Asian Journal of Research in Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Treatment of Chronic and Severe Diabetes Mellitus with Ketoacidosis in a Four-Year-Old Intact Female American Pit Bull Terrier

Matthew Benedict T. Calibo — 2024-04-23

A four-year-old intact female American Pit Bull Terrier was brought to the hospital for unresolved weight loss, complete loss of fur, and persistent skin ulcers. Upon presentation, the patient showed severe dehydration, emaciation, and bilateral cataracts despite having reportedly good appetite and responsive behavior. Further examination and work-up diagnosed the patient with diabetic ketoacidosis – a complicated form of diabetes mellitus where insulin deficiency causes increased lipolysis and ketosis, resulting in ketonemia and metabolic acidosis. Multiple glucose curves and adjustments to insulin therapy led to the treatment of DKA and the successful management of diabetes. In the initial 5 months of treatment, the patient showed gradual but consistent improvement in clinical signs and quality of life. This case report shows the consequences and risks of having a severely diabetic canine patient remain undiagnosed and without appropriate insulin therapy. Highlighted through discussion and photos are the reversibility of clinical signs caused by the harmful effects of hyperglycemia, and the successful management of DKA and DM without hospital confinement.

The Incidence of Bovine Tuberculosis in a Dairy Herd Practicing Irregular Skin Test and Slaughter Control Program

Berhanu Abera — 2024-03-26

The combination of intensified animal husbandry and development of peri-urban systems have corresponded with increased bovine tuberculosis incidence. Its economic impact is primarily driven by direct effects, particularly due to test and culling of affected animals. A retrospective study was conducted to assess the incidence of bTB in a dairy herd practicing repeated irregular skin testing and slaughter control program. The incidence at the subsequent test rounds ranged from 5.4% to 24.8%. These incidences exhibited an oscillating pattern: it initially decreased from 21.3% to 8.4%, then resurged to 24.8% in the third round, and ultimately declined back to 5.4%. Penultimate test result, breed of the animal, and herd composition were significantly associated with the odds of them becoming a reactor to the SICCTT at a subsequent test (P<0.05). The study findings indicated that animals undergoing two consecutive repeated skin tests had an approximately 11 times higher risk of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) infection compared to newly introduced animals. Similarly, animals with an inconclusive penultimate test result were 2.64 times more likely to be infected with bTB than those with a negative penultimate test result. Likewise, reactors that had been embedded by inconclusive penultimate SICCTT result were more likely to have visible lesions at slaughter than those with a negative penultimate SICCTT result. The study herd consisted of a mix of purebred Boran and different crossbred animals. The prevalence of bTB was high in purebred Boran than crossbred animals. In conclusion, the study confirmed the necessity of considering inconclusive SICCTT test results and the retested herd (with inconsistent and extremely prolonged retesting schemes) contribution, which all were likely responsible for the chance to increase the number of new bTB cases.

Development of Bovine Embryo Culture System for Maintaining Genetic Identity of Embryos

GK Deb — 2024-04-09

Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) recovered during an ovum pick-up (OPU) session from a cow is low (1 to 15 COCs). Moreover, mixing of two or more cows COCs to increase total number in a culture droplet will loss the genetic identity of embryos. The present study was aimed to develop a culture system suitable for culture of smaller number of COCs (less than 10 COCs). Slaughterhouse bovine ovaries were used for the experiment. Aspirated oocytes possessing an even cytoplasm and covered with minimum 3 layers of compact cumulus cell were subjected to in vitro maturation (IVM) followed by in vitro fertilization (IVF) using fresh semen capacitated by treating with heparin sodium salt. Cumulus cells were removed by gentle pipetting and denuded zygotes were subjected to in vitro culture (IVC) for blastocyst development. Cleavage rates were evaluated at day 3 (day 0: day of IVF) and blastocyst rate at day 8 as a proportion of the presumed zygote transferred into IVC-I medium. Results show that development rate up to cleavage did not affect by COCs densities. Single COCs did not reach to the blastocyst stage when cultured individually. The development rate to the blastocyst stage was 13.9±9.0%, 10.8±4.9% and 16.6±3.9% for 3, 5, and 10 COCs groups, respectively. The GPS group culture allowed the smaller numbers of COCs (1, 2, 3 and 4 COC per chamber) to develop at blastocyst stage. The present experiment developed in vitro embryo production system for small number of bovine oocytes.

Influence of Betaine Hydrochloride on Glucocorticoid-induced Stressed Broiler Chickens

Ademu L. A. — 2024-04-11

Aim: To investigate the ameliorative effect of betaine HCl fed to broiler chickens under chronic stress conditions.

Study Design: Completely Randomized Design.

Place and Duration of Study: Experimental site: Department of Animal Science Teaching and Research Farm, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria; Haematology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria, between September 2016 and October 2016.

Methodology: A total of two-hundred-and-forty (240) day-old Arbor acre broiler chickens were randomly allotted to four experimental treatments. Each treatment was replicated three times with twenty birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. Dexamethasone was administered in drinking water (0, 1, 2 and 3 mg) to simulate chronic stress. Dexamethasone-treated birds were fed betaine HCl at 0.15% in their diets. Birds receiving 0 mg dexamethasone served as the control.

