Cysticercus Tenuicollis in Visceral Organs of Goats and Sheep in Uganda: A Case Study in Lira Municipal Abattoir

Cysticercus tenuicollis is a metacestode stage of Taenia hydatigena residing in the visceral organs of small ruminants and its effects cause economic losses due to condemnation of visceral organs in slaughterhouses. This study reports on the prevalence of Cysticercus tenuicollis in small ruminants slaughtered in Lira Municipal Abattoir. A total of 70 sheep and 70 goats were sampled and examined after slaughter for the presence of Cysticercus tenuicollis in the visceral organs using standard meat inspection procedures. An abattoir data collection sheet was used to record data, which was then analysed in SPSS version 20. The study revealed 51.4% of goats and 68.6% of sheep to be infested with Cysticercus tenuicollis. Following the district of origin for the small ruminants, Otuke district had the highest prevalence of the parasite (82.6%), followed by Kole (72.4%), Alebtong (66.7%), Apac (59.4%) and Lira (31.4%). Cysticercus tenuicollis was more frequently seen in the intestines (57.8%) of sheep and goats than in any other visceral organs. The liver had a prevalence of 20.7%, the lungs 17.8%, the kidneys 3.5% and the fetal sac;(15.7%) in goats and (12.9%) in sheep. Cysticercus tenuicollis was detected in 68.8% of females and 58.8% of male small ruminants. It is recommended to routinely deworm goats and sheep by farmers most especially in districts with the highest prevalence of Cysticercus tenuicollis infestation. The sale of the condemned parts of sheep and goats and the feeding of dogs on these contaminated materials should be stopped forthwith. It is also being suggested that a national study be carried out to determine the prevalence and economic impact of Cysticercus tenuicollis in small ruminants.

Effects of Antimicrobial Peptides on Production,Slaughter Performance and Blood Routine of Tan Sheep

[Objectives]This study was conducted to analyze effects of antimicrobial peptides added to the diet of Tan sheep on their production, slaughter performance and blood composition. [Methods] Ninety two four-month-old Tan sheep were randomly divided into two treatment groups according to their body weight, 46 in each group. The control check group(CK) was feed with conventional diet, and the experimental group was fed with the addition of antimicrobial peptide on the basis of the conventional diet, with the added amount of 2.5 g/sheep per day. The experimental period was 60 d. [Results] The incidence rate was 75.06% lower in the experimental group than in the CK. The average daily weight gain per sheep was 11.27% higher in the experimental group than in the CK(P<0.05). The feed conversion ratio was 8.45% lower in the experimental group than in the CK(P<0.05). The average daily gross profit per sheep was 12.12% higher in the experimental group than in the CK. For slaughter performance, the data difference of each item was not significant. The PH at 45 min and 24 h after slaughter was within the normal range of fresh mutton. The cooked meat percentage and water loss rate showed no significant differences(P>0.05). The marbling ranged from 2.45 to 2.50, indicating that the fat content was moderate, and the difference between groups was not significant(P>0.05). The flesh color ranged from 3.00 to 3.15, between light red and bright red, belonging to the normal color of mutton, and the difference between groups was not significant(P>0.05). The shear force was between 2.50 and 2.65, without a significant difference between groups(P>0.05). The white blood cells, lymphocytes and platelets in the experimental group were lower than those in the CK(P<0.01). The erythrocytes and hemoglobin in the erythrocyte group were higher than those in the CK(P<0.05). The neutrophils and monocytes in the experimental group were lower than those in the CK(P<0.05). [Conclusions] This study provides a technical basis for the rational use of antimicrobial peptides and their application in ruminants.

Leveraging on Flock Dynamics and Farmers’ Production Constraints in Designing Flock Health Program for Accelerated Goat Production

