Malabari Goats Research Articles

Clinical manifestation and management of hypomagnesemia in Theileria spp. infected periparturient Malabari goats

BackgroundGrass tetany or hypomagnesemia is a metabolic syndrome causing acute neurological manifestations in periparturient ruminants grazing on rapidly grown green pastures or cereal crops with high potassium or nitrogen content and low magnesium levels. Clinical reports of naturally occurring grass tetany in goats are least described in the literature and it is considered to be a rare disease. The present study documents the clinical manifestation and management of hypomagnesemia-associated excitatory neuropathy in two Theileria spp. infected Malabari goats presented to the small ruminant medicine OP unit of the University Veterinary Hospital and Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala, India. MethodsThe first goat was in the last trimester of pregnancy and was showing signs of hyperesthesia, limping, difficulty in standing, and inappetence for the last six hours. The second goat was kidded six weeks back and was showing recurrent epileptic seizures and hyporexia from the previous day. Both the goats were kept on extensive grazing from the forest areas with unidentified lush vegetation. On clinical evaluation, both the goats were showing persistent excitatory neurological signs. Fecal examination, peripheral blood smear examination, PCR screening panel for hemoparasites, Complete Blood Count, and serum levels of calcium, magnesium, and glucose were evaluated. ResultsA significant reduction in serum magnesium levels was noted in both cases along with the varied glucose levels. Theileria spp. infection was noticed in blood smear examination and confirmed by PCR. The goats responded well to the therapy using MIFEX™ and other supportive medications and showed uneventful recovery. ConclusionIt is suggested that the farmers should be vigilant enough while allowing goats to graze in unknown vegetation and prevent indiscriminate fodder intake during periods of drought. This is the first documented report of hypomagnesemic excitatory neurologic symptoms in Theileria spp. infected periparturient Malabari goats and showing response to appropriate therapy.

Discovery and computational exploration of SNPs in GNRHR gene and their influence on protein structure and function in Indian goat breeds

This study focuses on identifying functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GNRHR) gene and conducting subsequent in-silico analysis of their effects on protein structure and function in two distinct South Indian goat breeds, namely Attapady Black (n = 120) and Malabari goats (n = 180), known for their divergent prolificacy traits. Utilizing a DNA pool sequencing assay, ten SNPs were uncovered in the study population: c.-1129T>G, c.-1069A>G, c.-978A>C, c.-605A>G, c.-33A>G, c.-29T>G, c.48G>A, c.75G>A, c.209T>G, and c.*212A>G. Notably, two polymorphisms, c.-1129T>G and c.-33A>G, were novel. Additionally, two polymorphisms, c.-33A>G and c.-978A>C, were exclusive to Malabari goats. Analysis of upstream variants revealed modifications to transcription factor and micro-RNA (miRNA) binding sites, suggesting potential alterations in GNRHR expression. Of particular significance was the non-synonymous exonic variant at c.209T>G locus, resulting in methionine to arginine substitution at the 70th position within the first intracellular loop of the receptor protein. This amino acid change may have implications for the functional dynamics of the receptor as GnRHR intracellular loops are involved in G protein coupling thereby facilitation of downstream signalling pathways. The identified SNPs and their in-silico impact analysis contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying reproductive traits in these goat populations, with implications for future breeding strategies and genomic selection programs.

Association of SERPING1 gene single nucleotide polymorphism with resistance to natural strongyle infection among native goats in humid tropical Kerala

Strongylosis poses a significant threat to goat populations, particularly in humid tropical regions like Kerala, a southern peninsular state in India. This study aimed to compare breed differences in host resistance and resilience to natural strongyle infection between Attappady Black and Malabari goats reared under semi-intensive systems. Additionally, we analyzed the association of a potential single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the Serine Proteinase Inhibitor Clade G member 1 (SERPING1) gene with these traits. Faecal egg count (FEC) and volume of packed red cells (VPRC) were employed as indicators of host resistance and resilience, respectively. Over the course of one year, fortnightly phenotypic data on FEC and VPRC were collected from 109 native goats, including 58 Malabari and 51 Attappady Black goats. The Malabari goats exhibited greater resistance and resilience to strongylosis, evidenced by significantly lower FEC (p≤0.01) and higher VPRC (p≤0.05) compared to Attappady Black goats. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a highly significant negative correlation between FEC and VPRC (r= −0.41, p<0.01). Genotyping of the −312-C>T SNP in SERPING1 gene was conducted using modified bidirectional PCR amplification of specific alleles (Bi-PASA). While the association between SERPING1 genotypes and FEC was not significant, a significant association was observed between SERPING1 genotypes and VPRC (p<0.05). These findings underscore the importance of breed-specific differences in goat resilience to strongyle infection and highlight the potential role of SERPING1 gene polymorphism in modulating host resilience traits.

