Tropical animal health and production最新文献

{"title":"Substitution of silage by soybean hulls in tropical forage-based dairy cow production system during the dry season.","authors":"Jéssica Coutinho Mezzomo da Silva, Carlos Eduardo Avelino Cabral, Isis Scatolin de Oliveira, Alexandre Lima de Souza, Camila Fernandes Domingues Duarte, Rodrigo Schaurich Mativi Righi, Eduarda Caroline Kichel Cuff, Lucas Gimenes Mota, Carla Heloisa Avelino Cabral","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04472-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04472-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Supplementary roughage during the dry season in forage-based systems mitigates the adverse effects of lower pasture availability and nutritional quality in forage-based milk production. This study evaluated the effects of soybean hulls as supplementary roughage on milk production, composition, and nitrogen utilization in lactating dairy cows in tropical forage-based systems during the dry season and verify the possibility of fully replacing silage with soybean hulls. Twelve multiparous Holstein-Zebu crossbred cows (453 ± 4.97 kg) in mid-lactation were used in a 4 × 4 Latin Square design. The cows grazed Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu pasture with a continuous stocking rate and were subjected to four supplementation strategies: supplementation only with concentrate (Control); concentrate plus soybean hulls replacing 35% of forage intake (Soybean Hulls); concentrate plus corn silage replacing 50% of forage intake (Corn Silage); and concentrate plus sorghum silage replacing 50% of forage intake (Sorghum Silage). Soybean hulls and corn silage were the most consumed supplementary roughages (P = 0.012). Soybean hulls enhanced daily intakes of ether extract (EE) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (P < 0.05). Milk production increased with soybean hull supplementation (P < 0.001), however, did not differ to corn silage when corrected for 3.5% fat content. Milk fat and protein did not differ among treatments (P > 0.05), but lactose and total solids were higher in the soybean hull and control groups (P < 0.05). Soybean hull supplementation reduced milk urea nitrogen (MUN) compared to corn silage (P = 0.022). Overall, soybean hulls improved feed intake, milk production, and nitrogen utilization in dairy cows, supporting their use as a viable alternative to silage in forage-based tropical systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"214"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144050321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silibinin enhanced the efficacy of albendazole in treating the muscular phase of experimental trichinellosis.","authors":"Mennat-Elrahman A Fahmy, Marwa Esmat, Manal Badawi, Iman R Abdel Shafi","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04429-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04429-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Trichinella spiralis is a parasitic nematode with a special life cycle. Both adults and larvae live in two different niches in the same host (intestinal and muscular). The parasite is known to manipulate the immune system of the host to be able to survive. One of the pathways the parasite modulates is the programmed death 1/ programmed death ligand 1 (PD1/PDL1), a pathway important to maintain the immune homeostasis during chronic infections and cancers. Albendazole (ABZ) shows anti-trichinellosis efficacy, especially against the intestinal phase of the infection. In an attempt to discover a drug that would enhance the efficacy of ABZ against the muscular phase, we used 40 CD1 Swiss-Albino male mice divided into 5 groups: normal, infected, infected ABZ-treated, infected Silymarin (SM)-treated, and the infected-treated with a combination group. After euthanasia, the number of diaphragmatic larvae was estimated in the infected and the infected-treated groups. In addition, the tongues and hearts of all mice were subjected to histopathological and immunohistochemical processing and evaluation. Monotherapy groups showed a significant reduction of both larval count and PD1 local expression compared to the infected-only group, however, neither ABZ nor SM alone could reduce the inflammation accompanying infection. The most significant improvements were recorded in the combined treatment group with a reduction rate of 69.95%, a significant reduction of inflammatory infiltrates (p < 0.05), and significant modulation of PDL1 local expression (p < 0.05). So, Silibinin (the major active ingredient of SM) showed anti-trichinellosis activity and enhanced the efficacy of ABZ against the muscular phase of the infection.