An outbreak of bovine brucellosis and its management in an organised farm

Tresamol P.V., Amel Dev P., Arthi A., Latha C. and Mini M.

Page No: 1-4

Brucellosis remains as an economically important bacterial disease affecting livestock and is of zoonotic significance. The present study deals with report of outbreak of brucellosis in a dairy farm and its diagnosis by serology and molecular confirmation using polymerase chain reaction. Repeated abortions and infertility problems were reported from an organized dairy farm in Thrissur district of Kerala. Serum samples from twenty-nine cows and milk samples from 9 lactating animals with history of reproductive disorders such as abortion, infertility and retention of placenta were collected and subjected to Indirect Multi- species ELISA (ID-Vet) for detecting antibodies to brucella. Vaginal discharges from two cows with history of recent abortion were collected and the DNA was extracted and subjected to Polymerase chain reaction using primers targeting IS711 gene of B. abortus. All the serum and milk samples were found to be seropositive by ELISA. An amplicon of 498 bp suggestive of B. abortus was obtained by PCR using specific primers. Following confirmation of brucellosis, vaccination was carried out in all female calves between the age of four to eight months with brucella strain 19 vaccine. Also, management advice was given to the farmer regarding segregation of seropositive animals, thorough disinfection of premise, disposal of aborted materials and pasteurization of milk before human consumption.

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Relationship of age, season, body condition score to testicular size, testosterone concentration and body weight of Djallonke goats in Ngaoundere (Cameroon)

Kouamo J., Oum I.E. and Zoli A.P.

Page No: 5-9

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between age, season, body condition score (BCS) and testicular size, testosterone concentration in serum, weight of Djallonke goats in Ngaoundere (Cameroon). Testicular measurements of scrotal circumference, length, width and thickness of the testes were taken on each of the 190 goats. A competitive ELISA test was performed on each blood sample collected during the dry and rainy seasons to determine the serum concentration of testosterone. The results showed that age, body weight, scrotal circumference, length, width and thickness of the testis; volume of the testes and testosterone concentration (average) were 7.7 ± 2.33 months; 13.7 ± 2.4 kg; 16.8 ± 1.8 cm; 5.4 ± 0.68 cm; 3.3 ± 0.38 cm; 3.1 ± 0.37 cm; 59.3 ± 14.97 cm3 and 3.31 ± 1.56 ng / ml respectively. Testicular weight and measurements were higher in postpubertal animals (P <0.05).

The season had no effect on the testicular measurements and the weight of the goats; however, testosterone had a higher concentration in the rainy season (3.81 ± 0.7 ng / ml). The weight was strongly correlated with age (r = 0.66), testicular volume (r = 0.71) and BCS (r = 0.83). In addition, a positive correlation (r = 0.52) was observed between age and testicular volume. This study shows that the scrotal circumference, length, width, thickness and volume of the testes increase with the body weight. Thus, body weight and testicular volume in postpubertal animals may be the criteria for selection in Djallonke goats during the rainy season.

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Effect of weed management practice on weed growth, yield attributes, yield and economics of toria (Brassica campestris L.)

Samant Tiryak Kumar

Page No: 10-13

The field experiment was conducted to study effect of weed management practice on weed growth, yield attributes, yield and economics of toria. The results revealed that hand weeding twice at 20 and 40 DAS recorded maximum grain yield (14.79 q ha-1), stover yield (47.05 q ha-1) and weed control efficiency (80.87%) with significantly reduced weed dry weight (27.05 g m-2) at 60 DAS. Among the herbicidal treatments, Oxadiargyl 0.09 kg ha-1 (pre-emergence) followed by 1 hand weeding at 40 DAS produced significantly higher seed yield(13.44 q ha-1), plant height (156.7 cm), branches/plant(5.18), siliquae plant -1(182.85), seeds siliqua-1(13.16 ), net return(Rs. 21352.50 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.00) than rest of the herbicidal treatments. The same also recorded weed index (9.1%), weed dry weight (40.57 g m-2) and weed control efficiency (71.31 %).

