THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF NIMANT GEL AGAINST MANGE IN BUFFALOES

K Jalajakshi, Ch Lalitha and J Jayalakshmi

Page No: 1-4

Manage a common contagious skin disease of animals is caused by parasitic mites. In spite of availability or their extensive use problems of safety and development of drug resistance. Hence, in the present study an indigenous, Nimant gel was tried in the treatment of mange in buffalo calves. Fifteen buffalo calves affected with manage were divided into three groups of five each. The first group of calves were given one external application of Nimant gel for five days. The second group of calves where two applications of the ointment was practiced for five days, the recovery was faster and the animals were free from the infection within a week. In the control group showed persistence of the lesions. Nimant gel was found to b e a better alternative for when used as two applications in the treatment of mange in buffalo calves.

Full Text

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF MASS TRANSFER-BASED REFERENCE EVAPOTRANSPIRATION EQUATIONS WITH FAO- 56 PM MODEL AS INDEX AT TARAIREGION OF UTTARAKHAND, INDIA

Arvind Singh Tomar

Page No: 5-12

In this study, the performance of nine mass transfer-based equations for estimating reference evapotranspiration (ET0) was statistically analyzed in comparison to widely accepted Food and Agriculture Organization Penman-Monteith method (FAO-56 PM) model forsub-humid Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand. The higher values of Agreement index, coefficient of determination, correlation coefficient; and lowercalculated values of Root Mean Square Error, Mean Bias Error, Maximum Absolute Error, Percentage Error and Standard Error of Estimate between ET0 values obtained with WMO and FAO-56 PM ET0 methods observed on dailyand monthly basis confirms acceptability of WMO method. The ratio of ET0 method/ET0FAO-56 PM was found best (almost near to 1.00) with Mahringer method.

Full Text

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT OF ASCITES IN DOG

Manoj K and Dhana Lakshmi N

Page No: 13-15

A five year old Pomeranian cross was referred to the College Hospital, with the history of decreased appetite, weakness, dyspnoea and distended ventral abdomen. Based on the clinical examination, ultrasonographic findings, serum biochemistry and haematoogical parameters, the case was diagnosed as ascites of hepatic origin. The animal was successfully treated with diuretics, antibiotics and essential amino acids.

Full Text

TEASING OF SPECIMEN WITHOUT TEARING AND TEARS BY GUNTHER VON HAGEN’S PLASTINATION TECHNIQUE

R Menaka and Mamta Janmeda

Page No: 16-19

The plastination is an innovative technology to prepare biological models life like forms. Gunther Von Hagens, a German anatomist from Heidelberg, has developed a preservation technique that he had coined the word "plastination”. It includes four main steps like fixation, dehydration, impregnation and curing. The Hagen’s plastinate models is an alternative teaching aids and museum models which explores the scientific and cultural value of human cadaver as well as animal cadavers. This technique is a big boon to the professional to educate the gross morphological details from scientific community to common man. These plastinates overcomes the existing wet formalin embalmed cadaveric specimens in the laboratory.

Full Text

SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF UMBILICAL HERNIA IN A HF CROSS BRED CALF—A CASE REPORT

Manoj K and Dhana Lakshmi N

Page No: 20-23

A 25 day old female HF cross bred calf was brought to College Hospital with the history of a long standing swelling present at the ventral abdominal wall at the point of umbilicus which was present since birth. Although the appetite and water intake was reported to be normal, only scanty faeces were voided out at some point of time. Clinical parameters were within the normal physiological limits. On palpation it revealed very big size of oval hernial ring including umbilicus and it was reducible type of hernia. So, it was planned to perform herniorraphy.

Full Text

MOLECULAR MARKERS FOR FARM ANIMALS MALE FERTILITY—SHORT REVIEW

Mamta Janmeda and R Menaka

Page No: 24-28

Animal fertility is one of the most important economical traits in animal production. Reproductive performance is controlled by the genetic make-up of the female and male, but in general it is largely affected by environment. Phenotypic selection for reproductive traits can only be carried out after puberty while marker-assisted selection could be a tool of choice to improve animal fertility. Male fertility, the ability of the sperm to fertilize and activate the egg and support early embryonic development is an essential factor for animal reproduction and development. There are several assays and tests which are utilized to predict sperm viability and potential fertility. The progress in development of molecular markers suggests their potential use for genetic improvement in livestock species. It is expected that molecular markers will serve as a potential tool to geneticists and breeders to evaluate the existing germplasm, and to manipulate it to create animals as desired and needed by the society. These molecular fingerprints will allow us to assess semen quality which is more powerful than any previous sperm selection criteria, and provides a foundation for early identification and selection of animals with superior genetics in the animal breeding and for male factor infertility. This review explains the molecular markers for farm animal’s male fertility.

