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Gastro-intestinal infection constitutes major constraint to viable livestock industries. The study revealed information on the prevalence of Strongyloides infection in cattle in Maiduguri and environs with reference to sex, age and breeds of cattle in the study area. The result revealed the prevalence of 51 (25.5%) cases after examining 400 faecal samples using faecal sedimentation technique. The result of Strongyloides species infection recorded according to sex of cattle was higher in females with a prevalence of 40 (20.0%) compared to males with a prevalence of 11 (5.5%). The prevalence of infection based on age of cattle revealed higher percentage of 14 (7.0%) after examining 48 cattle in the age bracket of seven (7) years. A lower prevalence of 5 (2.5%) was recorded in cattle within the age bracket of 4 years after examining 36 samples. Breed-wise distribution of infected cattle indicated that Abore was more susceptible, followed by Ambala and Bakoloji breeds with prevalence of 20.5%, 4.5% and 0.5% respectively after examining 150, 36 and 11 faeces from respective breeds. Wadara appeared non-susceptible and therefore had no records of infection after examining low number of three samples from the breed. Bovine Strongyloides infection in Maiduguri and environs was established as a common finding and farmers should therefore be educated on proper use of antihelmintics and with emphasis on strategic antihelmintic medication. Good management practices including improved general hygiene and supplementary feeding of animals during periods of low grazing will have immunity boosting role in control of the parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the history of leguminous grasses in the Brazilian Cerrado between the early 1950s and early 1970s. The westward expansion of the Brazilian agrarian frontier was a massive ecological transformation, propelled by a transnational process that relied on a series of actors beyond the national borders, most notably the Rockefeller-sponsored IRI research institute. However, as the article demonstrates, this epistemic transformation was also crucially complemented by the ecological potential of a set of leguminous grasses that gave an essential contribution to the ecological reconversion of the Brazilian Cerrado. These sturdy nitrogen-fixing species grew extensively - and mostly autonomously - on these arid territories, propelling agrarian development in the region. However, while the successful interaction between anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic actors led to successful techno-scientific and economic results, it also led to severe socio-environmental consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmyard manure is the most common type of organic fertilizer, and its properties depend mainly on the type of livestock, bedding material and the conditions of fermentation. Co-maturing of manure with other amendments to modify its final properties has been seen as a win–win strategy recently. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the effect of unenriched manure and manures co-matured with biochar, elemental sulfur or both amendments on the soil physico-chemical and biological properties, and plant (barley, maize) biomass production. For this purpose a pot experiment was carried out in a time-dependent way. Samples were taken from 12 week-lasting (test crop barley) and 24 week-lasting (test crop maize) pot cultivation carried out in a growth chamber. Co-matured manure with biochar showed the highest rate of maturation expressed as humic to fulvic acid ratio, its amendment to soil significantly increased the dry aboveground biomass weight in the half-time (12 weeks) of experiment. However, the effect vanished after 24 weeks. We received for this variant highest long-term (24 weeks) contents of total carbon and nitrogen in soil. Contrarily, co-matured manure with biochar and elemental sulfur led to short-term carbon sequestration (the highest total carbon in 12 weeks) due to presumed retardation of microbial-mediated transformation of nutrients. We conclude that the prolonged pot experiment with biochar or elemental sulfur enriched manure led to the increased recalcitrancy of soil organic matter and retardation of soil nutrient transformation to the plant-available form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cluster is considered as integral consisting of interdependent separateness. It is believed that the formation and development of a cluster is a general pattern of the formation and development of the existing one. The structure of the ecosystem is illuminated in the light of the structure of the cluster, the balance of the ecosystem is accepted as the balance of the cluster divisions. It is proved that environmental crises are a destabilized ecosystem structure as a cluster. The ability of soil organic matter to create vertical salinity drainage has been established. The history of the Aral crisis is described in an optimal light based on organic farming in preventing its consequences. The essence and scale of the country's environmental crisis in the light of the destabilization of its structure as a cluster are analyzed. As a cluster of agricultural technologies that can withstand the cluster of causes of environmental crises in the agricultural sector, the creation of a diversified small organic agricultural enterprise on an industrial basis is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvement of manure by co-composting with other materials is beneficial to the quality of the amended soil. Therefore, the manure was supplied with either biochar, elemental sulphur or both prior to fermentation in 50 L barrels for a period of eight weeks. The manure products were subsequently analyzed and used as fertilizers in a short-term pot experiment with barley fodder (Hordeum vulgare L.). The experiment was carried out under controlled conditions in a growth chamber for 12 weeks. The sulphur-enriched manure showed the lowest manure pH and highest ammonium content. The co-fermentation of biochar and sulphur led