</p>","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"209"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12058922/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143996898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing performance in young goats: impact of concentrate supplementation in Cicer arietinum straw-based diets on rumen fermentation, nutrient availability, blood profile and growth.","authors":"Tapas Kumar Dutta, Mamta Sheoran, A Chatterjee, P Tripathi, A Mohammad","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04435-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04435-2","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The current study was conducted to optimize the growth performance of Indian goat breed (Barbari), with a focus on enhancing productivity for intensive commercial goat farming systems. The study explored the impact of varying concentrations of concentrate feed mix on the growth, nutrient utilization, rumen fermentation, and blood health of intensively raised young Barbari goats. Thirty-two male weaned kids, approximately 5 months old and weighing 9.43 ± 0.24 kg on average, were individually housed and divided into four equal groups. All kids received ad libitum Bengal gram straw and green fodder as basal rations, supplemented with barley grain at 0.7% of body weight in the control group (T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;), and concentrate mix at 0.7%, 1.4%, and 2.1% of body weight in groups T&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, T&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;, respectively. Significantly faster weight gain was observed in finisher kids receiving higher concentrations of concentrate feed mix (P &lt; 0.001). DM intake (g/kg W&lt;sup&gt;0.75&lt;/sup&gt;) increased (P &lt; 0.05) in T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; compared to T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;. CP intake (g/kg W&lt;sup&gt;0.75&lt;/sup&gt;) was higher in T&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;, and T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; than in T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;, and T&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;. Elevated levels of TCA-precipitable nitrogen, total VFA production, and a favorable shift in the acetate/propionate ratio were observed in kids under T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; compared to T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;. Total digestible nutrients (TDN) percentage in the feed was enhanced in T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; (P &lt; 0.01), and digestible crude protein (DCP) percentage was greater in T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;, and T&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; compared to T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; (P &lt; 0.05). Finisher goats under T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; retained higher (P &lt; 0.05) amount of nitrogen/kg W&lt;sup&gt;0.75&lt;/sup&gt; compared to T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; and T&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;. Furthermore, red blood cell counts (RBC) increased in T&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;, and T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; compared to T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; (P &lt; 0.05), while white blood cell counts (WBC) were enhanced in concentrate mixture added treatments (T&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, T&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;) compared to T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; (P &lt; 0.05). Haemoglobin concentration was significantly higher in T&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;, and T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; compared to T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;, and T&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; (P &lt; 0.05). Blood glucose levels were elevated in groups receiving concentrate mix (T&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, T&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;, T&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;) compared to T&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;; and the albumin to globulin (A/G) ratio tended to decrease due to increased globulin levels in blood plasma (P &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, Barbari finisher goats raised with 2.1% of their body weight as concentrate mix supplementation under an intensive feeding system experienced improved growth, nutrient utilization and blood profile. Barbari goats, known for their high reproductive efficiency and adaptability to semi-arid climates, are ideal for meat production. Their farming offers great potential for small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs, especially when utilizing abundantly available pulse straw-based diets supplemented with such ","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"208"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144050200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of a formulation of chlorfenvinphos and dichlorvos on Rhipicephalus microplus in vivo test in Bahia, Brazil.","authors":"Aline Kelly Araújo Costa Velame Ferreira, Wagner Carvalho E Silva Neto, Igor de Castro Oliveira, Maria Clara Bastos Rodrigues, Ângela Cristina de Oliveira Lima, Tiago Velame Ferreira, Carolina Carneiro de Matos, Ana Karina da Silva Cavalcante, Lorendane Millena de Carvalho, Wendell Marcelo de Souza Perinotto","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04444-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04444-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a commercial formulation containing the combination of chlorfenvinphos and dichlorvos on Rhipicephalus microplus in a field test in northeastern Brazil. Adult crossbred cattle naturally infested with R. microplus were restrained in a trunk to count partially engorged female ticks between 4.5 and 8.0 mm in length on days -7, -3, and -1 before the acaricide was applied. The animals were divided into two groups containing ten animals each and with