Full Text

TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF LAYER FARM IN BANYUMAS DISTRICT INDONESIA

Rahayu Widiyanti, Slamet Hartono, Dwidjono H Darwanto and Masyhuri

Page No: 29-35

The objectives of this research were to estimate the technical efficiency, and to determine the factors affecting technical efficiency of layer farm. A total of 144 farmers were selected for the study, and the production data of 2013 were applied. The analysis model was the Stochastic Frontier production function of the Cobb-Douglas model of Battese and Coelli, 1995 with the option of Technical Efficiency Effect Model. The layer farm in the District Banyumas showed technical efficiency values from 0.57 to 0.99 with the mean of 0.83. This indicated of the opportunity to increase production by 17% through improved management, without additional input. Factors affecting egg production were the amount of feed, and the amount of medicines. Egg production reached 20.37 kg/individual/period, which was lower than optimal potential of 24.5 kg. Factors affecting technical efficiency consisted of experience, capital status, and affiliation to farmer group.

Full Text

SCREENING OF YEAST STRAINS FOR ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM SWEET SORGHUM JUICE

Sanjeevraddi G Reddi

Page No: 36-41

A laboratory experiment was conducted at University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad during Kharif 2003 and 2004 to study the screening of yeast strains for ethanol production from sweet sorghum juice. The experiment comprised of thirty two treatment combinations consisting of two genotypes (G1-SSV 84 and G-2 NSSH–1), four fertility levels (F1– 80 +50 kg N, K2O ha-1, F2 – 120 + 50 kg N, K2O ha-1,F3– 80 +75 kg N, K2O ha-1, F4 – 120 +75 kg N, K2O ha-1) and four yeast strains (Y1- NCIM 3319, Y2- NCIM 3288, Y3- NCIM 350 and Y4- Local isolate). The samples were collected from the field [Main Agricultural Research Station, UAS Dharwad] to carry out lab experiment. The experiment was laid out in Complete Randomized Design (CRD). The treatment combinations were replicated two times. The results of the pooled data revealed that, genotype NSSH-1 recorded significantly higher ethanol yield (459.5 l ha-1) over SSV-84 (421.4 l ha-1). Similarly, significantly higher ethanol yield was recorded by 120 + 75 kg NK ha-1 (487.7 l ha-1) over rest of the fertility levels. Yeast strain NCIM-3319 recorded significantly higher ethanol yield (448.2 l ha-1) over NCIM-3288 and NCIM-3500 (437.3 and 435.1 l ha-1, respectively) but was on par with local isolate (441.3 l ha-1). Two yeast strains viz., NCIM-3319 and local isolate were significantly superior to rest of the tested yeast strains with respect to ethanol yield.

Full Text

EVALUATION OF CHALLENGES FACED BY NIGERIAN VETERINARY LABORATORY STAFF IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF AVIAN INFLUENZA

Bello Rabi'u Alkali, Kyauta Bulus Tanyigna and Yahaya Abubakar Yabo

Page No: 42-47

This study was designed to evaluate challenges faced by the Nigerian Veterinary Laboratory Staff which militates against effective diagnosis of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Nigeria. The investigation was carried out at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Jos and five designated Nigerian Veterinary Teaching Hospitals at Ibadan, Nsukka, Maiduguri, Sokoto and Zaria using a well structured questionnaire with the provision for questions on staff strength, skills, availability of laboratory reagents/equipment and availability of funds, etc. Of the 69 questionnaires distributed, the result showed that 36.2% of the staff did not respond to the questionnaire, while 14.5% indicated lack of facilities for all the methods,17.4% indicated lack of facilities to carry out RT-PCR, while, 7.2%, 8.7% and 4.3% indicated lack of facilities to carry out Rapid test, Serology and Viral isolation respectively. In conclusion, lack of funding, inadequate staff, training, reagents, basic equipment and facilities required for HPAI diagnosis as well as the dearth of Veterinary laboratory technologists are the major challenges being faced by Veterinary laboratory staff in the diagnosis of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Nigeria.

