Use of FAMACHA to Detect Anaemia and Control of Gastrointestinal Parasite in Goats of A and N Islands, India

Background: FAffaMAlanCHArt (FAMACHA) is a technique for treating the animals infested with gastrointestinal parasites by using clinical anaemia as the determinant. The test is based on the assessment of colour variation of the conjunctival mucous membrane. Methods: In the present study FAMACHA has been standardized and used to correlate the anaemic status of goats with faecal egg count (gastro intestinal parasites) and blood profile. On the basis of FAMACHA score and faecal egg count, the goats were treated with benzimidazole compound and macrocyclic lactone. Result: The result indicated significant (P less than 0.05) reduction in the faecal egg count of Haemonchus spp from 1200±155.76 to 525±75, Strongyloides spp from 469.57±77.37 to 78.26±33.83 and Eimeria spp from 900±240.05 to 195.65±55.34 respectively. FAMACHA score of anaemic goats improved from 4.08±0.11 to 3.2±0.13. Mean haemoglobin (g/dl), packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) improved from 8.33 to 8.99, 22.66 to 24.86, 13.73 to 14.76 and 18029 to 19894, respectively which indicated clinical improvement. Highly significant (P less than 0.01) correlation was observed between the FAMACHA score and the haemoglobin level. It could be concluded that FAMACHA is a very handy tool to detect anaemic status of the animals and correlate with gastrointestinal parasitic load.

Thyroid blood profile in high-yielding dairy cows with different ovarian reactions to superovulatory treatment

The reaction of cow ovaries to superovulatory treatment significantly depends on the physiological state of the animal, primarily on its endocrine status. The available information indicates that thyroid hormones can affect the processes of ovarian folliculogenesis in cattle.Objective: To study the thyroid profile in the blood of high-yielding dairy cows in relation to the response of the ovaries to superovulatory treatment.Materials and methods. Thirty four cycles of superovulation stimulation in 16 Holstein cows were studied. After synchronization of the estrous cycle and superovulatory treatment, on the first day of insemination (Day 0), the number of follicles with a diameter of more than 5 mm was recorded in each ovary using an ultrasound scanner. Furthermore, on Day 0 and on the 7th day after insemination (Day 7), the blood was taken from the cows to analyze the content of sex steroids and thyroid hormones by ELISA. The ovarian reaction was assessed by the total number of detected follicles and was divided into 3 types: I – more than 12 follicles (strong), II – 8-12 follicles (moderate), III – less than 8 follicles (weak).Results. The content of sex steroid hormones in the blood of cows on Day 0 did not depend on the type of the ovarian response. By Day 7, the concentration of progesterone increased in most animals, but was 2.7-fold higher (P <0.01) in the case of the strong reaction (type I) than in the case of the weak reaction (type III). Conversely, the serum concentration of estradiol-17β decreased 1.1 times (P <0.05) in cows with the moderate ovarian response (type II). In animals with the type I reaction, the content of thyroxine (T4) in the blood declined 1.2 times (P <0.05) one week after insemination. During the study period, there was also a reduction in the concentration of total triiodothyronine (T3) and reverse T3 (rT3) in cows with ovarian responses of types I and II (1.1-1.3 times, P <0.01-0.05). Concurrently, on Day 0, the T3 content in the blood of individuals with the type II reaction was 1.2-fold higher (P <0.05) than in individuals with the type III reaction. Totally, a positive relationship was found between the concentration of estradiol-17β and the concentration of thyroid hormones: for T4 – in the case of the type II ovarian response (r = 0.44, P <0.05), for T3 – in the case of the type I and II responses ( r = 0.57-0.64, P <0.001-0.05), for rT3 – in the case of the type III response (r = 0.52, P <0.01).Conclusions. Thus, the content of triiodothyronine in the blood of high-yielding dairy cows on the day of insemination is associated with the ovarian response to superovulatory treatment. In addition, during one week after insemination, the state of the thyroid system and its relationship with the level of estradiol-17β in the blood differ with different reactions of the ovaries to the introduction of exogenous gonadotropic hormones.

