Abomasum Of Sheep Research Articles

Beyond parasitism: Exploring the microbial profile of Haemonchus contortus and its predilection site (abomasum) in Kashmir Merino sheep

Gastrointestinal helminth infection, particularly by Haemonchus contortus, poses significant challenges to sheep farming worldwide. While anthelmintic drugs have been traditional control measures, the emergence of resistance calls for alternative strategies. Understanding the interaction between parasites, host, and their microbiome is crucial for management of helminth infection. This study intricately explores the interactions between microbial communities in Kashmir Merino sheep infected with H. contortus, to understand the complex interplay between host, parasite, and their microbiome. Sheep abomasal contents and H. contortus were collected from infected and control groups, processed for DNA extraction, and subjected to metagenomic sequencing of the 16 S rRNA gene. Downstream analysis unveils distinct microbial patterns, where Proteobacteria were dominant in H. contortus, while Bacteroidota and Firmicutes prevailed in the sheep abomasum. The revelation of unique genera and shifts in diversity indices underscored helminth-induced disruptions in the host. Beta diversity analysis further showed significant variations in bacterial profiles, providing insights into the intricate host, parasite, and microbiome dynamics. Additionally, this study elucidated the presence of pathogenic bacteria within H. contortus, accentuating their potential role in exacerbating sheep health issues. This finding underscores the complexity of the host-parasite-microbiome interaction showing helminth-induced microbiome alterations of the host.

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Haemonchus contortus in Sheep Slaughtered at Bahir Dar Municipal Abattoir, Ethiopia.

Haemonchus contortus is a blood sucking parasite resulting a massive economic loss in tropical and subtropical sheep rearing areas. A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of haemonchosis and its predictors at Bahir Dar municipal abattoir, northwestern Ethiopia, from December 2022 to April 2023. A total of 378 abomasum of sheep were taken by using systematic random sampling and inspected according to standard procedures. Accordingly, the findings of this study revealed an overall prevalence of 34.40% (30/378) (95% CI: 29.75-39.35). The presence of H. contortus in female sheep (46.41%) was significantly higher than in male (23.35%) (P < 0.001). The same is true; prevalence of haemonchosis in young (<1 year) sheep was 43.33% significantly (P < 0.001) higher than that of adult (≥1 year) which was 26.26%. Based the origin of the animals in the current study, it was nonsignificant variation (P = 0.386). The current study depicted that H. contortus infection is a common parasitic disease and requires remarkable attention to the prevention and control of haemonchosis at the study area.

Growth hormone stimulates the in vitro development and establishment of Haemonchus contortus in sheep

The physiologic increase in some sex hormones has been associated with an increase in the parasite load caused by Haemonchus contortus in ewes, especially prolactin. In lambs that are especially susceptible to hemonchosis, the levels of sex hormones are low; in contrast, the levels of another pituitary hormone, growth hormone (GH), which is structurally very similar to prolactin, are high. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo effects of GH on H. contortus larvae development and establishment were evaluated. The addition of 20 ng/mL GH for 5 and 10 days to cultures of H. contortus larvae induced an enlargement (p<0.01) and an L3/L4 molting rate (p<0.03) greater than that of untreated larvae or those treated with other concentrations of the hormone. Flow cytometry showed that 3.8% of the largest and most complex cells of newly obtained larvae of H. contortus were positive for the GH receptor, and by immunofluorescence with confocal microscopy, it was observed that these receptors are located in the intestinal region larvae. In the in vivo assay, the administration of recombinant GH to gonadectomized lambs produced an increase in FEC (p<0.03), the number of female adult worms in the abomasum (p<0.05) and the levels of specific antibodies (p<0.04) in relation to the control lambs; however, it did not affect the fertility of H. contortus females. Although many factors affect the development and implantation of H. contortus in the abomasum of sheep, the results of this study strongly suggest that GH participates in the development and establishment of the parasite in sheep, mainly in young sheep.

