Dermatophytosis is one of the most common skin diseases in dogs caused by keratinophilic fungi of the family Arthrodermataceae.Dermatophytes of veterinary importance belong to genus Microsporum, Trichophyton and Epidermophyton.Lesser treatment options and frequent use of non-prescription antifungal drugs resulted in development of resistance to the commonly used drugs.The research was conducted to study the epidemiology of cases of localized canine dermatophytosis and to assess the antifungal sensitivity pattern of the isolated organisms.Animals tentatively diagnosed with dermatophytosis based on the presence of endothrix or ectothrix on trichogram were selected for the study.Occurrence rate of dermatophytosis was 17.66% during the study period.The dermatophytes isolated in the current study were Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum gypseum.The sensitivity pattern of the dermatophytes varied depending on the species isolated.Majority of the M. canis isolates were mainly sensitive to nystatin, M. gypseum to amphotericin B and T. mentagrophytes to itraconazole, whereas resistance was shown by all three isolates against fluconazole.Statistically significant difference was noticed in the culture results obtained on two different fungal specific medias viz, dermatophyte test medium and sabouraud dextrose agar.

Ethnoveterinary medicine focuses on the practical use of community or area based traditional and indigenous knowledge including the collection, preparation and administration of medicinal plants or plant parts for curing diseases of animals. Hydnocarpus pentandra is a plant endemic to South India which is traditionally known for the antileprotic activity of its seed oil. Diverse pharmacological activities of the plant extracts depend on the presence of its secondary metabolites. The present research was conducted to explore the phytochemical constituents present in the acetone solvent extract of the seeds of H. pentandra. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extract using colorimetric reactions revealed the presence of steroids, triterpenes, diterpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids and carbohydrates. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of different compounds which included paromomycin, D-streptamine, carnegine, 4-propyl acridine and R-limonene. The acetone extract could be considered as a potent source of new molecules with different pharmacological actions. Keywords: Hydnocarpus pentandra, phytochemical screening, secondary metabolites

Designer poultry eggs can be produced in various ways. In the present study chicken eggs were enriched with vitamin D3 and zinc by UVB (Ultra Violet Blue) light exposure (3 h/day) and dietary zinc supplementation (75 mg/kg) respectively. The study was conducted in thirty-two crossbred (White Leghorn N strain and Desi) layer birds. The trial was commenced from 29 weeks of age and conducted for 12 weeks. The current research work pointed out the enriching influence of UVB radiation and dietary zinc supplementation on concentration of vitamin D3 and zinc in eggs. Vitamin D3 and zinc concentrations in egg and serum were significantly higher (p<0.01) compared to the control group. UVB exposure and zinc supplementation also had a significant (p<0.01) impact on serum calcium and phosphorus levels. However, Liver enzyme activities of birds were not influenced either by UVB light exposure or by zinc supplementation. The dietary supplementation of hens with zinc is an effective approach to supply consumers with foods from animal sources that are enriched with zinc. Current findings showed that feeding of zinc supplemented diet to chickens offered a promising alternative to fortify egg with zinc. Furthermore, UVB light exposure would be a better choice for enhancing vitamin D3 content of eggs and to produce designer eggs enriched with vitamin D3. It increased the serum vitamin D3 level which was indicative of its transport from skin to ovaries after synthesis. The use of UVB exposure and zinc supplementation as an easy, cheap and safe procedure for producing dual enriched designer eggs with vitamin D3 and zinc is recommended as this would offer additional health benefits to consumers.

