The present study was conducted in buffaloes which were maintained at experimental animal sheds of Animal Reproduction Division, IVRI, Izatnagar. All the experimental buffaloes (n=6) were observed for onset of estrus using a teaser bull and visual signs of estrus followed by rectal examination twice daily. Animals detected in estrus were inseminated using frozen semen of Murrah buffalo. The inseminated buffaloes were allowed for real time B-mode ultrasonographic examination at 10 days interval starting from day 20 to 120 of pregnancy. Monitoring of embryonic development was carried out by viewing embryonic vesicle diameter (EVD), Crown Rump length (CRL), embryonic heartbeat, skull and placentome through ultrasonography. The mean diameter of EV was 0.52±0.12, 1.56±0.16, 2.94±0.07, 3.80±0.14 and 6.37±0.15 cm on day 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 of pregnancy, respectively. EVD increased with advancement of pregnancy and reached around 6.37±0.15 cm on day 60 of pregnancy. The CRL was 0.73±0.05, 1.45±0.55, 2.13±0.05 and 3.24±0.10 cm on day 30, 40, 50 and 60 of pregnancy, respectively. The mean heart rate was 197.33±4.60, 173.16±1.55, 162.33±1.20, 155.33±1.60, 152.16±2.58 and 146.66±2.40 per minute on days 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 120 of pregnancy, respectively. The heart rate was significantly (P<0.01) higher on day 50 of pregnancy, thereafter, it decreased with advancement of pregnancy. The mean diameter of skull  was 2.33±0.18,   2.90±0.12, 3.52±0.19   and   4.58±0.22 cm on days 60, 70, 80 and 90 of pregnancy, respectively. The skull diameter increased with the advancement of pregnancy. The accessibility of skull or head was very difficult as the pregnancy advanced into mid of the second trimester. The mean diameter of placentome increased with the advancement of pregnancy i.e. 0.38±0.01, 0.64±0.14, 1.05±0.07 and 1.26±0.08 cm on days 70, 80, 90 and 120 of pregnancy, respectively. The present study indicated use of Real time B mode transrectal ultrasonography in buffalo for early diagnosis of pregnancy, embryonic development and its viability by viewing embryonic vesicle, embryo, embryonic heart beat and other structures.

The effect of rumen protected omega–3 fatty acids prepared from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) rich rapeseed oil on milk fatty acid profile of lactating crossbred cows have been studied in this experiment. Eighteen lactating crossbred cows were selected and divided randomly into three groups (GI, GII and GIII) with six animals in each group. All the animals in GI were fed with basal diet (concentrates and green roughage ad libitum). In GII and III group cows, rumen protected fatty acids were mixed with basal diet before feeding. The calcium fatty acids of rapeseed oil (CaRSO) and encapsulated rape seed oil were fed to GII and GIII group cows respectively, for 90 days of experimental period. The fatty acid profile of milk, rapeseed oil and bypass fat was analysed by gas chromatography. The supplementation of CaRSO and encapsulated rapeseed oil significantly (P<0.05) increased milk yield compared to control. Better production efficiency (P<0.01) and increased 4 per cent FCM (kg/day) was recorded in encapsulated fatty acid supplemented group compared to CaRSO. The total concentration of omega-3 fatty acids (alpha linoleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) were detected in milk of treatment group cows compared to control group.

The study was conducted to evaluate the oxidative stress in the dogs affected with parenchymal, biliary and neoplastic hepatic disorders compared with apparently healthy dogs. Twenty apparently healthy dogs framed the control group. The experimental group consist of twenty dogs in which 9 dogs formed the parenchymal disorder, six dogs with biliary disorder and five dogs with neoplastic disorder based on the serum biochemical and ultrasonographic investigation. The biochemical parameters such as Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin and direct bilirubin were significantly elevated in experimental group whereas glucose concentration was decreased. In the present study Oxidative biomarkers such as Catalase (CAT), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were significantly reduced and Thiobarbituric Acid Reacting Substance (TBARS) was significantly increased in parenchymal, biliary and neoplastic disorders of experimental group when compared with control group. Results of this study showed that the significant increase in oxidative stress in all three disorders of hepatic dysfunction in dogs could be the cause for the progress of hepatic pathology.

