The bactericidal efficiency of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) was evaluated against bacteria isolated from surface and ground water samples in Egypt. The AgNP were synthesized by typical one-step synthesis protocol, and were characterized using transmission electron microscopy and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The bactericidal efficiency of AgNP was evaluated by its application in three concentrations i.e., 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01 ppm to water sample, and allowed to interact with bacteria for different duration e.g., 5 min 15 min, 30 min, 1 h and 2 h. Then, the bactericidal efficiency of AgNPs was determined by comparing the counted bacteria before and after the treatments. Higher mean values of total bacterial count (TBC), total coliform count (TCC), and total streptococcal count (TFS) were detected in surface water than in ground water. Also, the results showed that TBC, TCC and TFS exceeded permissible limits. Application of AgNP at different concentration, the number of bacteria in TBC was significantly reduced in all AgNP-exposed samples as compared to the control group (p<0.05). The highest concentration of AgNP exhibited highest bactericidal efficiency in TBC, where, after two hours, 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01 mg/L AgNP was found to be sufficient to inhibit 91.85, 89.14 and 74.92%, and 92.33, 85.23 and 53.17% in TBC of surface and ground water, respectively. Moreover, the inhibition efficiency of the highest concentration (0.1 ppm) against TCC reached to 98.10 and 99.88% in surface water and 95.54 and 99.20% in ground water after 1 h and 2 h, respectively. Similar results were found against TFS count. The AgNPs were found to be effective against bacteria of water origin.

The study was conducted to know the effects of several genetic and non-genetic factors like season, sex, year of birth, genotype of calves and milk yield of dam associated with growth performance of crossbred calves. Data were collected from registered farmers during the period of May, 2011 to April, 2013. Birth weight, three-month weight, six-month weight, weaning weight and heritability estimates of those growth performances were performed using a total of 82 registered calves which had pedigree information having the genotypes of 25% Local - 75% Friesian and 37.5% Local - 62.5% Friesian. The average birth, three-month, six-month and weaning weight of calves were 29.33, 64.32, 99.06 and 151.77 kg, respectively. The effects of non-genetic factors like sex, season of birth and genotype were non-significant (P>0.05) for the traits birth weight, three-month, six-month, weaning weight and average daily gain of calves. However, year of birth was found significant on birth (P<0.01), three-month and six-month (P<0.05) weight; but non-significant (P>0.05) on weaning weight and average daily gain of calves. The heritability estimates were 0.40±0.09, 0.46±0.08, 0.39±0.12 and 0.50±0.12 for the traits birth weight, three-month weight, six-month weight and weaning weight, respectively. Estimated heritabilities of live weights suggest that individual own performance basis selection would be more effective for increasing growth and therefore, should be paid more emphasis in cattle improvement program.

The present study was undertaken to mitigate Salmonella from betel leaf in Mymensingh. A total of 35 betel leaf samples were collected from 2 baroujes and 5 local markets in Mymensingh. The samples were sub-divided into two groups: (i) phosphate buffer solution (PBS) washed, and (ii) grinded sample. There was control and treated (with 1.5% vinegar, sorbitol, and sodium benzoate) sub-groups in both groups. Mitigation of Salmonella was determined by comparing Total Viable Count (TVC) and Total Salmonella Count (TSAC) of control with treated groups. No bacterial growth was observed in the betel leaf samples collected directly from barouj level. At market level, when grinded, there was no growth of bacteria in Plate Count Agar (PCA) and Salmonella- Shigella (SS) or Xylose Lysine De-oxy-chocolate (XLD) in both treated and untreated groups. But when the PBS washed samples were used, the TVC (mean log CFU±SD/mL) of betel leaf ranged from 5.16±0.82 to 5.96±1.11, whereas the TSAC value ranged from 4.87±0.58 to 5.56±1.00 for untreated group. In vinegar, there was no growth, but when treated with sorbitol, the TVC (mean log CFU±SD/mL) value reduced to 5.00±0.54 to 5.66±1.09, and TSAC (mean log CFU±SD/mL) value reduced to 4.28±0.71 to 4.78±0.64. When treated with sodium benzoate, the TVC (mean log CFU±SD/mL) value reduced to 5.06±0.53 to 5.75±1.02, and TSAC (mean log CFU±SD/mL) value reduced to 4.34±0.79 to 4.92±0.64. Data of this study indicates that all the three chemicals were effective in terms of reducing bacterial load but vinegar (1.5%) was found to be the most effective against Salmonella as well as some other bacteria when treated for 10 min.

