Treatment Of Animal Diseases Research Articles

The determination of acute toxicity parameters of “Imkar-120”

Vector-Borne Diseases are a variety of infectious and invasive diseases of animals and humans, the agents of which extend from one to another susceptible subject with the participation of hemopoiesis (ticks, insects, etc.). For the purpose of treatment of blood parasitic transmissive diseases, domestic and foreign researchers tested a significant number of drugs of different chemical composition. In connection with the insufficient on the domestic market of drugs on the basis of imidokarb dipropionate for the treatment of blood-parasitic diseases in animals, the Scientific-Production-Technical Enterprise “Brovapharma” established and conducted the state registration of the drug “Imcar-120”, which blocks the synthesis of polyamine; it also has significantly less toxicity than dimeters of aceturates. It provides a broad spectrum of antiprotozoal effects on pathogens of pyroplasmiosis of the genus Babesia (Babesia bovis, B. ovis, B. bigemina, B. colchica, B. equi, B. divergens, B. canis, B. caballi, B. gibsonii i Francaiella colchica); Teilerian species (Theileria annulata, T. sergenti, T. mutans, T. orientalis, T. ovis, T. recondita, T. tarandirangiferis); Nuttallia equi and the genus of Anaplasma (Anaplasma marginale, A. ovis, Ehrlichia canis) with their mono- or mixed infestation. Pre-clinical research “Determination of toxicological properties of the drug Imcar-120” was carried out on the basis of vivarium of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Sumy NAU. Study of parameters of acute toxicity of the study drug was performed on 50 clinically healthy white mice in males and females. Before the experiment, the individual weight of the body of animals selected for the experiment was 18–22 g, the age was 8–9 weeks. In the first stage, preliminary experimental studies were conducted to determine the variation of dose limits before the main stage of the studies. At the same time the drug was administered intragastrically in doses: 2500, 3500, 4500, 5500, 6500, 7500 mg/kg. Each dose was given to three animals. After the introduction of the drug for monitoring animals, the experiment was carried out 14 days, the first day – every hour. For the expanded stage of the experiment, four experimental groups (n = 8) of animal analogues were formed, in which the study drug was injected under the same conditions as in the previous stage of the experiment at a rate of 3800, 4300, 4800 and 5300 mg/kg of body weight. In the course of studies to determine the parameters of acute toxicity of the drug Imkar-120 it was determined half-lettable dose of the drug. According to R. Kerber's method, DL50 was 4456.25 mg/kg, therefore according to the classification of GOST 12.1.007-76 the preparation Imkar-120 should be classified as hazard class III by injection into the stomach – substances are moderately dangerous.

Динаміка клініко-гематологічних, біохімічних та імунологічних показників клінічно здорових собак за впливу антигомотоксичного препарату Траумель

The effect of antihomotoxic prepapation Traumel on the clinical condition, morphological, biochemical and immunological parameters of blood and blood serum of clinically healthy dogs is determined in the article on the basis of experimental studies. The problem of using antihomotoxyc preparations for the treatment of animal diseases is one of the most controversial issues in modern clinical medicine, but there is growing interest in finding alternative treatments in the world. Today there is a number of research and publications claiming that complex anthyhomotoxyc preparations have a correcting effect. Some scientists talk about the immunostimulatory effect of anthyhomotoxyc preparations. However, all of these studies were conducted mainly in humane medicine and in laboratory animals. Thorough studies of the effects of the anthyhomotoxyc preparation Traumel on the organism of clinically healthy dogs have not been conducted previously. Therefore, this work is relevant and timely. The purpose of our work is to study the effect of complex anthyhomotoxyc preparation Traumel on clinically healthy animals. The material for the study was a group of ten clinically healthy dogs, which before the use of anthyhomotoxyc preparation were determined based on the clinical condition, morphological, biochemical and immunological parameters of their blood. Then we injected the preparation. The preparations were given in a dose of 1 ml per animal per day. Blood and blood serum tests were performed on the first, third, sixth and thirtieth days. The results were compared with those obtained during the determination of the state of the organism before the preparation use. Laboratory studies were conducted at the laboratory of the Odessa Regional Clinical Hospital. The results of our research show that complex antigomotoxicin preparation Traumel has a moderate effect on the body of clinically healthy dogs, which has no pronounced clinical manifestations. Blood and blood serum levels do not go beyond physiological limits.