Compliance with appropriate flock health program is vital for preventing introduction and minimizing impact of diseases in goat farms. Unfortunately, most goat farms in Uganda, especially in the Albertine Graben Zone lack flock health program. The associated frequent outbreaks slow down effort aimed at commercializing goat production. In this study, we documented flock dynamics, identified and prioritized pressing challenges experienced by goat farms during the year 2022 and generated appropriate flock health program and packaged it for dissemination to farmers. Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, semi-structured questionnaire, data were collected and analyzed with MS Excel 2013. The data included: location and socio-demographics of household, farming system, flock dynamics, housing, feeding system, health management, challenges encountered by goat farm and suggested solutions. Results: Beginning January 2022 to December 2022, the number of goats reared in all the 45 sample farms increased from 2128 to 2220 goats. Results showed that 884 kids were produced and 88 breeding goats were introduced into the farms. Three hundred ninety-nine goats died due to mainly diseases and 435 goats got withdrawn through nondeath. The average farm level and overall mortality rate were 21 goats per 1000 goatmonths and 15 goats per 1000 goatmonths respectively. The most pressing challenges encountered by sample farms were death of goats especially due to diseases, poor access to veterinary extension services, high cost of inputs and feed scarcity. Solutions suggested by sample farms were improved access to veterinary services, improved housing, enhanced vaccination of goats against diseases, and enhanced grazing land management and feed conservation, all of which were incorporated into the flock health program. Conclusion and Recommendations: An appropriate flock health program was generated based on flock dynamics and production constraints which reveal high mortality and limited access to veterinary services respectively. Actors are recommended to promote adoption and adherence to the flock health program so as to increase goat production and access to wider market.

The Importance of Fiber Production for Conservation of Native Sheep and Goat Breeds and Silkworm Lines in Turkey

In Turkey, studies devoted to conservation of animal genetic resources are carried out by general directorate of agricultural research （TAGEM） under the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock. There are 9 sheep and 3 goat breeds and 3 silkworm lines which produce animal fiber have been put under conservation by TAGEM since 1996. A considerable amount of these genotypcs are preserved as in situ. The success of this conservation method is directly associated with economically making the best of these genotypes which are preserved. Hence, making the most of fiber production alongside meat and milk production would make a great contribution to their conservation. For this purpose, determining production biology of mohair and textile features of Ankara goats at present, determining all features of traditional items （especially handicrafts） made of fibers obtained from these breeds and lines which have been put under protection and creating new usage areas have been issues worked upon. Along with this, in recent years, just as the world, especially EU countries, interests and studies for issues such as organic animal fiber production, rural development and geographical indications have been increasing in Turkey, as well. In the near future, this situation is supposed to have a great effect on increasing of animal fiber production in a positive way, too. Hence, to benefit more effectively from fibers obtained from these breeds which have been put under protection will make a great contribution to be protected by breeders. For this purpose, there will be studies in the near future devoted to determining production biology of fiber and determining features of textile in breeds and lines and increasing the consumption of products to be obtained from these fibers as well as Ankara goats. Therefore, in this article, it was emphasized on the more efficient of ways to be benefited from fiber production in these breeds and lines under protected.

Effect of Pelleted Total Mixed Ration on Production Performance and Serum Biochemical Index of Growing Hainan Black Goats

[Objective] The paper was to investigate effects of pelleted total mixed ration on production performance and serum biochemical index of growing Hainan black goats.[Method] Twenty-four growing Hainan black goats with the same genetic backgrounds and similar initial weight of(10.05±0.049) kg were randomly assigned into two treatments, and supplied with Juncao + concentrate(control group), pelleted total mixed ration(experimental group), respectively. The trial lasted 50 d.[Result] The final weight, daily gain and feed intake of experimental group were significantly higher than those of control group(P<0.05), but the feed/gain ratio of experimental group was markedly lower than that of control group(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the gross profit of experimental group significantly increased( P <0.05).[Conclusion] Pelleted total mixed ration led to better production performance of growing Hainan black goat.

Gait analysis in swine,sheep,and goats after neurologic injury:a literature review

