Bovine herpesvirus 1 in the northeast of Algiers, Algeria: Seroprevalence and associated risk factors in dairy herd.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) in a dairy herd in the northeast of Algiers, Algeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The target area is in the northeast of Algiers with humid to semi-dry climate and known for its economically important production of cattle. A total of 1,066 randomly selected individual blood samples of dairy herd collected at 120 dairy farms from rural districts of northeast of Algiers were evaluated with antibodies against BoHV-1 using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits, to determine the BoHV-1 infection status of the herds. A questionnaire submitted to the farmers during collection of the blood samples was used to collect data on potential BoHV-1 associated risk factors. RESULTS: In the present study, the estimated farm and individual animal BoHV-1 seroprevalence levels were 58.33% and 14.16%, respectively. A logistic regression analysis of the random-effects model revealed that the significant associated risk factors for the present farm and individual animal seroprevalence levels were rural district, cattle introduced to the farm, region, and hygiene. CONCLUSION: This study found higher seroprevalence of BoHV-1 in the northeast of Algiers. The results could be used in designing the prevention and control strategy of BoHV-1 in the northeastern part of Algeria.

Phenotypic parameters affecting reproduction and production performances of dairy cattle in peri-urban of Bamako, Mali.

AIM: The present study was conducted to evaluate the reproduction and production performances of crossbred and local dairy cattle in peri-urban of Bamako, the capital of Mali. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 17 randomly selected households with 450 dairy cattle from four peri-urban of Bamako were individually interviewed, given register format and divided into four focus group discussions. The participants were dairy farmers and they were asked to know the phenotype that seems to them the more interesting for the reproduction and production performances of their dairy cattle. RESULTS: The calving interval (CI) obtained exceeded 433 days in all phenotypic types with average milk yields of 5.13±1.84 kg/day, 4.76±2.41, and 3.05±1.32 kg/day, respectively, for the Holstein crossbred, Montbeliard crossbred, and the local breeds (Zebu Peul and/or Zebu Maure). Crossbred was more productive than local breeds with significant (p<0.05) differences for lactation length, CI and total production and not significant on parity. The results also showed the advantages of the crossbred cows in terms of CI (460±80 days) compared to local zebus breeds (433±115 days) to keep the time of milking as long as possible. However, the Zebu Azawak breed whose cradle is located in Northern Mali, managed under extensive peri-urban rearing conditions, has less favorable production parameters than those of other local cattle breeds in milk production (636±43.3 kg vs. 681±41.1 kg). CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that crossbred dairy cattle performed better in terms of CI, lactation length, and production compared to the local breeds. The study also showed that the local Azawak breed numerically performed less compared to the other local breeds evaluated in this study, namely, Peul and Maure.

Effects of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) powder on laying performance, egg quality, and serum biochemical parameters of Japanese quails.

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of stinging nettle powder (SNP) on laying performance, egg quality, and some selected serum biochemical parameters of quails. One hundred and forty-four 10-wk-old Japanese quails (initial body weight = 199 ± 18 g) were divided into 3 dietary treatment groups (basic diet without SNP [SNP0], SNP0 with 3% SNP [SNP3], SNP0 with 6% SNP [SNP6]) with 4 replicates of 12 quails for a rearing period of 12 wk. At 22 wk of age, the final body weights of the SNP3 and SNP6 groups were significantly (P = 0.001) reduced compared to that of the SNP0 group. Daily feed intake was not statistically different among the groups. The mean number of eggs laid ranged from 65 to 69 with laying rates from 76.8% to 82.1%. The percentage of cracked eggs was not significantly different among the groups and ranged from 1.6% to 1.9%. The egg weight was similar and the feed conversion ratio was closer among the groups. The egg yolk cholesterol, serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels in the SNP6 group were significantly reduced (P < 0.001) compared to those of the SNP0 group. Serum Ca, P and Mg were not significantly influenced by the supplementation. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that the supplementation of SNP to the quail diet at the level of 6% reduced quail egg yolk cholesterol, serum total cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels and did not negatively influence quail performance.