Diplotype-based assessment of GNRHR gene polymorphisms and their role in determining litter size at birth in the Malabari goat population of South India

The Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor (GNRHR) gene, a key regulator of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis, plays a pivotal role in modulating reproductive potential in mammals by influencing the release of gonadotropins. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive population genetic analysis of haplotypes and diplotypes of the GNRHR and explored their association with litter size at birth in the prolific Malabari goat breed of South India. Utilizing PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and PCR-sequencing-based typing (SBT) techniques, we genotyped 185 Malabari goats for diplotypes encompassing specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at c.–33A>G, c.–29 T>G, c.48 G>A, c.75 G>A, and c.209 T>G loci of the GNRHR gene. The PCR-SSCP and PCR-SBT revealed the presence of seven diplotypes and six haplotypes within the study population. Our results, as determined by ordinal logistic regression analysis, demonstrated a highly significant (p<0.01) influence of GNRHR diplotypes on litter size at birth up to the third parity, with a significant (p<0.05) effect observed in the fourth parity in Malabari goats. Specifically, the odds of multiple births were found to be 53.3% and 80.7% higher for AGAGG/ATGGT diplotypes compared to AGAGG/AGAGG diplotypes in the first and second parity, respectively. Furthermore, the odds ratio analysis highlighted a higher percentage of multiple births in AGAGG/AGAAG diplotypes during the third and fourth parities compared to other diplotypes in Malabari goats. Collectively, our findings suggest that heterozygote diplotypes confer a reproductive advantage over homozygous diplotypes for litter size at birth in the Malabari goat breed.

Genome-wide runs of homozygosity in Indian goat breeds reared under small holder production system

Small holder goat production system is often constrained by high inbreeding due to small herd size and uncontrolled breeding. Runs of homozygosity (ROH), the long stretches of homozygous genomic DNA is the most reliable measure of autozygosity. The objective of present study was to investigate the number and coverage of ROH in the genome and to estimate the genomic inbreeding coefficient (FROH) in two divergent Indian goat breeds viz; Attappady Black and Malabari goats farmed under small holder production system. The genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker data obtained by Illumina SNP50 goat BeadChip genotyping of 48 goats (24 each of Attappady Black and Malabari goats) sampled from farmers flock in their respective breeding tract was utilised for ROH detection. The ROH of > 1 Mb was defined as tracts of homozygous genotypes with at least 15 SNPs and less than five missing SNPs. The ROH detection was carried out with PLINK 1.9 version. The proportion of goats lacking ROH (per cent) was 66.67 in Attappady Black and 39.13 in Malabari goats. The mean number and length of ROH of 1 Mb or more was higher in Malabari goats (2.1304 ± 0.6369 and 6.0016 ± 0.5271 Mb) compared to Attappady Black goats (0.4583 ± 0.1343 and 4.0197 ± 0.3755 Mb). Mean ± S.E of sum of ROH coverage of genome per individual (SROH) was 1.8423 ± 0.05976 and 8.8236 ± 1.2785 Mb in Attappady Black and Malabari goats, respectively and differed among the two breeds significantly (p ≤ 0.05). Analysis of the distribution of ROH according to their length showed that majority of the detected ROH were < 8 Mb in length in both breeds with no ROH of > 8 Mb in Attappady Black goats. Mean ± S.E of genomic inbreeding coefficient (FROH≥1 Mb) in per cent was 0.519 ± 0.19 and 0.07480 ± 0.0243 in Malabari goats and Attappady Black goats, respectively. The pattern of ROH estimated in the present analysis indicates the inbreeding history of the goats farmed under small holder production system. Results of present study indicate that both breeds are less consanguineous and showed no evidence of recent inbreeding.