The thermal stress adversely affects crossbred dairy cattle production, especially in a hot, humid tropical state like Kerala. So, assessment of the intensity of stress and its relationship with the physiological alterations are crucial in adopting proper mitigation strategies to attain sustainable production. Hence this study was formulated to investigate the impact of heat stress on physio-biochemical parameters during early lactation of crossbred dairy cattle. The study comprised two sets of animals: six animals calved in month of December (control, season I) and six animals calved in the month of March (heat stressed,season II). Significant elevations (p < 0.05) in all the climatic and physiological parameters were noted in the second season. The heat stress did not result in significant differences (p > 0.05)in various blood and serum biochemical parameters such as potassium (K+), bicarbonate (HCO3−), calcium (Ca2+), phosphorus (P), Globulin, total erythrocyte count (TEC), Total leucocyte count (TLC), haemoglobin (Hb), the volume of packed red cells (VPRC), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glucose, β hydroxyl butyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and triglyceride (TG).Significant differences (p < 0.05) were noted in sodium (Na+) on day zero postpartum and chloride (Cl−)on day 45 postpartum. Furthermore, there was a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total protein, albumin, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) during heat stressed period while cortisol and partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) levels increased. This study also revealed a highly significant reduction (p < 0.01) in milk yield, indicating the animals maintained their positive energy balance at the expense of milk production during the study period.

The study was carried out to assess the impact of heat stress on dairy cows in late gestation and their newborn calves. Study was conducted in two phases in crossbred cattle during last trimester of pregnancy, maintained in University Livestock Farm and Fodder Research Development Scheme, Mannuthy, KVASU. December to February with minimum THI was taken as season 1 and March to May with maximum THI as season 2 of the study. Microclimatic data in the animal shed was recorded three times at three days intervals. The ambient temperature, relative humidity and THI obtained during season 2 was significantly (p<0.01) higher than season 1 in both macro and microclimatic data. Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2 ) was low in season 2 but there was no significant difference in potassium (K+), sodium (Na+), bicarbonate (HCO3 - ) and partial pressure of oxygen (pO2 ) between the seasons. Keywords: Heat stress in cattle, THI, blood gases, electrolytes, late gestation

The Indian industry is presently focussed in production of eggs that have higher or enriched levels of certain nutrients. These eggs are capable of safeguarding the health of consumers. Designer eggs have high market demand because of the consumers’ willingness to purchase designer eggs due to its’ nutritional qualities additional to regular eggs. Considering these facts the current study was planned to produce zinc enriched eggs by supplementing laying hens’ diet with required levels of zinc. The present study was conducted at the Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, for 12 weeks. A total of 28 week old thirty two laying hens, belonging to crossbred (White Leghorn N strain and Desi) housed in the animal house attached to the department were used in the experiment. The treatments of this study included a control diet (according to BIS, 2007) fed group and zinc-supplemented group. Each of the experimental treatments had four replicates with four birds with all standard managemental conditions. The functional liver status of birds was not altered due to zinc supplementation, since the present study neither caused any toxicity nor imparted any negative effect on the production performance. Highly significant effect was observed on serum concentration of zinc and calcium. However, the phosphorus levels of treated birds were not significantly different from the control group.

Background: Phytoestrogens are natural plant glucosides found primarily in legumes and grains. Phytoestrogens can interact with oestrogen receptors in the body either by mimicking or blocking the effects of oestrogen. Isoflavones are a major subclass of phytoestrogens and often comprise a substantial part of livestock feeds. This study was focused on the detection and quantification of free isoflavones especially genistein and daidzein in soy-based ingredients (soybeans, soybean meal and dried soy hypocotyl sprout) which are incorporated in the animal feed formulations. Methods and Results: The simultaneous determination of daidzein and genistein in soybeans, soybean meal and dried soy hypocotyl sprout was carried out using the analytical technique high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The limits of detection and quantitation were 4.81 and 14.59 µg/100 g for daidzein and 3.06 and 9.58 µg/100 g for genistein respectively. The precision of the procedure was 2.73 per cent for daidzein and 2.88 per cent for genistein. The average daidzein and genistein concentration levels were (239.16 ± 0.21 and 238.68 ± 0.27 µg/100g) for soybeans, (397.24 ± 0.64 µg/100g and 443.85 ± 0.62) for soybean meal, (551.03 ± 0.54 and 742.59 ± 0.76 µg/100g) for dried soy hypocotyl sprout. The mean recovery percentages for daidzein and genistein were 92.8 per cent and 93.66 per cent respectively. The findings indicated that all the soy-derived components examined contained isoflavones and dried soy hypocotyl sprouts possessed higher concentrations of both daidzein and genistein.