Medical research on neurologic ailments requires representative animal models to validate treatments before they are translated to human clinical trials.Rodents are the predominant animal model used in neurological research despite limited anatomic and physiologic similarities to humans.As a result,functional testing designed to assess locomotor recovery after neurologic impairment is well established in rodent models.Comparatively,large r,more clinically relevant models have not been as well studied.To achieve similar locomotor testing standardization in larger animals,the models must be accessible to a wide array of researchers.Non-human primates are the most relevant animal model fo r translational research,however ethical and financial barriers limit their accessibility.This review focuses on swine,sheep,and goats as large animal alternatives for transitional studies between rodents and non-human primates.The objective of this review is to compare motor testing and data collection methods used in swine,sheep,and goats to encourage testing standardization in these larger animal models.The PubMed database was analyzed by searching combinations of swine,sheep,and goats,neurologic injuries,and functional assessments.Findings were categorized by animal model,data collection method,and assessment design.Swine and sheep were used in the majority of the studies,while only two studies were found using goats.The functional assessments included open pen analysis,treadmill walking,and guided free walking.Data collection methods included subjective behavioral rating scales and objective tools such as pressure-sensitive mats and image-based analysis software.Overall,swine and sheep were well-suited for a variety of assessment designs,with treadmill walking and guided free walking offering the most consistency across multiple trials.Data collection methods varied,but image-based gait analysis software provided the most robust analysis.Future studies should be conducted to standardize functional testing methods after neurologic impairment in large animals.

Effect of Pelleted Total Mixed Ration of Different Particle Sizes on Production Performance and Serum Biochemical Index of Fattening Hainan Black Goats

[Objective] The paper to investigate the effects of pelleted total mixed ration of different particle size on production performance and serum biochemical index of fattening Hainan black goats.[Method] Thirty-six fattening Hainan black goats with the same genetic backgrounds and similar initial weight of(19.02±0.22) kg were randomly divided into three treatments. Goats were fed with Juncao+concentrate(control group), pel-leted total mixed ration I(particle size 6 mm, experimental group I) and II(particle size 5 mm, experimental group II), respectively. The trial lasted 45 d.[Result](1) The final weight and daily gain of experimental group II were significantly higher than those of control group( P<0.05), and the daily gain of experimental group II was also higher than that of experimental group I(P<0.05);the feed intake of experimental group II was markedly higher than that of control group(P<0.05), but was significantly lower than that of experimental group I(P<0.05). The feed/gain ratio of experimental group II was significantly lower than those of control group and experimental group I(P<0.05).(2) The feed gain cost of experimental group II was markedly lower than that of control group(P<0.05), but the gross profit was significantly higher than those of control group and experimental group I(P<0.05).(3) Compared with the control group, the serum total protein content of experimental group II increased markedly( P<0.05) while the urea nitrogen level decreased(P>0.05).[Conclusion] The pelleted total mixed ration with the particle size of 5 mm obtained better fattening ef-fect, and obviously improved the serum total protein level.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of goat ovaries, follicles and oocytes in view of in vitro production of embryos

Goat ovaries were collected from the slaughterhouse and categorized as right, left, corpus luteum （CL）-present and -absent group and evaluated on the basis of weight （g）, length （cm）, width （cm）, number of follicles, follicles aspirated and number and state ofcumulus-oocyte-complexes （COCs）. Comparatively higher weight [（0.66±0.02） vs （0.64±0.02） g], length [（1.17±0.02） vs （1.1 ±0.02） cm] and width [（0.77±0.02） vs （0.74±0.02） cm] were found in right ovaries than those of left. On the other hand significantly （P〈0.05） higher weight [（0.71±0.03） vs （0.64±0.01） g] and width [（0.76±0.03） vs （0.75±0.01） cm] were found in CL-present group than those of CL-absent group of ovaries. The left ovaries contained comparatively higher number of normal COCs [（1.06±0.09） per ovary] than fight ovaries [（1.03±0.10） per ovary] and the similar trend was found in total number of follicles [（4.51±0.25） vs （4.30±0.23） per ovary] and follicles aspirated [（2.55±0.14） vs （2.52±0.12） per ovary]. But the total COCs per ovary was almost similar in both ovaries [right and left： （1.85±0.12） and （1.85±0.11） per ovary, respectively]. Higher number of total COCs [（1.87±0.09） vs （1.76±0.16） per ovary], total number of follicles [（4.45±0.19） vs （4.16±0.37） per ovary], follicles aspirated [（2.55±0.10） vs （2.48±0.21） per ovary] and normal COCs [（1.12±0.07） vs （0.76±0.14） per ovary] were found in CL-absent group than those of CL-present group of ovaries.