From plant physiology to pharmacology: fusicoccin leaves the leaves.

This review highlights 50years of research on the fungal diterpene fusicoccin, during which the molecule went from a tool in plant physiology research to a pharmacological agent in treating animal diseases. Fusicoccin is a phytotoxic glycosylated diterpene produced by the fungus Phomopsis amygdali, a pathogen of almond and peach plants. Widespread interest in this molecule started when it was discovered that it is capable of causing stomate opening in all higher plants, thereby inducing wilting of leaves. Thereafter, FC became, and still is, a tool in plant physiology, due to its ability to influence a number of fundamental processes, which are dependent on the activation of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase. Molecular studies carried out in the last 20years clarified details of the mechanism of proton pump stimulation, which involves the fusicoccin-mediated irreversible stabilization of the complex between the H+-ATPase and activatory 14-3-3 proteins. More recently, FC has been shown to influence cellular processes involving 14-3-3 binding to client proteins both in plants and animals. In this review, we report the milestones achieved in more than 50years of research in plants and highlight recent advances in animals that have allowed this diterpene to be used as a 14-3-3 targeted drug.

Spread of the florfenicol resistance floR gene among clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in China

BackgroundFlorfenicol is a derivative of chloramphenicol that is used only for the treatment of animal diseases. A key resistance gene for florfenicol, floR, can spread among bacteria of the same and different species or genera through horizontal gene transfer. To analyze the potential transmission of resistance genes between animal and human pathogens, we investigated floR in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from patient samples. floR in human pathogens may originate from animal pathogens and would reflect the risk to human health of using antimicrobial agents in animals.MethodsPCR was used to identify floR-positive strains. The floR genes were cloned, and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined to assess the relative resistance levels of the genes and strains. Sequencing and comparative genomics methods were used to analyze floR gene-related sequence structure as well as the molecular mechanism of resistance dissemination.ResultsOf the strains evaluated, 20.42% (67/328) were resistant to florfenicol, and 86.96% (20/23) of the floR-positive strains demonstrated high resistance to florfenicol with MICs ≥512 μg/mL. Conjugation experiments showed that transferrable plasmids carried the floR gene in three isolates. Sequencing analysis of a plasmid approximately 125 kb in size (pKP18–125) indicated that the floR gene was flanked by multiple copies of mobile genetic elements. Comparative genomics analysis of a 9-kb transposon-like fragment of pKP18–125 showed that an approximately 2-kb sequence encoding lysR-floR-virD2 was conserved in the majority (79.01%, 83/105) of floR sequences collected from NCBI nucleotide database. Interestingly, the most similar sequence was a 7-kb fragment of plasmid pEC012 from an Escherichia coli strain isolated from a chicken.ConclusionsIdentified on a transferable plasmid in the human pathogen K. pneumoniae, the floR gene may be disseminated through horizontal gene transfer from animal pathogens. Studies on the molecular mechanism of resistance gene dissemination in different bacterial species of animal origin could provide useful information for preventing or controlling the spread of resistance between animal and human pathogens.

Melatonin prevents senescence of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells through activating NRF2 and inhibiting ER stress.

Transplantation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) can aid in the treatment of numerous diseases in animals. However, natural aging during in vitro expansion of ADMSCs prior to their use in transplantation restricts their beneficial effects. Melatonin is reported to exert biorhythm regulation, anti-oxidation, and anti-senescence effects in various animal and cell models. Herein, by using a senescent canine ADMSCs (cADMSCs) cell model subjected to multiple passages in vitro, we investigated the effects of melatonin on ADMSCs senescence. We found that melatonin alleviates endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and cell senescence. MT1/MT2 melatonin receptor inhibitor, luzindole, diminished the mRNA expression levels and rhythm expression amplitude of Bmal1 and Nrf2 genes. Nrf2 knockdown blocked the stimulatory effects of melatonin on endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD)-related gene expression and its inhibitory effects on ERS-related gene expression. At the same time, the inhibitory effects of melatonin on the NF-κB signaling pathway and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) were blocked by Nrf2 knockdown in cADMSCs. Melatonin pretreatment improved the survival of cADMSCs and enhanced the beneficial effects of cADMSCs transplantation in canine acute liver injury. These results indicate that melatonin activates Nrf2 through the MT1/MT2 receptor pathway, stimulates ERAD, inhibits NF-κB and ERS, alleviates cADMSCs senescence, and improves the efficacy of transplanted cADMSCs.

