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Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of paratuberculosis in cattle and buffaloes at twelve public dairy farms in Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: A total of 2,181 more than two-year-old animals (1,242 cattle and 939 buffaloes) were tested by avian tuberculin, i.e., killed purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis and indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Blood and fecal samples were collected from tuberculin positive animals. These samples were further processed by indirect ELISA. The data were analyzed using frequency analysis and logistic analysis procedures. Results: The prevalence of paratuberculosis at public dairy farms was 3.8%, as determined by tuberculin+ELISA test. It varied from 0.71% to 13.5% with a 100% herd prevalence. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that species, milk production, total animals, total small ruminants, and total buffaloes were significantly associated with the occurrence of paratuberculosis. Odd ratio analysis revealed that with a one-kilogram increase in body weight, there will be a 0.006% increase in disease occurrence. With the increase in one animal in small ruminants and buffaloes, there will be 0.008% and 0.42% greater chances of developing paratuberculosis, respectively. Bivariate logistic regression analysis of cattle and buffaloes revealed that farm number, age, and total number of cattle were significantly associated with the occurrence of paratuberculosis. A one-month increase in lactation length increases the chance of tuberculosis by 0.004%; similarly, a one-liter increase in milk production increases the chance of disease by 10%. With each additional buffalo in the herd, there will be a 0.007% greater chance for the occurrence of paratuberculosis. Conclusion: This study concluded that tuberculin testing can be used in conjunction with ELISA to screen animals for paratuberculosis in countries with scarce resources, such as Pakistan. The efficacy of disease diagnosis can be improved by combining multiple tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzootic bovine leucosis is caused by bovine leukaemia virus (BLV), a Deltaretrovirus belonging to the family Retroviridae. BLV causes huge economic losses to the dairy industry in the form of decreased milk production, premature culling, and poor reproductive performance of the animals. The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of BLV infection in buffalo in two districts of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 384 samples were collected and analysed using a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to investigate the seroprevalence of BLV through the detection of the anti-BLV gp51 antibody. A predesigned data questionnaire proforma was employed to find out the association of risk factors with disease. Overall, 18.2% of buffaloes were seropositive for BLV in the study population. The results revealed a significant association (P < 0.05) of age with BLV infection. Furthermore, milk yield and pregnancy had a significant association with the seroprevalence of BLV infection in buffalo whereas no significant association was found with sex, breeding, and health status. Biochemical and oxidative stress markers revealed a significant decrease in liver enzymes alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in seropositive animals as compared to healthy animals. It is concluded that BLV has a considerable prevalence in buffalo in Punjab, Pakistan and there is a dire need to investigate the disease epidemiology at both national and international levels and strategies should be developed to implement an effective control program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was aimed at measuring the concentration of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in the milk of Holstein Friesian cows, its effect on the milk quality and seasonal trends, as well as to investigate the efficacy of a commercial clay-based toxin binder. For this purpose, milk samples from dairy cows (n = 72) were collected and assayed for AFM1 before employing a clay-based toxin binder. The milk samples (n = 72) were collected from selected animals, revealing that 69.4% of the milk samples had AFM1 levels above the United States permissible limit (0.5 µg/kg). The incidence of AFM1 in milk during the winter and summer was 82.5% and 53.1%, respectively. Owing to the presence of AFM1, the level of milk fat, solids-not-fat, and protein were found to be low. Subsequently, the affected animals were divided into two groups, i.e., AFM1 positive control (n = 10) and the experimental group (n = 40). The experimental group of animals were fed the clay-based toxin binder at 25 g/animal/day. A progressive decrease of 19.8% in the AFM1 levels was observed on day 4 and on day 7 (53.6%) in the treatment group. Furthermore, the fat, solids-non-fat and protein increased significantly in the milk. In conclusion, a high level of AFM1 contamination occurs in the milk in Pakistan, affecting the quality of the milk production. Clay-based toxin binders may be used to ensure the milk quality and to protect the animal and consumer health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Bacillus subtilis on the immune responses and morphometry of the immune organs was evaluated in broilers challenged with S. gallinarum. For this purpose, Salmonella-free birds (n = 240) were split into four groups with six replicates of ten birds each. Groups included an NC (negative control, non-infected + nonmedicated), a PC-S (positive control, Salmonella-infected + non-medicated), an AT-S (Salmonella-infected + medicated with enrofloxacin), and a BS-S (Salmonella-infected + B. subtilis (2.0 × 1010 cfu/g; 0.1 g/kg) group. On day 21, the thickness of the thymus cortex and medulla, germinal centre area of the spleen, bursal follicular length and bursal follicular area increased (P < 0.05) in the BS-S when compared to the NC and PC-S groups. On day 35, the BS-S group exhibited a higher (P < 0.05) antibody titre against the Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and cortex of the thymus was thicker (P < 0.05) compared to the other groups. A decrease in the thymus medulla thickness, germinal area of the spleen and bursal follicular number were noted in the PC-S group when compared to the other treatment groups. In