Etiological Agent, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Treatment, Measures for Prevention and Control of Caseous Lymphadenitis Disease in the Small Ruminants with Special Reference to Sheep

Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (C. pseudotuberculosis) that is transmitted mainly by contact with contaminated exudate wounds. Caseous lymphadenitis affects different species of animals and is considered an occupational zoonotic disease. CL is responsible for important economic losses in the small ruminant industry, which include decreased production, damaged quality of milk and wool, reproductive disorders, total or partial confiscation of carcasses, and depreciation of the skin. Caseous lymphadenitis disease can present in two clinical pictures: a skin or superficial picture and a visceral or deep picture. The presumptive diagnosis of CL in the skin is based on the exploration of superficial lymph nodes. These have little value in diagnosing visceral CL, where the main sign is emaciation. The prevention and control of CL involve identifying the skin condition and debriding the abscesses. In addition to the treatment of superficial lesions, the animal facilities must be repaired and adapted. To avoid exposure of negative herds to CL, new animals must be subjected to observation to identify any of the clinical manifestations. Another form of control is vaccination, though only some countries have commercial vaccines. General information on the etiological agent and its characteristics can be used to improve the understanding of this disease.

Sheep Production Systems and Breeding Practices for Selected Zones of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

A study was undertaken to identify the production system, breeding practices and major production constraints of common Tigray highland sheep in 16 rural kebelles from eight districts of Tigray Regional State. A total of 480 households (30 households for each rural kebelle) were selected purposively to collect data through personal observations and a detailed structured questionnaire. Mixed crop-livestock production system was the dominant farming system in all the study districts. The farmers kept a variety of livestock species including sheep, goats, cattle, chickens horse, donkeys and bee colony. Sheep, principally as source of income, meat for home consumption, production of manure and for socio cultural purposes, are commonly herded with other species in the open grazing fields by young boys in a family. Mating was generally uncontrolled. Body size, growth rate and adaptability were the major traits in selecting rams, whereas ewes were selected based on body size, twining ability and lambing interval. Majority of sheep across all districts are housed in structures known as Gebella which is built from stone and mud wall and tree/corrugated iron sheet roofing separated from the main family house. The major constraints hampering sheep production in the study areas were feed shortage (0.25), lack of capital (0.24), insufficient veterinary services (0.2), limited grazing land (0.2), water scarcity (0.06) and predators (0.05) with index value indicated in parenthesis. In order to improve the productivity of sheep, it is important to involve farmers and other stockholders in addressing these constraints and designing breed improvement interventions, considering the overall farming and breeding practice of smallholders.

Effect of Pelleted Total Mixed Ration with Different Concentrate-roughage Ratios on Production Performance and Serum Biochemical Parameters of Fattening Hainan Black Goats

[Objective] This paper was to study effects of pelleted total mixed ration with different concentrate-roughage ratios on production performance and serum biochemical parameters of fattening Hainan black goats.[Method] Thirty-six fattening Hainan black goats with the same genetic background and similar initial weight of(14.08±0.13) kg were randomly assigned into three treatments. Goats were fed with Juncao + concentrate(control group), pelleted total mixed ration I(concentrate: roughage 50 ∶50, group Ⅰ) and Ⅱ(concentrate: roughage 45∶55, group Ⅱ), respectively. The test lasted 45 d.[Result] The final weight, daily gain and feed intake of rams in experimental group Ⅰ were significantly higher than those of control group and experimental group Ⅱ(P<0.05);the final weight and daily gain of rams in experimental group Ⅰ were also markedly higher than those of experimental group Ⅱ(P<0.05);the feed/gain of rams in experimental group Ⅰ was significantly lower than those in control group and experimental group Ⅱ(P<0.05). The feed gain cost of rams in experimental group Ⅰ was markedly lower than that in experimental group Ⅱ( P<0.05), but was significantly higher than that in experimental group Ⅰ(P<0.05);the gross profit of rams in experimental group Ⅰ was significantly higher than those in control group and experimental group Ⅱ(P<0.05). Compared with control group and experimental group Ⅱ, the serum total protein and glucose lev-els in experimental group Ⅱ increased significantly(P<0.05), but the urea nitrogen content reduced(P>0.05).[Conclusion] When the concentrateroughage ratio of pelleted total mixed ration was 50∶50, the fattening effect of Hainan black goat was better, and the serum total protein and glucose levels were evidently improved.