Ethnoveterinary study of medicinal plants used in animals from the microregion of Alto Médio Gurguéia - Piauí

The objective of this work was to investigate, rescue and document popular knowledge about the use of medicinal plants in the promotion of animal health in the Alto Médio Gurguéia microregion, Piauí. We interviewed people with experience at animal husbandry, and with knowledge about the use of medicinal plants, using non-random sampling. For this purpose, visits were made to rural properties and to support agencies for rural producers (ADAPI and EMATER). There were 61 interviews were conducted between producers and professionals in the agrarian sciences, regardless of sex or age. For the interviews, semi-structured forms with open and closed questions were used. During field research 43 species of plants used in the treatment of animal diseases or conditions were cited. Only at six most cited are described in the table, Aloe Vera L., Drimys brasiliensis, Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.), Chenopodium ambrosioides L., Gossypium hirsutum, Caryocar coriaceum Wittm, Hancornia speciosa Gomez, Guapira graciliflora, Mauritia flexuosa, detailing the taxonomy, therapeutic indications, the parts used, the methods of preparation and the treated animals. The species described were the most cited not by coincidence, are plants that stand out in several ethnobotanical researches and demonstrate a wide medicinal potentiality, even though they have scarce scientific evidence of their biological activities.

Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination of herbal extracts against Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus

The objective of this study was to determine the minimum inhibitoryconcentration (MIC) of crude extract from five medical herbs in Vietnam (Camellia sinensis, Eclipta prostrata L., Pseuderanthemum palatiferum, Psidium guajava, Azadirachta indica) against Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Salmonella Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 by macro - dilution method. These results were the basis for the application of these herbs in the prevention and treatment of diseases in animals. The results showed that MICs of Camellia sinensis against E. coli, S. Typhimurium, and S. aureus were 8 - 16 mg/mL, 8 - 16 mg/mL, 0.5 mg/mL respectively; MICs of Eclipta prostrata L. against E. coli, S. Typhimurium, and S. aureus were 16 mg/mL, 16 mg/mL, 1 - 2 mg/mL respectively; MICs of Pseuderanthemum palatiferum against E. coli, S. Typhimurium and S. aureus were 8 mg/mL, 4 - 8 mg/mL, 2 - 4 mg/mL respectively; MICs of Psidium guajava against E. coli, S. Typhimurium and S. aureus were 16 mg/mL, 16 mg/mL, 0.125 - 0.25 mg/mL respectively and MICs of Azadirachta indica against E. coli, S. Typhimurium and S. aureus were more than 16 mg/mL.

Occurrence, fate and mass loadings of antibiotics in two swine wastewater treatment systems

