Higher National Veterinary School

This study investigated for the first time the diet diversity and composition of desert wall gecko (Tarentola deserti Boulenger, 1891) during different phenological phases and for sexes in an oasis of date palms located in the Algerian Sahara Desert. The diet was studied by analyzing prey fragments isolated from the feces of individuals captured and released into their natural habitat where food availability was also assessed to determine prey selectivity. The abundances of prey-species identified in the diet were used to exploit the variation in alpha diversity, beta diversity, rarefaction and interpolation curves, and prey electivity according to species phenological phases and sexes. The study of prey availability showed the presence of 67 species, whereas prey-species richness in species' diet was 33 prey-species classified into 3 classes, 10 orders and 24 families. Insects occupy a major portion in the species' diet, with 46.8% Blattodea, 30.9% Coleoptera and 7.4% Hymenoptera of the total abundance. Regardless of species sexes, Blattodea then Coleoptera were selected as preferred preys during all life-history phases, whereas Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, and Diptera were avoided. The variations of prey biodiversity parameters in the diet and prey selectivity between different phonological phases and sexes were not significant.

Caused by Toxoplasma gondii, toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease with global public health importance. This study is the first in Algeria to evaluate the presence of T. gondii in foetal myocardium of aborted goats. This was achieved through an integrated approach combining histopathological analysis and molecular detection specifically targeting the B1 gene of T. gondii. The study aimed to understand the dynamics of abortions in the goats of Djelfa, to refine the identification of risk factors. A total of 307 heart muscle samples were collected from aborted goats, from 36 goat farms in the province of Djelfa, in north-central Algeria, for molecular and histopathological analyses. T. gondii DNA was detected in 22.5% of the aborted foetuses and was associated with histopathological lesions caused by this parasite. Statistical analysis revealed a significant association between T. gondii infection and various risk factors, including primiparity, early stages of gestation, cold seasons, the presence of cats in the environment (P < 0.0001), the farming system (P < 0.009), and a history of abortion(P < 0.015). Histopathological examinations showed a majority infiltration of mononuclear cells 98.5%. Tissue cysts were rare (1.44%), and no myocardial fibrosis was detected. Further studies are necessary to better characterise the genetic diversity of T. gondii strains in Algerian goat farms and their role in abortions. Infection with T. gondii during the fetal period could contribute to economic losses in the studied region. A thorough analysis of aborted samples from different regions is essential to optimise epidemiological surveillance and food safety.

The first mention of Micrococcus silvestrii (Leonardi, 1907) in Algeria dates back to 1936, when Balachowsky reported receiving colonies from M. P. de Peyerimhoff, collected from Tapinoma sp. nests in the Djurdjura Mountains. However, the exact collection site was not specified, no other documentation since then has confirmed its presence. In this work, we confirm the presence of M. silvestrii in the Djurdjura National Park in north-central Algeria, and make the first mention of it in the north-western region, specifically in the Theniet El Had National Park. Myrmecological surveys conducted between January 2023 and February 2025 enabled manual identification of several colonies of M. silvestrii, in symbiosis with the ant Tapinoma simrothi Krausse, 1911, under large stones and on host plants of the Poaceae family. These observations confirm the insect's presence and its range extension in Algeria.

This study evaluated the influence of maternal factors (parturition number, ewe age, live weight, and body condition score) on the growth performance of Ouled Djellal lambs raised under semi- intensive production systems in northeastern Algeria. Data were collected from 2,605 lambs born between 2015 and 2021 and their 1,607 dams aged between one and ten years. The animals originated from three regions in northeastern Algeria: Constantine, Bordj Bou Arréridj, and Oum El Bouaghi. Body weights of lambs were recorded at birth and at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days of age (W30, W60, W90, W120), and average daily gains (ADG0–90, ADG90–120, ADG0–120) were calculated. General linear models were applied to examine the effects of maternal factors on lamb growth traits. Birth weight was not significantly affected by maternal factors, whereas significant differences in growth emerged during the pre-weaning period. Ewe live weight and body condition score showed consistent and strong effects (P<0.001), while ewe age and parturition number had more variable effects depending on their interaction with nutritional status. Lambs from heavier (> 60 kg) and better-conditioned ewes (body condition score ≥ 2.5) were generally heavier and grew faster in the pre-weaning period compared to those from lighter or thinner ewes. Interaction analyses revealed that maternal factors influenced growth performance not only independently but also in combination. The strongest effects were observed for the interaction between ewe live weight and body condition score, whereas the combined effects of age and parturition number were less pronounced. Most differences were significant during the pre-weaning period, while post-weaning growth showed reduced variation among groups. Overall, maternal nutritional status, reflected by ewe live weight and body condition score, was the principal factor affecting lamb growth, while ewe age and parturition number acted as secondary factors. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining adequate ewe condition before lambing and considering the combined effects of maternal traits to improve lamb performance and flock productivity under semi-arid conditions.

Seminal plasma biochemistry is a sensitive indicator of sperm responses to cold stress, yet its temporal and breed-specific dynamics in rabbits remain poorly defined. This study investigated temporal changes in key seminal plasma parameters of extended rabbit semen, including total proteins, albumin, cholesterol, triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) during 72 h of storage at 5°C, and their associations with sperm quality traits and oxidative stress biomarkers in New Zealand White (NZW) and Local Algerian Population (LAP) bucks. Eighteen semen pools (nine per breed) were analysed at 0, 4, 24, 48 and 72 h of storage. Distinct breed-specific responses were observed. The LAP bucks showed better resilience, with stable levels of total proteins and albumin, a smaller increase in triglycerides at 48 h (P<0.05) and a delayed significant decline in ASAT activity (48 vs. 4 h in NZW). In NZW, total protein accumulation correlated negatively with sperm quality, albumin and catalase, but positively with superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities (P<0.05). In LAP, ASAT activity correlated positively with sperm quality and albumin (P<0.05). Triglycerides emerged as a robust biomarker, showing consistent negative correlations with sperm quality traits in both breeds and with catalase activity when data from both breeds were pooled (P<0.05). Overall, proteins and ASAT acted as breed-specific indicators, whereas triglycerides represented a breed-independent marker of cold storage damage. These findings offer valuable insights for the development of improved semen diluents and could enhance semen analysis protocols during storage.