Linkage disequilibrium and effective population size in Indian goat breeds

Genomic linkage disequilibrium (LD) is an important population diversity measure and an indicator determining the efficacy of genomic applications. The present population genomic study was carried out to comprehensively characterise the extent and pattern of LD in the two divergent Indian goat breeds namely, Attappady Black and Malabari goats reared under small holder production system. The LD was estimated using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker data obtained by Illumina SNP50 goat BeadChip genotyping. The LD between adjacent SNPs across all autosomes measured as correlation coefficient (r2) in the studied population was low and mean ± standard deviation of LD were 0.0657 ± 0.0921 and 0.0661 ± 0.0911 for Attappady Black and Malabari goats, respectively. The LD varied significantly (p < 0.0001) among chromosomes, interaction between chromosome and breed and among marker intervals. The LD (r2) of 0.2 and 0.3 were extended up to 20 kb and 10 kb marker intervals, respectively. Based on the genomic data, Ne was estimated as 512.8198 in Malabari and 371.2220 in Attappady Black goats at 17 generations back. The weak LD observed in Indian goat breeds indicates increased diversity of these Indian goat breeds and also implies that denser SNP panel might be more beneficial for genomic applications.

Expression profile and association of ghrelin gene polymorphism with growth and litter traits in Indian goat breeds

Ghrelin (GHRL) is a 28 amino acid bioactive peptide influencing growth hormone secretion, regulation of energy homeostasis and appetite stimulation. The present investigation was undertaken to study the expression profile of the caprine ghrelin gene and to identify single nucleotide variations in caprine ghrelin gene to evaluate its association with production traits. Tissue samples of abomasum, lung, liver, spleen, fallopian tube and ovary were collected from six Malabari and Attappady Black adult goats to study the ghrelin gene expression pattern. Quantitative Real-Time PCR was used to find out the relative expression of ghrelin in various tissues. It was observed that there was a higher expression of ghrelin in the abomasal (3.67) tissues and the least expression in the liver (0.19) tissues. Significantly higher level of expression was noticed in Attappady Black than Malabari goats. Highly significant (p < 0.01) 4.07 fold upregulation was noticed in the ovary compared to the lung (3.85) and abomasum (3.80). A total of 176 Malabari and Attappady Black adult goats were screened for polymorphism using PCR-SSCP. Representative samples from different band patterns were sequenced. Two SNPs at the 9th position (C→A transversion) and at the 38th position (G→T transversion) in exon 4 and two SNPs at the 45th position (C→T transition) and 89th position (C→T transition) in intron 4 were identified. A significant association was observed between body measurement traits and the identified single nucleotide polymorphisms. The AB genotype demonstrated superior values over the AA genotype in body length and height for exon 4, while for intron 4 AA genotype was superior to the AB genotype. The AB genotype demonstrated higher values over the AA genotype for chest girth, CCI and TI. However, no association was found between body weight and litter size. The ghrelin gene may be used in marker-assisted selection for improving conformation traits in goats.

The effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor gene single nucleotide polymorphism on growth and milk production traits in two native Indian tropical goat breeds

Insulin like growth factor1(IGF-1) is an essential growth factor that mediates the growth-promoting functions of pituitary growth hormone. Insulin like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) is a tyrosine kinase receptor that mediates the actions of IGF1. Therefore, IGF1R is a candidate gene for examining SNPs linked with growth and production traits. The objective of this study was to detect the c.546 + 179170A > T transversion in intron 2 of the gene encoding IGF1R in two goat breeds, Attappady Black and Malabari, and examine the association of this polymorphism with growth and milk production. For the identification of the SNP, the T-ARMS-PCR was utilized. All three genotypes were present in the two investigated breeds. The polymorphism was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) linked with growth traits. At birth, 3 and 6 months of age, Attappady goats with the AT genotype had significantly (p < 0.05) higher body weights than those with the AA and TT genotypes. Malabari goats with the AT genotype had significantly (p < 0.05) higher body weights at birth and at 3 months of age. The genotypes of the IGF1R gene had no effect on total or peak milk production. Therefore, this SNP could be used as a molecular marker in selection of meat-producing goat breeds. HIGHLIGHTS c.546 + 179170A > T IGF1R transversion was detected using T-ARMS-PCR in two indigenous goat breeds from Kerala. Attappady Black and Malabari goat breeds of Kerala possessed all the three genotypes In these breeds, there was a significant correlation between this SNP, c.546 + 179170A > T IGF1R, and body weight. In both the breeds, there was no association between this SNP and milk production traits.

