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Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is the causative agent of caseous lymphadenitis, a debilitating chronic disease of sheep and goats. Little is known about the buck's reproductive pathophysiology with respect to inoculation with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculois and its immunogen mycolic acid extract. Therefore, this present study was designed to determine the concentration of testosterone hormone, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and semen quality of the experimental animals. A total of 12 bucks, divided into groups 1, 2, and 3 (Negative control group, Positive control group and Mycolic acid group respectively), were enrolled in this study. Following inoculation, all goats were observed for clinical responses and monitored for 60 days post-challenge and were then sacrificed. Blood samples were collected via the jugular once before inoculation and on a weekly basis post-challenge. Semen samples were collected 2 weeks post-challenge and prior to the sacrifice of the experimental animals. During the post inoculation period of 60 days, the concentration of testosterone hormone for group 2 was increased significantly (p < 0.05) in weeks 5, 6, and 9 but decreased in weeks 2 and 7 post inoculation. In group 3, the mean concentration of testosterone was increased significantly (p < 0.05) in weeks 5, 6, 7, and 9 post inoculation but decreased in week 2. The concentration of interleukin 6 (IL 6) in treated group 2 did not show any significant difference (p > 0.05) but increased significantly (p < 0.05) in week 2 post inoculation in group 3. For concentration of interleukin 1β (IL1β) in both treated groups 2 and 3 showed significant difference (p < 0.05) in weeks 2 and 3 post inoculation. The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) concentration in both treated groups 2 and 3 did not show any significant difference (p > 0.05) as compared to group 1. The concentration of interferon-γ (IFNγ) significantly increased (p < 0.05) for group 2 for weeks 2, 3, 4, and 5 where else for group 3 was not in significant difference (p > 0.05) compared to group 1. Both group 2 and group 3 showed a reduction in semen qualities as compared to group 1, but the severity was more intense in group 2 if compared to group 3. In conclusion, therefore, the present study concluded that the mycolic acid group revealed significant responses of testosterone hormone concentration, semen quality, and its related pro-inflammatory cytokines in bucks following infection but the severity lesser compared to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis group.

In the tropics one of the major constraints to goat production is infection by gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). One promising alternative to chemotherapy is the improvement of host nutrition. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of infection and supplementation on packed cell volume (PCV), average daily gain (ADG) and carcass quality in growing Creole kids. Sixty male goats were reared indoors following a 2 × 3 factorial design: two experimental infection levels, (infected (I) and non-infected (NI)) and three diets D (G, kids were fed exclusively with tropical forages; B, kids were supplemented with dried and crushed banana and C, kids were supplemented with commercial pellets). Faecal egg counts did not vary among I groups (on average 2,200 ω/g). The PCV and ADG were improved (P < 0.001) for NI vs. I animals. There was a D effect (P < 0.001) and no I × D interaction was observed. There was no significant effect of GIN on the main carcass data, except the weights of liver, white offal and abdominal fat, which increased slightly in I compared with NI goats (P < 0.05). All carcass data increased significantly with the addition of supplement in the diet (P < 0.001), except for carcass-cut proportions. Meat physical parameters were degraded when I kids received low N diets (B or G) with higher lightness and water loss than in the C groups. Given that GIN affect the animal's N metabolism it is recommended to avoid the use of unbalanced diet such as those banana-based. Further research is necessary to assess the nutrition × parasitism interactions on physiological features and carcass quality of Creole goats.

Inadequate management practices and poor reproductive performance have been reported as fundamental factors on reducing the levels of productivity in livestock. Different pathogens have been reported in small ruminants' herds/flocks with reproductive failures. The aim of the present study was to review aspects of leptospirosis in small ruminants, mainly its impact on reproduction and consequently on productivity of the herds/flocks under tropical conditions. Leptospiral infection in goats and sheep is common in several countries, and those species can also act as carriers of leptospires. Severe disease is often associated to young animals and is frequently associated to incidental serovars. In contrast, subclinical infection is mainly characterized by reproductive problems, such as infertility, abortion, occurrence of stillbirths, and weak lambs/goat kids. Moreover, laboratorial tests are essential to achieve an accurate diagnosis of the infection. Microscopic agglutination test is the most common indirect test of leptospirosis, being used worldwide. In small ruminants, PCR consists on a recommendable method for diagnosing animals that carry leptospires. Control of leptospirosis in small ruminants involves measures such as the identification and treatment of the carriers and other sources of infection, quarantine in acquired animals, and systematic immunization with commercial vaccines containing the circulating serovars in the herd/flock. Productivity of small ruminant breeding can dramatically increase with adequate sanitary conditions and control of leptospirosis. Immunization of all the animals combined to the treatment of carriers may successfully control the infection and importantly reduce the economic reproductive hazards that are observed under tropical conditions.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the hemato-biochemical changes and status of oxidative stress in goats with scabies infection. The study was conducted on 12 Jamunapari goats; six clinically infected with scabies (group I) and six healthy goats as control (group II). The examination of skin scraping revealed the presence of Sarcoptes scabiei in the infected group. In hemato-biochemical indicators, hemoglobin%, packed cell volume, total erythrocyte count, albumin and albumin: globulin ratio decreased whereas, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen increased significantly (p<0.05) in group I animals as compared to group II healthy goats. Among the oxidative stress indices, plasma nitrate and erythrocytic lipid peroxidation were increased and reduced glutathione levels decreased significantly (p<0.05) in group I goats as compared to group II healthy goats. The results of the present study suggest that scabies infection alters the hemato-biochemical indicators, increases oxidative stress and decreases antioxidant status in goat.