Gross Morphological and Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of Abomasum of Sheep (Ovis aries) during Pre-natal Life

Background: The enzymatic digestion occurs in the abomasum of sheep. A systematic comprehensive study on the embryogenesis of abomasums of sheep is lacking due to availability of sporadic information in current literature. So the current research was designed to explain the detail gross ontogenic occurrences along with scanning electron microscopic study of abomasum in sheep. Methods: From the local slaughter house, 12 healthy sheep foeti of non-descript breed were gathered and grouped into Group I (early pregnancy), Group II (mid pregnancy) and Group III (late pregnancy) having 04 foeti in every group. The abdomen of the foetus was incised and opened. The stomach was exposed and the gross observations were recorded. Then tissue samples from the abomasum were processed for scanning electron microscopic study. Result: The abomasums assumed comma shape at the gestational age of 32 to 48 days. At 67 days of foetus, the external constriction between fundus and pylorus of the abomasum was observed distinctly. In foeti of 32 to 48 days age, it was present between 13th rib and 1st lumbar vertebra. This topography changed to 8th rib and 3rd lumbar vertebra by 121 days of foetal age. The outline of the abomasal folds were noted first at 32 days of age. The height of the abomasal folds in fundus was larger than pylorus. The appearance of gastric pits on the mucosal surface was first observed at 63 days of gestation through scanning electron microscope.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Haemonchus contortus isolated from the small ruminants of south Gujarat, India.

The successful design of strategic control measures against the blood-sucking gastrointestinal nematode, Haemonchus contortus in small ruminants can be facilitated by revealing its general features from morphology to the molecular level. In the south Gujarat region of India, a total of 2408 H. contortus were collected from 84 slaughtered sheep's abomasum, consisting of 347 males and 2061 females (1:6 ratio) (p<0.05). Furthermore, 726 H. contortus were collected from 61 goats, comprising 145 males and 581 females (1:4 ratio) (p<0.05). The male worms were approximately 12±0.06 mm long, while female worms were about 20±0.09 mm long. The vulvar morphotypes of the female worms were found to be 17.7% linguiform, 76.6 % knobbed/button (p<0.05), and 5.7 % smooth type, demonstrating common features of H. contortus. The nucleotide sequences of the Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 (ITS-1) of 165 bp or ITS-2 plus of 256 bp were aligned, and it was found that the genotypes of male and female specimens of either sheep or goat origin were identical, with a 100 % match. The present isolates shared >95 % and >94 % homology with published sequences of ITS-1 and ITS-2 plus of H. contortus, respectively, with more nucleotide transitions than transversions in the aligned sequences. The reconstructed phylogram of either ITS-1 or ITS-2 plus revealed two major clades, one for H. contortus and another for other nematodes, with Haemonchus placei showing its proximity with the clade of H. contortus. The study established the role of morphological and molecular features in identifying and differentiating H. contortus parasite at the local level.

Preparation of mucoadhesive methacrylated chitosan nanoparticles for delivery of ciprofloxacin

Mucoadhesive polymers and their nanoparticles have attracted a lot of attention in pharmaceutical applications, especially transmucosal drug delivery (TDD). Mucoadhesive polysaccharide-based nanoparticles, particularly chitosan, and its derivatives, are widely used for TDD owing to their outstanding features such as biocompatibility, mucoadhesive, and absorption-enhancing properties. Herein, this study aimed to design potential mucoadhesive nanoparticles for the delivery of ciprofloxacin based on methacrylated chitosan (MeCHI) using the ionic gelation method in the presence of sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) and compared them with the unmodified chitosan nanoparticles. In this study, different experimental conditions including the polymer to TPP mass ratios, NaCl, and TPP concentration were changed to achieve unmodified and MeCHI nanoparticles with the smallest particle size and lowest polydispersity index. At 4:1 polymer /TPP mass ratio, both chitosan and MeCHI nanoparticles had the smallest size (133 ± 5 nm and 206 ± 9 nm, respectively). MeCHI nanoparticles were generally larger and slightly more polydisperse than the unmodified chitosan nanoparticles. Ciprofloxacin-loaded MeCHI nanoparticles had the highest encapsulation efficiency (69 ± 13 %) at 4:1 MeCHI /TPP mass ratio and 0.5 mg/mL TPP, but similar encapsulation efficiency to that of their chitosan counterpart at 1 mg/mL TPP. They also provided a more sustained and slower drug release compared to their chitosan counterpart. Additionally, the mucoadhesion (retention) study on sheep abomasum mucosa showed that ciprofloxacin-loaded MeCHI nanoparticles with optimized TPP concentration had better retention than the unmodified chitosan counterpart. The percentage of the remained ciprofloxacin-loaded MeCHI and chitosan nanoparticles on the mucosal surface was 96 % and 88 %, respectively. Therefore, MeCHI nanoparticles have an excellent potential for applications in drug delivery.

