Semen quality parameters, their inter-relationship and post-washing sperm attributes of Rhode Island Red roosters

Research (Published online: 23-12-2014)

16. Semen quality parameters, their inter-relationship and post-washing sperm attributes of Rhode Island Red roosters - R. Richard Churchil, P. Ezhil Praveena and Deepak Sharma

Veterinary World, 7(12): 1117-1122

   doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2014.1117-1122

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Abstract

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Aim: The present experiments were conducted (a) to evaluate the semen attributes of older Rhode Island Red (RIR) roosters and the inter-trait relationships, (b) to test sperm washing and storage duration suitable for gene transfer experiments.

Materials and Methods: The semen characteristics of older RIR roosters were studied, and Pearson correlation analysis was done to demonstrate the inter-trait relationships. Progressive motility and percent live sperms were tested at different post-washing intervals to identify suitable sperm processing conditions for gene transfer experiments.

Results: The volume, appearance score, initial motility, sperm count and percent live and abnormal spermatozoa were 0.38 ml, 3.58, 80.34%, 4.03 × 109 sperms/ml, 83.18% and 4.52% respectively. Positive correlation was observed among appearance score, motility, live sperm and sperm count. Semen volume is negatively correlated with all the other characters except live sperms, whereas, percent abnormal sperms negatively associated with all the other traits. Significant (p<0.05) decrease in terms of motility and live sperm was recorded at 60 min post-washing.

Conclusion: The semen attributes of RIR roosters compares well with the other breeds of chicken. The appearance score can be used to assess fertility where microscopic evaluation facilities are limited. The sperm washing protocol tested in the experiment is suitable for gene transfer experiments.

Keywords: correlation, live sperm, post-washing motility, Rhode Island Red roosters, semen attributes.

Prevalence of drug-resistant gastrointestinal nematodes in an organized sheep farm

Research (Published online: 23-12-2014)

15. Prevalence of drug-resistant gastrointestinal nematodes in an organized sheep farm - Ambalathaduvar Meenakshisundaram, Thavasi Anna and Jayagopal Harikrishnan

Veterinary World, 7(12): 1113-1116

   doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2014.1113-1116

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Abstract

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Aim: The present study was aimed to determine the resistance against albendazole, fenbendazole, levamisole and closantel in gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes of sheep.

Introduction: Anthelmintics are used traditionally as an integral part of helminthic control strategies for grazing livestock to prevent production losses from parasitic infections. The continuous and indiscriminate use of the same anthelmintics over years together as the sole means of control are now failing due to the emergence of resistance strains of helminths. Resistance to the commonly used anthelmintics in GI nematodes of sheep has become an increasingly widespread problem throughout the world.

Materials and Methods: Fifty-five naturally infected Madras Red lambs of 6-12 months of age were selected and distributed randomly into five treatment groups of 11 animals each. Four groups were treated orally with albendazole (5 mg/kg), fenbendazole (7 mg/kg), levamisole (7.5 mg/kg) and closantel (10 mg/kg) respectively, whereas the fifth group served as untreated control. Fecal samples were collected per rectum of each lamb just prior to treatment (pre-treatment) and on 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-treatment. The anthelmintic resistance was evaluated by in vivo fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT), post-treatment larval culture and in vitro egg hatch assay.

Results: In the FECRT, albendazole reduced the faecal egg count by 86.50%, 84.81%, 85.28% and 84.47% respectively for 4 weeks after treatment. Fecal egg count reduction using fenbendazole was 92.64, 93.04, 90.80 and 90.06% respectively for 4 weeks after treatment. The percent efficacy for levamisole and closantel was more than 95%. The post-treatment larval culture contained only Haemonchus contortus. In the in vitro egg hatch assay, the ED50 value for benzimidazole was 0.299 μg albendazole/ml and levamisole showed an ED50 value of 0.283 μg/ml.

Conclusion: Our study confirmed the resistance of H. contortus to benzimidazole in sheep.

Keywords: benzimidazole resistance, egg hatch assay, fecal egg count reduction test, gastrointestinal nematodes, sheep.

Comparative efficacy of crystalloid and colloid-crystalloid combination for the management of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in dogs

Research (Published online: 23-12-2014)

14. Comparative efficacy of crystalloid and colloid-crystalloid combination for the management of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in dogs -Chandreyee Sen, Ashwani K. Sharma and P. S. Dhaliwal

Veterinary World, 7(12): 1108-1112

   doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2014.1108-1112

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Abstract

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Aim: In the present study, a therapeutic trial was conducted to assess comparative efficacy of crystalloid plus colloid and crystalloid intravenous infusions alone as fluid therapy in dogs suffering from hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE).

