Effects of sodium butyrate and active Bacillus amyloliquefaciens supplemented to pasteurized waste milk on growth performance and health condition of Holstein dairy calves.

The objectives of the present study were to examine the impact of feeding both probiotics and sodium butyrate on calf performance and the economic implication of each treatment. A completely randomized design was used to investigate body weight (BW) gain, feed conversion efficiency and health conditions of Holstein dairy calves fed either pasteurized waste milk (PWM; n = 9) or a non-medicated milk replacer containing sodium butyrate and active probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (NMR; n = 9) from birth to 60 days of age. Numerically, calves fed PWM consumed more starter feed between days 16 and 45 than calves fed NMR but the difference became smaller by 60 days. Birth weights and colostrum IgG and serum total protein concentrations did not differ (p > 0.05) between the PWM and NMR calves. Calves receiving PWM had slightly greater BW at days 30 and 45, but were similar to that of calves receiving NMR at day 60. No differences were observed between PWM and NMR-calves for BW gains, flank height, hip width and health conditions (p < 0.05). Calves fed NMR had more watery feces but less frequent bouts of coughing than PWM-fed calves. Feed cost was higher (p < 0.001) for PWM-fed calves than NMR-fed calves during the experimental period. Dairy calves receiving NMR fortified with sodium butyrate and Bacillus probiotic could perform as similar as calves receiving PWM, and they had similar economic efficiency during the 60-d study period.

Antibacterial activity of three essential oils and some monoterpenes against Ralstonia solanacearum phylotype II isolated from potato.

The present study describes the possibility of using some essential oils and monoterpens as bioagents against the growth of Ralstonia solanacearum, a causal bacterium of potato brown rot disease. Eight isolates of the bacterium were recovered from infected potato tubers, showing typical symptoms of the disease, Isolates were identified as R.solanacearum phylotype II, based on biochemical and physiological characteristics, as well as, at the molecular level through PCR analysis. Three essential oils extracted from Corymbia citriodora (leaves), Cupressus sempervirens (aerial parts), and Lantana camara (aerial parts) were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against eight isolates of R. solanacearum phylotype II. Results demonstrated that L. camara essential oil (concentration 5000 µg/mL) had the highest effects against the RsMo2, RsSc1 and Rs48, with inhibition zone (IZ) values of 17.33, 16.33, and 17.50 mm, respectively, also against Rs2 (IZ 14.33 mm), and RsIs2 (IZ 16 mm). C. citriodora oil showed the highest activity against RsBe2 (IZ 14 mm), RsFr4 (IZ 13.66 mm) and RsNe1 (IZ 13.66 mm). Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS-FID) analyzed the chemical composition of these essential oils. It was proved that L. camara leaves contains mainly trans-caryophyllene (16.24%) and α-humulene (9.55%), in C. citriodora oil were α-citronellal (56.55%), α-citronellol (14.89%), and citronellol acetate (13.04%), and in Cup. sempervirens aerial parts were cedrol (22.17%), and Δ3-carene (18.59%). Five monoterpenes were evaluated against the most resistance Ralstonia isolate RsFr5 to the three studied essential oils and found that limonene had the highest effect against it compared with the lowest thymol. The results proved the strong bio effects of the essential oil from L. camara leaves as a natural product contained monoterpenes that can inhibit the growth of tested R. solanacearum phylotype II isolates.

Equine Contribution in Methane Emission and Its Mitigation Strategies.

Greenhouses gas emission mitigation is a very important aspect of earth sustainability with greenhouse gasses reduction, a focus of agricultural and petrochemical industries. Methane is produced in nonruminant herbivores such as horses because they undergo hindgut fermentation. Although equine produce less methane than ruminant, increasing population of horses might increase their contribution to the present 1.2 to 1.7 Tg, estimate. Diet, feeding frequency, season, genome, and protozoa population influence methane production equine. In population, Methanomicrobiales, Methanosarcinales, Methanobacteriales, and Methanoplasmatales are the clade identified in equine. Methanocorpusculum labreanum is common among hindgut fermenters like horses and termite. Naturally, acetogenesis and interrelationship between the host and the immune-anatomical interaction are responsible for the reduced methane output in horses. However, to reduce methane output in equine, and increase energy derived from feed intake, the use of biochar, increase in acetogens, inclusion of fibre enzymes and plant extract, and recycling of fecal energy through anaerobic gas fermentation. These might be feasible ways to reducing methane contribution from horse and could be applied to ruminants too.

Anti-pathogenic, antibiofilm, and technological properties of fermented food associated Staphylococcus succinus strain AAS2.

The present investigation was aimed to determine the anti-pathogenic, antibiofilm, and technological properties of fermented food associated Staphylococcus succinus strain AAS2. The anti-pathogenic attribute of cell-free neutralized supernatant (CFNS) of strain AAS2 was assessed against food-borne and enteric pathogens that revealed promising activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes with high arbitrary unit of 220.25 ± 3.3 and 170.2 ± 4.6 AU/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the antibiofilm and time-kill assay of CFNS of strain AAS2 depicted remarkable reduction in biofilm formation of indicator pathogens in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, time-kill assay data revealed the drastic reduction in the viability (log cfu/mL) of S. aureus and E. aerogenes in the presence of varied minimum inhibitory concentration ranges of CFNS. The distinct technological properties of strain AAS2 were demonstrated using standard methodologies. Reported results estimated moderate level of exopolysaccharide (41.3 ± 0.6 mg/L) and lipase production (8.3 ± 0.3 mm), followed by remarkable autolytic (30.1 ± 1.2-43.1 ± 1.3%), catalase (13.82 ± 0.3 AU), and nitrate reductase (10.25 ± 0.3 mM nitrite/mg dry weight) activities under standard conditions. Most importantly, the strain cleared the specific in vitro safety assessment tests. The described anti-pathogenic and technological traits of strain AAS2 paved the way to utilize it in pharmaceutical as well as food processing industries as starter/adjunct culture.

Outbreak of Zika virus pathogenesis and quest of its vaccine development: Where do we stand now?

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is a life-threatening tropical infection, mainly caused by mosquito bite. After a very long period of quietness, ZIKV infections have become a problematic issue again. Previously, the virus was limited to Africa and Asia only but later it emerged in Brazil, South America, and other parts of the world in 2015. In 2016, there are emerging new cases of sexually transmitted ZIKV infection as well. At present, there is no proper treatment and available pronounced vaccines for the treatment of ZIKV infection. The prime focal point of this review is not only to provide imperative epidemiological information on ZIKV infection in brief but also the current situation of vaccines testing on animal model as well as in clinical trial phases. Currently there is no human vaccine for this pestiferous viral infection. Therefore, prevention, proper management, and up-to-date recommendation are crucial to mitigate the possible risk of vector and non-vector transmission of ZIKV.