Standardisation of traditional rennet produced from sheep abomasum

Traditional rennet (TR) from small ruminants is required to produce many cheeses, but can be a source of technological and safety problems due to low milk-clotting activity (MCA) and microbiological quality. TR samples were obtained from producers of Erzincan tulum cheese in the Gölyurt plateaus (Turkey). Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, yeast and moulds, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and anaerobic spore-forming bacteria counts in the TRs were in the ranges of <1 to 8.07 log cfu mL−1, <2 to 7.33 log cfu mL−1, <1 to 4.32 log cfu mL−1, <1 to 3.19 log cfu mL−1, <1 to 3.46 log cfu mL−1, and <1 log cfu mL−1, respectively. In standardising the TRs, microfiltration decreased the number of microorganisms (<1–2 log cfu mL−1); evaporation increased the MCA by 5 times and reached 1:806–1:5336 MCU mL−1. As a result, increased microbiological safety and MCA of standardised rennet and improved sensory properties of cheese were obtained by a practical and reproducible process.

Leptin system is not affected by different diets in the abomasum of the sheep reared in semi-natural pastures of the Central Apennines

The growing summer drought stress is affecting the nutritional value of pastures, no longer sufficient to support the nutritional status of sheep in extensive rearing. Adipokines affect organ and tissue functionality can be useful to evaluate animal welfare and prompt an improvement in the management of the grazing animals. Leptin (Lep) is an adipokine mainly produced by adipose tissue that regulates food intake by an anorexigenic action. Lep has also been detected in the human and rat gastrointestinal tract, where it regulates the rate of gastric emptying. In this study, Lep system was evaluated in the abomasum of 15 adult sheep reared on Apennine pastures and subjected to different diets. Until the maximum pasture flowering (MxF group), the sheep fed on fresh forage; from that moment until the maximum pasture dryness (MxD group), the experimental group (Exp group) received a feed supplementation in addition to MxD group feeding. The Lep system was investigated in the abomasum samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and RT-qPCR. Double-label localisation of Lep and leptin receptor (LepR) with neuroendocrine hormones was conducted to distinguish the gland cell types. The analysis performed revealed the presence of Lep and LepR in the chief and neuroendocrine cells of the fundic glands of the abomasum. RT-qPCR evidenced the transcript for Lep and LepR also identifying the long isoform (LepRb). No significant differences were observed among the three groups of sheep subjected to different diets. The abundant immunostaining observed in the fundic glands suggests that the Lep intervenes in the regulation of abomasum in sheep with a similar pattern to monogastric species while long term food supplementation seems do not influence the local function of the Lep system. A better understanding of the gastrointestinal system can contribute to improving sheep management and optimising the sustainability of livestock production.

