Cattle Sheds Research Articles

Trends and Situation of Housing at Athpahariya Community in Dhankuta

Sanitary housing is one of the basic requirements for healthy living, for safety also included as fundamental right. Housing situation of households and structure reflects the socio economic and cultural identity of people. It is also determined by environmental condition. Athpahariya Rai community is a rare community found especially at Dhankuta. A self-administered structured and unstructured questionnaire in Nepali language was used to obtain information from household head, observation, discussion with key informant are used in this study. Most of the traditional households are in insanitary condition with cattle shed. The structure of household has been slightly changed with improving socio economic status and support of Dhankuta municipality but there is not any significant change in living standard of people with low productivity of land, lack of safe drinking water, low level of literacy etc. Roof is changed from straw to zinc sheet and bamboo wall has been changed into stone and mud wall, there are very few household with concrete structure. Modernity towards shelter is just started in terms of shelter in the study area.

Minor Modification in Asbestos Roof of Cow Shed for Reduction of Heat Stress in Dairy Cows during Summer Season

Thermo neutral zone (TNZ) is the range of ambient temperature & humidity in which animals feel comfortable and their production level is optimum. When temperature humidity index (THI) goes above 72, the dairy cows begin to show symptoms of mild heat stress, which affects the milk production in dairy animals during summer season in India. Asbestos and GI sheet are commonly used as roofing material in many cattle farms throughout the world. This experiment was carried out on apparently healthy cross bred jersey cows receiving balanced ration during the month of May in the livestock farm of OUAT, Bhubaneswar for one week. The existing cattle shed was partitioned into three compartments by raising brick walls, each having the dimension of 30 x 25 ft size. The asbestos roof of first one was covered with 90 % grade green shed-net. Over the asbestos roof of second compartment, heat reflective white colour was painted and asbestos roof of third one was left as such. From 8.00 AM to 5.00PM, the THI of the normal asbestos roof shed varied from mild to moderate heat stress range. But THI of both shed-net covered shed and heat reflective colour painted shed was found to be within the mild heat stress range i.e. 72-79 during noon indicating a comfortable ambient condition for the animals in summer season when the outside ambient temperature went up to 40 0C during noon. No significant (P>0.05) change in the milk production was observed among the groups during the week. However, a decrease (P<0.05) of 0.43, 0.25 and 0.38 L in milk yield of the cows was observed when they were kept under normal asbestos shed, heat reflective colour painted shed and shed-net covered shed, respectively. From the study, this can be concluded that the impact of heat stress on milk production can be reduced by painting the rood of the shed with heat reflective colour paint.

Clinical profile, complications, outcome and predictors of intensive care for paediatric scrub typhus: a tertiary hospital-based study from Southern Rajasthan, India

Background: Scrub typhus is an endemic acute febrile zoonotic disease and one of the most neglected tropical illnesses. In 2019, its outbreak was reported from Mewar region of Rajasthan, India. It is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi which is intra cellular gram-negative coccobacilli. Methods: It is retrospective descriptive study conducted on children diagnosed positive for scrub typhus by IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) admitted in ward and paediatric intensive care unit at tertiary care centre during 1 year of study period from April 2023 to March 2024. Clinical profile, laboratory parameters, course of illness and outcome data were collected in predesigned case records proforma for analysis. Results: Mean age of presentation was 10.5±3.2 years with female preponderance (F:M 1.21:1). 78.5% belong to rural areas. Environmental exposure was living close to forests, bushes in 38%, crop fields in 26% and cattle shed with pets in 30%. All cases had fever (100%, n=42) followed by vomiting (62%), cough-cold (42.8%), myalgia (40.4%), altered sensorium (35.7%), breathlessness (31%), oliguria (16.6%), conjunctival redness (11.9%). Most common signs were temperature >101’F (90.4%), hepatomegaly (62%), hypotension (21.4%), edema (23.8%), meningeal signs (14.2%). Tachypnoea (n=14) (p value <0.0001), CRT>3 seconds (n=13) (p value <0.0003), altered sensorium (n=15) (p value=0.0003) and SpO2 <90% (n=7) (p value=0.004) were found significant predictors of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. Eschar and rash seen in 3 cases (7.1%). 16 (38%) children requiring intensive care unit admission had statistically significant anaemia (85.7%) (p=0.013), thrombocytopenia (78.5%) (p=0.042) and raised C-reactive protein (CRP) (50%) (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Scrub typhus is common in Rajasthan and should be suspected in any child with acute febrile encephalopathy, signs of shock, breathlessness, hepatomegaly, anaemia and thrombocytopenia in the monsoon season with the history of exposure. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with doxycycline can prevent mortality.

