Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine
Year:2013 | Volume:7 | Issue:4|Papers Count:11

BACKGROUND: Lactobacilli are known as a valuable source of antimicrobial compounds and have a high potential of use in food biopreservation against food related microorganisms.OBJECTIVES: Antimicrobial potency of 63 dairy lactobacilli isolates against four highly important food-related microorganisms were evaluated. In addition, a new way in data organization was introduced, which led to a more informative and rational comparison of indicator microorganisms' susceptibilities to a set of compounds. Correlation of pH and antimicrobial properties was investigated.METHODS: Microbroth dilution assay was used to evaluate indicator microorganisms' susceptibility to lactobacilli CFCS (cell free culture supernatant). Results were organized by both the conventional way - demonstrating the minimum inhibitory and lethal concentrations of CFCS - and a new suggested method, representing comparative effectiveness of each CFCS specimen against indicator microorganisms of comparison interest.RESULTS: Susceptibilities of tested strains were in the following order: Escherichia coli O157: H7>Listeria monocytogenes>Aspergillus parasiticus>Candida parapsilosis. Despite the high susceptibility of L. monocytogenes, it showed the highest resistance to death among the tested microorganisms.Eefficiency of Lactobacilli CFCS in killing the tested strains showed the following susceptibility order: E. coli O157: H7>A. parasiticus>C. parapsilosis>L. monocytogenes. Antimicrobial property was in correlation with the pH value of CFCS. PH had a pronounced impact on susceptibilities of C. parapsilosis and E. coliin pH values of concentrated CFCS lower than 4 and 4.5, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: Potency of lactobacilli isolates in growth inhibition of the indicator microorganisms was found promising, and the suggested data organization method provided additional information, leading to more precise comparison of indicator microorganisms.

BACKGROUND: Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan protozoa, which causes abortion in cattle worldwide.OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to estimate the rate of transplacental transmission of N.caninum to aborted fetuses in seropositive dams in dairy farms in Mashhad area, Iran.METHODS: Two hundred blood samples of dam with aborted bovine fetuses were collected from dairy farms from 2008 to 2010. First, the maternal sera in each aborted case were tested by using ELISA method, and then the brain samples of aborted fetuses were examined for detecting DNA of N. caninum, using the PCR method.RESULTS: In this study, 38 (19%) of dams' sera showed seropositive reaction against N.caninum infection, and also 23 (10.5%) aborted brain fetuses showed positive reaction by PCR. A significant association was observed between N.caninum-serapositie dams and infected aborted fetuses (p<0.0001). In the present study, 20 (86%) infected fetuses were aborted from seropositive, and 3 (13%) of the fetuses were aborted from seronegative dams.CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of molecular and serology examination, the rate of transplacental transmission of N. caninum infection in dairy cattle were calculated as 52%.

BACKGROUND: The extensive consumption of milk and dairy products makes these foodstuffs targets for potential adulteration with financial gains for unscrupulous producers.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was using PCR assay to detect cow milk in labeled sheep milk, sheep yoghurt, and Lighvan cheese (a traditional ripened cheese produced from sheep's milk).METHODS: The assay utilized primers targeting the mitochondrial 12s and 16s rRNA gene. In this study, 35 samples of sheep milk, 35 samples of sheep yoghurt, and 35 samples of Lighvan cheese were purchased from different supermarkets in Mashhad city with different batch numbers.RESULTS: The results showed only 21 out of 105 (20%) samples contained pure sheep milk. Undeclared presence of cow and goat milk was detected in 33 (31.5%) and 68 (65%) of the 105 samples, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: It seems the PCR based analytical method is an applicable technique to monitor adulteration in dairy products.

