Molecular detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in different poultry breeds of Abbottabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan / Detecção molecular de Mycoplasma gallisepticum em diferentes raças de aves de Abbottabad e Rawalpindi, Paquistão

The poultry sector in Pakistan is contributing mainly in bridging gap between demand and supply for protein. Mycoplasma gallisepticum is an emerging bacterium causing serious problems in poultry industry of Pakistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the M. gallisepticum load in poultry populated regions of Pakistan. Total 600 serum and 600 swab samples were collected, 200 from each broiler, layers and breeders poultry in Rawalpindi and Abbottabad districts. Serum samples were analyzed through ELISA for seroprevalence. Swabs were cultured on Frey’s medium followed by PCR and partial mgc2 gene sequencing. Results of seroprevalence of M. gallisepticum showed that layers (75%, n=150) are more positive as compared to breeders (70%, n=140) and broilers (50%, n=100). Typical colonies of the M. gallisepticum were observed in breeder (26.5%), followed by layer (21%) and broilers (9%). A total of 37.1% (n=42) samples were identified positive through PCR out of total 113 cultured based positive samples. A total of six M. gallisepticum isolates of current study showed 98-99 percent similarity with previously reported isolates on the basis of mgc2 gene partial sequencing. The M. gallisepticum was found highly prevalent in different poultry breads. Results of this study would add into basic data and provide a direction for livestock sector to strengthen a control strategy for mycoplasmosis in poultry farms.

O setor avícola do Paquistão está contribuindo principalmente para preencher a lacuna entre a demanda e a oferta de proteína. Mycoplasma gallisepticum é uma bactéria emergente que causa sérios problemas na indústria avícola do Paquistão. Um estudo transversal foi conduzido para avaliar a carga de M. gallisepticum em regiões de avicultura do Paquistão. Um total de 600 amostras de soro e 600 amostras de esfregaço foi coletado, 200 de cada frango de corte, poedeiras e aves reprodutoras nos distritos de Rawalpindi e Abbottabad. Amostras de soro foram analisadas por ELISA para soroprevalência. As zaragatoas foram cultivadas em meio Frey, seguido de PCR e sequenciação parcial do gene mgc2. Os resultados da soroprevalência de M. gallisepticum mostraram que as poedeiras (75%, n = 150) são mais positivas em comparação com matrizes (70%, n = 140) e frangos de corte (50%, n = 100). Colônias típicas de M. gallisepticum foram observadas em reprodutoras (26,5%), seguidas de poedeiras (21%) e frangos de corte (9%). Um total de 37,1% (n = 42) das amostras foi identificado como positivas por PCR de um total de 113 amostras positivas baseadas em cultura. Um total de seis isolados de M. gallisepticum do estudo atual mostrou 98-99% de similaridade com isolados relatados anteriormente com base no sequenciamento parcial do gene mgc2. O M. gallisepticum foi encontrado com alta prevalência em diferentes pães de aves. Os resultados deste estudo acrescentariam dados básicos e forneceriam orientação para o setor pecuário fortalecer uma estratégia de controle da micoplasmose em granjas avícolas.

Torta de mamona não destoxificada na indução da muda forçada em poedeiras comerciais / Non-detoxified castor bean for molt induction in laying hens