Antibiotics are widely applied in livestock industry to prevent or treat animal diseases. However, those antibiotics are poorly metabolized in livestock animals, most of them being excreted via feces or urine. Hence we need to understand the removal of antibiotics in swine farm wastewater treatment systems. This study investigated occurrence and fate of various antibiotics in two full-scale swine farm wastewater treatment systems (Farm A: anaerobic digester-A2/O-lagoon; Farm B: upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)-(A/O)2-lagoon). The results showed the presence of 25 antibiotics out of 40 target antibiotics in the wastewater and sludge samples from the two farms. In Farm A, sulfamonomethoxine, sulfachlorpyridazine, oxytetracycline and lincomycin were predominant in the influent with concentrations up to 166 ± 3.64 μg/L, while in the dewatered sludge chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline and norfloxacin were the predominant target compounds with concentrations up to 29.2 ± 3.74 μg/g. In Farm B, high concentrations (up to 3630 ± 1040 μg/L) of sulfachlorpyridazine, sulfamonomethoxine and lincomycin were detected in the influent, and the predominant target antibiotics detected in the dewater sludge were similar to those in Farm A, with concentrations up to 28.6 ± 0.592 μg/g. The aqueous removal rates for the total antibiotics were >99.0% in the wastewater treatment plants of both farms. Among a series of treatment units, the anaerobic digester in Farm A and UASB in Farm B made a significant contribution to the elimination of the target antibiotics from the animal wastewater. The daily mass loadings of total antibiotics in the manure, influent, dewatered sludge and effluent were 17.1, 28.0, 2.53, and 0.0730 g/d for Farm A and 24.5, 354, 3.17, and 0.293 g/d for Farm B. The full-scale swine wastewater treatment facilities could effectively remove antibiotics from swine wastewater, but the dewatered sludge needs to be further treated before disposal on land.

Ethnobotanical knowledge of pastoral community for treating livestock diseases in Somali regional state, eastern Ethiopia.

Modern livestock health care is still at its lowest stage in Ethiopia and most modern veterinary services like drugs and veterinary professionals are not accessible and affordable to the majority of pastoral farmers. As a result, they rely on their traditional knowledge and practices on locally available. However, this traditional knowledge has not yet been well documented. Therefore, this study identified medicinal plants used in treating animal diseases and examined factors that threatens ethno-veterinary in pastoral community of Shinle Districts. The survey study conducted on 180 households to collect data using a semi-structured questionnaire and filed guided observations. Data were analyzed by using SPSS. Thirty-one plant species belonging to 18 families used against 14 types of livestock diseases. Majority of plant species fall under Fabaceae (22.5%) and Euphorbiaceae (16.1%) family that are largely shrubs. The most used plant parts were roots (35.5%) followed by leaves (25.8%). Remedy preparation was mainly through chop and soak in concoction of water and salt. Oral, topical, and nasal route were the common mode of administration. The principal threats of medicinal plants were invasive plants, drought, over grazing, agricultural activity, and firewood collection. Endogenous knowledge on ethno-veterinary medicinal plants was accepted orally from healer's forefathers and transmitted similarly. Awareness should raise and ethno-veterinary medicine should integrate in to livestock extension delivery systems for the need to exploit the possibility of discovering more medicinally viable plants. Further studies needed under controlled conditions on the efficacy and veterinary properties of such plant products and livestock disease treatments.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Bacteria of Veterinary Origin.

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is an essential tool to the veterinarian for selecting the most appropriate agent for treatment of bacterial diseases of animals. The availability of well-defined methods that incorporate the necessary quality controls coupled to clinical outcome data is foundational in providing relevant test results for clinical decisions. Since 1993, the Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute (CLSI) Subcommittee on Veterinary Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (VAST) has developed specific test methods and interpretive criteria for veterinary pathogens. This information has allowed for veterinarians to more effectively treat animal diseases thereby protecting both animal welfare and human food security. Moreover, the availability of standardized test methods for veterinary pathogens has allowed for the development of antimicrobial surveillance programs to detect the emergence of resistance among veterinary pathogens. Future work by the VAST and other groups will be critical to expanding the current test methods and interpretive criteria to more pathogen-antibacterial combinations, as well as, the incorporation of genomic information for routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing in the veterinary diagnostic laboratory.

Antibiotic-mediated changes in the fecal microbiome of broiler chickens define the incidence of antibiotic resistance genes

