Prevalence of American foulbrood in asymptomatic apiaries of Kurdistan, Iran

Research (Published online: 05-03-2018)

4. Prevalence of American foulbrood in asymptomatic apiaries of Kurdistan, Iran

M. Khezri, M. Moharrami, H. Modirrousta, M. Torkaman, B. Rokhzad and H. Khanbabaie

Veterinary World, 11(3): 281-285

ABSTRACT

Aim: Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae is the etiological agent of American foulbrood (AFB), the most virulent bacterial disease of honey bee brood worldwide. In many countries, AFB is a notifiable disease since it is highly contagious, in most cases incurable, and able to kill affected colonies. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of P. larvae subsp. larvae in Kurdistan province apiaries by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique.

Materials and Methods: A total of 100 samples were randomly purchased from apiaries in Kurdistan, Iran. Apiaries were randomly sampled in accordance with the instructions of the veterinary organization from different provinces and were tested using PCR method and an exclusive primer of 16S rRNA for the presence of P. larvae subsp. larvae.

Results: The results of this study indicated a low level of contamination with P. larvae subsp. larvae in the Kurdistan province. The number of positive samples obtained by PCR was 2%.

Conclusion: Therefore, monitoring programs for this honeybee disease in Kurdistan should be developed and implemented to ensure that it is detected early and managed.

Keywords: American foulbrood, honeybee, Kurdistan province, Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae, polymerase chain reaction.

Prevailing practices in the use of antibiotics by dairy farmers in Eastern Haryana region of India

Research (Published online: 04-03-2018)

3. Prevailing practices in the use of antibiotics by dairy farmers in Eastern Haryana region of India

Vikash Kumar and Jancy Gupta

Veterinary World, 11(3): 274-280

ABSTRACT

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the antibiotic use in dairy animals and to trace its usage pattern among the small, medium, and large dairy farmers in Eastern Haryana region of India.

Materials and Methods: Karnal and Kurukshetra districts from Eastern region of Haryana state were purposively selected, and four villages from each district were selected randomly. From each village, 21 farmers were selected using stratified random sampling by categorizing into small, medium, and large farmers constituting a total of 168 farmers as respondents. An antibiotic usage index (AUI) was developed to assess usage of antibiotics by dairy farmers.

Results: Frequency of veterinary consultancy was high among large dairy farmers, and they mostly preferred veterinarians over para-veterinarians for treatment of dairy animals. Small farmers demanded low-cost antibiotics from veterinarians whereas large farmers rarely went for it. Antibiotics were used maximum for therapeutic purposes by all categories of farmers. Completion of treatment schedules and follow-up were strictly practiced by the majority of large farmers. AUI revealed that large farmers were more consistent on decision-making about prudent use of antibiotics. Routine use of antibiotics after parturition to prevent disease and sale of milk without adhering to withdrawal period was responsible for aggravating the antibiotic resistance. The extent of antibiotic use by small farmers depended on the severity of disease. The large farmers opted for the prophylactic use of antibiotics at the herd level.

Conclusion: Antibiotic usage practices were judicious among large dairy farmers, moderately prudent by medium dairy farmers and faulty by small farmers. The frequency of veterinary consultancy promoted better veterinary-client relationship among large farmers.

Keywords: antibiotic usage, treatment schedules, veterinary consultancy, withdrawal period.

Semi-nested polymerase chain reaction-based detection of Babesia spp. in small ruminants from Northwest of Iran

Research (Published online: 03-03-2018)

2. Semi-nested polymerase chain reaction-based detection of Babesia spp. in small ruminants from Northwest of Iran

Ahad Bazmani, Amir Abolhooshyar, Abbas Imani-Baran and Hamid Akbari

Veterinary World, 11(3): 268-273

ABSTRACT

Aim: The present study aimed to detect Babesia ovis and Babesia motasi in the blood samples of sheep and goats from Northwest of Iran by the semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique.

Materials and Methods: A total of 166 whole blood samples (including 123 sheep and 43 goats) were collected. In the first stage, the PCR was performed to amplify a piece of 18S rRNA gene of Babesia and Theileriagenera. Then, semi-nested PCR was carried out on all PCR products to differentiate B. ovis and B. motasi.