Heat Production Partition in Sheep Fed above Maintenance from Indirect Calorimetry Data

The objective of this study is to compare the partition of heat energy (HE) in two sheep breeds by indirect calorimetry and integral calculus. An experiment was conducted with two Spanish native sheep breeds (dry and non-pregnant) which were fed with pelleted mixed diets above maintenance. Six Guirras and six Manchegas breed sheep were selected (58.8 ± 3.1 and 60.2 ± 3.2 kg body weight, respectively). All sheep were fed with the same concentrate mixed ration (0.300 kg cereal straw as forage and 0.700 kg concentrate) in two meals. Half the daily ration was offered at 800 h and another half at 1600 h. The sheep had free access to water. Sheep were allocated in metabolic cages;energy balance and gas exchange were assessed in each sheep. The statistical analyses included the fixed effect of breed and random effect of sheep. The metabolic energy (ME) for maintenance represented 69% of the total ME intake and the average was 354 kJ per kg of metabolic body weight (kg0.75 BW) on average. The basal metabolism (HeE) was greater (P < 0.05) in Guirra than Manchega breed (270 ± 18 vs. 247 ± 15 kJ/kg0.75 BW and day). As sheep were fed with above maintenance, the retained energy in the body accounted for 22% of the ME intake and 77% of the ME intake was lost as heat. 51% of the MEI was converted to HeE;5% was lost as physical activity of standing and lying down (HjE), and 13% was associated with the process of feeding and work of digestion and metabolism (HdE). Within HdE, 47% represented the cost of intake and feeding and 54% the cost of digestion and metabolism. No differences in HE partition between breeds were found, although Guirra breed showed less efficiency of energy retention than Manchega breed. Therefore, this study demonstrated a tentative approach of partitioning HE, combining indirect calorimetry and integral calculus.

Handling and Hygienic Production Practices of Goat Milk in Degahbur District of Jarar Zone, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess handling and hygienic production practices of goat milk in Degahbur district of Jarar zone, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia. A total of 120 households were purposively selected for this study using a stratified sampling technique. The data were collected through the questionnaire, field observations, key informants interview and focus group discussions. The study showed that majority of the sampled households were illiterate. The goats were kept in an open kraal made of thorny acacia trees on an earthen floor that had no roof. The goats were milked inside these open kraals, and were sometimes contaminated with muck and animal dung mainly the rainy season which could raise the possibility of milk contamination & spoilage. Moreover, traditional hand milking was the only milking method and majority of the respondents didn’t wash their hands and the udder of the animal before milking, indicating low community awareness and knowledge of sanitary milk production procedures. Plastic equipment which is difficult to clean and can increase milk contamination and spoilage was used. About 43.3% of the pastoralists and 76.67% of the agro-pastoralists were cleaning milk vessels regularly. The most often used plant species for smoking milk handling equipment in the study area to extend shelf life and add flavor & aroma were Acacia ethaica, Blanites galabra, and Solanum Carense. The main constraints to hygienic goat milk in the area were identified to be poor barn hygiene, poor production procedures, disease, source of washing water and lack of extension services. In general, it can be concluded that handling and hygienic production practices of goat milk used in the study area were unsanitary, which may have been primarily caused by the community’s lack of awareness & understanding as well as a lack of supporting infrastructures. Therefore, the concerned bodies should place a high priority on the improvement of hygienic practices by carrying out various relevant development interventions, such as raising milk producers’ awareness, improving the health of goats, and providing the necessities for milk handling.

Biogas Production from Sheep Manure by a Simulated Underground Burial System Heated with Cascade-Controlled Solar Water Heated System, as an Indicator of Biomass Potential Contribution to Power Mix in Jordan

This paper is aimed at exploring the potential of implementing biomass as one of the sources of energy in Jordan using a simulated underground burial system. A controlled solar energy heated system was employed to maintain the anaerobic bioreactor at 40°C (mesophilic range). Sludge and wastewater, from wastewater treatment plant, was used as a seeding material to activate bacteria. Production of biogas was observed after 3 days of incubation. On average, a total of 94 liters/sample were obtained at 25°C and atmospheric pressure. This amount of gas is equivalent to 258 liters/kg (Standard Temperature and Pressure, STP) of sheep manure. The biogas average composition was 65% methane and 35% CO2, and the retention time was 35 days. Control runs at room temperature did not produce appreciable amount of biogas within the 35 days of incubation. The potential of biomass was studied based on estimated sheep manure production for the period of 2010-2016 in Jordan. The results obtained from the designed process were used to estimate the bio-gas production indicating a promising process to produce biogas by a burial bio-waste system. Upon scale-up of this process, biomass from different sources can be processed within short residence time, which will result in appreciable reduction of land fill areas and significant production of biogas that will contribute to the energy power mix in a non-oil producing country, such as Jordan.

