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The present study assessed if salivary crystallization pattern (ferning pattern formed as a result of the higher levels of salt content in the dried sample) could be used for estrus detection and for diagnosis of pregnancy/non-pregnancy in dairy cows. Saliva and blood samples were collected from non-pregnant cycling cows (Sahiwal breed; n = 20) on alternate days from the day of estrus till next estrus. Then, all the cows were inseminated and saliva and blood sampling were continued further for a period of 22 d post-insemination. Pregnancy diagnosis was carried out on day 45 post-insemination and eight cows were found to be pregnant. The salivary crystallization pattern and estradiol:progesterone ratio during estrous cycle and during pregnancy were compared among these cows. Six types of salivary crystallization patterns were discerned; distinct patterns such as branch-like, fern-like, fir-like and combinations of these. Fern-like pattern was observed in all the cows on the day of estrus (first measurement day) and furthermore, all of the cows that subsequently became pregnant had fern-like salivary crystallization pattern at the time of insemination. Saliva of all the pregnant cows showed branch-fir type of crystallization pattern on day 16 post-breeding while only 50% of non-pregnant cows showed this pattern on day 16 of estrous cycle. The appearance of fern-like pattern was positively and significantly related to estradiol:progesterone ratio (r = 0.86; P < 0.001). The findings were validated on a separate group of cycling cows (n = 32). We can conclude that salivary crystallization pattern might serve as a non-invasive and cost effective and easy-to-use cow-side tool for estrus detection and early pregnancy/non-pregnancy diagnosis in cows upon validation on a larger sample size.

Urolithiasis is a common problem in both ruminants and non-ruminants and nutrition plays a significant role in predisposing urolithiasis. The nutritional factors mainly influence urinary constituents and pH, which affect stone nucleation and growth. While surgery can render a patient stone-free, non-operative treatment modalities are required to prevent and reduce the risk of recurrent urolithiasis. Moreover, long-term pharmacological therapy and its potential side effects often lead to subsequent failure. In this regard, nutritional management is the best preventive strategy against urolithiasis.

Immunological interaction at the tick host interface involves both innate and acquired host defenses against infestation and Immunomodulatory countermeasures by thetick. Acquired resistance to tick infestation involves humoral and cellular immlmoregulatory effector pathways. Tick-borne disease-causing agentspr exploit tick suppression of host defenses during transmission and initiation of infection. Because of the public health importance of ticks and tick-borne diseases, it is crucial that we understand these interactions and exploit them in novel immunological control.

Nanobiotechnology is an emerging field that is potentially changing the way we treat diseases through drug delivery and tissue engineering. Methods of targeting nanoparticles to specific sites of the body while avoiding capture by vital organs are major hurdles that need to be answered. Whether actual or perceived, the potential health hazards associated with the production, distribution and use of nanomaterial must be balanced by the overall benefit that nanobiotech-nology has to offer biomedical science such as therapeutic and diagnostic applications. It would be difficult to deny the potential benefits of nanobiotechnology and stop development of research related to it since it has already begun to penetrate many different fields of research. However, nanobiotechnology can be developed using guidelines to insure that the technology does not become too potentially harmful. As Richard Feynmann has rightly predicted that \"There is plenty of room at the bottom\" to modify and enhance existing technologies by manipulating material properties at the nanoscale, therefore with sufficient time and research nanobiotechnology based early detection, diagnosis and treatment of various diseases may become a reality. Nanobiotechnology may bring immense paradigm shift that we would wonder that how did we live without it?

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) supplementation on nutrient utilization, milk yield, and reproductive performance of early lactating Sahiwal cows. Control cows (GC) received a basal diet, while the treatment cows (GM) were supplemented with concentrate comprising 12% MOLM. Ovarian activity and uterine involution were monitored by trans-rectal ultrasonography on the 21st, 28th, 35th, and 42nd days postpartum. The result indicated that MOLM-supplemented cows required fewer days (P ≤ 0.05) to complete uterine involution. As lactation progresses, there was a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.05) in the diameter of the cervix and uterine horns in GM than GC. There was a significant increase in the number of follicles on the 21st day and average milk yield in GM than GC. The incidence of endometritis and cystic ovarian disease was less in MOLM supplemented group. The use of MOLM in the diet reduced the total cost per cow per successful service. It is concluded that MOLM can be safely included at 12% in the diet of early lactating cows to modulate the reproductive performances of dairy cows. Dairy farmers can use moringa leaf meal to feed their dairy cows, which is cheaper and improves production and reproduction performance.