similar tick infestations (P > 0.05). In the control group, the animals were sprayed with drinking water. In contrast, in the treated group, the animals were sprayed with the acaricide formulation containing chlorfenvinphos and dichlorvos diluted following the manufacturer's instructions using 1 L of water/product for every 100 kg of the animal. To assess treatment efficacy, partially engorged female tick counts were carried out, by individually inspecting each animal on the left side of the body every seven days for 28 days. The results showed that the combination of chlorfenvinphos and dichlorvos was highly effective, especially on days + 7 and + 14, with tick reductions of 96.6% and 95.9%, with an overall average decrease in ticks of the four counts of 92.4%. Formulation containing chlorfenvinphos and dichlorvos was effective in the field test on the population of R. microplus in cattle in the northeast of Brazil. These results are significant because they enable producers to use a formulation considered to be low-cost and have a short waiting period of action, which will contribute to the control of cattle ticks.</p>","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"207"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144034237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Probiotic supplementation in sustainable sheep production: impacts on health, performance, and methane mitigation.","authors":"Ali S A Saleem, Sameh Abdelnour, Sabry M Bassiony, Usama M Abdel-Monem, Mohamed Y Elaref, Khaled M Al-Marakby","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04439-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04439-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Probiotics, defined as live microorganisms conferring health benefits, are increasingly recognized for their potential to enhance animal productivity, mitigate environmental impact, and improve overall animal health. Ruminants, including sheep, are significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, a key factor in climate change. Literature from 2003 to 2024 was retrieved from PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, and CAB Direct using the keywords: sheep, sustainability, probiotics, methane emission, and greenhouse gas emissions. The inclusion of probiotics in sheep diets demonstrates potential as a methane mitigation strategy through the stimulation of beneficial bacteria and the suppression of methanogenic microbial activity. Probiotics can improve rumen fermentation parameters by increasing volatile fatty acid production, decreasing protozoal numbers, and improving gas production. Additionally, probiotics can sustain intestinal health, boost nutrient digestibility, and strengthen the immune system. Although promising, the variable effectiveness of probiotics underscores the importance of refining formulations and delivery methods, taking into account strain, dose, and administration. Further studies are crucial to understand the underlying mechanisms and maximize their impact on sheep productivity. This review delves into the potential of probiotics to improve growth, health, and environmental sustainability in the sheep industry, drawing on insights from in vitro and in vivo studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"206"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12050230/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144050111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Indices of energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity in the indigenous, crossbred, and pure-bred heifers in subtropical climate.","authors":"Mahadappa Priyanka, Azharuddin N, Sravanti Mannem, Arun Somagond, V Umapathi, B H Manjunatha Patel, H J Dechamma, Aniket Sanyal, Pallab Chaudhuri, Krishnaswamy Narayanan","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04445-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04445-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As breed is known to influence metabolic traits, we compared the energy indices in the heifers of milch (Holstein Frisian, Jersey and their crosses) and draught (Amrut mahal, Hallikar, and Khillari) breeds (n = 6/breed) maintained under a subtropical production system. Intravenous insulin tolerance test and glucose tolerance test were done to the heifers and serial blood samples were collected to determine the concentration of glucose (glc), insulin, and surrogate indices of insulin sensitivity. Further, the relative expression of glucose transporters (GLUT) in the skeletal muscle, udder, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined by qRT-PCR. The results revealed that the indigenous draught breeds had significantly higher glc and insulin concentrations, glycated hemoglobin, and plasma fructosamine. In contrast, exotic and crossbred dairy breeds had higher serum non-esterified fatty acid and β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations (P < 0.05). Further, the indigenous draught breeds showed a significantly higher slope and intercept of the glc curve, insulin stimulated higher blood glc reduction and elimination rate of glc than the pure and crossbred dairy breeds (P < 0.05). Insulin-stimulated glc uptake was higher in indigenous breeds, as evident from higher (P < 0.05) slope and intercept of the glc curve, glc clearance rate, and lower (P < 0.05) T_1/2 of glc during intravenous glc tolerance tests. The expression of GLUT 4 was upregulated (P < 0.05) in the skeletal muscles of indigenous breeds, while GLUT 1 expression was upregulated (P < 0.05) in the udder of dairy breeds. The increased peripheral insulin sensitivity was partly due to upregulation of GLUT4 in the skeletal muscle of the indigenous draught breeds.