peer reviewed | Objective-To evaluate effects of a blend of fructo-oligosaccharides and sugar beet fiber (4:1) at 3 incorporation rates on nutrient digestibility and plasma glucose, insulin, alpha-aminonitrogen, urea, cholesterol, and triglycerides concentrations measured weekly in nonfed dogs and during a 360-minute period after a meal. Animals-8 castrated 1 to 1.4-year-old young adult male Beagles weighing 10.0 to 13.5 kg. Procedure-Diets containing 2 incorporation rates of a blend of fructo-oligosaccharides and sugar beet fiber (5 and 10% on a dry matter basis [diets B and C, respectively]) were compared with a control diet without additional fiber (diet A). The 3 diets were evaluated for ability to modify digestibility of dry and organic matter, protein, fat, and ash and for effects on plasma glucose, insulin, alpha-aminonitrogen, urea, cholesterol, and triglycerides concentrations. Each diet was fed for 6 weeks; plasma samples were collected weekly before feeding and after feeding on the last day of the period, During 1 week at the end of the 6-week period, dogs were kept in metabolic cages. Each period of the block was followed by a 4-week washout period. Results-Incorporating the blend of fructo-oiigosaccharides and sugar beet fiber in the diet was associated with greater passage of wet feces (diets B and C) and lower protein digestibility (diet C). Postprandial glucose (diet C), urea (diets B and C) and triglyceride (diets B and C) concentrations were significantly (P < 0.01) decreased. Weekly preprandial measurements were characterized by decreased urea (diets B and C), cholesterol (diet C), and triglycerides (diets B and C) concentrations (P < 0.001). Conclusion-Chronic consumption of fermentable fiber is associated with mildly decreased protein digestibility and with metabolic effects in nonfed or fed dogs. Clinical Relevance-A blend of fructo-oligosaccharides and sugar beet fiber should he tested as a dietary aid for treatment of chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus or hyperlipidemia, in dogs.

Nutritional risk factors for liver damage were surveyed in Black-Pied French dairy herds using serum glutamic dehydrogenase and gamma glutamyl transferase levels to monitor liver dysfunction.The 34 herds chosen were free of parasitic liver injuries. Feeding systems, nutritional blood parameters and production characteristics are analyzed. Two risk factors appeared to be involved in hepatic injury: feeding of fresh rape (Brassica napus) and high levels of serum urea (>/=6.64 mmol/L) associated with grass pasture or dietary nonprotein nitrogen with corn silage

This sectional study aims to collect data about feeding practices for pace horses in the Aegean and Marmara regions of Turkey. For this purpose, a questionnaire consisting of 69 free text and multiple-choice questions was developed. The questionnaire was implemented on 29-31 August 2014 by personal interviews and was online on social media for ten months. The questionnaire comprised sections on breeder demographic information, farm condition, feeding habit, and nutritional disease. Fifty volunteer horse owners who had a total of 271 horses have participated in the study. Evaluation of the results focused on nutrition practices. Unfortunately, 46% of the respondents were not rasping their horses’ teeth, and an important part of them was not using supplementary oil (78%) or feed additives (84%). Drinking water after exercise (74%) as well as rotten, mouldy, and bacterially contaminated feed (72%) were reported as the most important colic reason by the responders. Based on the results of our study, educational initiatives are needed to inform pace horse owners about appropriate nutrition and related diseases to increase the pace horse race performance.

On each day of feeding on susceptible calves, salivary glands obtained from groups of adult ticks that transmitted Anaplasma marginale were examined for A marginale colonies by use of light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. On day 8 of feeding, salivary glands were examined, using fluorescein-labeled antibody and methyl green-pyronine stain. Use of fluorescein-labeled antibody consistently revealed small numbers of fluorescent foci in salivary gland acinar cells obtained from ticks that had fed for 8 days. Colonies of A marginale were seen by transmission electron microscopy only in salivary gland acini of male ticks; these colonies could not be identified, using light microscopy, in companion 1-micron plastic sections stained with Mallory stain. Methyl green-pyronine stain, used commonly to detect theilerial parasites in tick salivary glands, did not differentiate A marginale from cytoplasmic inclusions normally found in salivary gland acinar cells.

Minimising health problems and increasing yield have always been the objectives in livestock agriculture. Hence, increases in incidences of reproductive conditions in cattle farming pose a great threat to productivity and impose undesirable economic implications. This study aimed to examine the concentrations of different biochemical compounds in cows with reproductive conditions. Seventy-seven blood samples were collected from cows at different rural areas around Mafikeng, following cases of downer cow syndrome, dystocia, retained placenta, vaginal prolapse and abortion. Means of serum metabolites across the different reproductive conditions were statistically compared using Pearson’s chi-square test to determine variations of serum metabolites in cows of different breeds. In mixed breed cows, higher than normal calcium concentrations were observed in downer cow syndrome (25.25 ± 8.47) and dystocia (85.50 ± 8.46) cases. It was also observed that cholesterol concentrations were significantly low in abortion (2.52 ± 0.79), retained placenta (3.18 ± 0.61) and vaginal prolapse (2.37 ± 0.97) cases in Afrikaner cows. The study showed that Brahman (43.1%) and Afrikaner (43.1%) breeds were mostly affected by downer cow syndrome. Additionally, the occurrences of downer cow syndrome (53.9%) and abortions (60%) were mostly observed in cows of 1–3 years, in second and first parities, respectively. This study proves that concentrations of calcium, urea or blood urea nitrogen (BUN), magnesium and cholesterol are significantly altered in incidences of reproductive conditions in cows of different breeds. It is also shown that serum biochemistry is affected by reproductive conditions in cows of different ages and parity. This data serves as a tool that could be used to enhance research in animal production and reproduction.

