Cardiac effusion and serum biochemical abnormalities of Salmonella gallinarum infection in point of lay pullets

The aim of this study was to evaluate some lesions and biochemical abnormalities of fowl typhoid (FT) in point of lay (POL) pullets. Fifty POL pullets were randomly assigned to two groups of 25 infected orally with S. gallinarum (109 S. gallinarum colony forming units (CFUs)/mL), and 25 uninfected controls. Blood samples were collected from four randomly selected pullets in each group weekly for 35 days post infection (PI), and the harvested serum used for biochemical evaluations, following standard techniques. Relevant tissues were processed for histopathology. Significant (P < 0.05) loss of body weight, 48% morbidity, 12% overall mortality, significant drop in egg production and severe pericardial effusion were observed in the infected pullets when compared to the uninfected controls. There was significantly (P < 0.05) higher serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, malondialdehyde (MDA), serum total protein, globulin, total cholesterol, total bilirubin, uric acid, and creatinine levels, and lower serum albumin level in the infected POL pullets than that of the uninfected controls on days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 PI. The assayed biochemical parameters variably correlated with egg production, with MDA, SOD and CAT highly significant (P < 0.01). Inflammatory, degenerative and necrotic changes were observed in the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, intestine and ovary of the infected POL pullets. Based on the significant elevation in MDA level in the infected POL pullets when compared to the uninfected controls coupled with highly significant correlation between the MDA, and egg production, oxidative stress (OS) may play a significant role in the pathology caused by FT. An association was established between elevated OS markers with antioxidant properties (SOD and CAT) and clinical outcome, including survival/health improvement indices such as improved weight gain and egg production as well as low mortality rate in an acute disease like FT. This suggests that inclusion of antioxidants in the treatment of FT in POL pullets may further ameliorate morbidity, development of lesions, improve weight gain and egg production, and reduce mortality, more so, considering the global menace of antimicrobial resistance

Effects Of Graded Levels Of Ethanolic Piliostigma thonningii Bark Extract On Performance Of Broiler Chicken

Twenty day old broiler chicks were used to investigate the effects of graded levels of ethanolic Piliostigma thonningii bark extract in diet on feed conversion efficiency and performance. They were divided into four equal groups, maintained on starter feed for 6 weeks and on finisher for another 4 weeks. As from their second week of age those in groups A, B and C were fed diets containing 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0mg of the extract per kg feed respectively. Values of the extract were doubled from 7th to 10th week of slaughter age. Control group D received normal diet. Water was provided ad – libitum. Daily feed and water intake, weekly live weight gain, live weight relative to organ weights at slaughter were determined. Faeces were sampled on 4th and 8th weeks for helminth eggs and coccidial cysts. Animal groups fed diets containing plant extract showed short-lived mild neurological symptoms. All groups responded positively to treatment against respiratory distress. Inclusion of plant extract in diets relatively promoted feed conversion efficiency and broiler growth particularly at its threshold level of 1.0 mg/kg feed. Optimum effect of the extract occurred by the 5th week. Feed intake correlated positively with water intake (corr. Coeff. = 0.6-0.8). Traces of eggs and cysts seen in the treatment groups (A,B,&C) differed significantly with those of the control group (.D.)It is concluded that the extract may be included in broiler diet at 1.0mg/kg feed. KEY WORDS: P. thonningii, feed conversion efficiency, anthelmintic. Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol.11(2) 2005: 201-20

The effects of Newcastle Disease Vaccine (Komarov) on unvaccinated local hens

Twenty out of thirty local breed of hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) that had not been immunologically primed by previous routine vaccination were inoculated with Newcastle disease vaccine (Komarov) intramuscularly while the remaining ten hens acted as uninoculated control. Clinical results show that 30% of the 20 birds vaccinated with Newcastle Disease Vaccine (Komarov) showed characteristic greenish yellowish diarrhoea, cumulative sharp drop in egg production (60%) while respiratory signs like gasping, sneezing and coughing were noticed in the 60% of the birds. Statistical analysis using analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that Newcastle disease viral antibody titres in the sera and egg yolk of the inoculated hens were significantly (

Evaluation of fishmeal protein supplementation to commercial feeds for egg lay and quality in warm tropical region