BackgroundAntimicrobial agents have been widely used in animal farms to prevent and treat animal diseases and to promote growth. Antimicrobial agents may change the bacterial community and enhance the resistome in animal feces. We used metagenome-wide analysis to investigate the changes in bacterial community, variations in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and their bacterial hosts in the feces of broiler chickens over a full-treatment course of chlortetracycline at low and therapeutic dose levels.ResultsThe effects of chlortetracycline on resistome were dependent on the specific ARG subtypes and not simply the overall community-level ARGs. Therapeutic dose of chlortetracycline promoted the abundance of tetracycline resistance genes (tetA and tetW) and inhibited multidrug resistance genes (mdtA, mdtC, mdtK, ompR, and TolC). The therapeutic dose of chlortetracycline led to loss of Proteobacteria mainly due to the decrease of Escherichia/Shigella (from 72 to 58%). Inhibition of Escherichia by chlortetracycline was the primary reason for the decrease of genes resistant to multiple drugs in the therapeutic dose group. The ARG host Bifidobacterium were enriched due to tetW harbored by Bifidobacterium under chlortetracycline treatment. Escherichia was always the major host for multidrug resistance genes, whereas the primary host was changed from Escherichia to Klebsiella for aminoglycoside resistance genes with the treatment of therapeutic dose of chlortetracycline.ConclusionsWe provided the first metagenomic insights into antibiotic-mediated alteration of ARG-harboring bacterial hosts at community-wide level in chicken feces. These results indicated that the changes in the structure of antibiotic-induced feces microbial communities accompany changes in the abundance of bacterial hosts carrying specific ARGs in the feces microbiota. These findings will help to optimize therapeutic schemes for the effective treatment of antibiotic resistant pathogens in poultry farms.Graphical abstractResistome variations in faecal microbiome of chickens exposed to chlortetracycline

Resolving Ethical Dilemmas in a Tertiary Care Veterinary Specialty Hospital: Adaptation of the Human Clinical Consultation Committee Model

Technological advances in veterinary medicine have produced considerable progress in the diagnosis and treatment of numerous diseases in animals. At the same time, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and owners of animals face increasingly complex situations that raise questions about goals of care and correct or reasonable courses of action. These dilemmas are frequently controversial and can generate conflicts between clients and health care providers. In many ways they resemble the ethical challenges confronted by human medicine and that spawned the creation of clinical ethics committees as a mechanism to analyze, discuss, and resolve disagreements. The staff of the North Carolina State University Veterinary Hospital, a specialty academic teaching institution, wanted to investigate whether similar success could be achieved in the tertiary care veterinary setting. We discuss the background and rationale for this method, as well as the approach that was taken to create a clinical ethics committee.

Новые принципы и возможности в создании иммунобиологических препаратов для профилактики и лечения болезней животных

Новые принципы и возможности в создании иммунобиологических препаратов для профилактики и лечения болезней животных

Optimized Ophthalmic: Advances in the Treatment of Ocular Diseases in Animals

Optimized Ophthalmic: Advances in the Treatment of Ocular Diseases in Animals

Salmonella Gallinarum 박테리오파지의 특성

박테리오파지는 세균에 특이적으로 감염하는 바이러스로 용해 능력이 있는 박테리오파지는 동물질병을 치료하는 항생제 대체제로 사용할 수 있다. 본 연구는 닭에서 가금티푸스를 유발하는 Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum(Salmonella Gallinarum)에 대한 박테리오파지를 분리하고, 그 특성을 구명하고자 하였다. 7개의 닭 도축장 하수 처리장 물로부터 10주의 박테리오파지를 분리하였다. 이중 <TEX>$SG{\Phi}-YS$</TEX> SP로 명명된 파지는 전자현미경 관찰 결과, Myoviridae family로 분류되었다. 분리한 박테리오파지의 숙주 범위를 확인하기 위하여 Salmonella Gallinarum 7주와 Salmonella Enteritidis 5주에 대한 용해 유발능력을 조사한 결과, <TEX>$SG{\Phi}-YS$</TEX> SP는 Salmonella Gallinarum만 용해하는 특징을 보였다. <TEX>$SG{\Phi}-YS$</TEX> SP는 Salmonella Gallinarum에 접종하였을 경우 6시간과 9시간 뒤 각각 2.21 log cfu/mL 및 2.13 log cfu/mL를 감소시키는 것으로 확인되어 닭에서 Salmonella Gallinarum 감염을 예방하거나 치료하는 파지 제제 개발에 이용될 수 있을 것으로 판단되었다. Bacteriophages are viruses that exclusively infect bacterial cells, and lytic bacteriophages can be used as a safe alternative to antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of animal diseases. In this study, we attempted to isolate and characterize bacteriophages for Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum (Salmonella Gallinarum), the causative agent of fowl typhoid in chickens. Ten bacteriophages were isolated from samples of sewage from seven poultry slaughterhouses. One of these isolate, designated as <TEX>$SG{\Phi}-YS$</TEX> SP and classified in the family Myoviridae, produced plaques with seven Salmonella Gallinarum strains. However, no plaques were produced with any of the Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis strains tested, suggesting that this bacteriophage is Salmonella Gallinarum specific. To assess the lytic ability of <TEX>$SG{\Phi}-YS$</TEX> SP against Salmonella Gallinarum, bacterial growth rates following inoculation of the bacteriophage were compared with the control. The <TEX>$SG{\Phi}-YS$</TEX> SP treatment, with a multiplicity of infection of 10, reduced the growth of Salmonella Gallinarum by 2.21 log cfu/mL at 6 h, and 2.13 log cfu/mL at 9 h, suggesting that this bacteriophage isolate could be used for the prevention or treatment of Salmonella Gallinarum infection in chickens.