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant compounds, predominantly found in legumes and grains. They can bind to estrogen receptors in the body, either imitating or inhibiting the effects of oestrogen. This study aimed to detect and quantify free isoflavones, specifically genistein and daidzein, which are found in commonly used feed ingredients such as maize, soybean meal (SBM), de-oiled rice bran (DORB), groundnut cake (GNC), gingelly oil cake (GOC), dried fish and wheat bran, which are often included in livestock and poultry feed formulations. Feed ingredients commonly used in livestock feed mills were randomly selected from the market and analysed for daidzein and genistein levels using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at the Central Instruments Laboratory, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur. The average concentrations of daidzein varied from undetectable (UD) to 567.94 µg/100g, while genistein levels ranged from UD to 551.02 µg/100g across the various feed ingredients. The findings of this study revealed that soybean meal contained significantly higher levels of both daidzein and genistein compared to other ingredients used in livestock and poultry feed formulations. This study provides crucial data on the levels of phytoestrogens in common livestock feed ingredients, which can impact animal health and productivity. It is one of the first to comprehensively quantify isoflavones like genistein and daidzein across a wide range of feed ingredients, particularly in the context of animal nutrition. The findings can be used to optimise feed formulations, ensuring that phytoestrogen levels are managed to support the desired outcomes in livestock and poultry production.

Nutritionists have recently been involved in enriching or altering the nutritional profile of poultry products, such as meat and eggs, in relation to increased consumer interest in the nutritional value of foods. Newer technologies like development of designer eggs were exploited beyond their traditional food value. Designer eggs are those that have modified contents from standard egg according to the consumers’ preference or according to current market demand. The present study to evaluate the influence of vitamin D3 enrichment by UVB radiation and dietary zinc supplementation on egg production and feed consumption in layer birds was conducted at Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, for a period of 12 weeks from 01 February 2020 to 01 May 2020. A total of sixty-four laying hens, belonging to crossbred (White Leghorn N strain and Desi) housed in animal house attached to the department were used in the experiment. The treatments of this study included a control diet (according to BIS 2007) fed group (group I), a group with zinc supplementation alone (group II), a group with UVB exposure without zinc supplementation (group III) and a group with both UVB exposure and zinc supplementation (group IV). The four treatments were tested in 28-week-old crossbred hens in a completely randomised experimental design. Each of the experimental treatments had four replicates with four birds with all standard managemental conditions. The statistical analysis showed that egg production was not significantly affected by UVB light exposure and dietary zinc supplementation. However, the effect of UVB exposure and zinc supplementation via feed was highly significant (p≤0.01) for feed consumption. The highest overall mean feed intake (113.18±0.14 g/day) was recorded with those birds exposed to UVB and fed with inorganic zinc. While the lowest value (107.17±0.24 g/day) was recorded in group of birds fed with zinc supplementation in diet without UVB exposure. As a future prospective we can study the egg production rate and feed consumption rate in layer chicken that are intended for different types of designer egg production.