The physiology of maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) in cattle is well explored and a better understanding of phenomenon of MRP is needed in order to improve reproductive efficiency in buffaloes. The present work was conducted to study the effect of non-surgical removal of conceptus and expression profile of interferon tau (IFNT) in the conceptus after post insemination in buffaloes. In the experiment I, 15 female buffaloes in estrus were inseminated using frozen semen of Murrah buffalo and the uterine flushing by non-surgical method was carried out on days 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 of post insemination for collection of conceptus. Under experiment II, conceptus tissue collected on different days in the experiment I and conceptus tissue collected from slaughter house pregnant reproductive tracts were used for RNA isolation to study real time expression pattern of IFNT on day 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 30, 40 and 50 of pregnancy by using specific primers (F5’-GCCCTGGTGCTGGTCAGCTA -3’ and R5’-CATCTTAGTCAGCGAGAGTC -3’). The estrous cycle length following non- surgical removal of conceptus on day 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 post-insemination was 23.50±0.96, 36.60±3.35, 41.25±2.67, 42.73 ±2.61 and 45.20±7.03 days, respectively. The mean cycle length increased significantly by 8-47 days following removal of conceptus on day 14, 16, 18 and 20 post-insemination when compared to day 12. The expression of IFNT was found low but at detectable levels as early as on day 12 of gestation. The level of expression increased significantly (P<0.01) on day 14 of pregnancy and remains elevated up to day 16 and  It, thereafter, started reducing significantly (P<0.01) on day 20, 30, 40 and reached undetectable level on day 50 of pregnancy. It may, therefore, be concluded that non- surgical removal of conceptus on day 14, 16, 18 and 20 of pregnancy extended the cycle length up to 8-47 days and strong expression of IFNT during day 14-16 of pregnancy indicating embryonic signal to dam and establishment of Maternal Recognition Pregnancy (MRP) in buffalo.

Rabies is zoonotic viral encephalitis targeting the nervous system of several vertebrates and transmitted mostly through the saliva of the infected host causing extensive neurological dysfunction. In this study, 873 post-mortem examinations of different species of animals were done in the Department of Veterinary Pathology, Pookode and 17.64% were diagnosed as rabies positive by using direct fluorescent test (d-FAT). Out of all the rabies positive cases, 76.6% were dogs, 9.1% large ruminants, 8.4% cats and 4.5% goats. In dogs, non-descript dogs were highest followed by Labrador, Pomeranian, German Shepherd, crossbred dogs, Rottweiler, Doberman and Spitz. The male dogs contributed about 69.5% of positive cases. Highest number of cases of rabies in animals were found during the winter season (January to March) comprising 33.76% of all the rabies cases.

Dairying as an occupation supports and sustains the livelihood of a large number of rural people in India, especially small farmers, marginal farmers and landless labourers. To study the socio-economic profile of the dairy farmers, Viluppuram district of Tamil Nadu state was purposively selected on the basis of high cattle population. Out of the nine taluks in Viluppuram district, two taluks, namely Viluppuram and Tindivanam taluks were randomly selected from which five villages each were selected. From each of the selected villages, 10 respondents were selected randomly leading to a total of 100 respondents. The findings of the study revealed that half of the respondents were old aged, had secondary to graduate level of education and had agriculture + livestock and wages + livestock + agriculture as their occupation. Majority of the respondents also had large herd size of more than four animals with 11-20 years of dairy farming experience and no participation in training programme. Majority of the respondents had medium level of annual income, economic motivation, mass media exposure, contact with extension agency, risk orientation, proximity to marketing channels, knowledge about improved dairy husbandry practices and decision making behaviour.