Antibacterial potential of the 80% methanol and chloroform extracts of Clematis hirsuta

The leaves and roots of Clematis hirsuta Perr and Guill is traditionally applied to heal respiratory tract and for the treatment of various animal diseases in different regions of Ethiopia. The objective of this work is to evaluate the antibacterial activities of C. hirsuta. The leaves were collected and air dried in shade at room temperature, made into powder and was soaked in 80% methanol and chloroforms (1 g: 10 ml). The powder was placed in a shaker for 72 h at room temperature. The extract was prepared in 3% Tween 80 for antibacterial test. The antibacterial activities and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test were determined by paper disk diffusion and agar dilution methods respectively. The 80% methanol and chloroform extract of the leaves of C. hirsuta showed significantly higher inhibition zone than the negative control on some pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigela boydii and Salmonella thyphi), but the extracts had significantly lower inhibition zone than the standard drugs (chloramphenicol and ampicilin). The chloroform crude extract of the leaves C. hirsuta showed the best inhibition zone (12.33±0.50) on P. aeruginosa at 200 mg/ml concentration. The chloroform extract of C. hirsuta had the lowest MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) at 3.125 and 6.25 mg/ml on P. aeruginosa, respectively. The 80% methanol C. hirsuta leaf extract was not toxic at 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg body weight to albino mice. Keywords: Inhibition zone,acute toxicity,minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration.

Assessment of sulphonamides and tetracyclines antibiotic residue contaminants in rural and peri urban dairy value chains in Kenya

BackgroundAntibiotic residues are drug substances found in food from plants or animals initially exposed to antibiotics. In animal husbandry antibiotics have widely been used for the treatment of animal diseases. These residues have the ability to expose the public to serious health hazards. In Kenya drug residues have not only been related to lack of withdrawal periods but also to intentional addition to extend milk’s shelf life.ResultsThe aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of 13 veterinary drugs of tetracyclines and sulphonamides along the dairy sub value chain. The study was carried out in Nakuru County which is the leading milk producer in the country. A total of 229 samples were analysed from rural and 80 samples from peri-urban. These were collected from different nodes of the value chain; the farm, milk transporters and at the bulking centers between January 2014 and November 2015. Screening of samples was done by Charm II Blue -Yellow-test while confirmation was done by HPLC-UV for sulfachloropyradizine (SCL), sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfadimidine (SMTZ), sulfaquinoxaline (SQ), sulfamerazine (SMR), sulfathiazole (STZ), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), sulfadoxin (SDOX), sulfadimethoxin (SDM), oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline hyclate (DC), chlortetracycline hydrochloride (CTC) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC). In the rural 72 out of 229 (31.4%) samples were positive after screening while none of the samples confirmed the presence of tetracyclines after analysis with HPLC-UV. Sulphonamides confirmed after analysis with HPLC-UV were all above the EU MRL limits. In the peri urban 28.8% (23/80) of the samples were positive for antibiotic residues. Tetracyclines were not detected in confirmation while 60% of the positive samples were positive for sulphonamides out of which 71% were above the regulatory limits. Highest percentage of antibiotics was detected in rural farms (46.7%) and at peri urban bulking centers (50%).ConclusionThe study concluded that antibiotic residues along the dairy value chain are majorly from the farm due to lack of withdrawal periods followed by intentional addition along the value chain. Value chain actors should also be trained on ways of avoiding antibiotic residues from entering the dairy value chain to protect the public from health effects related to antibiotic residues.

