A DIAGNOSTIC SURVEY OF EXTERNAL PARASITES OF FREE-RANGE CHICKENS, IN THE RURAL AREAS OF EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA

S Moyo, P J Masika and B Moyo

Page No: 1-9

External parasites are regarded as the basic causes of retardation in growth, poor conditions and lowered production in free-range chickens. However, information is lacking on the occurrence of external parasites of free-range chickens in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A study was conducted to determine the occurrence and identity of external parasites in freerange chickens. Fifty chickens were randomly selected and examined for external parasites. The majority (96%) of chickens examined, harboured at least one species of external parasite; Fleas (Echidnophaga gallinacea) (50.7%); lice Menopon gallinae (12.4%); Menacanthus stramineus (5.3%) and Knemidocoptes mutans (0.57%). Age, sex and physiological status of the chickens influenced the burden of E gallinacea. Cocks, broody hens and hens had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher loads of external parasites than chicks. Different types of external parasites were found to be present in free-range chickens in the study area.

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PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON ANTIBIOGRAM PATTERN FOR SALMONELLA ISOLATED FROM POULTRY ORIGIN AND MILK SAMPLES OF LOCAL CHICKEN RETAILERS AND LOCAL VENDORS IN TIRUPATHI, INDIA

Sukumar Bharathy, Chinta Siva Swetha and Sudhanthiramani Sudhanthirakodi

Page No: 10-19

Salmonellosis is the one of the most common food borne bacterial zoonotic disease in the world. The emergence of antibiotic resistance among the Salmonella spp. at present, globally poses a great public health hazard. This present study was conducted to evaluate the hygienic condition of live poultry birds, raw chicken meat and raw bovine milk with special reference to isolation of Salmonella spp. by conventional culture method and to study antibiogram pattern of Salmonella against commonly used antibiotics. A total of 138 samples comprising of 40 chicken cloacal samples, 60 chicken meat and 38 milk samples collected from various parts of Tirupathi region, South India were processed for the isolation of Salmonella spp. in Hektoen Enteric (HE) agar, Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate (XLD) and MacConkey agar by standard protocol. Salmonella typical colonies in HE agar, XLD and MacConkey agar were further confirmed by triple sugar iron agar, IMViC test, urease test, and mannitol motility test. Positive samples were processed to study the antibiogram pattern by Kirby-Bauer method. Out of 138 samples, 35% (14/40) cloacal swabs, 26.67% (16/60) chicken meat and 5.26% (2/38) milk samples were positive for Salmonella based on colony characters and biochemical reactions. The isolated Salmonella spp. were resistant to at least two or more antibiotics. Among tested drugs Erythromycin (100%) was highly resistant followed by tetracycline (81.25%), cephalothin (65.62%), ampicillin (68.75%), cefoxitin (46.87%) and co-trimoxazole (31.25%). However, positive Salmonella isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin (84.37%) and Gentamicin (75%). From the results of the present study it is concluded that Salmonella isolates were seen in poultry origin and milk samples indicates this could be a one of the potential vehicle for antibiotic resistant Salmonella food borne infection to humans. Hence there is a need to create the awareness among the public, poultry and dairy farmers and local food vendors of Tirupathi region regarding hygienic practices adaptation and also implementation of preventive measures.

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ACUTE ABDOMINAL AORTIC RUPTURE IN A MARE ON TRANSIT

Peter Kimeli, Susan Amuti, Ambrose Kipyegon and Susan Wanjiru Mbugua

Page No: 20-22

A four year old thoroughbred mare in the company of two other horses collapsed and died while on transit from Nairobi to Eldoret (distance of about 311 Km), Kenya. The animal had successfully participated in a horse racing event and was on its way home. Reports indicated that the mare had been healthy for the last one year and had no unusual clinical finding before, during or after racing. The blood smear at ante-mortem was negative for Anthrax bacilli. Necropsy revealed a pale carcass with lots of blood clots in the abdominal cavity, heart chambers devoid of blood and a 10 cm long ventral longitudinal tear of the abdominal aorta. The aortic tear was surrounded with blood clots. The aortic wall was thinner with increased luminal diameter at the level of rupture compared with the unaffected part; suggestive of a pre-existing aneurysm. It is concluded that the patient may have died of hypovolemic shock resulting from severe hemorrhage.