Mosquito prevalence, resting habitat preference, and Plasmodium infection status of anophelines in coastal Karnataka during the declining phase of malaria—an exploratory study

Malaria has a historical presence in the Dakshina Kannada (D.K.) and Udupi districts of Karnataka, India. To understand the potential involvement of anopheline fauna in malaria transmission, we conducted an exploratory entomological survey. The study is crucial given the decreasing malaria incidence in these districts in recent years. From September 2022 to August 2023, we collected indoor resting mosquitoes using a manual aspirator at 27 randomly chosen sites within three distinct resting habitats (human dwellings, cattle sheds, and construction sites) in the urban areas of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. Mosquitoes were morphologically identified, and anopheline specimens were tested for the presence of malarial parasite by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. We collected a total of 1810 mosquitoes, comprising 21 species distributed across five genera. Culex emerged as the predominant genus, constituting 84.4% of the collected specimens, while Anopheles accounted for 5.4%. Among the observed species, Culex quinquefasciatus was predominant, comprising 77.9% of the mosquito specimens collected in this study. Two malaria vectors, An. stephensi and An. subpictus complex, constituted 16.3% and 1.0% of the total anophelines collected, respectively. None of the 96 female anophelines was tested positive for Plasmodium infection. Our findings suggest that Anopheles mosquitoes prefer resting in cattle sheds over human dwellings. While our study identified two malaria vectors, they were present at low densities. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of these vector mosquitoes, it is essential to conduct long-term surveillance to monitor their prevalence and role in malaria transmission.

Seasonal dynamics and climatic influences of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4) and ammonia (NH3) concentrations on loose housing cattle shed

Measurement of gas concentrations is crucial for the calculation of emissions from livestock buildings. The study aimed to examine how the concentrations of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4) and ammonia (NH3) vary seasonally and influenced by climatic conditions in loose housing cattle sheds in India. Two dairy cow sheds with different layouts, floor types, and cleaning practices were selected for measurements during the summer, rainy, and winter seasons. The concentrations of CO2, CH4, and NH3 exhibited significant variations, ranging from 405 to 717 ppm for CO2, 0.01 to 16.12 ppm for CH4, and 0.00 to 1.90 ppm for NH3. The winter season showed higher levels of CO2 and CH4, while NH3 concentrations were higher during the summer season. Notable differences were observed in CO2 and CH4 levels between sheds during feeding, as well as in CO2 levels during cleaning activities. The study revealed a weak correlation between greenhouse gases, ammonia, and climatic conditions in the cattle sheds, except for a moderate positive correlation between CO2 and relative humidity during winter which means other factors such as housing design, facilities and practices play a significant role.

Evaluation of Immune Exhaustion and Co-Inhibitory Receptor Expression in Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) Seropositive Diarrhoeic Bovines.

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) infection leads to chronic, persistent granulomatous enteritis, causing prolonged diarrhoea and emaciation. The disease is managed using medications such as antibiotics, live vaccines, mycobacteriophage therapies and other treatments; however, a notable proportion of affected animals do not show improvement with this approach. We hypothesise that immunoinhibitory receptors TIM-3 (T cell immunoglobulin mucin protein-3) and PD-1 (Programmed death receptor 1) may be upregulated on Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of MAP-seropositive bovines, potentially contributing to immune exhaustion. Samples (blood and faeces) were collected from 32 diarrhoeic bovines suspected of MAP infection; eight apparently healthy buffaloes from the dairy farm at Hisar, Haryana and from 14 cows (suffering from chronic diarrhoea, weakness and emaciation) housed in stray cattle shed. MAP infection was estimated using indigenous ELISA (i-ELISA), faecal IS900 PCR, culture and acid-fast staining. TIM-3 and PD-1 gene expression on PBMCs were determined using qRT-PCR. TIM3 expression was relatively higher (~400-fold, 330-fold, 112-fold, 65-fold and 16-fold) in 5 chronically diarrhoeic PBMCs samples (MAP-seropositive), and higher PD-1 expression (around ~7-fold, 1.75-fold, 2.5-fold, 7.6-fold) was recorded in 4 diarrhoeic MAP-seropositive animals, compared to apparently healthy and other MAP-seronegative diarrhoeic animals. High co-expression of TIM-3 and PD-1 levels was also recorded in chronically diarrhoeic, emaciated stray cattle. Understanding immune responses in field conditions might aid in the therapeutic management of paratuberculosis.