A total of 140 Lohman pullets layers at eighteenth week of lay were randomly selected and used to study effects of graded levels of fishmeal protein supplementation to two commercial feeds (type A & B) on egg production and quality. Layers were divided into two equal groups each of which was divided into five equal sub groups of A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and B1, B2, B3, B4, B5. Each feed type was used as control diet and also to formulate four other diets by supplementation with graded levels of fishmeal such that CP level of control diets (A1, B1) was raised from 16.0% to 17.0, 18.0, 19.0 and 20.0% respectively. Each sub group of layers (n=14) was fed particular treatment diet, at 120g/layer daily for 57 days. Eggs were collected daily for the last 50 days and samples were used to determine quantity by number, graded by weight and shape while egg quality was determined from shell thickness and yolk index. Irrespective of types of diets, layers consumed their ration. Those fed type A diets performed less than their contemporaries fed type B diets probably because of the latter's superior feed quality including balanced protein-energy ratio. Generally, fishmeal supplementation to the commercial feeds relatively improved egg lay and quality with optimum values recorded at CP level of 18.0%. Thereafter, increase in feed CP level relatively caused slight (sub groups A) or negligible (sub groups B) decline in egg lay and quality. Thus, control layers (A1, B1) laid 282 and 294 eggs at average weights of 56.9 and 60.3g and feed conversion values of 5.2 and 4.7 compared with egg numbers of 338 and 368 weighing 60.6 and 61.8g and feed conversion values of 4.1 and 3.7 (

The effect of feeding differently prepared breadfruit(artocarpus altilis) on the hematology, serum biochemistry, live and relative organ weights in Albino rats

No Abstract

Serological evidence of egg drop syndrome 1976 (Eds \'76) in laying chickens in South Eastern Nigeria

No Abstract.Nigerian Veterinary Journal Vol. 29 (2) 2008: pp. 37-4

Comparative studies on the haematological and serum biochemical changes in single and mixed Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma congolense infections in rabbits.

The haematological and serum biochemical changes were studied in rabbits infected with Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma congolense and mixed infection. Twenty male chinchilla x New Zealand white cross bred rabbits were divided into 4 groups (A – D) of 5 rabbits each with group A infected with T brucei, group B; infected with T congolense, group C infected with mixed T brucei and T congolese and D served as the uninfected control. The infection was well established by day 4 post-infection (PI). The infections led to decrease in packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and erythrocyte count and increased total leucocyte count. The T congolense infected group maintained higher PCV and Hb values than the T brucei only and mixed infected groups. The total leucocyte count increased significantly (p<0.05) following infection and on day 21 PI, the T brucei infected group was significantly (p<0.05) higher than other groups. However, the increase in leucocyte reversed from day 28 PI. There was decrease in mean creatinine levels with the T brucei infected group being significantly (p<0.05) lower than the control on days 14, 21 and 28 PI but did not differ significantly with mixed and T congolense only groups. The T brucei and T congolense infected groups had increased in mean urea values following infection and were significantly (p<0.05) higher than mixed and control groups on days 21 and 28 PI. The mean AST and ALT values increased in all infected groups following infection and on day 35 PI, the infected groups were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the control. The results showed variations in pathogenesis of trypanosome species in rabbits.Key words: rabbit, trypanosomes, pathogenesis, haematology, serum biochemical

Evaluation of rumen ingesta based-diet as alternative feed stuff for growing rabbits.

Trente lapins croisés (lapin blanc de la Nouvelle Zélande x race locale) ont été utilisés dans une expérimentation pour évaluer l\'effet des rations à base d\'ingesta du rumen sur la performance des lapins et sur les propriétés sensorielles de leur viande. Trois rations alimentaires: ingesta du rumen (RI) séchés au soleil ; aliment pour volaille sous forme de pâtée (GM) et un mélange de RI et de GM ( ratio 2:3 de RI /GM) ont été servies aux lapins. La consommation alimentaire, le gain de poids et la qualité de la carcasse ont fait l\'objet d\'évaluation. Il y avait une différence significative quant à la consommation alimentaire entre les lapins nourris de RI & GM et ceux nourris de GM (p < 0,05). Les lapins servis de RI & GM avaient un gain de poids nettement (