Effects of Artemisia herba-alba or olive leaf (Olea europaea) powder supplementation on growth performance, carcass yield, and blood biochemical parameters in broilers.

AIM: This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of Artemisia herba-alba (white wormwood) or olive leaf (Olea europaea) powder supplementation on growth performance, carcass yield, and serum biochemical parameters in broilers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted from April to May 2017 in Chemini region, Northern Algeria. A total of 60 1-day-old Ross 308 male chicks were divided into three groups consisted of 10 chicks, in each of two replications. The chicks in Group 1 were fed with a standard commercial diet (SCD); Group 2 received the same SCD with 2% supplementation of A. herba-alba powder; and Group 3 received the same SCD with 2% supplementation of O. europaea powder. Growth performance was measured with body weights every 2 weeks, daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and carcass yield at the end of 42 days of rearing. Blood samples were collected to analyze serum glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, and total protein levels. RESULTS: Results showed that, at 42 days of rearing, supplementation of O. europaea and A. herba-alba significantly increased (p<0.001) mean body weight (2230.10±26.38 g and 2117.42±26.38 g, respectively, vs. 2336.66±27.88 g in chicks of Group 1), but there was no significant difference (p≥0.05) among the three diets for FCR or percentage carcass yield. Among the serum biochemical parameters, glucose was significantly affected (p<0.01) by supplementation of olive leaf powder (1.90 g/L: Group 3), compared to the SCD (2.24 g/L: Group 1) or Artemisia powder (2.05 g/L: Group 2). Moreover, the supplementation of olive leaf powder in Group 3 broilers significantly affected (p<0.05) the serum cholesterol level (0.95 g/L), compared to the control diet (1.13 g/L). There was no significant difference (p≥0.05) for the other selected serum biochemical concentrations, namely triglycerides, urea, and total protein. CONCLUSION: The supplementation of Artemisia or olive leaf powder into the diet for broilers improved body weight by about 5% or 10%, respectively, at slaughter with moderate changes in blood biochemical parameters.

The metabolic response in fish to mildly elevated water temperature relates to species-dependent muscular concentrations of imidazole compounds and free amino acids.

Fish species show distinct differences in their muscular concentrations of imidazoles and free amino acids (FAA). This study was conducted to investigate whether metabolic response to mildly elevated water temperature (MEWT) relates to species-dependent muscular concentrations of imidazoles and FAA. Thirteen carp and 17 Nile tilapia, housed one per aquarium, were randomly assigned to either acclimation (25°C) or MEWT (30°C) for 14 days. Main muscular concentrations were histidine (HIS; P<0.001) in carp versus N-α-acetylhistidine (NAH; P<0.001) and taurine (TAU; P=0.001) in tilapia. Although the sum of imidazole (HIS+NAH) and TAU in muscle remained constant over species and temperatures (P>0.05), (NAH+HIS)/TAU ratio was markedly higher in carp versus tilapia, and decreased with MEWT only in carp (P<0.05). Many of the muscular FAA concentrations were higher in carp than in tilapia (P<0.05). Plasma acylcarnitine profile suggested a higher use of AA and fatty acids in carp metabolism (P<0.05). On the contrary, the concentration of 3-hydroxyisovalerylcarnitine, a sink of leucine catabolism, (P=0.009) pointed to avoidance of leucine use in tilapia metabolism. Despite a further increase of plasma longer-chain acylcarnitines in tilapia at MEWT (P=0.009), their corresponding beta-oxidation products (3-hydroxy-longer-chain acylcarnitines) remained constant. Together with higher plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in carp (P=0.001), the latter shows that carp, being a fatter fish, more readily mobilises fat than tilapia at MEWT, which coincides with more intensive muscular mobilization of imidazoles. This study demonstrates that fish species differ in their metabolic response to MEWT, which is associated with species-dependent changes in muscle imidazole to taurine ratio.