Design and Fabrication of Friction Floor Cleaner for Cattle Shed

Abstract: In the world of advanced technology and scientific evolution our one vision should be there in the health and hygiene of domestic animals. Domestic animals like cows and goats are the source of revenue in the form of milk. Hence it is essential to take care of the health and hygiene of cows as unhygienic surroundings may lead to various diseases among the cattle and can also affect productivity. There also lies the probability of diseases being transmitted to human beings who consume this milk. So considering all these factors we aim to design and fabricate a machine for the cleaning of cowshed. The proposed system uses 4 different arrangements which are friction cleaning arrangement, water distribution arrangement, disinfectant spraying arrangement, and left and right (1-D) movement arrangement of the complete system. The friction cleaning system uses a rotating brush arrangement to make the complete ground surface of cowsheds dirt-free. A watering arrangement is used to distribute water on the ground surface. Disinfectant distribution arrangement uses sprinkler arrangement to distribute disinfectant to make cowshed bacteria-free. 1-D movement arrangement uses rack and pinion arrangement to make the complete system move in one-directional movement

Gaushala Safety – Automation of Cattle Livestock

Automation of Cattle Livestock is a ground-breaking initiative aimed at transforming cattle care and management. In a nation where cattle play a pivotal role in rural economies, the absence of accessible veterinary care, delayed vaccinations, and disease outbreaks pose significant threats to cattle health and the livelihoods of dependent communities. This project offers a comprehensive solution by harnessing cutting-edge technology. It includes a robust cattle information management system, utilizing speech recognition for data input to accommodate diverse user literacy levels..The core feature is an intelligent vaccination scheduler, creating personalized vaccination plans based on individual cattle profiles, and sending timely reminders to owners. Additionally, it employs advanced image processing to detect early signs of disease. The project ensures accessibility through voice-enabled interaction and simplifies the registration of new cattle and along with that it includes the cattle tracker and shed cleaning. By enhancing cattle health, increasing accessibility, and promoting sustainable cattle rearing, Automation of Cattle Livestock seeks to empower farmers, protect livestock, and drive rural community development. This project represents a pioneering step toward a brighter future for both cattle and their caretakers in India.

Perencanaan Peternakan dengan Konsep Eco Farming di Blitar Jawa Timur

<p><em>The city of Blitar is one of the cities in the province of East Java with quite high cattle cultivation, but there are still many breeders who have not paid attention to the growth and development of their livestock because the cages are not suitable, so the meat produced is still far from the maximum word, cow kennels A good one greatly affects the growth and development of cattle, the meat produced will be more, and besides that the building life will be much longer compared to a cowshed with poor planning. From this review it becomes a parameter for researchers to plan farms with the Eco Farming concept. Farming is a concept that applies an agricultural/livestock system to re-process waste generated from these livestock activities, so as to maximize the agricultural/animal husbandry activities. than usual cows and also the planning of this farm can </em><em>be an example for other cattle breeders in Blitar City. In this study, researchers used the LRFD method as a calculation of livestock steel, the final result was obtained dimensions of steel as a material for the construction of the cattle shed, namely C 125x50x20x3.2 , planning Beams with WF profile dimensions 250 X 175 X 7 X 11, Column planning with IWF profile dimensions 350 x 175 x 7 x 11</em><em>.</em></p>

The landscape of fear in cattle farms? How the presence of barn swallow influences the activity of pest flies