Weedy check recorded significantly the highest dry weight of all the weed species at 60 DAS with maximum weed index (43.1%). Hence, it could be concluded that hand weeding twice at 20 and 40 DAS was found to be effective where laborers are easily available. In case of non-availability of laborers, Oxadiargyl 0.09 kg ha-1 (pre-emergence) followed by 1 hand weeding at 40 DAS was found economically viable for weed control with higher grain yield and net profit.

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Canine pyoderma: Bacteria involved and evaluation of antimicrobial resistance pattern

Chelkar Mayuri, Panda Sipra, Thade Gauri and Kaur Gurnoor

Page No: 14-17

Canine recurrent pyoderma is a common skin problem encountered in small animal practice. Clinical condition is diagnosed on basis of clinical symptoms and manifestations and bacterial isolation and identification of organisms. In the present study, clinical samples consisting of pus/exudate swabs from Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex (TVCC), Nagpur Veterinary College, Nagpur were collected. Of the total samples screened, 40 isolates were recovered. The isolates were subjected to bacterial isolation and identification, in vitro susceptibility tests and minimum inhibitory concentration test.

The predominant bacteria isolated was Staphylococcus pseudointermedius (62.5%, n=25), Staphylococcus intermedius (75%, n=40) along with Proteus mirabilis (8%, n=3), Micrococcus luteus (12.5%, n=5) and Bacillus cereus (8%, n=3) which were identified by MALDI-TOF (Matrix Associated Laser Desorption/ Ionization- Time of Flight Analyzer). The Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudointermedius (MRSP) and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus intermedius (MRSI) accounted for 15% and 10% of total isolates recovered respectively. When subjected to in vitro antibiotic susceptibility test including antibiotics enrofloxacin, oxacillin, doxycycline, gentamicin, amikacin and cephalexin, bacterial isolates showed highest resistance to cephalexin.

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Evaluation of integrated soil fertility management options and inoculation on soya bean growth and final yield

Kupurai P., Kugedera A.T. and Kokerai L.K.

Page No: 18-25

The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mineral fertilizer (nitrogen), cattle manure and inoculation on growth and grain yield of soya beans. The study was carried out in ward 33 of Chivi district as a complete randomised design with five treatments with cattle manure applied at 2500kg/ha as a flat rate and ammonium nitrate applied at 0.03t/ha and cattle manure was not applied to plots with 0.06t/ha of ammonium nitrate. All other treatments were inoculated except for control treatment which was not inoculated. Data was subjective to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using IBM SPSS version 25. Nodulation data was collected 45 days after sowing by uprooting five plants from each plot. Oven dry weight of nodules was obtained by drying nodules in oven at 105°C for 3-4 days. Plant height data was collected at 30 days after sowing (DAS), 60 and 90 DAS and at harvesting. Grain yield data was collected at 100 DAS and weighed to get the mass.

The results show that nodule number was highest (2194.7 nodules) in treatments with inoculated soya beans, cattle manure and 0.03t/ha of nitrogen (SBIC30). There was a significant (p<0.05) different between SBIC30 and all other treatments. The control treatment showed the lowest nodule numbers of 1920. Nodule dry weight was highest from control and significantly different from all other treatments. The results showed no significant difference between plant height from all treatment at 30 DAS (p>0.05). Plant height was significantly higher than all other treatments. Grain yield was highest from SBI60 treatments and significantly different from all other treatments (p<0.05). The results show that soya bean growth and grain yield can be improved by integrated soil fertility management (ISFM). Farmers are recommended to use ISFM to increase soya bean production as this also improves soil fertility.

