cial milk samples, though raw samples had a significant amount. Conclusion: Though there were some fluctuations in some parameters of the three milk catego­ries, but this study concluded that the quality of UHT and pasteurized milk were excellent with respect to parameters studied. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(1): 26-33, March 2020

Objective: This study aimed to isolate and identify of pathogenic bacteria in tiny freshwater shrimp (Macrobrachium lanchesteri) and in Kung Ten, which is an unusual Thai cuisine that eaten alive shrimp directly. Antimicrobial susceptibility test and identification of antibiotic resistance genes for isolated bacteria were conducted. Materials and Methods: Eighty of fresh shrimp samples and forty of Kung Ten salads were collected from four fresh markets, which were located in Bangkok and Nonthaburi province (N = 120). The isolation, identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility test of pathogenic bacteria were done following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were screened for β-lactamase relating genes, such as AmpC (MOX and ACC genes), blaCTX-M, and Int1 genes. Results: The number of bacterial isolates in tiny freshwater shrimp and Kung Ten salad was 136 and 65, respectively. Aeromonas caviae, A. hydrophilla, Proteus penneri, Proteus vulgaris, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were commonly found. Ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic, cefuroxime, tet­racycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistance were observed, and common antibiot­ic-resistant bacteria were A. caviae, P. vulgaris, Enterobacter Aerogenes, and K. pneumoniae. A. caviae, P. penneri, K. Pneumoniae, and A. hydrophilla were positive for MOX gene; blaCTX-M, and Int1 genes; ACC and Int1 genes; and ACC gene, respectively. Conclusion: Raw or uncooked shrimps in Kung Ten salad may a risk in foodborne diseases due to positive for pathogenic bacterial isolates. However, hygienic control on food preparation is diffi­cult to apply because of the difficulty of changing in local Thai food behavior. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(1): 83-91, March 2020

Objectives: Aqueous extracts of Rhizophora mucronata and Avicennia marina leaves were inves­tigated for their hepatoprotective potential in diabetic rats. Materials and methods: One hundred twenty male albino rats were randomly assigned to eight equal groups (n = 15). The first group (control) comprised normal healthy rats, while the second to fifth groups were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) [60 mg/ kg body weight (BW)] for induction of diabetes. Group 2 was kept as positive diabetic control, while groups 3–5 were orally treated with aqueous extracts of R. mucronata (400 mg/kg BW), A. marina (400 mg/kg BW) and with a combination of ½ a dose of the two plants, respectively, for six weeks. Groups 6–8 were non-diabetic rats that orally received aqueous extracts of R. mucronata (400 mg/kg BW), A. marina (400 mg/kg BW), and a combination of ½ a dose of the two plants, respectively, for 6 weeks. Results: STZ-induced diabetic rats showed a significant reduction in serum glucose and liver enzymes, increased serum insulin, Homeostasis Model Assessment of β-cells (HOMA-β), and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). Histopathological and immuno­histochemical examinations of the liver revealed improved pathologic criteria in the plant extract treated diabetic rats compared with the remarkable changes which had been seen in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Conclusion: This study suggests that the aqueous extract of R. mucronata or its combination with A. marina showed potent hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective effects for liver dysfunction, as well as histopathological and immunohistochemical changes in the liver of STZ-induced diabetic rats. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(1): 177-185, March 2020

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the behavioral attributes of primiparous and multiparous Friesland, Jersey, and Crossbred cows around calving time in a pasture-based dairy system. Material and methods: A total of 120 pregnant cows were used in the study, comprising of 40 cows per genotype in different parities [A-primiparous (n = 10), B-2 to 4 (n = 10), C-5 and 6 (n = 10), and D-7 and 8 (n = 10)] and kept in a maternity paddock. Five observers monitored cows from the onset of parturition until the calves were fully expelled, recording the frequency and duration of lying, standing, and walking bouts, calf licking, and suckling. Results: There were differences (p < 0.05) observed in the behavioral patterns around the time of calving. Jersey multiparous cows spent (p < 0.05) significantly most of their time (20.50 ± 3.10) in lying position as compared to the other genotypes. The Jersey cows also spent most (p < 0.05) of their time (48.00 ± 0.34) in a standing position during the calving period. Friesland cows spent (p < 0.05) most of their time (12.00 ± 1.19) exhibiting either stepping or walking attributes as compared to Jersey and Crossbred cows. The Jersey genotype spent significantly (p < 0.05) more time (123.00 ± 10.43) in expelling their calves compared to the other genotypes. There was a significant (p < 0.05) interaction between genotypes and parity on time spent by cows on licking their calves. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) observed between the genotypes of the primiparous cow. Conclusion: The primiparous cows spent most of their time in standing and the least amount of time in other activities throughout the trial due to the lack of maternal experience. The current study revealed that behavioral activities differ according to genotype and parity. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(2): 290-298, June 2020