BACKGROUND: Closantel is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent and is widely used for the control of Fasciola spp. and Haemonchus spp. infestations in sheep and cattle.OBJECTIVES: The present study was carried out to evaluate the bioequivalence of a domestic closantel formulation, FascinilÒ (Damloran Pharmaceutical Co., Iran), in comparison with FlukiverÒ (Janssen pharmaceutical Co., Belgium) in sheep.METHODS: In a parallel design, twenty-eight male sheep, 4- 5 months of age, were randomly divided into two groups. First group received a single dose of FascinilÒ oral suspension as a test product at 10 mg/kg BW, and the second group received FlukiverÒ as a reference product with the same dose. Blood samples were taken on 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 32, 48, and 72 hours after drug administration, and the plasma concentrations of closantel were determined using a high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method. Pharmacokinetic analysis was performed; in addition, the areas under the plasma concentration-time curves at 0-72h (AUC0-72), maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax), and times to reach Cmax (Tmax) of the closantel in test and reference groups were compared.RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the AUC0-72 (2913.00±648.18, 2957.88±623.41 mg.h/mL), Cmax (62.22±7.74, 71.71±13.03mg /mL), and Tmax (23.38±4.27, 23.23±4.28h) between FascinilÒ and FlukiverÒ, respectively. The 90% confidence intervals for test: reference ratios of these pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters were within bioequivalence acceptable range (80-120%).CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the test product (FascinilÒ)and FlukiverÒ are bioequivalent, and they can be used as interchangeable anthelmintic drugs.

BACKGROUND: Teat lacerations are serious injuries that endanger the survival of a cow within the herd. In excessive lacerations, the wound should be left to heal by second intention healing process. However, tissue contraction during healing can change the alignment of the teat, creating problems for machine milking.OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the transplantation of the full-thickness free skin graft in excessive teat lacerations.METHODS: Four healthy, nonpregnant, mixed Holstein-Friesian dairy cows with normal teats were used in the study. Under local anesthesia, a rectangular full thickness excision (2 Cm×2 Cm) was made on the lateral surface of the proximal part of the right and left fore teats of each cow, and simultaneously a rectangular full-thickness free skin graft (1.5 Cm×1.5 Cm) was harvested from the inner surface of the left pinna. The graft was then meshed and transplanted to the left teat defect. During a three-week study, the wound healing was evaluated clinically and at the end of the study, histopathologic samples (H & E staining) were taken from both wounds.RESULTS: The results of this study demonstrated that in nongrafted wounds, severe wound contraction caused a deformity in normal anatomical structure of the teats. However, in grafted wounds successful graft take was recorded in all wounds, and the teats restored their functional and anatomical structure with satisfactory cosmetic appearance.CONCLUSIONS: According to the result of present study, it can be concluded that using fullthickness free mesh skin graft can be considered a suitable method for treatment of excessive teat lacerations.

BACKGROUND: Fasting is an alternative method to induce anorexia.OBJECTIVES: The biochemical factors of liver and serum and clinical signs were measured and documented in five non-lactating, non-pregnant cows following eight days of fasting.METHODS: Five crossbred, non-lactating, and non-pregnant cattle were used in this study. They were fasted for 8 days_ total food deprivation; however, they had free access to water. Liver biopsies were carried out one day before food deprivation (day 0) and 8 days after food deprivation by ultrasound-guided biopsy. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein before and during fasting. The concentrations of triglyceride (TG), total lipids, glycogen, phospholipids, and total protein in liver and NEFA, BHBA, TG, total cholesterol, glucose, total lipid, APO A1, and APO B in blood serum were measured and compared.RESULTS: The results of this study showed that fasting for 8 days reduces respiratory rate by 52% and heart rate by 12.5% and has no significant effect on rectal temperature. The concentrations of the liver triglyceride (TG) and glycogen significantly increased (p=0.046) and decreased (p=0.007) on day 8, respectively. There were no significant differences in the content of liver phospholipids (p=0.83), total lipids (p=0.29), and total protein (p=0.23). The serum concentrations of NEFA and BHBA increased significantly (p=0.008) at the end of fasting period. No significant differences in the concentrations of serum TG (p=0.057), total cholesterol (p=0.93), glucose (p=0.108), total lipid (p=0.27), APO A1 (p=0.762), and APO B (p=0.92) were noticed on days 0 and 8.CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study showed that fasting, like anorexia (as a result of diseases), induces fat mobilization from adipose tissue in response to the induced negative energy balance.