Expression of Angiopoietin 2 in ovarian follicles of crossbred Malabari goat

Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) is a local ovarian growth factor belonging to the angiopoietin/Tie (tyrosine kinase with Ig and EGF homology domains) signalling pathway, one of the main pathways involved in ovarian follicular angiogenesis. The main objective of this study is to assess the differential protein expression of Ang-2 in the developmental phases of ovarian follicles of crossbred Malabari goats employing an immunohistochemical technique. Ang-2 protein expression was found in all developmental phases of ovarian follicles, including primordial, primary, small, and large antral ovarian follicles. Ang-2 was found in the granulosa cells, theca interna cells, follicular fluid (granulosa cells in the FF), endothelial cells of capillaries and germinal epithelium of the goat ovaries. The Quantitative Method-Percentage Positivity of Ang-2 expression revealed that it was higher in the initial stages of ovarian follicular development and decreased with later stages of follicular development in cross-bred Malabari goats. Moreover, the protein expression of Ang2 was found to be higher in granulosa cells (GC) than in theca interna (TI) cells of antral follicles as evident from the higher staining intensity in GC cells compared to TI cells. It is therefore concluded that the Ang-2 protein expression in ovarian follicular cells decreased with an increase in follicle size and development and based on the combined scores for immunostaining (staining intensity and the number of positive staining cells), the Ang-2 was found to be expressed more in the granulosa cell layer compared to the theca interna cells of the antral follicle in crossbred Malabari goats.

Haemotobiochemical changes and management of post-partum fatty liver syndrome in Malabari goats

The fatty liver syndrome was confirmed by haemotobiochemical and hepatic ultrasonographic investigations in 12 Malabari goats within six weeks after kidding. Animals were divided into two groups with six does each which received two different treatments. Ketonex bolus, which contains nicotinic acid, disodium hydrogen phosphate, and live yeast was given to the goats in Group I. The animals in Group II received syrup Bexoliv, which contains tricholine citrate, methionine, inositol, vitamin E, biotin, selenium, silymarin, iron, copper, and B12. In addition to this, animals of both groups received glycerin orally. On the fifteenth day of treatment, the animals were reevaluated. Six apparently healthy adult female goats within six weeks of kidding were selected as control. Before treatment, the neutrophil count showed a significant increase and lymphocyte and monocyte counts showed a decrease in the study groups. Blood beta-hydroxybutyrate (βHB), serum non-esterified free fatty acids (NEFA) and serum urea nitrogen (SUN) levels showed a significant increase before treatment and reduced after treatment among both groups. Hepatic ultrasonography showed hyperechogenicity of parenchyma before treatment when compared to after treatment. The animals showed improvement with both treatments.

Comparison of Beetal Goats’ Reproductive Effectiveness under Different Management Approaches

The Beetal goat or Lahori goat is a breed from the Punjab region of Pakistan and India. It is used for milk and meat production. It is similar to the Jamnapari goat and the Malabari goat. Beetal goats have been widely used for improvement of local goats throughout the subcontinent. These goats are also adapted to stall feeding, thus are preferred for intensive goat farming. The Beetal goat and the Malabari goats are usually compared for their body characteristics. The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of beetal goat reproduction under different management techniques. Based on reproductive effectiveness and growth parameters, the results of two goat production management systems, namely (1) seasonal breeding and (2) year-round breeding, were compared. The study was performed out during a one-year period. The data was collected from two farms for this study, the 1st farm was the private farm known as Noor-Hussain Goat Farm in Raiwind and 2nd farm was Bahadurnagar Research Institute in Okara which is run by the government. Adult goats (n=72+) were collected for this study and their reproductive and productive traits were examined (2-bucks with each flock).