Study on In-vitro Production Technology of Embryos from Young Dorper Sheep

This study was conducted to investigate the in-vitro production technology of embryos from young Dorper sheep, so as to provide technical support for the utilization of ovarian follicles in young Dorper sheep. Tests were conducted from the induction of Dorper sheep of 4 to 8 weeks old using follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) and pregnant horse serum(PMSG), collection of oocytes, in-vitro oocyte maturation-fertilization-zygote cultivation and 2-4-cell-stage fertilized ovum transfer. The results showed that 585 oocytes were collected from eight Dorper sheep at the age of 4 and 8 weeks, with an average of 73.13 oocytes/sheep. 346 of the 2-4-cell-stage fertilized eggs were obtained, whose cleavage rate was 59.15%. 77 in-vitro fertilized eggs at 2-4-cell stage were transplanted into 17 recipient sheep, seven of which were pregnant and gave birth to 13 "test-tube sheep" with a conception rate of 41.18%. It is indicated that the hormone induction technique, in-vitro oocyte maturation-fertilization-zygote cultivation technique and 2-4-cell-stage fertilized ovum transfer technique used in this study can serve as effective techniques for the in-vitro production of embryos from Dorper sheep of 4-8 weeks old.

Recognition of Production and Morphological Traits in Macoei Sheep Breed

In this study, the data of Macoei sheep from 1994 to 2008 were collected in Affair Animal Breeding Unit, Agriculture Organization of West Azerbijan province of Iran for recognition of reproductive and morphological characteristics. The trait in this research include birth weight （BW）, 3 （W3）, 6 （W6）, 9 （W9）, 12 （W12） months weight, fleece weight （WF） （as production traits）, body length（BL）, size of femur（F）, thorax（TX）, testis（TS）, height of lumber（L） and shoulder（SH） （as morphological traits）. Variance components, least square means and standard error of production and morphological traits were estimated and environmental factors （including effects of year of birth, season, sex, type of birth and age of dam） were studied with GLM procedure of SAS 9.1 software. The results showed that the all environmental factors have significant effect, male lambs weight more than females, and twins were more performance than single. Production and apparent performance characteristics of phenotypic traits was different in year of birth, maternal age, season. This study shows that Macoie sheep breed at the various management environment have suitable performance and genetic potential.

Study on the Effects of Increasing Production Rate of Ruminal Acetate and Butyrate on Their Absorption and Passage in Alimentary Tract of Sheep

Six Inner Mongolian semifine-wool wethers(1.5 years old,29-31 kg BW) fitted with a ruminal and a duodenum cannula were used to study the effects of increasing production rate of ruminal acetate and butyrate on their absorption and passage in alimentary tract by simulating continuous feeding and pulse-continuous infusion technology.The sheep

Dietary saccharin sodium supplementation improves the production performance of dairy goats without residue in milk in summer