</p>","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"204"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144051170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A review of Babesiosis caused by Babesia ovis in small ruminants.","authors":"Bijan Esmaeilnejad, Awat Samiei, Sayyed Jafar Hasani, Ehsan Anassori, Mousa Tavassoli, Seyed Kian Mohseni Mofidi","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04450-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04450-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Babesiosis is a significant tick-borne disease that impacts both domestic and wild animals, as well as humans, with its prevalence being particularly high in tropical and subtropical areas. Among small ruminants, Babesia ovis is a leading cause of babesiosis, especially in areas where Rhipicephalus bursa ticks are prevalent. The transmission of the disease occurs through tick bites, imposing a considerable economic strain on livestock industries in regions where it is prevalent. Clinical manifestations of the disease include hemolytic anemia, fever, jaundice, lethargy, anorexia, weight loss, and, in some cases, hemoglobinuria. A key aspect of babesiosis pathogenesis is the oxidative stress it induces in the host. For diagnosis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has emerged as the most sensitive and specific method, surpassing traditional diagnostic approaches like blood smears and serological testing. The treatment of choice for B. ovis infections in sheep is imidocarb dihydrochloride, which is administered in divided doses of 2 mg/kg. This treatment has proven effective in eradicating the parasite without relapse. Alternative treatments, such as aromatic diamidines, are associated with several drawbacks, including adverse effects and incomplete parasite clearance. Currently, diminazene aceturate and imidocarb dipropionate are widely employed babesiacidal drugs. Efforts to prevent and control babesiosis focus primarily on tick management, the use of resistant livestock breeds, and vaccination. Tick control strategies have evolved significantly, moving from traditional chemical dips to the use of systemic acaricides and self-treatment devices. Furthermore, non-chemical interventions, such as environmental management and selective breeding for tick resistance, are increasingly recognized as vital components of a comprehensive prevention strategy. This review provides an in-depth examination of the life cycle, epidemiology, risk factors, diagnostic methods, treatment options, and prevention strategies for B. ovis infection in small ruminants.</p>","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"205"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144011834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A bibliometric mapping of advancements and trends in genome editing in pigs.","authors":"Jaya Bharati, Satish Kumar, Salam Jayachitra Devi, Vivek Kumar Gupta","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04432-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04432-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Researchers have widely undertaken targeted genome editing in pigs to optimize pig productivity, disease tolerance and for biomedical research. The present study aimed to investigate research advancements, focus areas, gaps, and challenges in genome editing in pigs using bibliometric analysis. The bibliographic information of publications on genome editing in pigs from 2010 to 2023 was retrieved from the Scopus database. Bibliometric parameters, such as coauthorship, keyword co-occurrence, citation, bibliographic coupling, and cocitation, was analyzed using VOSviewer. Literature mining was conducted to evaluate the emerging areas and challenges in the development of genome-edited pigs. We found 725 documents on genome editing in pigs, 407 of which were research articles authored by 2826 researchers from 1359 research organizations across 40 countries. The two countries, China and the United States, account for more than 50% of the research publications on genome editing in pigs. Investigations on the optimization of the procedure, delivery methods, editing efficiency, and reducing off-target effects dominated the early phase of research, which has shifted to its application for generating knockout (KO) or knockin (KI) pigs in recent years. Areas such as xenotransplantation, disease resistance, higher muscling, and disease models have dominated the research horizon for genome editing in pigs. Emerging areas in gene editing include base editing, CRISPR-based screens, diagnostics, and therapeutics. However, investigations on reducing heat stress and environmental footprint through genetic alterations need more attention from scientists. Challenges such as off-target effects and regulatory, ethical and societal issues related to channelizing gene-edited pigs from lab to land and then from farm to fork continue to restrain this field.