Dairy cows undergoing the transition phase often face nutritional challenges, impacting their antioxidant status and lactational performance. To address these challenges, the incorporation of rumen-protected methionine and lysine in the diet has emerged as a strategic intervention.Twelve crossbred cows inthe transition period were randomly divided into two groups of six animals. The control group and treatment group were fed with a standard diet (ICAR, 2013) while the treatment group was supplemented with rumen-protected methionine and lysine. Throughout the trial period, all the animals were subjected to consistent management and feeding conditions.Glutathione peroxide(GPx)levels exhibited a statistically significant difference between groups, with the treatment consistently showing higher GPx levels, indicating an improvement in antioxidant capacity, where it helps regulate systemic oxidative stress.The recorded milk yield data was utilized to compute the daily milk production for each individual for the experimental period. Milk yield remained unaffected, but the treatment group consistently exhibited higher milk yield, suggesting positive influences on postpartum lactation performance. Keywords: Rumen-protectedmethionine, rumen-protectedlysine,transition period, antioxidant status

This experiment was conducted to assess the effect of soy isoflavones (daidzein and genistein) on oestradiol concentration in the blood plasma of layer chicken. Group I birds were fed with regular standard maize-soybean meal based diet as per BIS 2007 specification containing 22.5% soybean meal, group II with standard layer diet without soybean meal (BIS, 2007) and group III was supplemented with soy isoflavones enriched diet (0.5 g dried hypocotyl sprout of soybean 100 g-1 feed) for a period of 56 days. The levels of free isoflavones in soybean meal and blood plasma derived through beta-glucuronidase treatment were quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique. The genistein levels were 2.89 +/- 0.02, 1.84 +/- 0.13, and 3.25 +/- 0.04 mu g g-1, while daidzein levels were 1.15 +/- 0.26, 0.20 +/- 0.03, and 2.40 +/- 0.09 mu g g-1, respectively, in feeds of groups I, II, and III. The mean genistein and daidzein content in blood plasma was found higher for group III birds compared to other two treatment groups. After feeding trial, plasma concentration of oestradiol 17 beta was estimated by using radioimmune assay (RIA) technique which was found higher for group II (673.45 +/- 7.69 pg mL-1) as compared to the group I (979.21 +/- 12.57 pg mL-1) and III (314.23 +/- 6.34 pg mL-1). The study showed that the higher amount of isoflavones in feed could lower endogenous production of oestradiol from ovaries.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the alterations in oxidative stress parameters in dogs suffering from haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE). Dogs presented with vomiting and diarrhoea were screened and fifteen animals with signs suggestive of HGE were included in the study. The oxidative stress parameters, serummalondialdehyde (MDA) level, total antioxidant status (TAS) and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were studied. The values were compared with the values from six apparently healthy dogs. A significant increase was noticed in the mean values of serum MDA and TAS of diseased animals at the time of presentation when compared to healthy animals whereas the activity of plasma GSH-Px was found to be lower than in healthy dogs. Supplementation with N-acetyl cysteine @ 70 mg/kg or five days was found effective in managing the oxidative injury in the affected animals.

The objective of the present study was to detect and quantify the level of isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) in different chicken feeds which were formulated based on BIS standards 2007. Six samples of chick mash, chicken grower and chicken breeder feeds used for analysis were procured from poultry feed mills and the samples were incubated with β-glucuronidase for better detection of different isoflavone aglycones and metabolites. The extracted isoflavones were purified by C18 solid phase extraction and analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The mobile phase composition, gradient elution programme and injected volume were optimised for separation efficiency and sensitivity. It is an accurate and precise analytical methodology which shows good reproducibility and can be easily adapted to detect isoflavones.The average genistein concentrations were 279.85 ± 1.30, 84.48±1.97 and 148.26 ± 1.64 µg/100 g in chick mash, chicken grower and chicken breeder respectively. However, the average daidzein concentration was in 276.29 ± 1.57 µg/100 g chick mash, 51.67±1.11 g/100 g in chick grower and 153.16 ± 1.21 µg/100 g in chick breeder. The findings indicated that the concentration of genistein and daidzein in the feeds was positively correlated with the level of soybean in the feed since it is the predominant source of isoflavones.