Impact of thermal stress on physiological, behavioural and biochemical parameters in native and crossbred goats

The present study was undertaken to investigate the association of the temperature-humidity index with physiological, biochemical and behavioural responses in Malabari, crossbred and Attappady black goats of Kerala, India. A positive correlation was noticed between in-house temperature (IT) and temperature-humidity index (THI) with respiration rates, rectal temperatures, heart rate and skin temperature levels of breeds at 2.00 PM and 5.00 PM. Biochemical and endocrines parameters, blood gases and electrolytes were analysed during the 2nd, 32nd and 60th day of the study. Alterations in physiological parameters were more significant in Malabari goats. However, a negative correlation was observed between in-house relative humidity and all physiological parameters during all the different times. Behavioural patterns were influenced by increased IT and THI and the breeds spent more time in standing position during heat stress. A significant difference was observed within the study period in the pO2, Na+, HCO3- and blood pH. A significant difference was observed between the breeds for K+, Cl- and HCO3- levels. A significantly higher glucose level on the 32nd day and a lower total cholesterol level in the latter half of the experimental period were noticed in Malabari and crossbred. Mean total protein levels of all the breeds were significantly increased on the 32nd day. Increased GGT levels were observed in the first half of the experimental period in all breeds. Higher cortisol levels in Malabari and crossbred could be estimated in the first half of the experiment. Although Malabari showed higher T3 levels on the 32nd day compared to other breeds, within the breeds no significant difference in T3 levels could be noticed. However, significantly higher T4 values were recorded on the 32nd day and 60th day only in Crossbred breeds when the IT and THI were high. Thus it has been shown that heat stress was affecting the physiology, metabolism and behaviour of breeds. The increase in respiratory rate and rectal temperature were the first signs of heat stress in these breeds. The physiological manifestations of stress were the greatest for Malabari goats and the least for Attappady black.

Effect of Malabari goat lactoferrin on tumour growth kinetics in experimentally induced tumours in mice

Lactoferrin, a minor whey protein, possesses a multitude of biological functions including antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and antitumour activities. The present study focuses on the antitumour activity of lactoferrin isolated from Malabari goats. Lactoferrin was isolated from Malabari goat colostrum by Cation exchange chromatography. The purity of the isolated protein was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and its identity was ascertained by Western Blotting. Solid tumours were induced in hind limbs of Swiss Albino mice using Daltons lymphoma ascites cells. Animals which developed the tumours were divided into groups and administered different doses of Malabari goat lactoferrin (MgLf) intratumourally as a single dose. The tumour positive animals were sacrificed on day 10 post treatment to study the effects of MgLf on tumour growth kinetics by assessing the tumour weight: body weight ratio and tumour volume inhibition of the slaughtered animals. It was found that MgLf @150μg significantly lowered the tumour weight: body weight ratio and tumour volume of the treated animals.

Prediction of growth performance of malabari goats using non-linear models

Different non-linear growth models were fitted to predict the best growth model for Malabari goat breed. Data on body weight of 1064 goats from birth to 12 months of age were collected between 2016 and 2018 from field centres of Indian Council of Agricultural Research – All India Coordinated Research Project on Goat Improvement on Malabari, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Kerala. The data of body weights were plotted against age and shape of the curve was examined. Based on shape of the curves, five non-linear growth models viz., Brody model, von Bertalanffy model, Logistic model, Gompertz model and Negative exponential model were fitted to the data. The Gompertz model was the best fit model for Malabari goats with maximum R2 (0.999) and least residual mean square error (0.210), mean absolute error (0.105) and mean absolute percentage error (0.016) followed by Logistic model. Thus, the Gompertz model could be considered as the best fit to describe the growth performance of Malabari goats.