AbstractPrecision livestock farming (PLF) utilizes information and communication technology (ICT) to continuously monitor, control, and enhance the productivity, reproduction, health, welfare, and environmental impact of livestock. Technological advancements have facilitated the seamless flow of information from animals to humans, enabling practical decision-making processes concerning health, reproduction management, and calving surveillance. With the increasing population of livestock per farm, it has become impractical for farmers to individually track every animal within these large groups. Historically, cattle management decisions heavily relied on human observation, judgment, and experience. However, it is impossible for a single individual to gather reliable audio-visual monitoring data round the clock. Presently, dairy cows exhibit subtler indicators of estrus, resulting in a substantial chance of missing an estrus cycle. Furthermore, calving complications sometimes go unnoticed on farms, resulting in a higher number of culled cattle. In addition, an increasing number of crossbred cows experience delayed return to estrus after calving due to low body condition scores (BCS). The decline in BCS during the dry period is associated with a reduced likelihood of pregnancy following the first and second postpartum inseminations. Precision technologies enable the monitoring and tracking of an individual cow’s physiological behavior and reproductive parameters, thereby optimizing management practices and farm performance. Despite the exploration of various technologies, there are still some common challenges that need to be addressed, including battery lifespan, transmission range, specificity and sensitivity, storage capacity, and economic affordability. Nonetheless, the demand for these tools from farmers and researchers is growing, and the implementation of PLF in grazing systems can yield positive outcomes in terms of animal reproductive welfare and labor optimization. This review primarily focuses on the different aspects of reproduction management in dairy using sensors, automated cameras, and various computer software.

[Veterinary World 2010; 3(7.000): 340-342]

Estrus or sexual receptivity determination is utmost important for efficient breeding programs for female buffaloes. Prominent estrus behavioral symptoms are the result of several molecular and neuroendocrine events involving the ovary and the brain. Expression of estrus behavior is poor in buffaloes during the summer season. Hence, the discovery of biomarkers specific to the estrus stage or its related ovarian events, like the presence of dominant ovarian follicle, is helpful for developing an easy estrus determination method. MicroRNA are small non-coding RNA with a potential to be biomarkers. Therefore, the present study targeted to investigate the potential of estrogen responsive miRNAs (miR-24, miR-200c, miR-16, miR-191, miR-223 and miR-203) as estrus biomarkers in buffalo saliva, a non-invasive fluid representing animals’ pathophysiology. There was a significant ( P  < 0.05) increase in the salivary presence of the miR-16, miR-191 and miR-223 at 6th and 18th–19th days than the 0 day (estrus), 10th day and the following consecutive estrus day. These observations may indicate an association between the representative lower presence of these miRNA in saliva and the presence of dominant ovarian follicles. To test this association, pathway analysis, target gene identification, functional annotation and protein–protein interaction networks (PPI) were performed for miR-16, miR-191 and miR-223 by different bioinformatics tools. Interestingly, the top pathways (fatty acid biosynthesis and oocyte meiosis), target genes ( FGF, BDNF and IGF1 ) and PPI hub genes ( KRAS, BCL2 and IGF1 ) of these miRNAs were found essential for ovarian follicular dominance. In conclusion, the miR-16, miR-191 and miR-223 may not be the perfect estrus stage-specific biomarkers. However, their lower presence in saliva at estrus and 9th–10th day of estrous cycles, when the ovary usually has a dominant follicle in buffaloes, may intuitively indicate the follicular dominance. Further studies are needed to prove this association in a large population.

Anthropozoonotic parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes widespread human and animal diseases, mostly involving central nervous system. Human acquires toxoplasmosis from cats, from consuming raw or undercooked meat and from vertical transmission to the fetus through placenta from mother during pregnancy. Socio-epidemiological as well as unique environmental factors also plays a significant role in transmission of this infection. Preventive measures should be taken into account the importance of culture, tradition, and beliefs of people in various communities more than solving poverty and giving health education. Therefore the focus of this article is to create public awareness regarding sense of responsibility of looking after pets to prevent such an important zoonotic disease.

Sperm mRNA transcriptional profiling can be used to evaluate the fertility of breeding bulls. This study aimed to compare the modified RNA isolation methods for higher RNA yield and quality from freshly ejaculated sperm of cattle and buffalo bull for further transcriptome analysis. Ten fresh ejaculates from each Sahiwal (n = 10 bulls x 10 ejaculates) and Murrah bulls (n = 10 bulls x 10 ejaculates) were used for RNA isolation. Swim-up technique was used for live sperm separation and recovery. From the recovered live sperm, total sperm RNA was isolated by conventional methods (TRIzol, Double TRIzol), membrane-based methods combined with TRIzol (RNeasy + TRIzol) with the addition of β-mercaptoethanol (BME) and Kit (RNeasy mini) methods in fresh semen. Among different isolation methods; the membrane-based modified methods combined with TRIzol (RNeasy + TRIzol) with the addition of β-mercaptoethanol (BME) resulted significantly (P < 0.05) higher total RNA quantity (300-340 ng/μL) and better purity in different concentrations of spermatozoa viz., 30-40 million, 70-80 million and 300-400 million sperm. The study concluded that the inclusion of BME to the combined membrane-based methods with somatic cell lysis buffer solution was best for constant increased yield and purity of RNA isolation from Sahiwal cattle and Murrah buffalo bull sperm. This method will help with the interpretation of data from animal models and the consistency of clinical assessments of male factor fertility employing RNA molecular biomarkers.