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary saccharin sodium supplementation on production performance,serum biochemical indicators,and rumen fermentation of dairy goats in summer.Twelve Guanzhong dairy goats with similar body weight,days in milk,and milk yield were randomly divided into two dietary treatments:(1)CON:basal diet;(2)SS:basal diet+150 mg/kg saccharin sodium on the basis of dry matter.The experiment lasted 35 d,including 7 d for adaptation and 28 d for dietary treatments,sampling and data collection.Each dairy goat was housed individually in a clean separate pen with ad libitum access to diet and water.The goats fed SS diet had increased dry matter intake(DMI;P=0.037),4%fat corrected milk yield(P=0.049),energy corrected milk yield(P=0.037),milk protein yield(P=0.031),and total solids yield(P=0.036).Serum activity of aspartate aminotransferase(P=0.047)and concentrations of 70-kDa heat shock protein(P=0.090),malondialdehyde(P=0.092),and total protein(P=0.057)were lower in goats fed SS diet than those fed CON diet.Supplementation of saccharin sodium tended to increase activity of glutathione peroxidase in serum(P=0.079).The concentrations of rumen total volatile fatty acid(P=0.042)and butyrate(P=0.038)were increased by saccharin sodium supplementation.Dietary supplementation of saccharin sodium increased the relative abundance of Lachnobacterium(P=0.022),Pseudoramibacter(P=0.022),Shuttleworthia(P=0.025),and Syntrophococcus(P=0.037),but reduced the relative abundance of Prevotella_1(P=0.037)and Lachnospiraceae_UCG_008(P=0.037)in rumen.Saccharin sodium was observed in feces and urine of goats fed diet supplemented with saccharin sodium,but saccharin sodium was undetectable in the milk of goats receiving SS diet.In conclusion,administration of saccharin sodium was effective in increasing fat and energy corrected milk yield by increasing DMI and improving rumen fermentation and antioxidant capacity of dairy goats in summer.In addition,saccharin sodium residue was undetectable in the milk.

Preslaughter diet management in sheep and goats:effects on physiological responses and microbial loads on skin and carcass

Sixteen crossbred buck goats （Kiko x Spanish; BW = 32.8 kg） and wether sheep （Dorset x Suffolk; BW = 39.9 kg） were used to determine the effect of preslaughter diet and feed deprivation time （FDT） on physiological responses and microbial loads on skin and carcasses. Experimental animals were fed either a concentrate （CD） or a hay diet （HD） for 4 d and then deprived of feed for either 12-h or 24-h before slaughter. Blood samples were collected for plasma cortisol and blood metabolite analyses. Longisimus muscle （LM） pH was measured. Skin and carcass swabs were obtained to assess microbial loads. Plasma creatine kinase activity （863.9 and 571.7 ± 95.21 IU） and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations （1,056.1 and 589.8 _＋ 105.01 mEq/L） were different （P 〈 0.05） between sheep and goats. Species and diet treatments had significant effects on the ultimate pH of LM. Pre-holding total coliform （TCC） and aerobic plate counts （APC） of skin were significantly different between species. Goats had lower （P 〈 0.05） TCC （2.1 vs. 3.0 IogTo CFU/cm2） and APC （8.2 vs. 8.5 Iog10 CFU/cm2） counts in the skin compared to sheep. Preslaughter skin E. coil counts and TCC were different （P 〈 0.05） between species. Goats had lower （P 〈 0.05） counts of E. coil （2.2 vs. 2.9 log10 CFU/cm2） and TCC （2.3 vs. 3.0 log10 CFU/cm2） in the skin compared with those in sheep. Diet, species, and FDT had no effect （P 〉 0.05） on E. coli and TCC in carcass swab samples. The APC of carcass swab samples were only affected （P 〈 0.05） by the FDT. The results indicated that preslaughter dietary management had no significant changes on hormone and blood metabolite concentrations and sheep might be more prone for fecal contamination than goats in the holding pens at abattoir.

First survey of hard ticks(Acari: Ixodidae) on cattle, sheep and goats in Boeen Zahra and Takistan counties, Iran

Objective:To carry out the distribution survey of hard ticks of livestock in Boeen Zahra and Takistan counties of Qazvin province from April 2010 to September 2010.Methods:Nearly about 2638 sheep, 461 goats and 318 cattle of 38 herds in different geographical areas were searched for tick infestation.Results:The species compositions collected from the livestock of Boeen Zahra and Takistan wereHaemaphysalis concinna(0.63%),Haemaphysalis sulcata(12.66%),Hyalomma anatolicum(3.80%),Hyalomma asiaticum(3.16%),Hyalomma detritum(5.70%),Hyalomma dromedarii(28.48%),Hyalomma marginatum(13.29%),Hyalomma schulzei(1.89%),Rhipicephalus bursa(3.16%) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus(3.16%), and for Takistan's livestock were Hyalomma dromedarii(9.86%),Hyalomma marginatum(13.29%),Hyalomma schulzei(1.89%) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus(3.16%), respectively. Hard ticks compositions in different topographic areas were different.Hyalommaspecies had the most prevalence in the areas.Conclusions:The veterinary and public health investigation of the above species should be taken.