Results: The PCR indicated that totally, 19 (11.44%) out of 166 samples were positive for Babesia or Theileria spp. The semi-nested PCR showed that 38 samples (22.89%) were positive only for B. ovis. No significant association was found between the infection rate of B. ovis and age, gender and species of animals.

Conclusion: In the present study, there was no evidence for B. motasi infection in small ruminants from Northwest of Iran. Therefore, B. ovis was the main causative agent of ovine Babesiosis in this region.

Keywords: Babesia motasi, Babesia ovis, Iran, semi-nested polymerase chain reaction, small ruminants.

Modeling the potential risk factors of bovine viral diarrhea prevalence in Egypt using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses

Research (Published online: 02-03-2018)

1. Modeling the potential risk factors of bovine viral diarrhea prevalence in Egypt using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses

Abdelfattah M. Selim, Mahmoud M. Elhaig, Sherif A. Moawed and Ehab El-Nahas

Veterinary World, 11(3): 259-267

ABSTRACT

Aim: The present cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and potential risk factors associated with Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) disease in cattle and buffaloes in Egypt, to model the potential risk factors associated with the disease using logistic regression (LR) models, and to fit the best predictive model for the current data.

Materials and Methods: A total of 740 blood samples were collected within November 2012-March 2013 from animals aged between 6 months and 3 years. The potential risk factors studied were species, age, sex, and herd location. All serum samples were examined with indirect ELIZA test for antibody detection. Data were analyzed with different statistical approaches such as Chi-square test, odds ratios (OR), univariable, and multivariable LR models.

Results: Results revealed a non-significant association between being seropositive with BVDV and all risk factors, except for species of animal. Seroprevalence percentages were 40% and 23% for cattle and buffaloes, respectively. OR for all categories were close to one with the highest OR for cattle relative to buffaloes, which was 2.237. Likelihood ratio tests showed a significant drop of the -2LL from univariable LR to multivariable LR models.

Conclusion: There was an evidence of high seroprevalence of BVDV among cattle as compared with buffaloes with the possibility of infection in different age groups of animals. In addition, multivariable LR model was proved to provide more information for association and prediction purposes relative to univariable LR models and Chi-square tests if we have more than one predictor.

Keywords: bovine viral diarrhea, likelihood ratio test, logistic regression, odds ratio, seroprevalence.

Genetic parameter estimation for pre-weaning growth traits in Jordan Awassi sheep

Research (Published online: 27-02-2018)

27. Genetic parameter estimation for pre-weaning growth traits in Jordan Awassi sheep

Khaleel Jawasreh, Zuhair Bani Ismail, Feizal Iya, Vielka Jeanethe Castaneda-Bustos and Mauricio Valencia-Posadas

Veterinary World, 11(2): 254-258

ABSTRACT

Aim: The aim of this study was to estimate the heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations, and the genetic trends for pre-weaning growth traits including the birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT), pre-weaning daily gain (PWDG), and weaning age (WA) in Awassi lambs.

Materials and Methods: A total of 5131 Awassi lambs from two Jordanian sheep breeding stations were used. A multitrait animal model and restricted maximum likelihood methods were used to estimate the covariances between the studied traits.

Results: The mean±standard deviation of BWT, WWT, PWDG, and WA was 4.48±0.8 kg, 17.13±0.7 kg, 0.2±0.07 g, and 65.5±0.7 days, respectively. Heritability estimates were 0.30±0.04 for BWT, 0.19±0.04 for WWT and PWDG, and 0.2±0.04 for WA. Positive genetic correlations were obtained between BWT and other traits, while negative correlations were obtained between WWT, PWDG, and WA (-0.50±0.12) and between WWT and WA (-0.67±0.14). The positive phenotypic correlation was obtained between WA and PWDG (0.63±0.01). The highest additive genetic variance was obtained for WA (34.58), while the lowest was estimated for PWDG (6.22E-04). The highest phenotypic variance was obtained for WA (175.5), while the lowest value obtained was for BWT (0.54). Maternal additive variance ranged between 0.13 and 0.03. The genetic trends were around zero for all studied traits.