Avaliou-se o uso de dietas com diferentes porcentagens de torta de mamona não destoxificada (TM) na indução da muda forçada, sendo utilizadas 120 poedeiras Lohman LSL de 81 semanas, distribuídas ao acaso em quatro tratamentos, com cinco repetições de seis aves. Um dos tratamentos consistiu na indução da muda pelo método do jejum por 11 dias, e os demais no uso de dietas de muda, compostas pela mistura de dieta de postura e TM nas quantidades de 20, 30 e 40 por cento, por até 21 dias ou até quando as aves atingissem 23 por cento de perda do peso. Diferenças significativas foram observadas nos eritrócitos, no hematócrito, na concentração média de hemoglobina globular, na proteína total do plasma, nos leucócitos e na alanina aminotransferase, medidos durante a indução da muda, bem como no desempenho das aves após a muda, no que diz respeito ao consumo de ração, à porcentagem de postura, ao peso do ovo, à massa do ovo e à conversão alimentar. A qualidade dos ovos não variou estatisticamente entre os métodos avaliados. A utilização da dieta de muda forçada contendo 40 por cento de TM promoveu resultados semelhantes aos obtidos com o método do jejum, tanto para consumo de ração, porcentagem de postura, peso do ovo, massa do ovo, e conversão alimentar, como inerentes à qualidade dos ovos, quanto para densidade específica, unidade Haugh, porcentagens de gema, casca e albúmen. No entanto, menores alterações nos valores de eritrócitos, hematócrito e alanina aminotransferase foram observadas nesse método supracitado. O uso da dieta de muda contendo 40 por cento de TM mostrou-se uma alternativa viável ao uso do método do jejum...

We evaluated diets with different percentages of non-detoxified castor bean (TM) in the induction of molt, with 120 Lohman LSL hens at 81 weeks of age being used, randomly allotted to four treatments with five replicates of six birds each. One of the treatments consisted in the induction of changes by the method of fasting for 11 days, and the others used diet switches, composed by mixing posture and TM diet in the amounts of 20, 30 and 40 percent for up to 21 days or until when the birds reach 23 percent weight loss. Significant differences were observed in erythrocytes, hematocrit, mean concentration of corpuscular hemoglobin, total protein in plasma, leukocytes and alanine aminotransferase measured during induction of changes, and the performance of birds after moulting, such as feed intake, percentage of laying, egg weight, egg mass and feed conversion. The quality of the eggs did not vary significantly among the methods evaluated. The use of forced molting diet containing 40 percent of TM promoted results similar to those obtained with the method of fasting, both feed intake and the percentage of egg, egg weight, egg mass, and feed conversion, as inherent quality of eggs, as the specific gravity, Haugh unit, yolk percentage, albumen and shell. However, minor changes in the values of erythrocytes, hematocrit and alanine aminotransferase were observed in the method above. The use of diets containing 40 percent change TM proved to be a viable alternative to the use of the fasting method...

A new method for analysis of plasma carotenoids in poultry / Novo método para dosagem de carotenóides plasmáticos em aves domésticas

A study was carried out to evaluate a new quantitative analytical technique for determination of plasma carotenoids in poultry. Plasma carotenoides were extracted and measured from 30 blood samples of male Cobb broilers. The new technique was efficient in detecting plasma carotenoids of chickens and also showed advantages upon those techniques currently in use such as the form of presentation of results, use of a compatible solvent, and the scanning method for reading. The new technique did not increase the cost of the analysis.

Avaliou-se uma nova técnica analítica quantitativa para mensuração do teor de carotenóides plasmáticos em aves domésticas. Para extração e dosagem dos carotenóides plasmático, foram utilizadas 30 amostras de sangue de frangos de corte Cobb. A técnica testada foi capaz de detectar carotenóides no plasma das aves de forma eficiente tendo ainda vantagens sobre as técnicas correntes tais como a forma de apresentação dos resultados, uso de solvente compatível e método de leitura por varredura. A nova técnica não aumentou o custo da análise.

Haemato-biochemical and immuno-pathophysiological effects of chronic toxicity with synthetic pyrethroid, organophosphate and chlorinated pesticides in broiler chicks.

