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This present study aimed to determine the efficacy of supplementing layer diets with vitamin A (0, 8,000 and 16,000 IU/kg diet) and vitamin E (0, 250 and 500 mg/kg diet) either individually or in combination on egg production and quality, and blood hematology and chemistry of birds reared under summer conditions. A total of 135 Bovans Brown laying hens were distributed to 9 treatment groups with 5 replicates of 3 hens/pen in a 3 × 3 factorial design. A significant improvement in feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed as supplementary vitamin A or E increased (P ≤ 0.01). Hens fed diets supplemented with 16,000 IU vitamin A plus 500 mg vitamin E/kg diet had the best FCR among all groups. Egg quality traits were not significantly affected by the interaction of vitamin A and vitamin E levels. There was a significant increase in monocytes (P ≤ 0.01) and a decrease in basophils counts (P ≤ 0.05) in response to vitamin E. Significant decreases were observed in packed cell volume (PCV), thyroxine (T4), alanine transferase (ALT), albumin, total cholesterol and total lipids ( (P ≤ 0.05 or P ≤ 0.01) P ≤ 0.01) , and increases were observed in serum concentrations of globulin (P ≤ 0.05) and calcium (P ≤ 0.01) due to vitamin A. The combination of 0 IU vitamin A and 500 mg vitamin E/kg diet had the highest values of PCV (40.09%) and hemoglobin (Hb) (10.33 mg/100 mL) among all groups. Vitamin E raised serum values of total protein, total cholesterol and total lipids (P ≤ 0.05 or P ≤ 0.01). Feed intake, FCR, PCV, Hb, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, T4, ALT and total protein were significantly affected by the interaction of vitamins A and E (P ≤ 0.05 or P ≤ 0.01). The interaction of vitamins A and E was only significant with respect to serum total protein (P ≤ 0.05). It can be concluded that layer diets supplemented with vitamins A and E had good results in alleviating the harmful impacts of high ambient temperature. The combination of 16,000 IU vitamin A and 500 mg vitamin E per kilogram diet is preferable for obtaining better production of laying hens reared under hot summer conditions. Keywords: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Layer, Egg quality, Blood hematology, Serum metabolites

Aim:: The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological infestation and identification of Ixodidae and Argasidae ticks species in buffalo of different parts of district Khairpur, Pakistan. Materials and Methods:: A total of 720 Water buffaloes from three tehsils (subdivisions) were selected randomly and examined from organized and unorganized dairy farms for tick infestation in district Khairpur, Pakistan. This epidemiological survey was conducted during April to September 2015. Results:: The overall mean population and preferred site of tick attachment to infested animals, in Gambat, Sobhodero, and Kot Diji tehsils, were observed on different body parts. The primary body area of infestation by ticks (head, thorax, abdomen, udder, and tail) ranged from highest in tail and udder part compared to lowest in the abdomen, head, and thorax. In all study areas, the infestation was higher (p

The present study was designed to alleviate the negative biohazards of high ambient temperature on the productive performance and physiological status of laying hens. A total of 135 Bovans laying hens were distributed into nine groups in a 3 × 3 factorial design experiment. Basal diet was supplemented with vitamin E at levels of 0, 250, and 500 mg /kg diet. Within each dietary vitamin E level, each diet was supplemented with sodium selenite as a source of selenium (Se) to supply 0, 0.25, and 0.50 mg Se/kg diet. Results showed that supplementing layer's diet with 500 mg vitamin E/kg was accompanied with the lowest feed consumption (FC) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The interaction among vitamin E and Se levels exerted significant effects only on FC and FCR. Insignificant differences were observed in egg quality criteria due to the treatments studied. Increasing vitamin E level was associated with a gradual decrease in basophil count and an increase in monocytes. A gradual decrease in the count of each of heterophils, monocytes, and eosinophils was observed with the elevation in the dietary Se level. The combination among vitamin E and Se levels produced a significant effect on all hematological parameters studied. As vitamin E increased, a marked decrease in serum AST and a gradual increase in total lipids, total cholesterol, and calcium were observed. As the level of dietary Se increased, serum total protein, albumin, T4, total cholesterol, and total lipids increased. No significant impacts were detected for the interaction among vitamin E and Se levels on any of blood constituents determined except serum globulin, ALT, and calcium. In conclusion, the combination between vitamin E and Se showed a good ability to alleviate the harmful impacts of heat stress and produced the highest productive performance when compared with the other groups, which exhibit the synergistic effect between the two antioxidants.