Objectives: Left displaced abomasum (LDA) is a common postparturient condition of high yielding dairy cattle. The diagnosis of LDA is challenging and has historically been based on findings that are not specific to the condition. The objective of the current study was to investigate the diag­nostic performance of ultrasonography (USG) in the clinical management of dairy cows identified with left-sided ping sound postpartum. Materials and methods: Cows with reduced appetite postpartum and had audible left-sided ping sounds on abdominal auscultation were eligible to be prospectively recruited onto the study. The results of clinical findings and abdominal USG were recorded along with milk β-hydroxybutyrate levels, pH levels of abomaso/rumenocentesis samples, and findings on exploratory laparotomy. The diagnostic performance of USG and other clinical investigations was assessed by calculating the test sensitivity and specificity using exploratory laparotomy as a gold standard test. Results: A definitive diagnosis of LDA was made in 23 cows, 8 cows were diagnosed with peritoni­tis, and 4 cows with frothy tympany. The USG findings that were consistent with LDA were present in all cattle diagnosed with LDA at exploratory laparotomy. The USG findings over the past three intercostal space characteristics of LDA, however, were also present in five cases subsequently diagnosed with peritonitis and in all cases diagnosed with frothy tympany on exploratory lapa­rotomy. The pH of abdomaso/rumenocentesis samples yielded the highest diagnostic accuracy (97.14%) as a single test in the current study. Conclusions: USG over the left abdominal wall despite being a highly sensitive test for the diagno­sis of LDA has limitations as a diagnostic tool due to suboptimal specificity. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(2): 308-313, June 2020

Objective: Granulosa cells (GCs) play a very important role in reproductive physiology due to their effect on developmental and functional changes. However, there are differing views regard­ing the mechanism by which hormones stimulate GCs. Therefore, our study aims to determine whether GCs, in the absence of initial stimulation (17β-estradiol), select specific types of MMPs that reconstitute cells by stimulation of major hormones [follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or/ and luteinizing hormone (LH)]. Materials and methods: Early GCs were extracted from immature follicles of the porcine ovary to analyze the MMPs levels. Using early GCs in pigs, the cell development rate was evaluated by add­ing 17β-estradiol, FSH, LH, or FSH + LH, respectively, to the DMEM containing 10% FBS. Real-time PCR, zymography, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blot, and immunofluorescence analysis were also performed to determine the MMPs activation in the GCs. Results: Our results confirm that FSH or LH stimulation regulates cell development and intracel­lular MMPs. In particular, FSH activity kept the MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions constant in GCs. Conversely, LH activity initially led to rapid increases in the MMP-9 expression, which 96 h later was similar to the MMP-2 expression. Simultaneous utilization of FSH + LH maintained a steady MMP-9 expression and the development of GCs increased. Additionally, when FSH and LH were processed simultaneously, the number of cells increased without changes in cell size, while the cell size changed when LH alone was used. Conclusion: Therefore, the results of this study confirm that even without the initial stimulation of GCs, physiological changes occur according to hormonal changes in the environment, and there is variability in the expression of MMPs. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(2): 367-373, June 2020

Objective: The objectives of this study were to determine the biofilm-forming capability and anti­microbial susceptibility of Escherichia coli recovered from bovine endometritis samples.  Materials and Methods: A total of 120 uterine specimens were collected from cows suffering from endometritis for bacteriological examination. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out for all isolated E. coli by using the disc diffusion method. The isolates were phenotypically studied for biofilm-forming ability by cultivation on yeast extract -casamino acids Congo red agar (CRA). Some randomly selected isolates were chosen for the molecular identification of some virulence and resistance genes.  Results: A total of 58(48.3%) E. coli isolates could be isolated from the 120 samples. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing exhibited that 91.4%, 79.3%, 79.3%, 74.1%, and 58.6% of the isolates were sensitive to gentamicin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, cephalexin, and sulfamethox­azole-trimethoprim, respectively. On the other hand, 91.4% and 70.7% isolates were resistant to cefotaxime and doxycycline, respectively. Cultivation on CRA revealed that 46.6% of isolates were biofilm producers. The molecular detection of resistance and virulence genes declared that all iso­lates harbored blaTEM, sul1, tetA, qnrS, blaCTX-M, and fimH with a percentage of 100%, papC (40%), and hlyA (10%). FimH was the most prevalent biofilm-associated gene.  Conclusion: The present study highlights the high prevalence of multi-drug- resistant E. coli asso­ciated with bovine endometritis. The detection of the fimH gene is circumstantial evidenced that this gene has a crucial role in biofilm formation in intrauterine pathogenic E. coli. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(3): 442-451, Sep 2020 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2020.g440