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EFFECT OF EASYGROWTM SUPPLEMENTATION ON PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS IN VENCOBB 400 BROILER CHICKENS

Selvam Ramasamy, Saravanakumar Marimuthu, Sureshbabu Ganapa and Prashanth D’Souza

Page No: 23-30

The present study was designed and carried out to optimize the dose as well as to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of liquid multivitamin and amino acid mixture EasyGrowTM following supplementation in drinking water for first 7 days of life in Vencobb 400 broiler chicks. Six hundred (600) day-old male chicks were randomly assigned to four groups with 6 replicates comprising 25 birds each (150 birds per group). Chicks were observed for clinical signs and mortality on daily basis; body weight was recorded on day 1, 7, 21 and 42. The cumulative mortality, body weight gain, FCR and EPEF were calculated and assessed to evaluate the safety and performance enhancing effect of EasyGrowTM. EasyGrowTM supplementation at 1, 3 and 6 ml/L drinking water for 7 days improved the performance of broiler chickens which was evident in terms of body weight, weight gain, FCR and EPEF. However, EasyGrowTM 1 ml/L treated group have shown a relatively higher body weight gain, lower mortality and better FCR as compared to other groups on day 42. The results from this study indicates that EasyGrowTM supplementation at all dose levels were safe and tolerated by broiler chickens upto 6 times the recommended dose and EasyGrowTM at 1 ml/L of drinking water could be used as an optimum recommended dose as it revealed a consistently gradual improvement in the performance with low mortality rate throughout the life cycle of Vencobb 400 broiler chickens.

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STUDIES ON THE VARIABILITY ANALYSIS IN SOAPNUT (SAPINDUS MUKOROSSI GAERTN.) OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

H P Sankhyan, N B Singh1 and V Kairon

Page No: 31-37

An experiment was conducted, in order to select better seed sources for improved genetic material and quality production of Sapindus mukorossi. Twenty four seed sources and two D.B.H. classes from Himachal Pradesh were evaluated on the basis of fruits and seeds morphometric traits and germination parameters in laboratory condition. The study revealed significant variation among different seed sources for all traits, except seed viability while, all morphometric, germination traits in lab condition did not show distinct significant variation between D.B.H. classes. Seed sources which have higher seed weight and seed diameter showed better performance over others, those seed with lower seed weight and seed diameter comparatively. The range of seed sources mean were found appreciably broad for 100 fruits weight 571.00- 240.03 g (S16-S21), 100 seed weight 226.05-140.63 g (S16-S3), rind weight 3.45-1.32 g (S16-S21), seed diameter 17.02-12.40 mg (S16-S21) and kernel weight 613.48-352.80 mg (S16-S21) among different seed sources. On other hand among D.B.H. classes the range were 387.58-386.04 g (D2-D1), 100 seed weight 166.62-166.31 g (D2-D1), rind weight 2.22-2.21 g (D2-D1), seed diameter 13.84-13.82 mg (D2-D1) and kernel weight 420.66-417.94 mg (D1-D2). Banjar seed source was found to be superior and best followed by Garsa seed source for all studied traits over all other seed sources.

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HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF CORNEA AND ITS CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

R Menaka, S Chaurasia and Gopal Puri

Page No: 38-42

The cornea is a unique biological tissue which is transparent to light and contains no blood vessels. The collagen fibers of the substantia propria are arranged into uniform layers with parallel fibers within each layer unlike the more irregular texture of collagen in the sclera and in the dermis of the skin. Collagen is the most abundant protein in animals, and provides the main organic structural component of tissues such as skin, tendon, bone, cartilage and including cornea. The cornea serves as a filter, screening out the most damaging ultraviolet rays from sunlight. The clinical affection of cornea can results in disruption of corneal clarity or refractive properties which can lead to significant visual impairment in animals as well as in human.

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COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF VARIOUS ANTIGENS FROM SETARIA SP. IN THE SERODIAGNOSIS OF SETARIAL MICROFILARIOSIS IN BOVINES USING COUNTER CURRENT IMMUNOELECTROPHORESIS

S T Bino Sundar and Placid E D’Souza

Page No: 43-49

Counter current immunoelectrophoresis was used in the serodiagnosis of microfilariosis caused by Setaria spp. in bovines. Three antigens viz., whole worm antigen, excretory secretory antigen and microfilarial antigen were prepared from Setaria worms and used in the test. Whole worm antigen was prepared from the homogenate of adult female Setaria worms. Excretory secretory antigen was prepared by in vitro cultivation of adult gravid female Setaria worms in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagles medium and microfilarial antigen was prepared by incubating adult gravid female Setaria worms in Tyrode solution. Results revealed that microfilarial antigen was useful in the serodiagnosis of microfilariosis caused bySetaria compared to whole worm antigen and excretory secretory antigen.