Materials and Methods: 20 dogs manifesting HGE, presented at Teaching Veterinary Clinical Services Complex, Ludhiana, Punjab, were selected randomly for the trial. All of them were observed to suffer from moderate dehydration on clinical examination. Crystalloids 5% DNS and RL were used in combination with polygelin 3.5% colloidal solution in the first group (Combination I) and in the second group, the afore-said crystalloids (Combination II) were used, both groups consisting of 10 cases each. Antibiotics and symptomatic treatment were same for all the 20 cases. The outcome of both treatment groups was evaluated on hemato-biochemical parameters, before and after administration of the therapies and compared statistically within and between the two groups. Hemato-biochemical parameters of eight clinically healthy animals were considered as control for comparison.

Result: On hemato-biochemical examination, significant alterations were observed in leucogram, platelet and serum globulin concentration after the treatment in the first group as compared to before treatment values. In the second group, mean hemoglobin varied significantly after the treatment. After therapies were administered, significant difference in serum globulin level and albumin: Globulin was found in between the treatment groups (Combination I and Combination II). Clinical recovery was faster in the first group than the second group of animals.

Conclusion: On hemodynamic and laboratory data, efficacies of both the fluid therapies were equivocal. Colloidal solutions may hasten recovery in small animals suffering from gastrointestinal crisis.

Keywords: colloid, crystalloid, dog, hemato-biochemical studies, hemorrhagic-gastroenteritis.

Body linear traits for identifying prolific goats

Research (Published online: 18-12-2014)

13. Body linear traits for identifying prolific goats - Avijit Haldar, Prasenjit Pal, Debasis Majumdar, Chanchal K. Biswas, Saurabh Ghosh and Subhransu Pan

Veterinary World, 7(12): 1103-1107

   doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2014.1103-1107

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Abstract

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Aim: The present study was conducted on prolific goat breed to identify body linear type traits that might be associated with prolificacy trait in goats.

Materials and Methods: Two-stage stratified random sample survey based data were collected from 1427 non-pregnant goats with the history of single, twin and triplet litter sizes (LZ) between January 2008 to February 2011 for 3 years in 68 villages located in East and North East India. Data on sixteen body linear traits were analyzed using logistic regression model to do the step-wise selection for identifying the body linear traits that could determine LZ. An average value for each identified body linear trait was determined for classifying the goats into three categories: Goats having the history of single LZ, goats having the history of twin LZ and goats having the history of triplet LZ.

Results: The LZ proportions for single, twin and triplet, were 29.50, 59.14 and 11.36%, respectively, with the prolificacy rate of 181.85% in Indian Black Bengal goats. A total of eight body linear traits that could determine LZ in prolific goats were identified. Heart girth (HG) measurement (>60.90 cm), paunch girth (PG) (>70.22 cm), wither height (WH) (>49.75 cm), neck length (>21.45 cm), ear length (>12.80 cm) and distance between trochanter major (DTM) bones (>12.28 cm), pelvic triangle area (PTA) (>572.25 cm2) and clearance at udder (CU) (>23.16 cm) showed an increase likelihood of multiple LZ when compared to single LZ. Further, HG measurement (>62.29 cm), WH (>50.54 cm), PG (>71.85 cm) and ear length (>13.00 cm), neck length (>22.01 cm), PTA (>589.64 cm2), CU (>23.20 cm) and DTM bones (>12.47 cm) were associated with increased likelihood of triplet LZ, when compared with that of twin LZ.

Conclusion: HG measurement was the best discriminating factor, while PG, neck length, DTM bones, CU, PTA, WH and ear length measurements were other important factors that could be used for identifying prolific goats to achieve economic benefit out of prolificacy trait.

Keywords: Black Bengal, body linear traits, goat, prolificacy, litter size.

Identification and sequence analysis of Tapasin gene in guinea fowl

Research (Published online: 18-12-2014)

12. Identification and sequence analysis of Tapasin gene in guinea fowl - Varuna P. Panicker and R. Uma

Veterinary World, 7(12): 1099-1102

   doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2014.1099-1102

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Abstract

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Aim: An attempt has been made to identify and study the nucleotide sequence variability in exon 5 - exon 6 regions of guinea fowlTapasin gene.

Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from randomly selected birds (12 guinea fowl birds) and Tapasin gene amplified using chicken specific primers designed from GenBank submitted sequences. Polymerase chain reaction conditions were standardized so as get only single amplicons. Obtained products were then cloned and sequenced; sequences were then analyzed using suitable software.

Results: Amplicon size of the Tapasin gene in guinea fowl was same as reported in chicken with areas of transitions and transversions. The sequence variations reported in these coding sequences might have influence in the protein structure, which may be correlated with the increased immune status of the bird when compared with chicken breeds.

Conclusion: Since Tapasin gene is an immunologically important gene, which plays an important role in the immune status of the bird. Sequence variations in the gene can be correlated with the altered immune status of the bird.

Keywords: guinea fowl, Immunity, Tapasin gene.

Estimation of genetic parameters of weekly test-day milk yields and first lactation 305-day milk yield in Murrah buffaloes

Research (Published online: 16-12-2014)

11. Estimation of genetic parameters of weekly test-day milk yields and first lactation 305-day milk yield in Murrah buffaloes - Saroj Kumar Sahoo, Avtar Singh, A. K. Gupta, A. K. Chakravarty, Manvendra Singh and G. S. Ambhore

Veterinary World, 7(12): 1094-1098

   doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2014.1094-1098

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Abstract

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Aim: The aim was to estimate genetic parameters of weekly test-day (TD) milk yields and first lactation 305-day milk yield (FL305DY) in Murrah buffaloes.

Materials and Methods: The data on 39059 weekly test-day milk yield (WTDY) records during first lactation of 961 Murrah buffaloes calved from 1977 to 2012 and sired by 101 bulls maintained in an organized farm at National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal was analyzed to study the effect of genetic and non-genetic factors. Least squares maximum likelihood program was used to estimate genetic and non-genetic parameters affecting WTDY and FL305DY. Heritability was estimated using paternal half-sib correlation method. The genetic and phenotypic correlations among WTDY and 305- day milk yield was calculated from the analysis of variance and covariance among sire groups.

Results: The least squares means for FL305DY was found to be 1853.49±15.88 Kg. The least squares means of overall WTDY ranged from 2.44±0.07 kg (TD-43) to 7.95±0.06 kg (TD-8). Effect of period, season and age at first calving groups was found to be highly significant (p<0.01), significant (p<0.05) and non-significant on FL305DY, respectively. The h2 estimate of FL305DY was 0.25±0.09. The estimates of phenotypic and genetic correlations between 305-day milk yield and different WTDY ranged from 0.52 to 0.84 and from 0.19 to 0.98, respectively.

Conclusions: Our study showed that the effect of period of calving was highly significant (p<0.01) on FL305DY as well as all the WTDY. The estimates of phenotypic and genetic correlations were generally higher in the middle segment of lactation suggesting that these TD yields could be used as the selection criteria for early evaluation and selection of animals.

Keywords: genetic factors, Murrah buffalo, non-genetic factors, test-day milk yields.

Cloning and sequence analysis of hsf, an outer membrane protein gene of Pasteurella multocida serotype B:2

Research (Published online: 15-12-2014)

10. Cloning and sequence analysis of hsf, an outer membrane protein gene of Pasteurella multocida serotype B:2 - A. Priyadarshini, S. Kumar, S. K. Gupta, K. N. Viswas, R. K. Agarwal and V. P. Singh

Veterinary World, 7(12): 1090-1093

   doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2014.1090-1093

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Abstract

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Aim: The present study was undertaken to clone, sequence and analyze the hsf, an outer membrane protein gene of Pasteurella multocida serotype B:2

Materials and Methods: hsf gene was amplified from genomic DNA of P. multocida. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product was cloned in pET-32a vector and was characterized. hsf gene was sequenced, analyzed and phylogenetic tree was constructed taking sequences of other strains.

Results: Amplicon size was found to be 785 bp. Recombinant got characterized through colony PCR and restriction enzyme analysis.

Conclusion: hsf gene of P. multocida serotype B is similar to serotype A, but different from serotype D. Further work is needed to evaluate role of Hsf protein in protection studies and to study the antigenic properties of this recombinant protein as a candidate for vaccine.

Keywords: cloning, hsf gene, outer membrane protein, Pasteurella multocida, phylogenetic tree, sequencing