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Mycotoxin: Global Risk and Silent Killer in Our Food

Matny Oadi

Page No: 26-32

Food safety is one of the major concerns and problems that countries are facing it because of the rapidly growing population and the increase of global food demand. The large scale of food production faces many problems; one of them is contamination with mycotoxins due to poor storage facilities and marketing. Most mycotoxins are known to cause illness and health problems to humans and animals exposed to the mycotoxin. Mycotoxins can cause illness that symptomatically can be similar to other diseases that make it very difficult to diagnose and it is also hard to detect the mycotoxin derivatives and their effects in the biosystem.

Due to poor study on the effects of the interaction of mycotoxins with other factors like vitamin deficiency, drugs, alcohol abuse, caloric deprivation etc., this field of research still needs more studies to understand the interaction between mycotoxins and other factors and their effects and also to develop new tools and methods that can be helping to detect and diagnose the derivative compounds of mycotoxins in the biosystem.

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Utilization and Economics of Cashew Pulp Waste as Animal Feed Stuff: A Review

Joseph M.A., Oyewole B.O. and Okpanachi U.

Page No: 33-37

The limited supplies of raw materials for the feed industry have resulted in a continuous increase in the cost of production causing a phenomenal rise in the unit cost of products5. Oladunjoye et al32 stated that high cost of maize makes it difficult for farmers to afford the feedstuff and besides, the competition between man and his animals for cereals, pulses and oil seeds is partly responsible for the ever-increasing livestock feed cost. The fact that the availability of the world’s raw materials is dwindling as population grows exponentially, together with the real threat of global food shortages, contributes to growing awareness of the need for conservation and the re-use of things which once would have been thrown away without a second thought1.

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Zinc solubilizing bacteria to augment Soil Fertility – A Comprehensive Review

Rani Nitu, Kaur Rajinder and Kaur Sukhminderjit

Page No: 38-44

Various micro- and macro- nutrients play a vital role in deciding crop productivity. Among micronutrients, deficiency of Zn is omnipresent worldwide. Zn bioavailability to plants depend upon the total soluble Zn pool in soil, lower values of which would result in decreased crop productivity and yield. In order to overcome Zn deficiency, chemical fertilizers and conventional breeding techniques are being employed. However, these approaches are costly, slow and laborious with high contamination rate, low shelf life and low farmer acceptance. Excessive use of chemical fertilizers makes the crops more susceptible to diseases and gradually decreases the soil fertility. Although many Zn solubilizing microbes are present naturally in soil, their proportions are not up to the level to compete with other microorganisms that are commonly stocked in the rhizosphere.

Consequently, scientific community is diverting its attention towards production of biofertilizers wherein Zn solubilising microbes are being exploited to ameliorate the concentration of soluble Zn in the soil and thus making Zn available to the plants. Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Gluconacetobacter, Thiobacillus and Rhizobium are some of the most powerful Zn solubilizing strains that can be efficient to boost soluble Zn in the soil which will benefit plant growth and yield.

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Influence of climate change on the diversity and distribution of Enset (Enset eventricosum) (Welw) Cheesman) in Ethiopia: Implication for conservation

Neim Semman, Tewodros Mulualem and Afewerk Legese

Page No: 45-55

The patterns of enset genetic diversity and distribution are crucial for breeding, sustainable utilization and conservation. Different reports depicted that there were a lot of enset diversity having wider and narrow environmental adaptability where majority of them were grown in the highland parts of Ethiopia. However, recent study showed the decrement of enset diversity and distribution from growing region by different factors mostly due to climate change which affect directly or indirectly the livelihood of the societies. Climate and agriculture are highly interlinked in which one affects the other directly or indirectly. Fluctuations of climate such as unpredictable rainfall, distribution and amounts of rainfall have serious impact on persistence and existence of different diseases and insect pests which constrain enset distribution.

Developing countries are highly affected by climate change where their agriculture is fully climate dependent. There were diversified enset types in producing areas of Ethiopia. But, recent efforts conducted on climate related enset diversity revealed that distribution and diversity of enset were in declining rate. So, future effort and emphasis should render in reforming moderate climate and reforesting deforested areas so that the distribution and diversities of ecosystem become reclaimed.

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