Minimising health problems and increasing yield have always been the objectives in livestock agriculture. Hence, increases in incidences of reproductive conditions in cattle farming pose a great threat to productivity and impose undesirable economic implications. This study aimed to examine the concentrations of different biochemical compounds in cows with reproductive conditions. Seventy-seven blood samples were collected from cows at different rural areas around Mafikeng, following cases of downer cow syndrome, dystocia, retained placenta, vaginal prolapse and abortion. Means of serum metabolites across the different reproductive conditions were statistically compared using Pearson's chi-square test to determine variations of serum metabolites in cows of different breeds. In mixed breed cows, higher than normal calcium concentrations were observed in downer cow syndrome (25.25 ± 8.47) and dystocia (85.50 ± 8.46) cases. It was also observed that cholesterol concentrations were significantly low in abortion (2.52 ± 0.79), retained placenta (3.18 ± 0.61) and vaginal prolapse (2.37 ± 0.97) cases in Afrikaner cows. The study showed that Brahman (43.1%) and Afrikaner (43.1%) breeds were mostly affected by downer cow syndrome. Additionally, the occurrences of downer cow syndrome (53.9%) and abortions (60%) were mostly observed in cows of 1-3 years, in second and first parities, respectively. This study proves that concentrations of calcium, urea or blood urea nitrogen (BUN), magnesium and cholesterol are significantly altered in incidences of reproductive conditions in cows of different breeds. It is also shown that serum biochemistry is affected by reproductive conditions in cows of different ages and parity. This data serves as a tool that could be used to enhance research in animal production and reproduction.

The Malaysian Pangolin (Manis javanica) is an endangered species,&#xD;but is widely hunted for its medicinal value in body parts. A total of sixteen pangolins were screened for blood protozoa and six&#xD;pangolins were confi rmed to be positive for eperythrozoonosis infection based on morphology from blood smears stained with 8% Giemsa. The causative organism, Eperythrozoon sp., with a size of 0.3 μm were observed under a compound microscope at 100× magnification on the surface of red blood cells as blue coloured dots. This is the fi rst report of Eperythrozoon infection from pangolins in Malaysia. Further identifi cation using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is necessary to confi rm E. ovis or wenyonii,&#xD;which is uncultivatable in artifi cial media.

The small ruminant industry in Malaysia is plagued by several significant problems related to health and management. Due to the hot, wet tropical climate, parasitic, bacterial and viral diseases are rampant and conveniently spread and enhanced by poor management. The Veterinary Research Institute has initiated a working group to&#xD;identify and control critical diseases in small ruminants as an educational cum advisory programme for farmers on the lower economic rung so that productivity and profits may be heightened. Farms are attended to base on the complaint of high mortality and morbidity, whereby a complete and holistic approach to disease control is taken. All the farms sampled were in the vicinity of the laboratory&#xD;that is within 150 km radius. Samples collected were faeces, blood (serum and whole blood) and nasal swabs as well as water and feed samples. A questionnaire on the management practices as well as&#xD;history of the farm was recorded. Tests on all samples were conducted according to routine procedures. Results from this study&#xD;on 7 farms involving 175 goats and sheep revealed that the common parasitic diseases encountered are helminthiasis, coccidiosis and blood protozoans. More than 80% of the animals showed strongyle and coccidial infections. The prominent bacterial infections are Caseous Lymphadenitis (34.3%), Brucellosis (Brucella melitensis), Leptospirosis (1.7%), Melliodosis and QFever whereas the viral diseases are Caprine Arthiritis Encephalitis (1.1%) and Blue Tongue (15.4%). Early detection for these diseases is critical so that production losses can be minimised. Poor nutrition and hygiene is a contributing factor for the high incidence of disease in small&#xD;ruminants. Farmer awareness on latest farming methods and services provided also contributes to general wellbeing of animals. One of the outcomes of this programme is to create awareness and getting farmers to be independent and confident in problem solving with regards to management and disease in their herds.

CRISPR-associated proteins and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR-Cas) technology has emerged as a groundbreaking advancement in animal and poultry nutrition to improve feed conversion efficiency, enhance disease resistance, and improve the nutritional quality of animal products. Despite significant advancements, there is a research gap in the systematic understanding and comprehensive use of the CRISPR-Cas method in animal and poultry nutrition. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the latest advancements in animal and poultry nutrition through CRISPR-Cas genome editing technology, focusing on gene manipulation in metabolism, immunity, and growth. Following preferred reporting items in meta-analysis and systematic reviews guidelines, we conducted a systematic search using several databases, including Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, until May 2024, and finally, we included a total of 108 articles in this study. This article explores the use of the CRISPR-Cas system in the advancement of feed additives like probiotics and enzymes, which could reduce the use of antibiotics in animal production. Furthermore, the article discusses ethical and regulatory issues related to gene editing in animal and poultry nutrition, including concerns about animal welfare, food safety, and environmental impacts. Overall, the CRISPR-Cas system holds substantial promise to overcome the challenges in modern animal agriculture. By enriching the nutritional quality of animal products, increasing disease resistance, and improving feed efficiency, it offers sustainable and cost-effective solutions that can revolutionize animal and poultry nutrition [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2024; 11(2.000): 483-493]