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of tulathromycin (TUL) with a combination of florfenicol (FFC) and long-acting oxytetracycline (LAOTC) in the treatment of naturally occurring undifferentiated respiratory diseases in large numbers of sheep. In this study, seven natural outbreaks of sheep pneumonia in Garmsar, Iran were considered. From these outbreaks, 400 sheep exhibiting the signs of respiratory diseases were selected, and the sheep were randomly divided into two equal groups. The first group was treated with a single injection of TUL (dosed at 2.5 mg/kg body weight), and the second group was treated with concurrent injections of FFC (dosed at 40 mg/kg bwt) and LAOTC (dosed at 20 mg/kg bwt). In the first group, 186 (93%) sheep were found to be cured 5 days after the injection, and 14 (7%) sheep needed further treatment, of which 6 (3%) were cured, and 8 (4%) died. In the second group, 172 (86%) sheep were cured after the injections, but 28 (14%) sheep needed further treatment, of which 10 (5%) were cured, and 18 (9%) died. This study revealed that TUL was more efficacious as compared to the combined treatment using FFC and LAOTC. As the first report, this field trial describes the successful treatment of undifferentiated respiratory diseases in large numbers of sheep. Thus, TUL can be used for the treatment of undifferentiated respiratory diseases in sheep. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2015; 2(3.000): 279-284]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of exogenous fibrolytic enzyme (EFE) and/or live yeast culture supplementation in total mixed ration (TMR) on rumen fermentation patterns in buffalo. For this, four adult buffalo bulls weighing 377.05+/-43.36 kg were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments viz., TMR containing R:C ratio of 70:30 (T1), T1 supplemented with EFE at 15 g/animal/day (T2), T1 supplemented with live yeast culture at 10 g/animal/day (T3), and T1 supplemented with EFEs at 15 g/animal/day and live yeast culture at 10 g/animal/day (T4). Rumen liquor from the fistulated animals was collected at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h post-feeding, and was analyzed. This study revealed that rumen pH values were highest at 0 h, and were declined to minimum by 4 h post-feeding, while total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and nitrogen (N) fractions reached to peak at 4 h post-feeding, and later followed a decreasing trend in all the treatments. Supplementation of EFE in TMR (T2 and not;) had no effect (P>0.05) on rumen pH and food and protozoal N concentration, while it influenced to increase (P<0.01) the concentration of TVFA, NH3-N and other N fractions as compared to the T1. Yeast culture supplementation in TMR (T3) increased (P<0.01) rumen pH, TVFA, NH3-N, total N, TCA-insoluble N and residual N. However, no effect (P>0.05) on food and protozoal N in buffalo bulls was found. This study indicated that, supplementation of EFE and/or live yeast culture in TMR (T4) increased (P<0.01) the rumen pH, TVFA, NH3-N and N fractions in buffalo bulls as compared to the control group. Therefore, it is concluded that supplementation of EFE and/or live yeast culture in TMR can increase the concentration of rumen metabolites in buffalo bulls. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2015; 2(3.000): 310-315]

This case was carried out to compare the healing process and time for the treatment of mange in goats using a combination of Ivermectin with dexamethasone to the earlier Ivermectin with antihistaminics approach. A 3 ½ years old female Boer cross goat was presented with a complaint of crusty lesions on different parts of the body during a routine farm visit in Selangor, Malaysia. Microscopic examinations of the skin scrapes taken revealed Sarcoptes and Psoroptes sp. of mites, while hematological analysis showed slight leucocytosis, neutrophilia with left shift, monocytosis, hyperproteinemia and hyperglobulinemia. Ivermectin injection at 0.2 mg/kg subcutaneously was administered once every 2 weeks in 4 divided doses, while Dexamethasone injection at 1 mg/10 kg and multivitamin at 10 mg/kg IM for 5 days repeated at alternate weeks. Significant improvement was recorded 6 weeks after commencement of treatment and full recovery at 10 weeks. The current drug regimen proved more effective when compared with previous cases that were treated with a combination of ivermectin and antihistaminics.