Abstract Insectivorous birds are key suppliers of crucial ecosystem services, especially important for pest control in agricultural systems, and are globally decreasing at a fast rate. Among them, the declining barn swallow Hirundo rustica is particularly linked to cattle farms, where it is impacted by changes in livestock husbandry practices. The presence of swallows in cattle sheds might contribute to control insect pests, but such an effect had never been explored. With this work, we evaluated the potential control effect exerted by barn swallow on economically relevant pest insects, filth flies. To assess whether swallows inside the cattle sheds influence the activity rate of pest flies (especially Musca domestica and Stomoxys calcitrans), we assessed the relative abundance of swallows and flies over 16 weeks in nine different cattle farms in Non valley (Trentino, North‐east Italy), either occupied or not by nesting swallows. From April 2022 to August 2022, we collected weekly data on the activity rate of flies by placing eight white spot cards inside each of nine cattle sheds and counting the deposition of faecal and regurgitation spots by flies. Simultaneously, we collected weekly data regarding swallow occurrence, brood size, number and age of chicks. We applied generalised linear mixed effect models on the activity rate of flies, with spot card and farm as nested random effects, to account for potential random variability between cards and farms. We then assessed through model selection the effect of number of cows, number of swallows, and temperature or week alternatively. Temperature and week were modelled also in interaction with the number of swallows. Fly activity rate followed a seasonal trend with a peak in July, which was markedly lower where swallows were present. Moreover, the positive relationship between flies and temperature was lessened when swallows were abundant. Synthesis and applications. Barn swallows are effective biological control agents for lowering pest fly activity in livestock farms. Farmers were actively involved in swallow conservation within their sheds, also with a shared memorandum‐of‐intent. Harnessing the ecosystem services supplied by farmland birds could bring positive outcomes for people and biodiversity.

Exploring place attachment: Insights from post-Gorkha earthquake resettlement planning in Nepal

This study investigates the relationship between place attachment and resettlement planning in Nepal post the Gorkha Earthquake of 2015. Focusing on functional place dependence, it analyses place attachment within the Panipokhari Integrated Settlement, designed for the Thami community in Dolakha district. Using "residential satisfaction" as a parameter to measure the influencing factors of place dependence, data were collected through a Likert scale survey, interviews, and observations. The analysis encompassed Cronbach's Alpha for reliability (α = 0.825), mean satisfaction scores for evaluation, and Spearman’s rank correlation to explore relationships between residential satisfaction parameters and place dependence factors. The study revealed significant correlations, highlighting varied influences on place attachment. Notably, social connectivity, represented by nearness to relatives (r = 0.720, p = 0.000), exhibited a strong positive correlation. Similarly, infrastructure amenities like electricity (r = 0.532, p = 0.000) displayed a relatively strong positive correlation, while access to health facilities (r = 0.447, p = 0.002) demonstrated a moderate positive correlation. Moreover, settlement planning components—kitchen gardens (r = 0.623, p = 0.000), open spaces (r = 0.578, p = 0.000), settlement layout (r = 0.549, p = 0.000), and cattle sheds (r = 0.574, p = 0.000)—significantly correlated with increased attachment. Additionally, housing design factors like immediate exterior spaces (r = 0.730, p = 0.000), spaces for life cycle rituals (r = 0.771, p = 0.000), and social events (r = 0.663, p = 0.000) and building performance factor winter thermal comfort (r = 0.606, p = 0.000)displayed substantial positive correlations. Acknowledging study limitations, it offers insights for planners and policymakers, stressing holistic approaches for sustainable resettlement. Future research should explore diverse factors and contexts, emphasizing the dynamic nature of place dependence. Ultimately, the study underscores the intricate relationship between satisfaction parameters and place attachment, urging comprehensive resettlement strategies.

First Report of Anopheles annularis s.l., An. maculatus s.s., and An. culicifacies s.l. as Malaria Vectors and a New Occurrence Record for An. pseudowillmori and An. sawadwongporni in Alipurduar District Villages, West Bengal, India.

A comprehensive entomological survey was undertaken in Alipurduar District, West Bengal, from 2018 to 2020 and in 2022. This study was prompted by reported malaria cases and conducted across nine villages, seven Sub-Centres, and three Primary Health Centres (PHCs). Mosquitoes were hand-collected with aspirators and flashlights from human dwellings and cattle sheds during the daytime. Both morphological and molecular techniques were used for species identification. Additionally, mosquitoes were tested for Plasmodium parasites and human blood presence. Mosquito species such as An. barbirostris s.l., An. hyrcanus s.l., An. splendidus, and An. vagus were morphologically identified. For species like An. annularis s.l., An. minimus s.s., An. culicifacies s.l., and An. maculatus s.s., a combination of morphological and molecular techniques was essential. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase gene subunit 1 (CO1) was sequenced for An. annularis s.l., An. maculatus s.s., An. culicifacies s.l., An. vagus, and some damaged samples, revealing the presence of An. pseudowillmori and An. fluviatilis. The major Anopheles species were An. annularis s.l., An. culicifacies s.l., and An. maculatus s.s., especially in Kumargram and Turturi PHCs. Plasmodium positivity was notably high in An. annularis s.l. and An. maculatus s.s. with significant human blood meal positivity across most species. Morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic analyses are crucial, especially for archived samples, to accurately identify the mosquito fauna of a region. Notably, this study confirms the first occurrence of An. pseudowillmori and An. sawadwongporni in West Bengal and implicates An. maculatus s.s., An. culicifacies s.l., and An. annularis s.l. as significant vectors in the Alipurduar region.