Microbial community in resistant and susceptible Churra sheep infected by Teladorsagia circumcincta

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major threat to health and welfare in small ruminants worldwide. Teladorsagia circumcincta is a nematode that inhabits the abomasum of sheep, especially in temperate regions, causing important economic losses. Given that T. circumcincta and microbiome share the same niche, interactions between them and the host are expected. Although it is known that within a sheep breed there are animals that are more resistant than others to infection by GIN, it is not known if the microbiome influences the phenotype of these animals. Under this condition, 12 sheep were classified according to their cumulative faecal egg count (cFEC) at the end of a first experimental infection, 6 as resistant group (RG) and 6 as susceptible group (SG) to T. circumcincta infection. Then, all sheep were experimentally infected with 70,000 L3 of T. circumcincta and at day 7 days post-infection were euthanized. At necropsy, gastric mucosa and gastric content from abomasum were collected to extract bacterial DNA and sequence V3-V4 region from 16S rRNA gene using Ilumina technology. After bioanalysis performed, results showed that α-diversity and β-diversity remained similar in both groups. However, resistant phenotype sheep showed a higher number of bacteria butyrate-fermenting species as Clostridium sensu stricto 1 (abundance in RG: 1.29% and in SG: 0.069%; p = 0.05), and Turicibacter (abundance in RG: 0.31% and in SG: 0.027%; p = 0.07) in gastric content but also Serratia spp in gastric mucosa (abundance in RG: 0.12% and in SG: 0.041%; p = 0.07). A trend towards a significant negative correlation between cFEC and Clostridium sensu stricto 1 abundance in gastric content was detected (r = − 0.537; p = 0.08). These data suggest that microbiome composition could be another factor associated with the development of the resistant phenotype modifying the interaction with the host and the in last instance affecting the individual risk of infection.

Castor bean cake for the control of parasites in pasture-finished sheep.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate castor bean cake as alternative input in the control of gastrointestinal parasites in sheep raised on irrigated pasture under continuous stocking. The treatments consisted of sheep supplemented with standard diet and pasture fertilized with urea; sheep supplemented with alternative diet and pasture fertilized with urea; sheep supplemented with standard diet and pasture fertilized with in natura castor bean cake; and sheep supplemented with alternative diet and pasture fertilized with in natura castor bean cake. A randomized complete block design (CBD) was used, with 16 replications (sheep), with repeated measures over time, the plots being the treatments, and the subplots the collection times. Infective nematode larvae in the pasture (L3.g DM−1), number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG), globular volume (GV), and total plasma protein (TPP) were evaluated. For adult gastrointestinal parasite counts, CBD was also used with six replications. Except for FAMACHA© grade, all variables had effect (P < 0.01) of the time factor. The average number of L3.g DM−1 and EPG were 126 and 841, respectively, with no effect (P > 0.05) of the treatment factor. The values observed for GV and TPP were higher than 25.9% and 6.4 g·dL−1, respectively, which were considered normal. As organic fertilizer, the fractionated application of in natura castor bean cake does not reduce the contamination of pastures by nematode larvae. The evaluated feeds improve the resilience of the sheep to infection by gastrointestinal parasites. The treatments using castor bean cake reduced the adult parasites present in the abomasum of sheep.

Molecular evaluation of E198A SNP in the iso-type 1 β – tubulin gene of Haemonchus contortus isolated from sheep in Al-Diwanyiah, Iraq

This study investigated the benzimidazole resistance in Haemonchus contortus parasitic nematodes from sheep from October 2021 to December 2022 in Al-Diwanyiah city/Iraq, and samples were processed at the laboratory of Parasitology in Veterinary Medicine College of Al-Qadissyiah University through the detection of E198A mutation and SNP polymorphism of the β-tubulin gene at this codon position. Ninety adult H. contortus samples were collected from the abomasum of sheep (n = 400) and then tested by qPCR and tetra-primer ARMS-PCR. Of these, three different genotypes have been found for E198A SNP: heterozygous (RS), homozygous (SS), and homozygous resistant genotype (RR). The frequencies for these genotypes were 31.11% heterozygous, 57.77% homozygous, and 11.11% homozygous resistant. The current study indicated the spread of benzimidazole resistance for H. contortus of sheep in Iraq, Al-Diwnayiah by utilizing qPCR and tetra-primer ARMS-PCR for the first time. It is speculated that the BZ-resistance is due to excessive and irregular H. contortus drug abuse and inter-species transfer between ruminants at the commonly grazing pastures and from imported sheep.