Forty adult Friesian cows were presented to the University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti Putra Malaysia with primary complain of lameness. Upon physical examination of the cows, open wounds were found at the distal limbs, dorsal hoof, knee joint, metacarpal region, and udder. Based on history, clinical observation and physical examination, the cause of the lameness was diagnosed as of non-infectious origin; the cattle were affected with chemical burn originated from exposure to lime. The affected cattle were treated similarly to that of the line of open wound treatment; the wound was cleaned with topical application of the mixture of dermapred-iodine-benacillin. Flunixin meglumine dosed at 2.2 mg/kg bwt and Oxytetracycline dosed at 20 mg/kg bwt were given intramuscularly as anti-inflammatory and prophylactic antibiotic, respectively. This case report describes diagnosis of the cause of lameness, and its management in cattle herd caused by lime toxicity for the first time in Malaysia.

A field study was conducted to determine the prevalence of various poultry diseases in broilers and layers at Khushab district in Pakistan. The prevalence study was conducted in 360 poultry farms. Diagnosis of diseases in poultry was done based on history, clinical signs, post-mortem examination, cultural, and biochemical characterization. Overall, incidence of Newcastle disease (ND) was found as the highest (avg. 7.85%) in broiler, followed by Fowl typhoid (avg. 6.58%), Mycoplasma (avg. 5.68%), Escherichia coli infection (avg. 5.52%), Coccidiosis (avg. 4.59%), Mycotoxicosis (avg. 4.56%), Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD; avg. 2.84%), Infectious coryza (avg. 2.50%), Hydropericardium syndrome (HPS; avg. 1.67%), and Infectious bronchitis (IB; avg. 1.59%). The period during April to June appeared to be comparatively safer for the broilers as low incidence of disease was recorded at this period. In case of layers, incidence of ND was the highest (avg. 7.92%), followed by Fowl typhoid (avg. 6.97%), Mycotoxicosis (avg. 5.52%), Coccidiosis (avg. 4.75%), IBD (avg. 3.17%), Mycoplasmosis (avg. 3.0%), Infectious coryza (avg. 2.52%), Fowl cholera (avg. 1.52%), IB (avg. 0.90k%), E. coli infection (avg. 0.73%), and HPS (avg. 0.46%). For layers, the period during January to March appeared to be safer. In conclusion, diversified diseases are prevalent in both layers and broilers. Thus, proper vaccination practices, brooding arrangements, preventive measures, and biosecurity practices are recommended.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of boldenone undecylenate (BUL) on carcass traits and blood stress parameters in growing male rabbits. A total of 170 male rabbits comprising of three breeds namely New Zealand White (NZW; n=55), Californian (CAL; n=50), and Rex (RX; n=65) were taken for this study. The rabbits of each breed were divided into three groups viz., D0 (control), D1 provided with normal dose of BUL (at 4.4 mg/kg body weight), and D2 provided with BUL (at 8.8 mg/kg bwt). The rabbits were kept under temperature ranged from 28-32 and deg;C during the experimental period. Carcass traits of the rabbits were studied, and the blood parameters were measured by radioimmunoassay. Most of carcass traits, globulin and cholesterol levels in the serum were significantly improved for the injection of BUL at normal dose. Plasma corticosterone levels in normal dose injected rabbits were lowered by 27.21 and 15.25% as compared to controls and double dose, respectively. The effect of interaction between dose and breed was non-significant (P>0.05) on almost all carcass traits and blood parameters. In conclusion, BUL improves all carcass traits in male growing rabbits when injected with normal dose of BUL, with the exception of dressing-out%, and has a significant lowering effect on stress hormone (i.e., corticosterone), and increasing effect on serum total protein, globulin and cholesterol. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2015; 2(3.000): 263-270]

Hemotropic Mycoplasmosis is common in sheep and goats worldwide, which leads to huge economic losses. In this study, ten goats each were sampled from five herds belonging to the Ladang Angkat, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM) for the assessment of Mycoplasma ovis infection and concomitant intestinal parasites burden. Giemsa stain and Modified McMaster techniques were used to study the hemotropic mycoplasmosis and gastrointestinal parasite burden, respectively. Questionnaires were equally administered to each farmer and a fly trap was used to trap biting flies around the goat herds. Out of 50 samples analyzed, 94.0% (n=47/50) were positive for M. ovis infection. Among the positive samples, 93.6% (n=44/47) were mild infection while 6.4% (n=3/47) were moderate infection, with highest infection rate of 38.5% parasitemia. There was a significant association (P<0.05) between infection status and parasites burden. However, there was a weak positive correlation (r=0.107, P=0.460) between M. ovis infection rates and parasitic burden. Though a high occurrence rate of M. ovis was observed among the infected goats, the levels of parasitemia were generally mild.