Expression profilingof Ecto-NOX Disulfide-Thiol Exchanger 2 (ENOX2) gene during heat stress in Attappady black and Malabari goats

Thermal stress is one of the major factors negatively influencing livestock production.Goats are known for their ability to adapt to adverse environmental conditions as they possessunique adaptive traits due to behavioural, morphological, physiological, and largely genetic bases.There is a high need to select goats that are suited to a wide range of geographical and harshenvironments. The present study was carried out to analyse the expression profile of ENOX2 genein heat stress susceptible (HSS) and heat stress tolerant (HST) individuals in Attappady black andMalabari goat breeds. The temperature humidity index (THI) was calculated during the period of theexperiment. Total RNA was isolated from the whole blood of HST and HSS groups of both breeds.The relative expression pattern of ENOX2 gene showed 1.74 and 5.27 fold higher expression whencompared to the control (HST) in Attappady black and Malabari goats, respectively.

Ovarian follicular dynamics in peripubertal Malabari goats

The aim of this study was to characterise the follicular dynamics in first two oestrous cycles of peripubertal Malabari goats. Transrectal ultrasonography was carried out on alternate days of oestrous cycles after first observed oestrus. Follicular studies revealed presence of two to five wave cycles with predominant three and four wave patterns. The interwave interval for ovulatory wave was longer than preceding waves in three and five wave cycles. The diameter of largest follicles in wave 1 was larger than follicles of subsequent waves of three, four and five wave cycles. The largest follicles in each wave could be observed from day 3 to day 13 of oestrous cycle. Majority of ovulations occurred on day 20 of oestrous cycles and short cycles were more in first oestrous cycle. The overall mean per cent of single and double ovulations were 56.3 and 43.8 and mean ovulatory follicle size was 6.59 ± 0.11 mm in peripubertal goats. The mean length of first and second oestrous cycle was observed as 17.72± 0.79 and 20.19± 0.43 days, respectively and mean duration of first and second oestrus was 36.88 ± 2.44 and 40.13 ± 1.84 h, respectively. The study revealed that predominant wave pattern was three and four waves in peripubertal Malabari breeds. The first oestrous cycle length was shorter and characterised by higher percentage of single ovulations with smaller periovulatory follicle size. Larger ovulatory follicles and double ovulations were observed in second oestrous cycle.

Summer season induced heat stress associated changes on meat production and quality characteristics, myostatin and HSP70 gene expression patterns in indigenous goat

The study was conducted to assess the effect of heat stress on the meat production and quality variables in indigenous Malabari breed goats. The study was conducted during 45 days using twelve 10 months to one year old Malabari goats. The goats were randomly allocated into two groups: MC (n = 6; Malabari control) and MHS (n = 6; Malabari Heat stress). The MC group animals were housed inside the shed without exposure to outside environment while the MHS group animals were exposed to summer heat stress by keeping them outside the shed from 10:00 h to 16:00 h. At the end of the study, animals were slaughtered and their meat characteristics were assessed. The findings from the study revealed that heat stress caused significant reduction in live weight (P < 0.05), pre-slaughter weight (P < 0.01), hot carcass weight (P < 0.05), loin eye area (LEA) (P < 0.01), and fat score (P < 0.01). Fore saddle is the only primal cut which was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in weight in MHS as compared to MC group. Further, meat quality variables such as ultimate meat pH, water holding capacity (WHC) and shear force significantly (P < 0.01) increased during heat stress. Among the sensory characteristics, appearance (P < 0.01) and flavour (P < 0.05) reduced significantly in MHS group. However, plasma leptin level was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in MHS group. In addition, the skeletal muscle myostatin gene expression pattern was significantly (P < 0.05) lower while HSP70 gene expression was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in MHS as compared to MC group. Thus, it may be concluded from the study that indigenous Malabari goats possessed the inherent ability to maintain meat production by overcoming the adverse effects of heat stress. However, the severity of heat stress was reflected on the meat quality variables in this breed.

Association of temperature humidity index during summer with haematological parameters in native and crossbred goats of Kerala

The study was conducted to investigate the association of temperature humidity index (THI) during summer with haematological responses in Malabari, crossbred and Attappady goats of Kerala. The research work was conducted at University Goat and Sheep Farm, KVASU, Mannuthy, Thrissur district in Kerala from March to May, 2020. In-house temperature and in-house relative humidity were measured daily at 7.00 AM, 10.00 AM, 2.00 PM and 5.00 PM. Haematological parameters such as total erythrocyte count (TEC), total leucocyte count (TLC), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), volume of packed red cells (VPRC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were analysed during 2nd, 32nd day and 60th day of the study. There was no significant change in TEC, VPRC levels in between the breeds and within the observed days. However, TLC were significantly increased for Malabari goats and MCHC were significantly increased in all the breeds at 32nd day of study period. The Hb concentration were significantly increased in crossbred and Attappady black at 32nd day of study period. There was a significant decrease in MCV values in 2nd and 32nd day for all the breeds. The study demonstrated certain altered hematological features in all the breeds under study indicating the adaptive ability of these animals during heat stress.