BACKGROUND: Class II transactivator (CIITA) is a dominant transcriptional element, controlling numerous genes in the immune system.CIITA is expressed in a constitutive pattern in antigen presenting cells although its expression can occur in other cell types. Since the revelation of CIITA, there have been considerable advances toward understanding its role as an activator of MHC II genes in humans and mice; nonetheless, there is a lack of published data for this gene in other animals such as chickens.OBJECTIVES: The goals of this study were to determine the expression of class II transactivator (CIITA) in chicken and analysis of the CIITA gene sequence between four Iranian indigenous chicken ecotypes.METHODS: After securing the research accuracy and optimization of reaction conditions, cDNA and DNA samples of gene were obtained from four Iranian indigenous chicken ecotypes. The PCR and RT-PCR products were sequenced and the data were analyzed by bioinformatics software.RESULTS: Comparison of the sequencing results with the reference sequence of the red jungle fowl revealed that these sequences belonged to the predicted CIIT Agene. There was a high conservation rate in the sequence of CIITA. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that like other species, CIITA is transcripted in chickens' immune system cells.Further studies on chickens must be done to reveal CIITA roles in immune responses of chickens.

BACKGROUND: Microbiological and chemical qualities of milk are among the most important issues in public health.OBJECTIVES: Although there are a few published studies which have been conducted in south east of Iran this study was performed to investigate quality of raw milk delivered to a dairy industry company Kerman Province.METHODS: Atotal of 109 raw milk samples were collected at the time of delivering to the company. All the samples were transferred to the food lab of Veterinary School for total counting and psychotropic and Staphylococcus aureus counting. The chemical contents, residues of microbial inhibitors and Beta Lactam antibiotics residues were evaluated by Lactostar, Copan kit and Beta star test, respectively, and somatic cells were counted by a cell counter.RESULTS: Based on the comparison with national standard criteria, only 26 out of 109 samples (23.8; 95% CI: 16.2-33.0) were at standard limits in terms of all the factors. Alarge number of out-of-standard sample (50 out of 83), were in contrast with the defined criterion due to low protein.CONCLUSIONS: Classification of the samples based on all the defined criteria without considering protein content showed that the main problem of the milk was its low protein percent.

BACKGROUND: Growth promoters are chemical and biological substances that are added to livestock food with the aim to improve the growth of chickens in fattening and the utilization of food, and in this way achieve better production and financial results.OBJECTIVES: An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of enzyme complex, probiotic, and their combination on performance of broilers fed a basal wheat-barley-soybean meal diet from 1 to 47 d of age.METHODS: Atotal of 480-dayold male broiler chicks (Arbor Acres) were randomly assigned to 6 treatments, with 4 replicate cages per treatment and 20 birds per cage. The experiment consisted of a 3×2 factorial arrangement of the treatments, with 3 concentrations of enzyme complex (0, half of the commercial suggested level or commercial suggested level) and 2 concentrations of probiotic (0 and suggested level).RESULTS: Results showed that the suggested level of enzyme complex could improve body weight and feed conversion ratio (p<0.05), but addition of probiotic only decreased the feed conversion ratio (p<0.05). There was no interaction between enzyme complex and probiotic on performance (p>0.05).Probiotic supplementation did not improve the efficacy of enzyme complex at any levels. The examination of length and relative weight of different regions of intestine showed that only enzyme complex could decrease the relative weight of duodenum and length of jejunum; however, there was no interaction between treatments for these parameters.CONCLUSIONS: This research did not demonstrate any interaction effect between enzyme complex and probiotic on broilers performance fed wheat-barley-soybean meal diet.

A2-year-old cachectic cross-breed gelding was admitted to Veterinary Teaching Hospital of University of Tehran following the onset of a marked respiratory distress, coughing and ventral edema. Clinical examinations indicated harsh respiratory and expiratory sounds as well as jugular vein distention. The respiratory and heart rates were 35/min and 60 bpm, respectively. Agrade III/IV pansystolic murmur with the PMI on the tricuspid valve, which could be heard on the left side, was detected. Sinus tachycardia was revealed by electrocardiography. Rupture of the chorda tendineae of the tricuspid valve, pulmonary artery regurgitation, pulmonary artery hypertension, tricuspid valve regurgitation, pulmonary artery, and right ventricular dilation were also found in echocardiography. These findings were confirmed at post mortem examinations. On the basis of the findings, chorda tendineae rapture of the tricuspid valve and right side heart failure due to primary pulmonary hypertension were diagnosed.