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of African swine fever (ASF) disease in Benin.  Materials and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 70 pig farms from the Departement of Atlantique and Ouémé and also by using the data available from the Directorate of Livestock on the spread of ASF in Benin from 2014 to 2018. The prevalence of ASF was assessed with 106 nasal swabs from apparently healthy domestic pigs and 15 organ samples from dead ASF-suspected pigs. ASF virus detection was carried out by conventional polymerase chain reac­tion using Qiagen Kit for DNA extraction. Data recorded were processed with SAS software (2006).  Results: It appears that ASF is an endemic disease in Benin with the Department of Ouémé as the hotspot of dissemination of the virus in the country. The losses due to ASF recorded from 2014 to 2018 are evaluated to 884,850,000 CFA Franc by estimating the average cost of a pig at 25,000 FCFA. A prevalence of 1.89% (CI at 95%, 0.71–3.49) was recorded for live animals with a positive result in organs from all dead pigs suspected of ASF. Breeding practices related to the sharing of breeding males, scavenging pigs, and non-compliance with biosecurity measures were the risk factors identified.  Conclusion: The present study sheds light on the areas prone to the ASF virus in Benin. Moreover, the cross-sectional data recorded on the prevalence of ASF will help to better rule on the spread of the disease. It would be interesting for the Beninese Republic to increase its efforts for ASF control. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(3): 464-470, Sep 2020 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2020.g442

Objective: This study was carried out to find out the immunolocalization of Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and Interleukin 10 (IL-10) in the testicular tissue of testicular dysfunction rat treated with secretome from human umbilical stem cells.  Materials and methods: Rats were induced with cisplatin for testicular dysfunction condition. After that, the rats were grouped into two categories and were treated with secretome at 0.2 and 0.5 ml/kg BW once every week for 4 weeks. One week later, after the secretome treatment, the rats were sacrificed for histological evaluation using the immunohistochemical method. The preparation slides were examined using a light microscope and were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively.  Results: There were no IL-6 and IL-10 immunoreactivities seen in the testicular tissue after cispla­tin induction. However, the immunoreactivities of IL-6 and IL-10 were detected after secretome treatment, with both dosages of 0.2 and 0.5 ml/kg BW. These immunoreactivities were detected in the spermatogonia, spermatid/luminal tissue of seminiferous tubule, spermatogenic cells, and Leydig cells. In the cell calculation, the numbers of IL-6 immunoreactive cells were higher at the lower secretome dosage. In contrast, the numbers of IL-10 immunoreactive cells were higher at the higher secretome dosage.  Conclusion: IL-6 and IL-10 can be localized in the testicular tissue of testicular dysfunction rat after secretome treatment. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(3): 514-520, Sep 2020 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2020.g448

Objective: This study aimed to examine the occurrence of Caryospora (C.) neofalconis in falcons from the central region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).  Materials and methods: Fecal samples (n = 149) from 149 healthy falcons including 56 saker falcons (Falco cherrug), 13 lanner falcons (F. biarmicus), 18 peregrine falcons (F. peregrinus), 40 Barbary falcons (F. pelegrinoides), and 22 gyrfalcons (F. rusticolus) were collected between October 2018 and May 2019. The fecal samples were examined for the presence of C. neofalconis by microscopic examination followed by confirmation by polymerase chain reaction targeting 18S rRNA genes and their phylogenetic analyses.  Results: The overall prevalence of C. neofalconis in the falcons was recorded as 10.7% (16/149) by microscopic examination. The highest prevalence was found in F. peregrinus (6/18, 33.3%), followed by F. rusticolus (3/22, 13.6%), F. cherrug (5/56, 8.9 %) and F. pelegrinoides (2/40, 5.0%). There was no C. neofalconis infection observed in F. biamicus. The 18S rRNA gene could be ampli­fied in eight samples. The phylogenetic analysis of two C. neofalconis isolates exhibited a close relationship with the Mexican isolate (KT03081) with a 99.7% identity.  Conclusions: To our knowledge, based on the microscopic and molecular analysis, this is the first report of C. neofalconis in F. cherrug, F. rusticolus, F. pelegrinoides, and F. peregrinus from the central region of the KSA and it emphasize the value of adopting preventive measures to limit the spread of C. neofalconis. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 7(3): 530-536, Sep 2020 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2020.g450