to the highest sulphur content and an abundance of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in manure. The biochar+sulphur-enriched manure led to the highest dry aboveground plant biomass in the amended soil, whose value was 98% higher compared to the unamended control, 38% higher compared to the variant with biochar-enriched manure and 23% higher compared to the manure-amended variant. Amendment of the sulphurenriched manure types led to the highest enzyme activities and soil respirations (basal, substrate-induced). This innovative approach to improve the quality of organic fertilizers utilizes treated agricultural waste (biochar) and a biotechnological residual product (elementary sulphur from biogas desulphurization) and hence contributes to the circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out to explore the phenotypic relationships and dependencies among temperament traits that significantly affect the functions of Bunaji cows. Fifty-one (51) multiparous Bunaji cows that were non-pregnant, lactating in their third stage of lactation were used for the study. The cows were tagged and certified clinically fit by animal health personnel. The techniques implored to assess the animals' temperament traits were chute, chute exit score, chute exit speed and facial hair whorls positioning. All the data in the experiment were analyzed using SAS (2000) version 9.0. Computations using means procedure were done to determine the means and standard errors for each trait; and coefficients of variation (CV). Pearson's correlation coefficients were computed to determine the degrees of relationship among and between variables for all animals within each temperament group. Significant differences in means were compared using the Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The major findings showed that chute temperament score (CT), chute exit score (CES) and chute exit speed (FS) were highly (P < 0.01) correlated traits. Temperament had significant (P<0.05) effect on exit speed and body measurements. The result suggested that reactive had faster exit speed. It is thus concluded that cows that walked (CES1) and trot (CES 2) while exiting the chute were calmed. Therefore, handlers need to be conscious of temperaments of cattle to ensure safety. The study could also be replicated for other breeds of cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the presence and actions of venomous snakes helped to shape the image, policy and trajectory of the environment of Taiwan under the Japanese rule (1895-1945). Venomous snakes challenged the natural and colonial order that the Japanese colonial government intended to impose on Taiwan--with the goal of managing its natural resources and organising its sociopolitical order. The perceived epidemic of snakebites or envenoming thus became a scientific topic for institutionalised research and an environmental and biomedical problem to be solved. The paper goes on to examine the development of snake antivenom in Taiwan in the global context of scientific colonialism and medical science. Venom and serum research emerged as an important research field in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Scientific centres in Europe, colonies in warm climates and aspiring nations practising creole science all played a significant role in developing antivenom. Animals--including snakes, laboratory animals, and large mammals in serum production--were vital actors in the process. This historical episode demonstrates the importance of animal history to environmental history, the history of science and the history of colonialism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease which is endemic to certain regions of the world including Sub‐Saharan Africa. The aim of this article is to provide a recent and rapid review on brucellosis prevalence in East African Community (EAC) countries. Literature was obtained using Google Scholar search engine and screened for relevancy and fulfilment of criteria to 1, 17, 4, 4, 30 and 29 articles retained for brucellosis prevalence in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Recent literature (published in the last decade 2010 to 2019) was considered for prevalence results in this review. In EAC, livestock had an animal‐level prevalence of 0.2% to 43.8%, 0.0% to 20.0% and 0.0% to 13.8% for cattle, goats and sheep respectively. In humans, the prevalence varied mostly between 0.0% and 35.8%. In conclusion, brucellosis is quite prevalent in the region. The reported prevalence calls for plans or more efforts from individual member countries and from EAC, as a region, to control brucellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the hot summer season on the length of service period (number of days from calving to the next conception). For the analysis was created two databases of twins. Twins had the same sire and dam and the first and second lactations took place on the same farm. In the first database (105 pairs) one of the twins was calved (and had the following service period) during the summer months and the second of the twin was calved in the cooler months. To compare the difference in service period between twins in the hot and cool seasons, it was made also second group of twin pairs with reproduction only during the cool period of the year (cool vs. cool season; 58 pairs). The data were analysed using PROC GLM of Statistica®. In addition to season, the effect of breed (Holstein, Czech Fleckvieh), milk production at 1st lactation and calving year were also taken into consideration. The results showed a significantly longer service period in the summer (133.8 days) than in the cool months (114.7 days). In the case of twins with reproduction in the cool months of the year, the difference between length of service period was shorter and insignificant (113.6 vs. 119.4 days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of mild temperature stress on ovarian activity (corpus luteum count; transferable embryos; morulae and blastocysts) in cows. The evaluation included 54 Holstein cows superovulated and flushed at one farm in the Czech Republic in three