The role of veterinarians in quality meat production

Veterinarians in the world are closely involved with foods of animal origin. Veterinarians working in both government and in the private sector as well as veterinarians working in research facilitate the safe production of food. Veterinarians have key roles in all aspects of the control of food-borne hazards of animal origin. The traditional focus of veterinary involvement in food safety has been in meat hygiene at the level of the slaughterhouse. The education and training of veterinarians, which includes both animal health (including zoonoses) and food hygiene components, makes them uniquely equipped to play a central role in ensuring food safety, especially the safety of foods of animal origin. Veterinarians play a key role in ensuring that animals are kept under hygienic conditions and in the early detection, surveillance and treatment of animal diseases, including conditions of public health significance. Veterinarians also provide livestock producers with information, advice and training on how to avoid, eliminate or control food safety hazards (e.g., drug and pesticide residues, mycotoxins and environmental contaminants) in primary production, including through animal feed. Veterinarians have the knowledge and expertise to audit the standards of animal health, animal welfare and public health from stable to table.

The Signal Pathway of Antibiotic Alternatives on Intestinal Microbiota and Immune Function.

Antibiotics are one of the most important discoveries in the 20th century and have been widely used for treating animal diseases in the 21st century. However, antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens and widespread concerns regarding their use in animals has received great attention all over the world. Great attention has focused on scientific breakthroughs of the alternatives to antibiotics. Various materials such as enzymes, prebiotics, probiotics, minerals, antimicrobial peptides, acidifiers, plants and plant extracts have been tested as possible antibiotics alternatives. Owing to their effects on intestinal microbiota and immune function, research efforts have been conducted on the application of these feed supplements. This review highlights promising research results about the alternatives to antibiotics in animal husbandry that are expected to beneficially limit the adverse effects of antibiotics and ensure the safety of animal-derived foods and the environment.

Local knowledge held by farmers in Eastern Tyrol (Austria) about the use of plants to maintain and improve animal health and welfare.

BackgroundThe sustainable management of animal health and welfare is of increasing importance to consumers and a key topic in the organic farming movement. Few systematic studies have been undertaken investigating farmers’ local knowledge related to this issue. Ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM) is a discipline focusing on local knowledge and folk methods in veterinary medicine, however most ethnoveterinarian studies primarily address the treatment of animal diseases. Very few studies have explored prophylactic methods.MethodsAn ethnoveterinary research project in Eastern Tyrol (Austria) was conducted in 2004 and 2005 to gather information about local knowledge of animal husbandry from 144 informants, with the emphasis on plants that maintain livestock health and welfare.ResultsInformants mentioned a total of 87 plants and 22 plant-based generic terms in the context of maintaining and improving livestock health and welfare. The most important preventive measures for maintaining and improving animal health and welfare were practices related to “fodder” and “feeding”. In this category the plants mentioned could be grouped according to three different perceptions about their effect on animals: “Good or bad fodder”, “Functional fodder” and “Fodder medicine”. In addition to fodder, environmental management, the human-animal relationship, household remedies and cultural/religious activities were also mentioned. When asked about practices in the past that maintained animal health and well-being, interviewees mentioned, for example, the importance of the diversity of sources that used to be available to obtain feed and fodder.ConclusionsThe informants’ approach that feeding is central to livestock welfare is in line with the standard scientific literature on animal health, including in organic farming. Various scientific studies into common fodder evaluate the nutritive and dietary value, efficiency and safety of fodder. Future studies also have to consider the evaluation of traditional, local fodder resources. In fact, the value of ‘food as medicine’ for humans in the context of local knowledge has been widely assessed, but the potential health benefits of fodder and nutraceuticals in local and traditional ethnoveterinary methods require further attention.