Research Aspects in Agriculture and Veterinary Science Vol. 2

The ecological suitability of different leaf litter types in enhancing the biological diversity and micronutrient status in soil needs to be understood for deciding the plant species to be used for afforestration practices. The present research work was done to study the colonization of an epigeic earthworm, Perionyx excavatus in the decomposing leaf litter of five locally important tree species- Cashew, Shal, Mango, Acacia and Eucalyptus up to a period of 90 days. The major nutrient and anti-nutrient chemical parameters of the leaf litters were compared and rates of degradation of the selected nutrient and anti-nutrient parameters were studied in laboratory microcosms. P. excavatus showed maximum colonization for Cashew followed by Shal where both these tree species exhibited comparatively lower anti-nutrient content and significantly higher rates of degradation of the selected nutrient parameters. Lowest colonization by P. excavatus was observed in case of Eucalyptus which exhibited highest polyphenol and tannin content and significant lower rates of degradation of all the selected nutrient parameters and hence their utilization in microcosms with P. excavatus. The results indicated that lower content of tannins and polyphenols in case of Cashew and Shal can be related to the palatability of these leaf litters and thereby exhibiting maximum colonization by P. excavatus. Thus, Cashew and Shal can be considered as suitable tree species for afforestation practices for enhancing nutrient recycling and effective soil conservation.

Two important forest tree species adapted to the semi-arid environment of Sokoto, Nigeria, are Acacia senegal and Balanites aegyptiaca. The purpose of this experiment was to see how these species reacted to hormones (Indole-3-acetic acid IAA) and salt (NaCl).  The plants were grown in soil from two sites in Dabagi research farm of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, with salt levels (2.0 and 3.0dS/m), and hormone was administered both at germination and early growth stages. The interaction effect enhanced leaf and relative growth rates in both plants, according to the results. This strategy could be utilised to help certain tree species grow and establish in semi-arid areas. The species developed using this technique can also be incorporated into land reclamation projects for the promise this research has indicated.

Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to amplify the cDNA coding for Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) from LPS activated macrophages, which was then cloned into the pCNDA vector and sequenced. Without the secretory signal peptide sequence, the amplified bovine GM-CSF cDNA was 755 bp long. The 755-bp open reading frame (ORF) coded for 143 amino acids with a molecular weight of 16200 Da, and it was 99 and 96 percent identical to Bos taurus and Bubalus bubalis, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis revealed swine and equine GM-CSF sequences are most different from buffalo, sheep, goat, and deer.

This study investigated the dietary component and morphology of the digestive tract of Anguilla marmorata during its yellow stages (non-migrants). Anguilla marmorata is also widely distributed, exploited and cultivated with high economic value. A total of 127 samples, ranging in total length from 17-108 cm and weight from 10-3200 g were collected from Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam. The structure of the gastrointestinal tract indicated that Anguilla marmorata has the typical characters of carnivorous fish such as a wide mouth, small teeth in bands; free tongue; short esophagus, stomach, and intestines made up of folds. The mouth size of Anguilla marmorata ranged from 1.81-6.6 cm and it increased with the body weight of fish. Anguilla marmorata is an animal-eating species with an RLG (relative length of the gut) ranging from 0.34 to 0.41 (RLG <1). Crustacea is the preferred food of eels with the highest proportion of the number, weight, and frequency of crustaceans in the gastrointestinal tract with 65%, 64%, and 80%, respectively. Crustacea was also the most important food of Anguilla marmorata in the wild with the index of relative importance (IRI%)=79%. Correlation equation between length (L=17-108 cm) and weight (W=10-3200 g) of Anguilla marmorata is L=9.948W0.0622 with correlation coefficient R2=0.93. Our report provides new dietary information about A. marmorata that is useful in nutrition planning and aquaculture potential.

The veterinary art has been practiced for the last 4,000 years as a trade. The first record of this trade is found in the Hammurabi Code of Law, established 2,000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.

Two hundred and fifty (250) years ago, an effort was made to change the trade into a science. Claude Bourgelat, a French veterinary surgeon, established a School for Veterinary Science at Lyon in France in 1761.

Since then, the profession of Veterinary Science has become established throughout the world.

In Australia, the first school opened in 1888, with the establishment of a private veterinary school, in conjunction with a practice in Melbourne.

Has this revolution been a success; has it led to more competent, better educated and trained veterinary graduates?

John Maxwell, has devoted the last phase of his life in the profession of veterinary science examining this question.

In research conducted during the first 20 years of this century, he has examined this issue in detail, leading to the awarding of not one, but two doctorates. Surveys of the profession and oral history interviews of individuals intimately involved in various aspects of veterinary science have been conducted, leading to the awarding of a PhD in 2008 and a DVMSc in 2018.

Contrary to expectations the result has been a resounding, No! The experiment with science has been a failure. As a result, Dr Maxwell was led to examine the past to discover if there could be a future for individuals wishing to work in animal health.