Identification of breeding habitats and kdr mutations in Anopheles spp. in South Korea

BackgroundMalaria is still endemic in South Korea. However, limited information is available on the current Anopheles breeding sites and the occurrence of insecticide resistance-associated genetic mutations and their distribution needed to control the malaria vector efficiently.MethodsThis study explored breeding sites of Anopheline adults in Gimpo-si, near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Gyeonggi-do province, South Korea, from 2022 to 2023. Genetic diversity was investigated based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS2), cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and knockdown resistance (kdr) genes of Anopheles mosquitoes. A natural environment associated with the seasonal abundance of Anopheles larvae was characterized.ResultsTwo breeding sites of Anopheles larvae and adults were found at a stream margin or shallow freshwater near the forest in Wolgot-myeon in Gimpo-si without cattle shed within 1 km and in Naega-myeon in Ganghwa-gun with cow shed within 100 m in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Both sites were located between the newly cultivated lands and the forest. Besides, both breeding sites were in the valley at a slight elevation of 60–70 m from ground lands and maintained the shadow all day. Overall, the Wolgot-myeon breeding site showed various Anopheles spp. larvae, including Anopheles sinensis. Naega-myeon, an additional breeding site found in 2023, had Anopheles sineroides larvae, and approximately 59.7% (89/149) of An. sinensis adults inhabited within a 100-m distance. The total collection, including larvae and adults, revealed that An. sinensis, Anopheles pullus, Anopheles kleini, An. sineroides, Anopheles belenrae, and Anopheles lindesayi accounted for 44.2% (118/267), 0.7% (2/267), 0.7% (2/267), 22.1% (59/267), 1.9% (5/267), and 30.3% (81/267), respectively. Furthermore, various kdr mutant genotypes (F/F, C/C, L/F, L/C and F/C) in An. sinensis, and the first kdr allele mutant (L/F1014) in An. belenrae were identified in South Korea.ConclusionsTwo breeding sites of Anopheles larvae were studied in Wolgot-myeon and Naega-myeon. Various Anopheles spp. larvae were detected in both habitats, but overall, An. sinensis was the most prevalent adults in both study sites. The occurrence of kdr allele mutant of An. belenrae in South Korea was reported. Rigorous larvae monitoring of Anopheles spp., continuously updating information on Anopheles breeding sites, and understanding the environmental conditions of Anopheles habitats are required to develop an effective malaria control programme in South Korea.

Isolation and in-vitro characterization of extracellular phytase producing bacterial isolates for potential application in poultry feed

BackgroundPhytase catalyses the breakdown of complex organic forms of phosphorous into simpler forms by sequential hydrolysis of phosphate ester bonds to liberate the inorganic phosphate. Supplementation of feeds with bacterial phytase therefore could enhance the bioavailability of phosphorus and micronutrients. Hence, the aim of this study was to isolate and characterize phytase producing bacteria from rhizosphere soil, fresh poultry excreta, and cattle shed to evaluate their potential in improving poultry feeds. Phytase producing bacteria were isolated using wheat bran extract medium.ResultsA total of 169 bacterial isolates were purified and screened for phytase activity. Out of these, 36 were confirmed as positive for phytase enzyme activity. The bacterial isolates were identified by cultural, morphological, and biochemical features. The isolates were also identified by using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. The bacterial isolates (RS1, RS8, RS10 and RS15) were provided with gene bank database accession numbers of MZ407562, MZ407563, MZ407564 and MZ407565 respectively. All isolates increased phytase production when cultured in wheat bran extract medium (pH 6) supplemented with 1% (wt/v) galactose and 1% (wt/v) ammonium sulphate incubated at 50oC for 72 h. Proximate composition analysis after supplementation of phytase showed that phytase supplementation improved bioavailability of phosphorus, calcium, potassium and sodium in poultry feed.ConclusionsOverall, this study showed that the nutritional value of poultry feed can be improved using microbial phytase enzyme which reduces the cost of supplementation with inorganic phosphate.