Traditional and molecular diagnosis of Haemonchus contortus in sheep in Babylon province, Iraq

Haemonchus contortus one of gastrointestinal helminthes characterized by miner intraspecific variation and a major variation among species which exploited to determine species simultaneously depend on PCR techniques, by amplification of DNA from parasites so goal of study was traditional and molecular detection of this parasite in sheep. Experiment was conducted using adult worms collected from abomasum of sheep obtained from abattoir in Babylon province. All worms divided into two groups, first group for morphological study and second group stored in 70% ethanol for DNA extraction, ITS-2 spacer and 28S gene were amplified using PCR technique sequenced and analysis with a phylogenic tree.According to the available data this study recordedHaemonchus contortus in sheep depend on ITS-2 spacer and 28S gene sequences for the first time in Iraq with accession no. LC552170 and LC552171 using molecular data.The phylogeny analysis depended on ITS-2 spacer and 28S gene partial sequences were closely related and high identity 94% with Germany H. similis sequence MN708992.1 and 93% identity with New-Zealand and Austria H. contortus sequence KC998713.1 and KJ724288.1 respectively, with a low genetic variation among all comparison sequenced isolates.

Molecular study on nematode infection in sheep abomasa: a regional investigation in Iran and Iraq.

Gastrointestinal nematodes are leading causes of loss in livestock and are the primary restriction to its profitable production, worldwide. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and diversity of sheep abomasum nematode species in Urmia (Iran) and Soran (Iraq) slaughterhouses from October 2019 to January 2021. A total of 280 abomasa (each city 140 samples) were randomly collected from the slaughtered sheep. The abomasal content and mucosa were removed and washed. The collected nematodes were morphologically identified. Genomic DNA was extracted from identified nematodes and a fragment from the internal transcribed spacer 2 ribosomal ribonucleic acid (ITS2-rDNA) gene was amplified. In Urmia city, two species including Teladorsagia circumcincta (40.7%), and two morphotypes of Marshallagia species; Marshallagia marshalli (35.0%) and M. trifida (4.3%) were identified. In Urmia city, 52.9% of the examined sheep were infected with at least one species of nematodes. The overall prevalence of abomasa infection with nematodes in Soran city was 91.4%. In the examined sheep abomasa in Soran city, four species of nematodes were identified, including Marshallagia species with two morphotypes, M. marshalli (85.0%) and M. trifida (20.7%), Teladorsagia circumcincta (32.1%), Parabronema skrjabini (1.4%), and Haemonchus contortus (0.7%). Except for H. contortus, all the other identified nematode species were confirmed using molecular techniques. It was concluded that abomasal nematode infections are widespread in sheep particularly in Soran city. Marshallagia marshalli and T. circumcincta were most prevalent nematodes in both regions. In addition, further molecular studies are recommended to understand the intra-specific variations in the genus Marshallagia and more accurate identification of morphotypes in these regions.

RIG-I Has a Role in Immunity Against Haemonchus contortus, a Gastrointestinal Parasite in Ovis aries: A Novel Report.

Retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I) is associated to the DExD/H box RNA helicases. It is a pattern recognition receptor (PRR), playing a crucial role in the system and is a germ line encoded host sensor to perceive pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). So far, reports are available for the role of RIG-I in antiviral immunity. This is the first report in which we have documented the role of RIG-I in parasitic immunity. Haemonchus contortus is a deadly parasite affecting the sheep industry, which has a tremendous economic importance, and the parasite is reported to be prevalent in the hot and humid agroclimatic region. We characterize the RIG-I gene in sheep (Ovis aries) and identify the important domains or binding sites with Haemonchus contortus through in silico studies. Differential mRNA expression analysis reveals upregulation of the RIG-I gene in the abomasum of infected sheep compared with that of healthy sheep, further confirming the findings. Thus, it is evident that, in infected sheep, expression of RIG-I is triggered for binding to more pathogens (Haemonchus contortus). Genetically similar studies with humans and other livestock species were conducted to reveal that sheep may be efficiently using a model organism for studying the role of RIG-I in antiparasitic immunity in humans.