different temperature periods in flushing day (mild hot season THI = 75.66; season with optimal temperature THI = 68.85; season with lower temperature THI = 45.56). The data were analysed using the PROC GLM of Statistica®. The statistical model included the effect of season and other factors (age; condition; breeding value) on the studied reproduction traits. The results showed significantly higher ovarian activity in the cooler period of the year than in periods of mild temperature stress. There was also a non-significantly better reproduction result in younger animals under optimal condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to further strengthen the fodder base in cattle husbandry, scientists of the Research Institute of Cattle husbandry and Poultry studied the variety of sorghum “Kibray” and oat variety “Uzbekistan broad-leaved” in different options, at different rates, at different times. Variations planted without a two-component mixture were tested in 4 options each. Valuable farm traits, especially green mass yield, were analyzed for each option. The cost-effectiveness of each option was also examined. An effective option for sowing Sorghum without mixing with cereals has been identified.

Main objective of this study was to optimize the analytical procedures, especially extraction and saponification method for the better analysis of β-carotene in milk fat. Saponification method with suitable potassium hydroxide (KOH) concentration, use of antioxidant, saponification time, and temperature was optimized to get best extraction procedure for β-carotene. Analysis of β-carotene was carried out by using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) using C18 column. Chromatographic conditions best tested for the study involves methanol: tetrahydrofuran: water (MeOH: THF: H2O). The effect of time temperature combination at 45°C/30 min with saturated ascorbic acid had a pronounced effect on the β-carotene extraction from milk fat. Study also reveals that a concentration level of 10M KOH was best suited for the extraction of unsaponifiable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-soluble pentasubstituted anionic and cationic C-fullerene derivatives were synthesized in highly selective reactions of chlorofullerene CCl with captopril and an aliphatic amine. Hybrid supramolecular complexes of the functionalized C-fullerene derivatives and tetracycline antibiotics (in a stoichiometric 1:1 mole ratio) with polymodal hydrodynamic-radius distributions were synthesized in aqueous solution as nano-sized micelles and vesicles. Hybrid complexes of the antibiotics and cationic amino-C-fullerene derivatives exhibited synergic antibacterial effects that were more pronounced against a tetracycline-resistant Escherichia coli strain (carrier of the Tc gene). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to determine the impacts of different levels of mycotoxin load of Czech dairy herds on the larger scale of the milk indicators including milk physical and technological properties. During three subsequent years individual milk samples (IMSs) were collected from four herds of Czech Fleckvieh (C) and from four herds of Holstein cows (H). The IMSs were collected regularly twice in summer and twice in winter, resulting in a total of 936 IMSs. The feeding rations consisted mainly of conserved roughage and supplemental mixtures according to milk yield and standard demands. Samples of feedstuffs were collected at the same time as IMSs and were analysed for content of deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins (FUM), zearalenone (ZEA), aflatoxin (AFL), and T-2 toxin using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. Based on the mycotoxin load, herds were divided into three groups - Load 1 (negligible, n = 36), Load 2 (low, n = 192), and Load 3 (medium, n = 708). All feedstuff samples were positive for at least one mycotoxin. The most frequently occurring mycotoxins were FUM, DON, and ZEA. Relatively high incidence of AFL (56% positive samples) was observed. The following milk indicators were influenced by the mycotoxin load of herds: fat, acetone (Ac), log Ac, pH, electric conductivity, alcohol stability, curds quality, curd firmness, whey volume, whey protein, non-protein nitrogen (NPN), urea N in NPN, fat / crude protein ratio, and casein numbers on crude and true protein basis, respectively (P < 0.05). The overall level of mycotoxin load was relatively low, with no clear effect on milk characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of diet containing a supplemental mixture with alternative components suitable for organic herds on the yield and composition of milk and the fatty acid profile. The on-farm experiment was carried out on 12 dairy cows (mean lactation 2.3, on average 116 days in milk) that were divided into 2 groups. During the experiment cows were fed on a diet based on maize silage (30 kg/d), lucerne hay (3 kg/d) and supplemental mixture (8 kg/d, all as fed basis). The control group (C) was fed a control supplemental mixture, while the experimental group (E) was fed a supplemental mixture that contained rapeseed and sunflower components. The experiment was carried out in the form of a cross-over design and was divided into 2 periods of 14 days (a 7-d preliminary period and a 7-d experimental period). The total content of SFA was higher in C in comparison to E (P<0.05). The content of C18:0 was higher, while contents of C12:0, C14:0 and C16:0 were lower in E compared to C (P<0.05). The total contents of UFA, MUFA and PUFA were higher in E than in C (P<0.05). The concentration of oleic acid (C18:1n9c) was considerably higher in E than in C (P<0.05). The atherogenic index (AI) and desaturation index (DI) calculated for E were lower than in C, while the spreadability index (SI) in E was higher in comparison with C (P<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese Empire mobilized various resources ranging from livestock to human resources from its colonies. After the Meiji Restoration, Japan introduced a Western lifestyle for cultural modernization. This change affected the Japanese traditional