Volume 1, No. 3, 2012

Abstract
A solid phase residual binding progesterone enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for determination of ovulation time in bitches was developed using polyclonal antibodies against progesterone-BSA and progesterone-3-CMO-HRPO conjugate. The assay was optimized with 1:100 dilution of progesterone polyclonal antibody, 1:1000 dilution of progesterone -3-CMO HRPO conjugate and 1:10 dilution of serum samples. Validation of the developed assay for its sensitivity, specificity and accuracy by comparing it with vaginoscopy showed an overall agreement of 97 per cent between EIA and vaginoscopy. The diagnostic sensitivity of the progesterone EIA in predicting the preovulatory, ovulatory and post ovulatory periods were 96.42, 91.66 and 100 per cent respectively. The diagnostic specificity of the assay was 100 per cent. Comparison of the developed EIA with Chemiluminescence assay (CIA) gave a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.92.
Keywords: Bitches, ELISA, Ovulation timing, Progesterone assay

Abstract
A survey followed by in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out to enhance rumen microbial protein synthesis in low milk yielding cattle under sugarcane tops based feeding system without altering the quantity of forage / feed ingredients. The survey revealed that majority of farmers fed the sugarcane tops twice daily during morning and evening and supplemented with groundnut cake at forenoon and evening along with de-oiled rice bran in drinking water. The half time (t1/2) of organic matter and nitrogen determined by in vitro for sugarcane tops were 29 ? 2 and 40 ? 6 hour, respectively. The respective t1/2 time of organic matter and nitrogen for the commonly fed supplemental feeds viz., groundnut cake and de-oiled rice bran were 7 ? 1 and 9 ? 1 and 8 ? 0 and 7 ? 1 hour, respectively. Altering the feeding strategy based on t1/2 value of organic matter and nitrogen sources did not increased the rumen microbial protein yield by in vitro / in vivo experiments. Hence, it was recommended to adopt farmers feeding strategy in sugarcane tops based feeding system.
Keywords: Feeding time, Microbial protein synthesis, Purine derivatives excretion, Rumen degradability, Sugarcane tops

Abstract
With the intention to determine effects of different metals on growth of bacteria that were previously identified as heavy metal resistant, total six bacterial samples were selected, repurified and reidentified from the bacterial isolates. Different morphological and biochemical tests were performed that differentiated bacteria into two genera i.e. Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. Bacteria was grown at pH 7 and temp of 37ºC up to incubation time of 96 hours. Three metals (Na+, Ca2+, Zn2+) were used with concentrations ranged between 25-200 mg/ml. It was found that as the concentrations of metals increased, growth of Bacillus and Pseudomonas spp. firstly increased and then decreased in case of all selected metals. Lowest growth occurred at 200 mg/ml of metal concentration. Optical density at 600 nm was considered as a measure of growth of bacteria. As growth increased, optical density increased and vice versa. Na+1 was found to have a more negative effect on growth of bacterial isolates as compared to other two metals that is, Ca2+, Zn2+. Bacillus sp. under investigation was found to be more resistant to these metals as compared to Pseudomonas sp. Both bacterial isolates showed their maximum growth after 72 hours of incubation in most of the cases, afterwards growth decreased. Decreasing resistance pattern for both of bacterial species was as follows; Ca2+ > Zn2+ > Na+. The findings revealed the potential application of Bacillus and Pseudomonas spp. for the removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewaters under the conditions where salts of Sodium, Zinc and Calcium are present.
Keywords: Bacillus, Metal effect, Optical density, Pseudomona

Abstract
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sajor caju) against aflatoxicosis in straight run broiler chicken (Vencob strain). Liver damage was assessed by quantifying the levels of serum proteins, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and antioxidant profile which included lipid peroxidation, Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Superoxide dismutase levels (SOD) supported by gross and histopathological examination. Aflatoxin administration at 1 ppm level resulted in increase in serum ALT and AST, decrease in serum proteins, increase in lipid peroxidation and decrease in GPx and SOD levels with varying degrees of liver damage ranging from macrovesicular degeneration of hepatocytes to bile duct hyperplasia. Oyster mushroom (1%, 2.5% and 5% levels) produced dose dependant improvement in all the parameters studied indicating hepatoprotective effect.
Keywords: Aflatoxin, Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Oyster mushroom, Pleurotus sajor caju

Abstract
To study the effect of copper supplementation on the growth performance and carcass traits of coloured meat type birds, 40, 10 week old birds were randomly divided into two groups of 20 (Five replicate of four birds each) each on the basis of body weight as per complete randomized design (CRD). One of the groups was fed the basal diet and served as control (T1), while the similar diet was supplemented with 125 ppm of copper through copper sulphate penta-hydrate in group T2. The results revealed that the copper supplementation had positive effect on body weight gain, but the carcass traits remained comparable between both the groups when supplemented through its inorganic source that is Copper sulphate.
Keywords: Broiler, Carcass traits, Copper, Growth

Abstract
A retrospective study on the incidence of gastrointestinal obstructive disorders was carried out on 72 bovine admitted for to the Teaching Veterinary Hospital at Namakkal, Tamilnadu. The incidence was divided into two category viz. stomach obstruction (rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum) and intestinal obstruction and expressed as percentage. The percentage of incidence was higher in Jersey, female cattle than other breeds, male cattle and buffaloes. The percentage of stomach obstruction was more in non pregnant animals whereas the percentage was equal among pregnant and non pregnant animals in intestinal obstruction. The incidence of stomach as well as intestinal obstruction was higher in adult animals which were above 5 years of age, whereas in heifers the incidence of stomach obstruction was more in animals below 2 years of age. However, intestinal obstruction was more in animas above 2 years of age. The season has no significant effect on the incidence of gastrointestinal obstructive disorders.
Keywords: Buffaloes, Bovine, Incidence, Stomach and intestinal obstructions

Abstract
The present study investigated the occurrence of an autosomal recessive genetic disease, Bovine Citrullinaemia caused by mutation in Argininosuccinate Synthase (ASS) gene, in Indian Holstein cattle. The Polymerase chain reaction-Restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was performed on a group of 120 Holstein bulls to identify carrier (heterozygous) animals. Two out of 120 (1.67%) animals were found carrier for Bovine Citrullinaemia. The gene and genotype frequency of recessive allele was estimated 0.0083 and 0.0167 in the 120 samples respectively. It is possible that these could be descendant of LMKK bull as Holstein bulls and frozen semen doses were imported in past for crossbreeding programmes in India. It is therefore, strongly recommended to screen breeding bulls for their breed specific genetic diseases before they are inducted in Artificial Insemination programme, to minimize the risk in future Holstein breeding bulls.
Keywords: Citrullinaemia, DNA, Genetic diseases, Holstein cattle, PCR-RFLP