Results: Thermoregulatory results indicated that respiratory rates were similar (p= 0.16) even with increasing doses of dexamethasone. Rectal temperature was also similar (p=0.97) across all the treatment groups indicating the positive effect of betaine HCl on thermoregulatory responses of broiler chickens. Birds in the control gave better (p < 0.05) final body weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake, with feed conversion ratio being similar with some dexamethasone containing groups. Dexamethasone did not influence (p >0.05) haematological indices of broiler chickens, with betaine HCl demonstrating positive effect on all blood indices. Both serum and haematological indices were similar (p>0.05) with the control. Thigh and drumstick weights were still negatively affected (p < 0.05) by dexamethasone. Betaine HCl positively (p>0.05) improved robusticity index while tibia weight, length, and weight/length index were negatively (p < 0.05) influenced by dexamethasone despite betaine supplementation.

Conclusion: Betaine HCl improved thermoregulatory and blood indices of dexamethasone-stressed broiler chickens and showed positive effect on tibia bone strength.

Effect of Adding Different Levels of Undecorticated Rosehip (Rosa canina L.) Fruit in the Diets on Productive Performance of Broiler Chickens

S. B. Monesa — 2024-04-24

This study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of rosehip (Rosa canina L.) fruit as a natural dietary supplement on the growth response of broiler chickens. Two hundred and four unsexed day-old Cobb 500 broiler chickens were used in a 42-day trial to investigate the efficacy of undecorticated rosehip (Rosa canina L.) fruit as a natural dietary supplement on growth of chickens. Birds were grouped into four of equal number and similar live weight with three sub-groups each. One group each was randomly assigned to one dietary treatment. Experimental diets consisted of a uniform commercial basal diet in which air dried and milled rosehip fruit was added as a supplement at the rate of 0, 100, 200 and 300 g/100 kg to give diets T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. Data collected were on growth performance, carcass yield and GIT morphometry and were subjected to the one-way analysis of variance. Rosehip fruit supplement significantly (P<0.05) affected feed consumption, protein intake, mortality, dressed weight, percent dressed weight of wing and drumstick of chickens. Percent live weight of heart, kidney, pancreas, proventriculus and spleen varied significantly (P<0.05). Rosehip fruit supplement reduced (P<0.05) percent GIT length of large intestine and caeca at higher supplement value. Undecorticated rosehip fruit is high in crude protein, crude fibre and low in energy. Undecorticated rosehip fruit at 100 to 300 g/100 kg dietary supplementation did not enhance the growth of broiler chickens but, gave high dressing percentages of 80.03% to 80.83% comparable to 80.68% in the control group, and decreased percentage large and small intestines of the tract significantly. Undecorticated rosehip fruit can be fed as dietary supplement at the rate of 100 to 300 g/100 kg to produce broilers of high dressing percentage.

Exterior Body Characteristics of Indigenous Sheep Populations in Western Zone of Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Teweldemedhn Mekonnen — 2024-04-24

The field data collection was conducted before the ignition of the war (before October 2020) in Tigray Regional State, Ethiopia. Characterization of farm animal genetic resources (FAGRs) and their production systems are essential prerequisites for the sustainable utilization, conservation and improvement of FAGRs. The objective of the characterization work was to describe the exterior body characteristics and body indices of the indigenous sheep populations. A total of 488 (Begait-173, Rutanna-151 and Arado-164) sample animals with one permanent pair of incisor (1PPI) up to four permanent pair of incisors (4PPI) were randomly involved in the field data collection. Measurement of the quantitative traits and observation of qualitative traits were the techniques of data collection. Statistical Package for Social Sciences software was used to analyze the data. The indigenous sheep were kept at extensive production system. The indigenous sheep have marked sexual dimorphisms in almost all the linear body traits. The index of conformation (86.7±0.86) and index of body weight (61.8±0.98) of Rutanna sheep indicated that Rutanna sheep is more preferred for mutton production than the Begait and Arado sheep. Begait (93.1% plain, 99.4% white), Rutanna (90.6% plain, 69.8% brown red) and Arado sheep (86.6% plain, 51.8% brown red), respectively were the dominant coat color patterns and coat color types. Arado sheep can be used for wool production. Arado sheep were short-fat-tailed whilst Begait and Rutanna sheep were long-thin-tailed. Begait (100%) and Rutanna (99.3%) sheep were polled whereas 30.5% of Arado sheep were horned. Pendulous ear orientation was in Begait (98.3%) and Rutanna sheep whilst Arado sheep were with small ear. Concave face profile was in Begait (98.8%) and Rutanna sheep. Wattle and ruff were absent in Begait (98.3%, 91.9%), Rutanna (80.8%, 100%) and Arado (76.2%, 98.8%) sheep, respectively. Roofy rump profile was exhibited in Begait (86.7%), Rutanna (63.1%) and Arado (87.8%) sheep. Overall, Rutanna sheep is large framed whilst Begait sheep is medium framed and Arado sheep is small framed breed. Conservation and improvement of the valuable indigenous sheep of the study area should be the first task of breeders and stakeholders. Genetic characterizations of the indigenous sheep populations should be conducted to identify the most economical candidate genes and diversity within breed.