Full Text

IMPROVING BANANA PRODUCTIVITY: AN ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS IN DILLA AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS

Abreham Kebedom, Berhanu Tigabu and Beniam Tilahun

Page No: 48-58

Banana is one of the most important fruit crops grown in Ethiopia and it is mainly used as source of food and cash for human consumption, and purposes, banana leaves, and damaged banana fruits for animal feed despite the introduced technologies did not widely accepted by farmers, particularly in the study areas. The study was undertaken in the selected areas such as dilla zuria, dara and abya districts. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the status of adoption of improved banana cultivars and to determine factors that affect the adoption of improved banana cultivars in the agro-forestry farming system in the study area. For this research two-stage sampling procedure was employed to select the sample respondents. Finally, 120 sample respondents were selected from the sampling frame based on probability proportional to size random sampling method. In this study, data were obtained from sample respondents through personal interview schedule and from group and individual discussions, as well as the researcher’s personal observations. Secondary data were collected from different related literatures. Data were analyzed, and presented quantitatively using different statistical methods such as percentage, frequency, tabulation, chi-square (for dummy/discrete variables) and (t-test for continuous variables). Binary logit econometrics models to estimate the effects of hypothesized independent variables they have on dependent variables, probability and status of adoption. Adopter and non-adopter differed significantly in some demographic, socioeconomic and institutional variables. The result of the model revealed that the explanatory variables farm size, total livestock unit, input availability, training participation were statistically significant and positively influenced adoption of improved banana technology. The result from this survey suggests that establishment integrated development both for crop and livestock, strengthening implementation of family planning intervention and participatory research on economically optimum and environmentally sound options, promoting sustainable agricultural intensification system, and providing task oriented training, improvement of input delivery and other support system.

Full Text

COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOUR OF POMEGRANATE GROWERS IN WESTERN MAHARASHTRA

V A Jadhav and S D Shinde

Page No: 59-64

India with diverse soil and climate comprising several agro-ecological regions provides ample opportunity to grow a variety of horticultural crops. These crops form a significant part of total agricultural produce in the country. Pomegranate is gaining a lot of attention world over because of its high economic and neutraceutical values. India is the largest pomegranate producer in the world (8.6 lakhs tones) sharing about 36% of the world’s production. The study revealed that the majority of the pomegranate growers had 36 to 50 years age, received up to degree and higher education, had higher socio-economic status, cosmopoliteness and small land holding, cultivating the pomegranate crop on 2.01 to 5.00 hectares of their land holding, had annual income between Rs. 4,00,001/- to 7,00,000/-, were having higher scientific orientation (60.44%), economic motivation (58.22) and innovativeness (40.44%), higher use of extension personnel, group contact sources for getting information on plant protection measures.

Full Text

EFFECTS OF NATURAL LICKS ON FEED INTAKE, NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY, MILK PRODUCTION AND QUALITY IN KENYA ALPINE DAIRY GOAT RATION

Onesmus Munene Nderi, Levi Mugalavai Musalia and Ochieng Ombaka

Page No: 65-75

Consumption of natural licks is common among domestic animals under natural circumstances, and as a substitute to commercial mineral licks among smallholder livestock keepers in Tharaka- Nithi County, Kenya, with a believe that animals obtain potential nutritional benefits. However, this has never been established through an experimental research using natural licks from the study area. Therefore, this study was aimed at determining feed intake, nutrient digestibility and milk production performance in dairy goats fed on natural licks. Four lactating Kenya Alpine Dairy Goats (KADG) in their second lactation stage and weighing 47.5 ± 3 kg were randomly assigned four treatment diets that consisted of three natural licks from Kang’au, Nagundu and Kabariange, and a standard commercial lick (control) in a 4 by 4 Latin square design. A basal diet of Boma Rhodes grass hay and a standard concentrate were fed to the animals, and feed intake, fecal output and milk yield were measured. One way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) model was used for the lick intake, nutrient intake, and apparent digestibility and milk parameters. Correlation analysis was carried out to establish the relationship between natural lick sources and milk parameters. There was no significant difference on dry matter intake, nutrient intake, apparent digestibility and milk yield and quality (P > 0.05) among goats consuming natural licks compared to commercial lick. However, there was a positive correlation (r) with a value of 0.70 between milk production and lick intake. Natural licks can be an alternative source of mineral supplementation where commercial mineral licks are not available.

Full Text