</p>","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"201"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144019725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular detection and genetic diversity of blood borne pathogens infecting domestic donkeys (Equus asinus).","authors":"Sadiya Yasin, Ayesha Ayesha, Habib Ur Rahman, Iqra Murtaza, Hamza Manzoor, Amna Aqdas, Turki M Dawoud, Rashid Mehmood, Wajiha Shahzadi, Shakir Ullah, Adil Khan, Furhan Iqbal","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04449-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04449-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Donkey population in Pakistan was estimated to be 5.9 million during 2023-24 and despite this huge population, donkeys remained unexplored for the presence of blood-borne parasites. This study aimed to report the molecular prevalence and phylogenetic evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii, Anaplasma marginale and Theileria annulata in the donkey blood samples (N = 272) that were collected during May till November 2024 from nine districts (Rajanpur, Khanewal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lodhran, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Faisalabad, Muzaffargarh and Kasur) in Pakistan. Molecular analyses revealed that the prevalence of T. gondii, A. marginale and T. annulata in screened donkey blood samples was 41%, 4% and 6% respectively. Co-infection with two parasites was also observed but none of the enrolled donkeys from any district were found infected with all three pathogens. DNA sequencing and BLAST analysis confirmed the presence of all three parasites. Phylogenetic analysis of these pathogens showed their genetic similarities with the sequences deposited from worldwide countries. Toxoplasma gondii (P < 0.001) and T. annulata (P = 0.004) prevalence varied between the sampling sites. While donkey breeds, age or sex was not associated with any of the parasitic infection (P > 0.05 for all). In conclusion, we are reporting the presence of T. gondii, A. marginale and T. annulata among Pakistani donkeys and we recommend similar large-scale studies in various geo-climatic regions of Pakistan to further explore the epidemiology, genetic diversity, host-parasite interactions, and effective control of these pathogens among the local donkey breeds.</p>","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"202"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144001290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nitrogen additive with extruded urea with essential oils to control gastrointestinal worms in lambs.","authors":"Fernanda Grazielly Gomes de Oliveira, Camila Celeste Brandão Ferreira Ítavo, Luís Carlos Vinhas Ítavo, Gleice Kelli Ayardes de Melo, Monalissa de Melo Stradiotto Peres, Natália da Silva Heimbach, Ester Lays Martins Ribeiro, Priscila Bernardo de Andrade, Aline Aparecida da Silva Miguel, Thais Fernanda Farias de Souza Arco","doi":"10.1007/s11250-025-04461-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11250-025-04461-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Our objective was to evaluate the effect of a nitrogen additive with extruded urea with essential oils based on garlic and cinnamon on the resistance to gastrointestinal worms and on the performance of lambs in the finishing phase. Fourteen male sheep were used, with an average age of 18 months and an average initial body weight of 23.5 kg. The lambs were divided into two nutritional treatments: control and nitrogen additive. The control treatment was composed of a roughage: concentrate ratio of 60:40, with the roughage being whole plant corn silage and the concentrate being based on corn and soybean meal. The test treatment was prepared in the same manner as the control treatment, with the addition of a commercial nitrogen additive NFeed® (extruded urea plus essential oils derived from garlic-Allium sativum, and cinnamon-Cinnamomum sp). Each experimental group was allocated to its respective area, provided with stalls where collective feeders were located, and simultaneously had access to areas formed by Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, which were previously contaminated by sheep with high FEC (> 1000). Fecal samples were collected directly from the rectal ampulla of each lamb, at 15-day intervals. The lambs were evaluated for productive performance and total diet consumption. In terms of FEC, there was a notable disparity between the treatments on day 60 of the experiment. The FEC results show that 88.57% of the lambs in the control group had a high count (> 1000), while 65.71% of the lambs in the nitrogen additive group had a high count (> 1000). The lambs in the control treatment showed a higher average daily gain (ADG) compared to the lambs in the nitrogen additive treatment, without any negative impact on total weight gain. Lambs fed a diet consisting of silage and concentrate based on corn and soybean meal, plus a nitrogen additive with essential oils derived from garlic and cinnamon showed a lower parasitic load compared to lambs that received only silage and concentrate based on corn and soybean meal in their diet. The nitrogen additive diet did not effectively improve the lambs' productive performance or the intake efficiency of the diet. Plant compounds derived from garlic and cinnamon have an anthelmintic effect, suggesting that these natural compounds associated with nitrogen additives (NFeed®) have the potential for phytotherapeutic use in managing gastrointestinal nematodes in small ruminants.</p>","PeriodicalId":23329,"journal":{"name":"Tropical animal health and production","volume":"57 4","pages":"203"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144051634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}