Integrated Farming System (IFS) is an efficient way of recycling farm waste or farm by-products. In present study the fishes (Catla, Common carp, Grass carp, Rohu and Silver carp) were cultivated through ostrich feed wastages and cattle manure in six month period. The average fish survival of 86% was observed and it was varied from 84% to 88%. The total weight of fishes harvested was 50.95 kg, 43.71 kg, 42.58 kg, 54.95 kg and 53.76 kg for individual varieties such as Catla, Common crap, Grass crap, Rohu and Silver carp respectively. The average weight of fish at harvesting was 386.0 g, 502.5 g, 507.0 g, 426.0 g and 632.5 g with 64.33 g, 83.75 g, 84.50 g, 71.00 g, 105.42 g average weight gain of fish per month in Catla, Common carp, Grass carp, Rohu and Silver carp respectively. The benefit cost ratio was observed as 2.35 with the net profit of Rs.21,247.50 for 6 months culture period in 0.06 Ha pond area. It was concluded that ostrich and cattle cum fish integration was a suitable and economically viable integrated system in Tamil Nadu.

Bacterial normal flora were identified in handfed psittacine birds (lory, amazons, lorikeet, cockatoo, conure, grey parrot, macaw, eclectus and African love birds) at Cavin estate exotic bird farm, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A total of 54 cloacal swabs were collected fromdifferent species of psittasine birds for bacteriological screening to identify the microorganisms by morphological and biochemical characteristics. In the present study, four Gram positive organisms such as Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Bacillus and Corynebacterium and ten Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Enterobactersp., Klebsiellasp., Yersiniasp., Providenciasp., Erwiniasp., Citrobactersp., Serratiasp., Acinitobactersp.and Buttiauxellasp.,were identified as the normal flora in apparently healthyhandfed psittacine birds. The frequency of occurrence of Staphylococcus sp., and E.coli was higher when compared to others. 

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is defined as the presence of structural or functional abnormalities in one or both kidneys that have been present for an extended period usually from three months or more. Nephron damage associated with CKD is usually irreversible and progressive and characterized by a wide spectrum of disease, ranging from a minor structural lesion in a single kidney to extensive loss of nephrons affecting both kidneys (Polzin, 2011).CKD is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in older dogs and cats, which were recorded with an overall incidence of 1- 3 per cent in cats and 0.5 – 1.5 per cent in dogs (Brown, 2007).  Azotemia is defined as an abnormal concentration of urea, creatinine, and other nonprotein nitrogenous substances in blood, plasma, or serum. Azotemia is a laboratory finding with several fundamentally different causes. Since non-protein nitrogenous compounds (including urea and creatinine) are endogenous substances, abnormally elevated concentrations in serum may be caused by an  increased rate of production (by the liver for urea; by muscles for creatinine), or by a decreased rate of loss (primarily by the kidneys).  When the structural and functional integrity of both kidneys has been compromised to such a degree that polysystemic signs of kidney failure are clinically manifested, the relatively predictable symptom complex called uremia appears, regardless of underlying cause. In some instances, uremic crises may suddenly be precipitated by prerenal disorders or, less commonly, postrenal disorders in patients with previously compensated primary kidney failure. Uremia is characterized by multiple physiologic and metabolic alterations that result from impaired kidney function.    

Injectable anesthesia in farm animals been used on a routine basis in academia and in clinical practice in the United Statesof America. As an ambulatory clinician, the author has used various pharmaceuticals and combinations for sedation and short termgeneralized anesthesia, on farm animals in performing various techniques, clinical procedures,major and minor surgeries in the clinic and on the farm. There are many physical and mental challenges in dealing with farm animals when safely restraining or immobilizing them for any surgical or non-surgical procedures performed. The main goal is to effectively control the animal without injuring the /tosubject/animal or the personnel involved. In most cases, for performing physical examination or minor surgery a chute, crush, ropes, or local anesthesia is sufficient to accomplish the task. However, on certain situations, sedatives, dissociative, and systemic analgesics can provide the mental distraction needed to reduce reflex reactions and override learned behaviors. This article will review some of the common uses of sedation and anesthesia in performing both minor and major surgeries using injectable anesthetic drugs in farm animals.