A study to compare the profitability of rearing sheep and goats under natural trypanosomosis challenge was carried out on Galana ranch in south-eastern Kenya between July 1996 and October 1997. Seventy-nine male weaner sheep and 79 male weaner goats were monitored monthly for weight changes and fortnightly for trypanosomosis. The animals of each species were divided into two groups. Group 1 was an untreated control, while group 2 was treated with isometamidium chloride (Samorin) at 0.5 mg/kg body weight every 3 months. In both groups, trypanosome infections were detected by microscopy and treated with diminazene aceturate (Veriben), at 3.5 mg/kg body weight, when the packed cell volume reached 17% or below. The profitability of each drug regime was expressed as the marginal revenue over the cost of trypanosomosis (MOT). There were greater losses occasioned by trypanosomosis in sheep than in goats. Animals of both species on chemoprophylaxis gave higher MOT values than those that received chemotherapy on diagnosis. However, the MOT values for the chemoprophylactic regime were higher for sheep than for goats, suggesting that the greater weight gain by sheep more then compensated for the higher cost of maintaining them under high trypanosomosis challenge. Thus, a Galana rancher would be better off keeping sheep rather than goats, other things being equal. The marginal revenue per dose of Samorin was lower than that of Veriben for both species, suggesting that strategic use of Samorin timed to precede the peak incidence of trypanosomosis might be a better option to raise the overall profitability in sheep and goats.

Data on reproduction and mortality were collected over one year from 5100 sheep and 13,300 goats in treated and control flocks. The treated animals received vaccination against peste des petits ruminants (PPR) and anthelmintics twice a year. Productivity parameters (fecundity and mortality rates) obtained with and without prophylaxis were fitted into a benefit-cost economic analysis model and run for project lifespans varying from one to five years. At a 7% discount rate, the overall benefits for a project lifespan of five years were estimated as over 15 million FCFA and 11 million FCFA for sheep and goats, respectively. The benefit-cost ratio ranged from 2.26 to 3.27 in goats and 3.01 to 4.23 in sheep, depending on the project lifespan. It was concluded that PPR and gastrointestinal helminthosis are important causes of economic losses in small ruminants in Cameroon. A national or even a regional vaccination campaign against PPR and strategic anthelmintic treatment of small ruminants are recommended.

Eight pregnant does were housed individually and fed a hay and concentrate diet throughout pregnancy and lactation. The mean gestation period was 146.7 +/- 3.0 days, with a twinning rate of 75 per cent. Mean body condition scores improved from 2.4 +/- 0.2 to 2.8 +/- 0.2 over the first 80 days of gestation and were maintained at 2.8 until 45 days before kidding. From then until kidding, mean scores fell to 2.2 +/- 0.2. Plasma progesterone concentrations during pregnancy rose significantly from 3.91 +/- 0.51 ng/ml on day 40 to 5.96 +/- 0.51 ng/ml on day 60 (P < 0.05) and remained high until 5 days before kidding. Three pseudopregnant does had similar progesterone profiles to pregnant does over the first 80 days, but the rise around day 35 to 40 was not significant and progesterone concentrations returned gradually to basal levels after day 100. The same 8 does, together with an additional 4 does which had been brought inside 60 to 70 days before kidding, were used to study onset of ovarian activity post partum. The twinning percentage was 83 per cent. Mean body condition score at parturition was 2.2 +/- 0.1. By day 35 post partum, mean condition scores had fallen to 1.9 +/- 0.1, and mean weights from 36.9 +/- 1.9 kg at kidding to 32.1 +/- 2.0 kg. Ovarian cyclicity was resumed just before mean scores and weights started to improve. The mean interval from kidding to onset of oestrous cycles was 97.3 +/- 9.5 days. This coincided with mean time to weaning which was 99.5 +/- 5.5 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)