Food habits and characteristics of livestock depredation by leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) in human dominated landscape of South Gujarat, India

Information on essential resource requirements and characteristics of livestock predation is crucial for formulating a better conservation strategy for leopards in a human-dominated landscape. We assessed food habits and characteristics of livestock predation in the human-dominated landscape of South Gujarat, India, using scat analysis (n = 350) and secondary information from forest department reports (n = 780). Leopards consumed 17 prey species, with pigs contributing the most (44%) to the leopards’ diet, while domestic horses contributed the least (1%). Leopards preyed upon four domestic species: goats (47%), cows (43%), buffaloes (6%), and horses (2%). Young individuals of livestock were most commonly targeted by leopards, and livestock species were predominantly preyed upon during the evening or night time. Livestock were most vulnerable to predation when tied in open areas and least vulnerable while grazing. Our results highlight the significant role of pigs as the main prey and their contribution to mitigating livestock predation. Additionally, improving cattle shed structures and implementing night guarding could help reduce livestock predation. This study also addresses the knowledge gap regarding leopard ecology in human-dominated landscapes.

Larval and adult surveillance of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Pabna, Bangladesh

An entomological study was conducted at Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna district to identify the species and breeding sites of mosquitoes. Adult mosquitoes were collected using collecting net, human bait, light trap and larvae were collected by ladle spoon, mug, dipper, and pipette from rail junction, bazar, house, cattle shed, rice field, sugarcane field, rice mill, paper mill, drains etc. A total of 2647 mosquito samples including 1426 larvae and 1221 adult mosquitoes were collected from these places. Seven species of larva and eight species of adult mosquitoes under two genera were identified. The recorded genera for both larvae and adults were Culex (Cx.) and Anopheles (An.). The collected species for larvae were Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. epidesmus, Cx.tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. mimulus, Cx. sinensis, An. vagus and An. minimus. The collected species for adults were Cx. epidesmus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx.tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. mimulus, Cx. sinensis, Cx. pallidothorax, An. vagus and An. minimus. Among the collected larva, Culex was found most prevalent (85.7%) than Anopheles (14.3%). Same as larva, adult Culex mosquitoes was found most prevalent (84.4%) than Anopheles (15.6%). Cx. quinquefasciatus (33.5%) found highest among the larval prevalence, in contrast, Cx. epidesmus (36.2%) was dominant among adults. On the other hand, An. vagus was the most dominant species in both larval and adult surveillance (8.1% and 9.9%, respectively). Both the larva and adult Culex mosquitoes were found more prevalent in households (20.3% and 41.2%, respectively), whereas density of Anopheles larva was found highest in rice fields (20.6%) and those of adults were concentrated in households (39.5%). The result of this study will help us to develop a sustainable control measures for the mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases in the study areas as well as other areas of the country. Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 10, No. 2, August 2023: 199-206

Awareness and Practices Regarding Leptospirosis in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Union Territory of India.

Background Leptospirosis is a worldwide prevalent zoonotic infection and re-emerging disease caused by the bacterium of genus Leptospira transmitted by infected animals in the environment.Andaman and Nicobar Islands has one of the highest incidence rates of leptospirosis in India with a seroprevalence of 52.7%.This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding leptospirosis among the urban and rural populations of the Union Territory (UT) of India. Aim and objective This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding leptospirosis in a rural and an urban community of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Materials and methods This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted atrural and urban field practice areas under the aegis of the Department of Community Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences (ANIIMS), Port Blair, for a period of three months.A semi-structured interview schedule was administered to 450 participants in community settings selected from a list of households obtained from the municipal council using a systematic random sampling method. All interviews were conducted face-to-face by the investigators to collect data on the sociodemographic variables of the study participants and their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the disease. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY, USA). Results The knowledge and attitude regarding leptospirosis and henceforth the likelihood of individuals using preventive practices were evaluated. The majority of respondents (97%) had previously heard about leptospirosis; however, specific knowledge regarding its risk factors, causative agent, and complications was limited among the participants. Although more than 90% of them had a favorable attitude towardseeking treatment for the disease and adopting specific preventive measures and general hygiene,they did not practice these hygiene habits nor used self-protective equipment in their day-to-day lives. Less than 50% of participants wore protective clothing, boots, and gloves while cleaning cattle sheds, and only 40% of them used rodenticides despite the presence of rodents in their houses. Most of the owners (60%) had not vaccinated their pets. We also found a significant association between the male gender and urban residence with a good knowledge score (p=0.05). Conclusion Despite having knowledge of and a positive attitude towardthe disease, the participants did not practice preventive measures. We recommend that health interventions in endemic communities should focus on the implementation of protective measures by raising awareness in the susceptible population on multiple dimensions of leptospirosis in order to attain and ensure better compliance.