During the transition period, fatty liver syndrome may be caused in cows undergo negative energy balance, ketosis or hypocalcemia, retained placenta or mastitis problems. During the transition stage, movement of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) increases into blood which declines the hepatic metabolism or reproduction and consequently, lactation performance of dairy cows deteriorates. Most of studies documented that, choline is an essential nutrient which plays a key role to decrease fatty liver, NEFA proportion, improve synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, maintain lactation or physiological function and work as anti-oxidant in the transition period of dairy cows. Also, it has a role in the regulation of homocysteine absorption through betaine metabolite which significantly improves plasma α-tocopherol and interaction among choline, methionine and vitamin E. Many studies reported that, supplementation of rumen protected form of choline during transition time is a sustainable method as rumen protected choline (RPC) perform diverse functions like, increase glucose level or energy balance, fertility or milk production, methyl group metabolism, or signaling of cell methionine expansion or methylation reactions, neurotransmitter synthesis or betaine methylation, increase transport of lipids or lipoproteins efficiency and reduce NEFA or triacylglycerol, clinical or sub clinical mastitis and general morbidity in the transition dairy cows. The purpose of this review is that to elucidate the choline importance and functions in the transition period of dairy cows and deal all morbidity during transition or lactation period. Furthermore, further work is needed to conduct more studies on RPC requirements in dairy cows ration under different feeding conditions and also to elucidate the genetic and molecular mechanisms of choline in ruminants industry.

A study was conducted using 162 Bovans laying hens to investigate the impacts of extra dietary vitamin A (0, 8000, 16,000 IU/kg), selenium (0, 0.25, 0.50 mg/kg), and their combinations on the performance, egg quality, and blood biological parameters of laying hens during summer months. Supplemental vitamin A up to 16,000 IU/kg diet significantly (P

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of benzoic, acetic and formic acid supplementation on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broilers. One hundred fifty, a day-old broiler chicks were procured from a local commercial hatchery and randomly divided into four treatment groups. Each group having thirty chicks was further sub divided into three replicates, ten chicks each. Group A, B, C were supplemented with 0.5% benzoic, acetic and formic acid, respectively, while group D was control. Data on growth performance in terms of body weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio was noted on weekly basis. Blood sample were collected (2 birds/replicate) at 28 and 35 day of experiment to check the antibody titer against Newcastle disease and Infectious Bursal disease, respectively. Comparison by LSD test among different treatments showed that maximum weight gain was found in treatment C (formic acid) and minimum in D (control group). Significantly best feed conversion ratio was found in treatment C (formic acid) and poorer was found in treatment D (control group). The maximum significant value of IBD antibody titer (96.00GMT) was found in treatment C (formic acid) and minimum (41.67GMT) in treatment A (benzoic acid). However, the best result against ND antibody titer (104.67GMT) was found in treatment D (control group). Statistical analysis of the data on dressing percentage, breast meat, thigh meat and giblet organs weight e.g. liver, heart and gizzard revealed non-significant effect among the dietary treatment group. It was concluded that addition of organic acids (benzoic, acetic and formic) is helpful to improve weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of the birds, these factors are specifically related to efficient and economical broiler production.

This study was conducted to document the ethno-veterinary practices (EVPs) used for treatment of different ailments in cattle, buffalo, goat and sheep in district Charsadda Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A total of 61 Ethno-Veterinary Practices (EVPs) comprising of 37 based on plants, 14 based on combination of plants and animal products/chemicals/organic matter and 6 based on animal products/chemicals/organic matter were documented for 13 conditions of cattle and buffalo. Usage of 51 EVPs comprising 32 based on plants, 16 based on combination of plants and animal products/chemicals/organic matter, 3 based on animal products, chemicals or organic matter and one religious practice were documented for nine conditions of goat and sheep. A total of 75 EVPs comprising of 41 based on plants, 19 based on combination of plants and animal products/chemicals/organic matter, 15 based on animal products/chemicals/organic matter and one religious practice were documented for 13 conditions in buffaloes, cattle, goat and sheep by traditional veterinary healers. In the present study, 23 families representing 40 species were reported by the respondents. Families representing ≥ 2 species included Poaceae (Hordeum vulgare L., Oryza sativa L., Apiaceae (Trachyspermumammi (L.) Sprague ex Turrill. Foeniculum vulgare Mill. Ferula assafoetida L. and Coriandrum sativum L.), Solanaceae (Capsicumaunnum L., Capsicum frutescens L., Nicotianatabacum L.), Zingiberaceae (Curcuma longa Roscoe, Amomumsubulatum Roxb., were group of families representing plant species used in more than three disease conditions in animal species selected for the present study. The Remedies were prepared by pulverization, soaking in water and decoctions and administered per as or applied topically the parts of plants used commonly included pepper-corns, bulbs, flowers, leaves, rhizomes, seeds and fruits. The EVPs that claimed to be effective need to be validated using scientific procedures and their quality, safety and standardization of doses should be assured.

The study on the isolation of Salmonella in raw milk marketed in Tandojam town was carried out and raw milk samples were collected from village Saleh Makrani, Tandojam city and Moosa Khatiyan. Eleven milk samples from Saleh Makrani, thirty from Tandojam city and eleven from Moosa Khatiyan were collected which totaled 52 samples. Results indicated that of 2 milk samples collected from Village Saleh Makrani, 2 from Moosa Khatiyan and 4 from Tandojam city were found positive for Salmonella. Of the total 52 milk samples, Salmonella species was confirmed in eight samples. The overall prevalence of Salmonella was in the minimummaximum range of 13.33-18.18 percent, showing average Salmonella prevalence of 15.38 percent. Hence the prevalence of Salmonella in milk was relatively higher in the samples collected from village of Haji Muhammad Saleh and Mossa Khatiyan.