Supplementation of vitamin E and selenium in different diets on performance of IPB D-2 chicken during developer-layer period

Supplementation of vitamin E and selenium improved the productivity of livestock. This study aims to evaluate the effect of vitamin E and selenium supplementation on different diets of IPB D-2 chickens during 15-21 weeks. Completely randomized factorial 2 x 2 (factor A was diet type and factor B was vitamin E supplementation) and five replications was used in this experiment. The variables observed were performance, blood profile, organ immunity and percentage of carcass weight. The results showed that diet type had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on feed consumption in the developer and layer periods and had a highly significant effect (P < 0.01) on feed consumption in the pre-layer period and body weight gain in the layer period. Vitamin E and selenium supplementation had a significant effect (P > 0.05) on pre-layer feed consumption. The blood profile was in normal range with optimal stress levels. There was significantly interaction (P < 0.05) between diet type and vitamin E supplementation on carcass percentage and highly significantly interaction (P < 0.01) on layer feed conversion. Parameters of immune organ and egg production were not affected by treatment. The diet type was reduced by 5% from the standard with supplementation vitamin E dan selenium showed the best result for IPB D-2 chicken performance.

Influence of Treated Rapeseed Meal on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and Blood Profile in Growing Pigs

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of replacing part of soybean meal (SBM) with 15% treated rapeseed meal (tRSM) on growth performance, blood parametres and nutrient digestibility in young growing pigs. A total of 12 crossbred growing pigs (Slovakian White x Landrace) with an average initial body weight of 15.70 ± 1.83 kg were divided into two dietary treatments according to their body weight and sex (six pigs in each group). The experiment lasted 34 days. The rapeseed meal was treated with the product that neutralizes the negative effects of glucosinolates contained in rapeseed by-products for pigs feeding. In our study, we did not observe negative effects of tRSM on body weight, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio. In blood profile, serum urea, albumin, glucose and total chlosterol were not influenced by dietary tRSM treatment. Concentration of total proteins was decreased at the end of the experimental period in the experimental group (P<0.01). For apparent total tract digestibility acid-insoluble ash was used as marker. Partially replacing of SBM with tRSM had no significant negative effects on the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and crude fat. Finally, the inclusion of 15% of treated RSM in growing pig diets had no negative effects on growth performance, nutrients digestibility and selected blood characteristics.

Assessing the haematology and serum chemistry of Uda rams fed different Kanwa based mineral licks

This study was conducted at the Department of Animal Science’s Teaching and Research farm of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto to evaluate the effect of feeding different kanwa based mineral licks on blood profile of Uda rams. Blood of twenty (20) yearlings Uda rams aged by dentition were used to evaluate the effect of Kanwa¬-based mineral blocks. Four (4) animals were allotted to each treatment (Kanwa block) with each animal serving as a replicate. The Kanwa used were Kanwan Bai-Bai, Kanwan Kolo, Hogga, Balma and conventional mineral lick to represent treatment 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Data was collected at the end of the experiment. The result of haematological analysis showed significant (p<0.05) differences in all the parameters analysed except PCV, MCH, WBC and eosinophil; the result indicated that all the values where within the normal reference range except in MCHC where animals placed in T2 and T3 shows values slightly above the normal range. The result of serum biochemistry showed that all the values measured were within the normal reference range for sheep except the albumin of animals placed in T3 which had values slightly above the normal range. The serum mineral composition showed that Potassium levels were higher in T2 and lower in T4; however, there was no difference between animals placed in treatments 1, 2 and 3, so also between treatments 1, 3 and 4. The study concluded that Kanwa positively affected sheep production with no adverse effect on both haematological and serum chemistry, hence little health hazard is associated with feeding Kanwa-based blocks on growing Uda rams.