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INFLUENCE OF TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY ON HOST PLANT PREFERENCE OF DIFFERENT SPECIES OF BEMISIA

Y S Rathore and S N Tiwari

Page No: 50-63

Studies on influence of taxonomic diversity on host plant preference of different species of Bemisia revealed that out of 42 species of it, B. afer was the prominent one with a host range of 67 plants, exhibiting polyphagous nature. Except 5 all the Bemisia species feed predominantly on plants belonging to Lignosae in dicotyledons. Twenty one Bemisia species manifested monophagy, i.e., 18, 2 and 3 in Lignosae, Herbaceae and monocotyledons, respectively. Host preference across the Bemisia species revealed that they prefer dicotyledons with special affinity to Lignosae. In monocotyledons, host species tended to align with Corolliferae and Glumiflorae and none in Calyciferae.

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EVALUATION OF AYURVEDIC VETERINARY MEDICINE, TYREL® FOR TREATMENT OF BLOAT IN RUMINANTS

Selvam Ramasamy, Sureshbabu Ganapa, Saravanakumar Marimuthu and Prashanth D’Souza

Page No: 64-70

The present study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of ayurvedic veterinary medicine Tyrel® (M/s Natural Remedies Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, India) for treatment of ruminants suffering from bloat following oral administration. A total of 17 ruminant animals (lactating dairy cows, buffaloes, goats and bullocks) of 1 to 9 years age diagnosed with bloat were administered with an herbal medicine Tyrel® till complete recovery. The study parameters viz. rectal temperature, relief from distention of left side abdomen, ruminal motility and product satisfaction score, response time and recovery period were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of Tyrel®. Oral administration of Tyrel® produced a significant improvement in restoration of normal rectal temperature (p < 0.01) and ruminal motility (p < 0.001) and relief from distention of left side abdomen (p < 0.001). The results indicate that Tyrel® could be effective in amelioration of bloat due to acidosis, ruminal stasis and simple indigestion in ruminants, which is evident through reduction in distention of left side abdomen and improvement in ruminal motility. It is also inferred from the study that the ruminant animals were recovered completely from bloat on an average of seventeen hours following administration of 2 doses of Tyrel®.

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CALF DIARRHOEA IN SHARKIA PROVINCE, EGYPT: DIAGNOSIS; PREVALENCE, VIRULENCE PROFILES AND ZOONOTIC POTENTIAL OF THE CAUSAL BACTERIAL AGENTS

Rasha M A Gharieb, Elshaima M Fawzi, Noura E Attia and Yasmin H Bayoumi

Page No: 71-87

A total of 240 samples (80 faecal, 160 blood) from diarrhoeic dairy cow calves (1 day-3 months old) and 20 blood samples from control group (apparently healthy calves) were collected from 2 dairy farms located in Sharkia Province, Egypt. Also, thirty-five hand swab samples were collected from calves’ handlers at these farms. Diagnosis of diarrhea was based on clinical signs and hemato-biochemical examinations of blood samples where significant alterations were observed in diarrheic calves compared to controls. Faecal and hand swab samples were examined bacteriologically for the presence of E.coli and Salmonella spp. The results showed an overall prevalence rate of 35% for E. coli in diarrhoeic calves and 28.57% in handlers. Salmonella spp. were detected in diarrhoeic calves and handlers with percentages of 16.25, 8.57%, respectively. PCR results verified that stx2, eaeA and ast A genes were amplified in 10.71,14.28,14.28% of E. coli isolates from calves, respectively compared to 20% for stx2 and (10%, each) for eaeA and astA in handlers. Of 13 Salmonella isolates from diarrhoeic calves, 30.77 and 15.38% of the isolates were harboring spvC and stn genes, respectively. In contrast neither spvC nor stn gene was detected in isolates from handlers. This study proved that acute phase proteins (AAPs) as C-reactive protein (CRP) and Haptoglobin (HP) are valuable prognostic factors for diarrhoeal disease in calves. Virulent E. coli and Salmonellae are potentially zoonotic pathogens play a contributing role in calf diarrhoea in Sharkia Province, Egypt.

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DISTRICTS-WISE OF MAIZE PRODUCTION FORECAST IN MADHYA PRADESH

Prafull Patidar and Olayiwola O Olubodun

Page No: 88-98

The present investigation relates to different districts of agro climatic region of Madhya Pradesh, where maize crop is cultivated on ten thousand (10,000) and above hectares of land as kharif crop. The effective changes in relative position of maize crop as a competing crop for land resources with other kharif crops is continuously inducing its adjustment in the cropping pattern. This study examines the relative position of maize and asses its adjustment in the cropping pattern so that the possibilities of acreage and yield expansion may be explored in different agro climatic regions of the State. Secondary data collected from different sources were used for the research work and an ARIMA technique was used to forecast the maize production in the study area. Efforts should also be made to intensify maize production especially in those districts where the productivity levels at present is poor.

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