Haemato- biochemical and immuno-pathophysiological changes following feeding of broiler chicks with 20 ppm fenvalerate (synthetic pyrethroid, SP), 2 ppm monocrotophos (organophosphate, OP) and 2 ppm endosulfan (chlorinated hydrocarbon, CH) were studied. Four groups of broiler birds (30 each) were fed poultry mash without (control) or mixed with pesticides for 8 weeks. Blood glucose, serum globulin and acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activity level were decreased (P<0.01) in all treated groups compared to control, but not the serum albumin and BUN. The total ATPase activity was enhanced (P<0.01) in fenvalerate and monocrotophos than birds in control group. Body weight, total erythrocyte count, packed cell volume, haemoglobin, eosinophil and monocyte count did not show any changes. Total leucocytes and T-lymphocyte count was lower (P<0.01) in all treated groups as compared to control group. B-cell count (P<0.01), mean 2-4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) dermal sensitivity score and splenic indices from graft vs. host reaction (P<0.05) were decreased in fenvalarate and endosulfan but the values for monocrotophos were intermediate between control and other treated groups. Pesticide intoxication reduced nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) positive cells (active splenic macrophages) (P<0.05) and spleen weight (P<0.01). Whereas bursal weight was reduced only with endosulfan, thymic weight was reduced on endosulfan and fenvalerate-treated feed. Microscopic examination of these organs further revealed atrophy/hypoplasia, decrease in the size of follicles with depletion of lymphocytes and haemorrhages in thymus. The study concludes that the chronic exposure of chicks to small amount of SP, OP and CH pesticide leads to deleterious effects on metabolism and immune system of birds.

Comparative investigation on the effect of T-2 mycotoxin on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in different poultry species.

The effect of low dose T-2 toxin was investigated in chicken, duck and goose. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of T-2 toxin on the lipid peroxidation and on the activity of glutathione redox system (amount of reduced and oxidised glutathione and the activity of glutathione peroxidase) in blood and liver. The treatment lasted days and two samples were taken, first at the time of lowest feed intake and second when the intake was the same as the control. It was found, that lipid per oxidation as detected by the amount of malondialdehyde increased in all of the species and tissues but the changes varied by species. The most sensitive species was goose followed by duck and chicken, and the most sensitive tissue was the liver followed by blood plasma and red blood cells.

A comparison of the luteinizing hormone-releasing activities of synthetic chicken luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH), synthetic porcine LH-RH, and buserelin, an LH-RH analogue, in the domestic fowl.

The luteinizing hormone-releasing activities of synthetic chicken luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (chLH-RH), synthetic porcine LH-RH (pLH-RH), and an analogue of LH-RH (buserelin, D-Ser-(But)6-des-Gly10-LH-RH ethylamide) were compared in the domestic fowl. In adult cockerels, intravenous injections of 0.5 or 1 microgram chLH-RH/kg released the same amount of LH as the same doses of pLH-RH; subcutaneous injections of 0.5 or 1 microgram buserelin/kg were about twice as effective as the same doses of pLH-RH. In laying hens, injections of 1, 10, 20, and 50 micrograms buserelin induced more sustained releases of LH than the corresponding doses of pLH-RH. Daily injections of 1 or 10 micrograms buserelin/bird or of 10 micrograms pLH-RH/bird for 12 days synchronized the timing of most ovipositions showing that the injections of releasing hormone could induce preovulatory surges of LH. In contrast with mammals, daily injections of buserelin in laying hens did not reduce pituitary responsiveness to the analogue. It is concluded that the structural difference between mammalian and chicken LH-RH does not affect their LH-releasing activities in the domestic fowl. Although the LH-releasing activity of buserelin in the hen is greater than that of pLH-RH, the difference in activity is not as great as that observed in most mammals. This view is strengthened by the finding that chronic treatment with buserelin, which exerts an antagonistic effect on ovulation in mammals, does not do so in the domestic hen.

Luteinizing hormone release and androgen production of avian hybrids in response to luteinizing hormone releasing hormone injection.

The levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and androgens were measured in sterile avian hybrids. Guinea fowl-chicken and peafowl-guinea fowl hybrids were bled before and after injection with LH- releasing hormone (LHRH). The preinjection LH levels for the guinea fowl-chicken hybrids were below or at the very lower limit of the assay sensitivity and the peafowl-guinea fowl hybrids averaged 1.3 ng/ml. Within 10 min after LHRH injection, LH had increased dramatically in both hybrids and then began to slowly decline. Androgen levels in the guinea fowl-chicken hybrids increased from 16.2 pg/ml to 95.2 pg/ml and continued to increase, reaching 287 pg/ml at the last bleeding 60 min after injection.