conclusion, the prophylactic use of B. subtilis type probiotics alleviated the stress resulting from a Salmonella gallinarum infection and improved the immune organs development and function in infected broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuels including coal, natural gas and petroleum constitute predominant sources for the acquisition of energy. Due to the rapid depletion and continuously increasing demand of these fuels, exploration of renewable substitutes is gaining momentum across the world. Biodiesel represents a biodegradable and renewable alternative to conventional petroleum-based fuel. Furthermore, it has been implicated to reduce the likely emission of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. Residual animal fats (a by-product of meat industry) can be efficiently converted into biodiesel through the process of transesterification. On account of tremendous meatproducing potential, the deployment of residual animal fats for biodiesel production could be quite auspicious for Pakistan. It will not only be a waste management process, but removal of accessory fats will also improve the quality of meat. Besides saving ample foreign exchange, it may help to reinforce the prospects for socio-economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuels including coal, natural gas and petroleum constitute predominant sources for the acquisition of energy. Due to the rapid depletion and continuously increasing demand of these fuels, exploration of renewable substitutes is gaining momentum across the world. Biodiesel represents a biodegradable and renewable alternative to conventional petroleum-based fuel. Furthermore, it has been implicated to reduce the likely emission of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. Residual animal fats (a by-product of meat industry) can be efficiently converted into biodiesel through the process of transesterification. On account of tremendous meatproducing potential, the deployment of residual animal fats for biodiesel production could be quite auspicious for Pakistan. It will not only be a waste management process, but removal of accessory fats will also improve the quality of meat. Besides saving ample foreign exchange, it may help to reinforce the prospects for socio-economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paratuberculosis (Johne's diseases) is responsible for massive economic losses to dairy industry, both in the industrially advanced as well as in the developing countries. To detect its occurrence in cattle and buffaloes locally, blood and tissue samples from clinically weak and grossly suspected slaughtered animals were collected from two abattoirs of Jhang, municipal area, Pakistan. Acid-fast smear staining, gross/histopathology and indirect ELISA were done for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Total 134 samples illustrating gross pathological lesions were collected, only 11.19% (cattle: 6.67%, buffaloes: 12.5%) showed acid fast bacilli through smear staining and were taken as confirmed cases. Thickening of intestines alone was not a reliable indicator of Johne's disease. Tissue sections from intestines and mesenteric lymph nodes from these acid fast positive animals were stained with hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) and Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) methods. Sum of (15/134) impression smear staining as well as (15/15) tissue sections of the intestines were found ZN positive, and only 6.7% of impression smears and 100% of tissue sections of mesenteric lymph nodes showed acid fast bacilli. Through ELISA, two cattle and five buffaloes (07/134) gave positive optical densities, while one cattle and seven buffaloes (08/134) were judged as doubtful. It is concluded that infection of MAP can be identified by histopathology and ELISA. The present study was the first record of paratuberculosis among the dairy animals slaughtered at Jhang abattoirs. The objective was to compare different methods for the diagnosis of Johne's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis, a bacterium that infects a wide range of animal species, including humans. In this study, we determined the prevalence of tuberculosis in domesticated water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and assessed potential risk factors at four government dairy farms in Punjab, Pakistan. Tuberculin skin testing was performed on 627 water buffaloes. Risk factors such as age, body weight, milk yield, lactation status, the total number of animals, and the presence of small ruminants at the farms were recorded due to their potential association with tuberculosis transmission. The impact of M. bovis infection on complete blood cell counts (CBC) was also assessed. In total, 27 (4.3%) animals were positive for tuberculosis in the four dairy farms. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations were lower in infected animals compared to non-infected animals, whereas the number of platelets was higher in infected animals compared to non-infected animals. The results revealed that the increase in body weight, age of the animals, and water buffalo density on the farm can increase the disease occurrence. Binary logistic regression analysis, including farm and other variables, revealed that the assessed herd-level risk factors of bovine tuberculosis transmission had a statistically non-significant association for monitoring water buffaloes. The current study had emphasized revealing different possible risk factors in native husbandry practices. The study suggests regular tuberculosis screening for proper control of M. bovis infection in water buffalo herds. This will ultimately help to further reduce the cases of zoonotic bovine tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross sectional survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths (GIH) and their association with sex and age of the buffaloes in lower Punjab, Pakistan. To this end, a total of 800 fecal samples of buffaloes were examined following standard parasitological procedures. Coprocultures were carried out to identify the species of the helminths. Nematodes, trematodes and cestodes contributed 50, 31.25 and 18.15%, respectively in the overall prevalence (59.38%) of GIH. In sex- and age-wise analysis of collected data, prevalence was found higher (P<0.05) in males (65.71%) and young stock (75.5%) as compared to females (54.44%) and adults (41.25%). The species of helminths recorded in this study included Toxocara vitulorum, Charbertia spp., Strongyloides papillosus, Trichuris globulosa, Oesophagostomum radiatum, Gongylonema verrucosum, Trichuris discolor, Teladorsagia ostertagi, Fasciola gigantica, Gastrothylax crumenifer, Paramphistomum explanatum, Cotylophoron cotylophorum, Avitellina centripunctata, Strongyloides papillosus and Gongylonema verrucosum. In conclusion, sex and age are two major factors which influence the rate of prevalence of GIH in buffaloes. Results of this study may help the animal health care planners to devise appropriate control strategies against GIH. © 2014 Friends Science Publishers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study compared the performance of serum and milk ELISA in determining Neospora caninum prevalence in lactating Nili-Ravi buffaloes. Overall, 64 milk samples (n=57 individual milk samples; n=7 bulk milk samples) collected from buffaloes of districts Lahore and Narowal were tested for anti-N. caninum antibodies using milk iscom ELISA. The same animals were evaluated serologically using serum cELISA for this purpose. Furthermore, hematological profiling of 50 seropositive and 15 seronegative buffaloes was performed to appraise any effect of N. caninum seropositivity on the hematological parameters of the host. Resultantly, milk ELISA detected lesser milk samples positive i.e., 61.64% (±12.6, 95% C.I. 35/57) for N. caninum against higher seropositivity (76.6% ±7.16, 42/57) by serum cELISA. The agreement level (Kappa ratio=0.568 & R2 =0.769) between the performance of two assays was found good. General Linear Model analysis of hematological parameters reflected significantly (P<0.05) lower monocyte count but higher blood glucose levels in seropositive buffaloes associated with different seasons. It was concluded that, owing to the limitations of the milk ELISA (also lower sensitivity than cELISA) it is best suited for finding prevalence in lactating dairy herds having substantial number of infected animals but in general, serum ELISA is best for prevalence studies. While, decreased monocyte count and higher blood glucose levels in the affected animals was observed, which may be attributed to persistent inherent stress of infection on the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey was conducted to investigate the point prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites of captive birds. Fecal samples from 613 captive birds belonging to 19 species were examined from Gujranwala and Jhang districts by using direct and indirect methods under the microscope. Protozoa, nematodes, cestodes and trematodes contributed 69.33, 35.39, 6.61 and 0%, respectively, to the overall prevalence of 54.32%. The predominant parasite species were in the genera Eimeria (67.87%), followed by Ascaridia (33.93%), Capillaria (11.41%) and Hymenolepsis (6.61%). Age and rearing systems of birds were considered as risk factors for GI parasites. Adult captive birds were more commonly infected (58.05%) than yearlings (37.27%). The captive birds reared in aviaries had a higher prevalence of infection (83.51%) than cage-birds (49.23%). In light of these findings, age and rearing systems were identified as highly significant risk factors (P<0.05) for Gl parasitic infection in the captive birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a cross-sectional study in buffaloes of district Toba Tek Singh from April, 2009 to March, 2010 which aimed to identify prevalent species of Eimeria (E) and risk factors associated with subclinical coccidiosis. Overall prevalence of Eimeria in buffaloes was 49.6%. Six species of Eimeria were identified in total infected buffaloes. E. bovis was the commonest one among the species identified during survey followed in order by E. zuernii, E. canadensis, E. ellipsoidalis, E. alabamensis and E. cylindrica. Peak prevalence was observed in August. Wet season was found favorable for Eimeria. Odds of finding oocysts were higher in young stock and females (P<0.05) as compared to those of adults and males respectively. Among management and husbandry practices, five variables were found significantly associated with status. These included housing system, feeding system, watering system, floor type and herd size. Open housing system, trough feeding, tap watering, partially cemented floor type and smaller herds showed protective effect against coccidiosis with Odds of detection being higher in closed housing system, ground feeding, pond watering, non-cemented floor type and larger herd size, respectively. Body condition and breed of buffaloes were not found associated with prevalence of Eimeria. Value of feeding in troughs, provision of clean tap water, cementing floor of farms in reducing the extent of infection should be communicated to farmers. Appropriate monitoring and control of the disease is advisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was aimed at measuring the concentration of aflatoxin M 1 (AFM 1 ) in the milk of Holstein Friesian cows, its effect on the milk quality and seasonal trends, as well as to investigate the efficacy of a commercial clay-based toxin binder. For this purpose, milk samples from dairy cows ( n = 72) were collected and assayed for AFM 1 before employing a clay-based toxin binder. The milk samples ( n = 72) were collected from selected animals, revealing that 69.4% of the milk samples had AFM 1 levels above the United States permissible limit (0.5 μg/kg). The incidence of AFM 1 in milk during the winter and summer was 82.5% and 53.1%, respectively. Owing to the presence of AFM 1 , the level of milk fat, solids-not-fat, and protein were found to be low. Subsequently, the affected animals were divided into two groups, i.e., AFM 1 positive control ( n = 10) and the experimental group ( n = 40). The experimental group of animals were fed the clay-based toxin binder at 25 g/animal/day. A progressive decrease of 19.8% in the AFM 1 levels was observed on day 4 and on day 7 (53.6%) in the treatment group. Furthermore, the fat, solids-non-fat and protein increased significantly in the milk. In conclusion, a high level of AFM 1 contamination occurs in the milk in Pakistan, affecting the quality of the milk production. Clay-based toxin binders may be used to ensure the milk quality and to protect the animal and consumer health., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Ullah et al.)