The objective of this study was to identify polymorphisms in chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 9 (CHD9) gene and assess its potential impact on body weight and conformation traits within the Malabari and Attappady Black goat breeds in Kerala. Significant differences were observed in adult body weights, height at withers and chest girths between the Malabari and Attappady Black breeds. Genotyping using High-Resolution Melting (HRM) revealed AA, GG and AG genotypes of CHD9. The highest frequency of AA genotype was observed in both breeds. Both Malabari and Attappady black breeds were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Notably, the genotypic patterns of CHD9 did not exert a significant effect on body weight or other conformation traits in either breed.

The present study was undertaken to analyse the differences in the microRNA (miRNA) expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenged and unchallenged peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of cattle. The research work was carried out in adult apparently healthy female crossbred cattle maintained at the University Livestock Farm and Fodder Research and Development Scheme, Mannuthy. The expression of miRNA and bta-miR-93 was profiled in the present study by qRT-PCR assay. In silico analysis was done using various online bioinformatic tools for the prediction of target genes, gene ontology analysis and also to study the cellular pathways associated to the target genes of bta-miR-93. The expression analysis of bta-miR- 93 showed decrease in its expression in LPS treated PBMCs when compared to control cells. Besides, significant enrichment of target genes of bta-miR-93 was noticed in many immune-related GO terms and in critical immune-associated cellular pathways. The findings of the current study will help in understanding the regulatory role of bta-miR-93 in LPS-mediated immune responses in cattle.

The body needs vitamin D3 for a number of metabolic processes, such as healthy bone development, calcium phosphate absorption, and immune system stimulation.This study investigated the impact of UVB exposure (3 hours per day) on the levels of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D3 in the serum of crossbred (White Leghorn N strain and Desi) layer chickens from 29 to 40 weeks of age.In order to achieve optimal UVB light exposure on the featherless skin of bird feet, a 60 cm long, 240 V, 50 Hz, and 36 W UVB tube outfitted with a heat protection reflector was positioned in the lower front area of the cages at a distance of 20 cm.The mean vitamin D3 concentration in the serum of UVB exposed birds was 13.38±0.41ng/mL which was significantly higher (p<0.01)than that of the unexposed group of birds with a mean serum vitamin D3 concentration of 5.25±0.68ng/mL.At the same time, UVB exposure also had a significant (p<0.01)impact on serum calcium and phosphorus levels which were 16.13±0.16mg/dL and 5.22±0.36mg/dL respectively.However, during the experimental period, the serum calcium and phosphorus levels of the control birds were considerably (p<0.01)lower than those of the UVB exposed birds.In a nutshell, the serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D3 in layer chickens are significantly influenced by UVB exposure.

Introduction: Selenium (Se) is a trace element that has role as an antioxidant in acute stress like; systemic inflammatory responses or trauma. Literature shows positive correlation between low serum Se levels and bronchial asthma. Aim: To determine the level of serum Selenium (Se) in bronchial asthma and to compare the Se levels with the age-matched control group without asthma. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Departments of Physiology and Pulmonary Medicine of a Government Tertiary-care Hospital in Kerala, from November 2021 to March 2022. A total of 24 patients of Bronchial Asthma, between 20-55 years of age and 24 age-matched controls were selected. Serum Se levels were estimated in cases and controls, using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). Statistical analysis of the data was done using unpaired sample t-test and correlation was tested with Chi-square test, using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27.0. Results: Serum Se levels of 24 patients with Bronchial asthma, aged between 25-55 years and the Se levels in the age-matched controls were obtained. The mean Se level in the study group was (67.21±39.57 ngm/L) significantly lower (p-value was 0.0001) than that of the control (108.38±19.22 ngm/L). The mean age was 39 years±10.8 years. Out of them, 40% were females and the remaining 60% were males. The severity of Asthma ranged between mild persistent asthma to moderate asthma. And the mean duration of asthma was 5.59 years. Conclusion: Serum Se in adult bronchial asthma patients aged between 20 years to 55 years, with mild to moderate severity was significantly lower than that in the control group