diet, and a large number of people started consuming beef. Soon this consumption led the country to a chronic cattle shortage, especially considering the number of cattle that were slaughtered. For this reason, demands for Korean cattle went up. The Korean export of cattle to Japan grew about 60,000 every year and further expanded with the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War. "Cattle of the Peninsula" had become "Cattle of the Empire." Systems of quarantine and disease prevention were established. However, because of the rapid growth of cattle exports to Japan, the height and weight of Korean cattle became inferior, and this deficiency marked the birth of "healthy" yet undersized Korean cattle. Consequently, it can be said that Korean cattle were merely used as a source of supply to propagate Japanese cattle. The case study on colonial cattle indicates that the imperial economic integration might give rise to a contradiction between the empire and the colony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunity of mammary gland in terms ofin vitroactivity of milk leukocytes has been evaluated during hot-humid, summer, and winter season in elite (n = 10) and non-elite (n = 10) crossbred cows. Milk samples were collected from all the cows throughout the year at 15-day interval. Milk somatic cell counts (SCC) and differential leukocyte counts (DLC) were evaluated microscopically. Milk neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes were isolated and culturedin vitro.In vitroPI of milk neutrophils and macrophages was evaluated by colorimetric NBT (nitro-blue tetrazolium) reductive assay. Mitogen-induced milk lymphocyte blastogenic response was measured by colorimetric MTT (thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide) assay. Milk SCC was found to be significantly (p < 0.01) higher in elite cows compared to non-elite cows irrespective of season. There was significant (p < 0.05) increase in milk SCC during hot-humid season compared to winter season in both the group of the cows. There was no significant difference between group and season in terms of DLC.In vitrophagocytic index of elite cows was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than non-elite cows. The phagocytic index was significantly (p < 0.01) decreased in summer and hot-humid season compared to winter season in both the group of animals. Macrophages isolated from elite cows having significantly (p < 0.01) lower phagocytic index than non-elite cows which significantly (p < 0.01) decreased during summer and hot-humid season compared to winter.In vitromilk lymphocyte proliferative response was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in elite cows. Activity of B-lymphocytes decreased significantly (p < 0.01) during summer and hot-humid season than winter, but activity of T-lymphocytes remains unaltered during different seasons. In conclusion, the mammary immunity in terms ofin vitroactivity of milk leukocytes is compromised during summer and hot-humid season in elite crossbred cows; therefore, better care and management should be taken in high-yielding cows during summer and hot-humid season to minimize intramammary infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of inbreeding on the yield and quality of bovine embryos. The data were obtained from 125 Holstein cows superovulated on 3 farms in the Czech Republic. In total, 125 flushings of embryos were analyzed, from which 761 embryos were obtained. Of all donors, 36 cows were inbred (199 embryos) and 89 cows were noninbred (562 embryos). The inbred cows were divided into 2 groups according to their inbreeding coefficient (FX) level. The low FX group (FX 1.26%-1.56%) had 23 cows and 147 embryos, and the high FX group (FX 3.1%-25%) was represented by 13 cows and 52 embryos. The average value of the FX coefficient in inbred cows was 6.552%. The data were subsequently analyzed using PROC GLM of SAS as descriptive statistics and t-tests (SAS/STAT® 9.1., 2009). All evaluated traits in inbred cows had worse results than noninbred cows. Although there were poorer results for inbred versus noninbred cows, the differences were not great at lower FX values and were not statistically significant. Important and significant differences (P ≤0.05) were found in the proportion of transferable embryos and unfertilized oocytes at higher rates of FX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is one of the important regulatory factors of EGF family. EGF has been indicated to effectively inhibit the apoptosis of follicular cells, to promote the proliferation of granulosa cells and the maturation of oocytes, and to induce ovulation process via binding to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). However, little is known about the distribution and expression of EGF and EGFR in cattle ovary especially during oestrous cycle. In this study, the localization and expression rule of EGF and EGFR in cattle ovaries of follicular phase and luteal phase at different time points in oestrous cycle were investigated by using IHC and real‐time qPCR. The results showed that EGF and EGFR in cattle ovary were mainly expressed in granulosa cells, cumulus cells, oocytes, zona pellucida, follicular fluid and theca folliculi externa of follicles. The protein and mRNA expression of EGF/EGFR in follicles changed regularly with the follicular growth wave both in follicular and in luteal phase ovaries. In follicular phase ovaries, the protein expression of EGF and EGFR was higher in antral follicles than that of those in other follicles during follicular growth stage, and the mRNA expression of EGFR was also increased in stage of dominant follicle selection. However, in luteal phase ovaries, the growth of follicles was impeded during corpus luteum development under the action of progesterone secreted by granular lutein cell. The mRNA and protein expressions of EGF and EGFR in ovarian follicles during oestrous cycle indicate that they play a role in promoting follicular development in follicular growth waves and mediating the selection process of dominant follicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]