Conclusion: Selection should be conducted using animals with high estimated breeding values through controlled breeding.

Keywords: Awassi sheep, breeding values, growth traits, heritability.

Effect of levamisole, Vitamin E, and selenium against aflatoxicosis in broilers chicken

Research (Published online: 24-02-2018)

26. Effect of levamisole, Vitamin E, and selenium against aflatoxicosis in broilers chicken

Amjed H. Ulaiwi

Veterinary World, 11(2): 248-253

Aim: The experiment was conducted to determine of levamisole (0.2 ml/kg-BW), Vitamin E (80 mg)+selenium (1.6 mg), and aflatoxin (B1) (positive control) compared with group without aflatoxin (negative control) on some liver enzymes (aspartate transaminase [AST] and alanine transaminase [ALT]), as well as to study the histopathological changes.

Materials and Methods: The experiment included (200) 1-day-old broilers Ross 308 (Turkey source) mixed sexes. They were divided into four equal groups (50 chicks each group). The experimental period was extended to 35 days.

Results: The results revealed that the levels of liver enzymes (ALT and AST) of all groups at 35 days were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the negative control. Furthermore, the result of histopathological changes in thymus and Harderian gland in different ages of group Vitamin E+selenium showed a reduction in the depletion of the cortex as well as lessening of congestion and hemorrhage and necrosis also decreasing in inflammatory cells in the thymus and Harderian gland.

Conclusion: The study confirmed the protective effect of Vitamin E and levamisole by reducing harmful impacts of aflatoxin through their antioxidant effect as they improved the liver enzymes and histopathological changes due to the toxin.

Keywords: aflatoxin, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, broiler, levamisole, Vitamin E and selenium.

The effect of supplementation of multistrain probiotic preparation in combination with vitamins and minerals to the basal diet on the growth performance, carcass traits, and physiological response of broilers

Research (Published online: 24-02-2018)

25. The effect of supplementation of multistrain probiotic preparation in combination with vitamins and minerals to the basal diet on the growth performance, carcass traits, and physiological response of broilers

Sugiharto Sugiharto, Isroli Isroli, Turrini Yudiarti and Endang Widiastuti

Veterinary World, 11(2): 240-247

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of supplementation of multistrain probiotic preparation in combination with vitamins and minerals to the broiler chicken diets on their growth performance, hematological parameters, and carcass traits.

Materials and Methods: Two hundred and eighty-eight Lohmann 1-day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated to four groups, i.e., control (without additional supplementation) and three experimental treatments where basal diet was enriched by 0.1%, 0.5%, or 1% of multistrain probiotic preparation in combination with vitamins and minerals, respectively. Blood sampling was conducted on day 28, while the selected organs and eviscerated carcasses were collected on day 42.

Results: Dietary supplementation did not affect (p>0.05) the final body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio of broilers. Supplementation by 0.1% and 0.5% of multistrain probiotic preparation in combination with vitamins and minerals reduced (p≤0.05) heart relative weight of broilers. Dietary supplementation tended (p=0.07) to increase the relative weight of ileum and pancreas of broilers. Supplemented birds had lower (p≤0.05) numbers of leukocytes and eosinophils compared to unsupplemented birds. There were tendencies that supplementation of multistrain probiotics in combination with vitamins and minerals resulted in lower (p=0.07) counts of lymphocytes and heterophils when compared with no supplementation. Supplementation by 0.5% of multistrain probiotics in combination with vitamins and minerals resulted in lower (p≤0.05) serum concentration of uric acid when compared with control. There was no significant effect of dietary supplementation on carcass traits, pH, and drip loss of broiler breast muscles.

Conclusion: Dietary supplementation of commercial broiler feeds with 0.5% of multistrain probiotic preparation in combination with vitamins and minerals was potential to improve digestive functions and physiological status of broiler chickens.

Keywords: broiler chicks, growth rate, minerals, multistrain probiotics, physiological status, vitamins.