Influence of Pyrexia on Pharmacokinetics of Azithromycin and Its Interaction With Tolfenamic Acid in Goats.

Azithromycin is a macrolide antimicrobial agent of the azalide group with a broad spectrum of activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial organisms. Tolfenamic acid is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug of the fenamate group, which is used extensively in humans and animals due to its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic properties. There is dearth of literature on any type of drug interaction between azithromycin and tolfenamic acid in any species, including human beings and alteration of its pharmacokinetics by fever. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the alteration of disposition kinetics of azithromycin alone and in the presence of tolfenamic acid in Malabari goats by fever, following an intravenous administration at a dose rate of 20 mg/kg body weight. Blood samples collected from both afebrile and febrile goats at predetermined time intervals after the administration of azithromycin alone and then in combination with tolfenamic acid (2 mg/kg, intravenously), respectively, were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Non-compartmental analysis was used to determine the peak blood concentration (Cmax), time-to-peak plasma concentration (Tmax), half-life (t1/2λz), area under the curve (AUC 0−t, AUC 0−inf), area under the first moment curve (AUMC 0−inf), mean residence time (MRT0−inf), apparent volume of distribution at steady state (Vss), and the total body clearance of drug from the blood (Cl). In febrile animals, significant differences were noted in the values of Cmax, Cl, and Vss. Thus, azithromycin disappears into an additional compartment in febrile goats, which may be due to its extended cellular penetration into the inflammatory cells, resulting in anti-inflammatory activity. Tolfenamic acid significantly altered the pharmacokinetics of azithromycin in both normal and febrile animals. Tolfenamic acid, being a better anti-inflammatory agent, suppresses the inflammatory mediators, reducing the possibility of increased utilization of azithromycin in febrile condition.

Comparison of the single nucleotide polymorphisms and expression of FSHβ and LHβ genes between prolific and non-prolific goat breeds of Kerala

Attappady Black and Malabari breeds of goats are native to Kerala, a southern state of India. Attappady Black is a low prolific breed whereas Malabari breed is highly prolific. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) are the gonadotropins which are considered to be the central hormones controlling prolificacy. The present study aimed to detect presence of SNPs in exonic regions of FSHβ and LHβ and the expression of these gonadotropins in both these breeds. Blood samples were collected from ten does five each from Attappady Black and Malabari goats and the genomic DNA was extracted. Multiple primers were designed based on Ensembl Genome Browser sequences to cover the entire exonic regions of both the genes for SNP detection. Pooled PCR products of FSHβ and LHβ separately from the two breeds were sequenced. Nucleotide sequencing showed synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism T → C, in FSHβ coding sequence, at position 413 (as per FSHβ ENSCHIG00000022859), in both Attappady Black and Malabari goats. Numerous other SNPs both novel and reported were detected in the non-coding regions of FSHβ. In LHβ of Attappady Black goat, an SNP was found at exonic position 455 (G → A) as per LHβ ENSCHIT00000012663.1. This transition resulted in replacement of amino acid arginine (R) with glutamine (Q). Upon individual sequencing of ten each of single birth and multiple birth Attappady Black goat samples, three animals with single birth and five animals with multiple birth showed G → A change in the LHβ transcript at position 455. Pituitary samples were collected from 6 animals each from both the breeds and expressions of both the genes were quantified using qRT-PCR technique. There was no significant difference in pituitary FSHβ expression between breeds. However, there was a significant difference (P < 0.01) in LHβ expression between the two breeds with an increase in expression of 2.61 folds in Attappady Black breed. This study forewarn a main role for LH in the genetic network controlling prolificacy in these goat breeds and this necessitates further investigation with larger sample size and also in other goat breeds.