When used in food formulations, milk protein components provide not just nourishment but also specialised technological capabilities. Milk protein components are safe, natural proteins that can be used in a variety of nutritional and functional applications. The dairy and food industries are attempting to add value to their products in order to attract more customers for their innovative products. The objective of the chapter is to provide an insight to the readers regarding the scope of adding value to food products through use of novel, high protein milk ingredients having an array of functional properties and possible therapeutic virtues. Some salient functional properties of dairy protein ingredients include solubility, viscosity building, emulsification, heat stability, aeration, etc. Caseinates, co-precipitates, whey protein concentrates and isolates, milk protein concentrates, micellar casein, UF retentate powder, and other high protein dairy-based ingredients are highlighted in the chapter. Cheese analogues are a prime example of a product that requires high protein ingredients. UF retentate powders can be used to make wheyless cheese. Some of the disadvantages of conventional products, such as reduced cheese yield, wheying-off from yoghurt, and body breakdown during storage, can be overcome by incorporating high protein dairy ingredients into the food product formulation. The applications of such high protein tailor-made ingredients in dairy and food products have been discussed in this chapter.

The purpose of this study is to find, obtain and prove that, the administration of biourine and the fungi of mycorrhiza arbuskula (FMA) is able to improve the fertility of ex-coal mine land, so that it gives an influence on the results and nutritional value of forage feed. This experiment used a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 5 replications. The treatment consists of: 1) concentration of 0% biourine + FMA 20 g/pot, 2) concentration of 15% biourine + FMA 20 g/pot, 3) concentration of 30% biourine+ FMA 20 g/pot and 4) concentration of 45% biourine + FMA 20 g/pot. Variables observed were the results of dry matter, crude protein, dry matter digestibility, organic digestibility by In-Vitro and percentage of root infections by mycorrhizae. This results of the analysis of variance showed that the treatment had a very significant effect (P<0.01) on all observed variables. The treatment of 45% biourin + FMA 20 g/pot produced the highest value, followed by the treatment of 30% biourine + FMA 20 g/pot, 15% biourine + FMA 20 g/pot and the treatment of 0% biourine + FMA 20 g/pot. The conclusion of this study was that the treatment concentration of 45% biourine + FMA 20 g/pot was the best of all the observed variables.

The aim of this study was to ascertain the changes in haematology and serum electrolytes in the cows naturally infected with theileriosis. A total of 102 cross bred cows of age 2-5 years were screened and examined in the study. Among those, twelve were found naturally infected by theileria. Another twelve of the same age and apparently healthy animals were kept as control. Haematological values of haemoglobin, packed cell volume, total erythrocyte count, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in anaemic cattle compared to non-anaemic (healthy) cattle. Comparisons of electrolyte balance in this study showed significant decrease at the level of p<0.05 in sodium and ionized calcium concentrations of anaemic animals when compared to the control group. However, differences in blood potassium and total calcium levels were not significant (p>0.05). Comparisons of biochemical values indicated a significant increase (p < 0.05) in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine level, while decrease (p < 0.05) in total protein and albumin concentration in anaemic animals as compared to control group. These results indicated an overall poor picture of circulating blood in animals suffering from theileria associated bovine anaemia.

For this study, 40 castrated male pigs of the Spanish autochthonous Chato Murciano breed were used to evaluate the effects of two diets. One group of 20 pigs was fed a high protein/low fat (HP/LF) diet and slaughtered at 125.03 kg LW. The remaining 20 pigs were fed a low protein/high fat (LP/HF) diet and slaughtered at 121.91 kg LW. Dietary effects on carcass and meat quality traits were investigated. The Longissimus lumbar (Ll) muscle was used to collect meat samples.  The HP/LF diet resulted in a faster growth rate and greater daily weight gain, and measurements in the Longissimus lumbar muscle revealed higher values of ultimate pH (pHu), colour parameters, and Ca, Mg, Zn, K, and Na content. The LP/HF diet resulted in higher Fe and Cu values. The difference in Ll muscle intramuscular fat (IMF) levels was significant, with values of 3.21 percent in the HP/LF group and 11.00 percent in the LP/HF group; however, there were no differences in dorsal fat thickness measurements. The IMF fatty acid composition was 42.43 and 42.29 percent saturated fatty acids (SFA), 50.34 and 51.35 percent monounsaturated (MUFA), and 7.20 and 6.24 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) for the HP/LF and LP/HF groups, respectively, with only statistically significant differences in MUFA levels (P 0.05). The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of two different diets (high protein-low fat versus low protein-high fat) on carcass and morphometric parameters, meat quality and mineral and fatty acid composition in pigs of the breed Chato Murciano pure.

 Bovine babesiosis is a disease caused by Babesia spp., a protozoan transmitted by ticks of the Ixodidae family, being a disease of economic importance for cattle in the tropics. In Mozambique it is transmitted by ticks of the species Rhipicephalus microplus, R. decoloratus, R. everts everts, and Hyalomma marginatum rufipes and mainly caused by B. bigemina and B. bovis. The disease is characterized by presenting high rates of morbidity and mortality in countries of tropical and subtropical climates, and is widespread in southern Mozambique, where most livestock is made up of beef cattle imported from neighboring countries. This study aimed to investigate gender, age and geographical origin as risk factors associated with serological prevalence and molecular diagnostic of B. bigemina and B. bovis in beef cattle in the provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane, southern Mozambique, through indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of  809 and 240 blood samples from cattle were randomly collected and analyzed simultaneously by i-ELISA and PCR. The overall prevalence of B. bigemina and B. bovis was 71.8% (n = 581) and 76.6% (n = 620), by i-ELISA and 11.3% (n = 27) and 37.1% (n = 89) by PCR test, respectively. Significant difference in the two infections was observed according to age and geographical origin of the samples. The results of this research provide valuable information on the epidemiology of infection with B. bigemina and B. bovis in beef cattle in the region studied, which can be used by domestic livestock managers in planning future interventions in this disease control programs.