Factors Influencing Housing Satisfaction in Post-Disaster Resettlement: A Case of Nepal

Housing satisfaction, crucial for sustainable post-disaster resettlement housing, has received limited attention in research. This study aimed to identify households’ perceived importance of housing satisfaction factors and their significance in post-disaster resettlement housing programs. Focusing on Nepal’s Panipokhari Integrated Settlement after the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, it identified relatively significant housing satisfaction factors using mean satisfaction scores, the relative importance index, and Spearman rank correlation. The data were derived from a structured questionnaire survey, complemented by field observations, measurement, and semi-structured qualitative interviews that support the findings. The study found key housing satisfaction factors as need-based housing design (r = 0.70), layout (r = 0.74), modification flexibility (r = 0.70), utility spaces such as kitchen gardens and cattle sheds (r = 0.67), house completeness (r = 0.80), thermal comfort (r = 0.63), and social and cultural aspects such as traditional hearths (r = 0.72) and spaces for rituals and events (r = 0.77). The study concluded that the integration of these factors in the policy-making, planning, and design is important for successful resettlement housing outcomes in regions with comparable socio-cultural and economic backgrounds. The study has practical significance and, thus, will help policy-makers, implementers, and researchers aiming for successful and sustainable resettlement outcomes.

ANOPHELES SPECIES DIVERSITY, SUSCEPTIBILITY STATUS OF MALARIA VECTORS TO INSECTICIDES IN TWO COMMUNES WITH HIGH MALARIA TRANSMISSION IN DAK LAK AND KHANH HOA PROVINCES

This study determined the species diversity of Anopheles mosquitoes andsusceptibility status of malaria vector to insecticides in high malaria endemic communesof Khanh Hoa (Khanh Vinh District) and Dak Lak (Ea So District) provinces, located inthe Central Highlands in 2021. Anopheline mosquitoes were collected by the threesampling methods as human-landing catch, CDC light trap, and cattle shed collections.Mosquitoes were initially identified using morphological characters and susceptibility testby WHO bioassay. The results showed: Overall, 3.188 Anopheles females belongs to 14species were collected, 1.815 individuals from Khanh Hoa, with 67,2% and 32,8% invillage and plot hut areas, respectively, and 1.374 individuals from Dak Lak province,with 912 individuals in village and which 462 in plot hut areas. Three malaria vectorswere detected in both communes, the main vector of An. dirus was the most predominantspecies in plot hut area of both communes, and this species was collected mainly byhuman landing catch method. An. aconitus was the most prevalent species in village areain both communes.The main vector of An. dirus was susceptible (mortality rate of 100%) to alphacypermethrin in both communes. The secondary vector of An. aconitus was susceptible toalpha-cypermethrin and deltamethrin in Khanh Thanh commnune. However, in Ea Socommune, An. aconitus was remained susceptible to alpha-cypermethrin (mortality rate of100%) but possible resistance to detlamethrin with 95% mortality.

Exploring cattle sheds as complementary avifaunal habitat niches in rice dominated agricultural areas in Punjab, India

Avian diversity has often been studied in agricultural habitats, but ornithological aspect of cattle sheds has never been studied. This exploratory study was conducted with the objective of studying the potential of cattle sheds for sustaining avian abundance and diversity in rice dominated agricultural areas. The study was done in Rice Field Ecosystem (System I) and Cattle Shed Ecosystem (System II) during 2019 and 2020 monsoon crop season from selected villages, namely, Dangon, Pakhowal and Sarabha (district Ludhiana), Punjab. It was recorded that 26 avian species (mainly of grassland habitat) were present in cattle sheds from a total 34 avian species (wetland, grassland and open countryside inhabiting species) observed in rice fields, which reflected that cattle sheds support a wide proportion of avian fauna and complement rice fields in supporting and preserving avian abundance and diversity. There is immense need to explore and accordingly lay emphasis on boosting dairy as allied sector so that cattle sheds can be exploited in preservation of diverse avian populations and thereby reinforcing approach of sustainable agriculture. Keywords: Avian diversity, Avian feeding guilds, Cattle Shed, Grassland birds, Rice crop