Molecular study on parasitic nematodes infection in the abomasum of sheep in Ilam, Iran.

Parasitic nematodes of ovine abomasum are of economic and hygienic importance throughout the world and Iran. This study was aimed to evaluate molecular identity and species diversity of parasitic nematodes in the abomasum of slaughtered sheep in Ilam, Iran. In this study, a total number of 240 of abomasa were randomly collected from the slaughtered sheep at industrial slaughterhouses in Ilam in all seasons between 2017 and 2018. The abomasum content and abomasal mucosa were removed and washed. The collected nematodes were morphologically identified. The genomic DNA was extracted and a 300 bp-fragment-length from internal transcribed spacer 2 ribosomal ribonucleic acid (ITS2-rRNA) gene was amplified. Overall prevalence was 66.70% (160/240). Five species of four genera of nematodes including Marshallagia marshalli (43.70%), Ostertagia circumcincta (15.50%), Parabronema skrjabini (5.00%), M. occidentalis (2.50%), and Haemonchus contortus (0.04%) were identified. Ostertagia circumcincta and H. contortus were found to be different in two nucleotides. There was no nucleotide difference between M. marshalli and M. occidentalis. This study revealed a significant prevalence of parasitic nematodes in sheep abomasum and species diversity of Trichostrongylid nematodes in the region.

First Molecular Characterization and Seasonality of Larvae of Trichostrongylid Nematodes in Arrested Development in the Abomasum of Iranian Naturally Infected Sheep

The aim of this study was to determine molecularly the species of larvae of trichostrongylid nematodes in arrested development in the abomasum of sheep from Iran and their seasonality. A total of 240 sheep abomasa were randomly collected at different seasons from Ilam abattoir in 2017-2018. The adult nematodes were isolated and identified. The mucosa of the abomasum was removed and digested using a pepsin solution. DNA from different parts of the abomasum was extracted using a SinaPureTM kit. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was performed; the ITS2-rRNA gene was amplified using specific primers. Amplified PCR products were purified and sequenced by Bioneer Corporation (South Korea). The obtained ITS2 sequences were aligned using BLAST analysis and submitted to GenBank. Morphologically, five species of adult nematodes of four genera including Haemonchus contortus, Marshallagia marshalli, Marshallagia occidentalis, Parabronema skrjabini, and Teladorsagia circumcincta were identified. Marshallagia marshalli (65.4%, 120.2 ± 28.5) had the highest prevalence during autumn. Molecularly, arrested development of larvae of M. marshalli and T. circumcincta were demonstrated in mucosa of the abomasum in autumn and early winter using PCR of the ITS-2 region of rRNA. The results evidenced the first molecular characterization of the larvae of trichostrongylid nematodes from abomasum of sheep from Iran.

Lectin characterization of the gastrointestinal tract of three Nigerian passerine birds

The avian gastrointestinal tract was characterized using lectin cytochemistry Concanavalia agglutinin (Con A) and Arachis hypogea agglutinin, Peanut agglutinin (PNA). The apical cell boundaries of surface epithelial cells of both the proventriculus and ventriculus, the duct and glandular neck cells of the proventriculus, the intestinal brush borders, the surface epithelial cells of the sheep abomasum and the chief cells of the sheep abomasum were stained by Con A and PNA. The intracytoplasmic granules of the duct and glandular neck cells of the proventriculus, those of the chief or principal cells of the ventriculus, those of the goblet cells of the ileum, colon and cloaca and those of the chief and surface epithelial cells of the sheep abomasum were stained by PNA. Gastro-intestinal endocrine cells and the parietal cells of both the avian gut and the sheep abomasum were not stained by either lectins. The cytochemical results indicated that those cells stained by the two lectins have both a-D- mannose or a-D-glucose and b-galactose- (1,3)-N-acetyl-galactosamine residues in their membranes. Those stained by either of the two lectins had either of the two sugars as components of their cell membrane and their granules. Goblet cells were heterologous. The duct and glandular neck cells of the proventriculus, the chief cells of the ventriculus, the goblet cells of the ileum, colon, cloaca, and the chief and surface epithelial cells of the sheep abomasum had similar intracytoplasmic granules.

PSIV-9 Effects of plant extracts on adult Haemonchus contortus mortality

Abstract Parasitic infections are a major concern in animal production with global control measures costing over $10 billion annually. In small ruminants, Haemonchus contortus contributes to substantial economic losses in weight gain and mortality. Historical pharmaceutical control of H. contortus resulted in anthelmintic resistance, further exacerbating economic losses. The rise of anthelmintic resistance precipitated the need to investigate alternative treatments. One promising area is using anthelmintically active plant extracts. It is hypothesized that substances extracted from pumpkin seeds, garlic, and wormwood will demonstrate anthelmintic activity against H. contortus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of three plant extracts on adult H. contortus mortality in vitro. Pumpkin seed oil (extracted from Cucurbita maxima), allicin (extracted from Allium sativum), and artemisinin (extracted from Artemisia absinthium) were selected as viable alternatives and evaluated for anthelmintic activity. Live adult H. contortus nematodes were extracted from the abomasum of sheep and goats collected from a local abattoir and placed in triplicate into 6-well plates containing differing concentrations of treatments. Fenbendazole was utilized as a positive control and physiological saline as a negative control. Anthelmintic efficacy was determined via time-to-death observation. Time-to-death was determined hourly by observation of movement for thirty seconds. Absence of movement for thirty seconds indicated death. Time-to-death was evaluated via ANOVA. Allicin exhibited a time-to-death similar to fenbendazole (2.15 ± 0.58 h vs. 1.00 ± 0.58 h, P = 0.15). Pumpkin seed oil exhibited accelerated time-to-death compared to negative control (4.15 ± 0.73 h vs. 10.00 ± 0.73 h, P &amp;lt; 0.01). Artemisin did not affect time-to-death at the tested concentrations. Allicin and pumpkin seed oil demonstrated potential as alternative anthelmintics at the evaluated concentrations, providing a potential treatment for H. contortus. Further investigation will determine synergistic effects between extracts and pharmaceuticals.

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction of sheep abomasum protein concentrates by response surface methodology and evaluation of their properties

The aim of this study was to extract sheep abomasum protein concentrates (SAPC) by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and to investigate the properties of SAPC. Response surface methodology and Box-Behnken design were applied to determine the optimal parameters for UAE. The maximum water-soluble protein concentration was 320.5 mg protein/g dry raw material under the optimal conditions with ultrasonic treatment time of 28 min, ultrasonic power of 450 W, liquid/solid ratio of 25 mL/g, and pH of 10. Compare with conventional extraction method (CEM), the UAE not only provided the higher protein concentration and yield but also required much shorter extraction times. Additionally, the SAPC obtained by UAE demonstrated better solubility, emulsifying properties, foaming properties and oil holding capacity as compared to CEM. However, use of the UAE method did not significantly increase the water holding capacity of SAPC.

Gross and Histopathology of Coccidiosis in Small Ruminants in Tamil Nadu

Coccidiosis, caused by protozoa of the genus Eimeria, is one of the major parasitic diseases characterized by subclinical contagious enteritis in domestic and wild animals. A total of 125 tissue samples (Abomasum, small intestine and large intestine) of sheep and goat were collected from slaughter houses in Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts and samples from necropsied small ruminants at Department of Veterinary Pathology, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The overall prevalence of coccidiosis in single infection in collected samples was 28.57% (10/35). Grossly, the ileum and jejunum infected with coccidia showed oedema, congestion of serosa and mucosa. In few cases, the ileum showed a single white round raised spot. On histopathological examination, infected tissues showed different developmental stages like early, young and mature first generation schizonts with stage of blastophore formation, early stage of compartmentalization, advanced stage of compartmentalization, early and mature second generation schizonts with stage of merozoite formation, macromeronts, micromeronts, mature meronts, microgametocytes, macrogametocytes, microgamonts, macrogamonts and mature oocysts in the intestinal mucosa mainly in the epithelial crypts.