Factors influencing water intake in dairy cows: a review.

Water is a very critical nutrient in the diet of lactating animals as it performs several functions, viz., transfer of nutrients and excretions of waste products produced during metabolism, digestion, and body temperature regulation of all living organisms. Besides growth, other parameters like milk production, reproduction, adaptive potential, and feed consumption are also influenced by water status in feed and body reserves. Water intake in dairy cows is influenced directly or indirectly by several factors; direct factors include animal-related factors such as breed, body size, physiological stage, age, health, stress, and ecological adaptations and environmental factors, viz., season of the year, environmental temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation. These factors significantly influence the drinking water intake of dairy cows. Nonetheless, different managemental practices such as rearing type, feeding practices, housing, water availability, and its quality can also affect water intake indirectly. However, overall understanding of these factors affecting water intake in dairy cows could help to improve the dairy husbandry practices and subsequently health, production, and welfare of dairy cows.

Flood hazard mapping using geospatial techniques and satellite images-a case study of coastal district of Tamil Nadu.

In recent years, extreme rainfall events have resulted in several devastating floods especially in the east coast of Tamil Nadu, India. The main aim of this study is to identify the flood hazard zones in Cuddalore district by integrating spatial distribution of extreme rainfall events, slope, drainage density, soil, and geomorphology. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite data was used to delineate the flood inundation area for the flood event which occurred in 2010 to validate the derived flood hazard zones by using geographical information system (GIS) and satellite images. The ground truth points were collected from the field to validate flood hazard zones, and it was identified that 92% of results were matched with hazard zones. Highly vulnerable blocks including Cuddalore, Kattumannarkoil, Keerapalayam, Kumaratchi, Kurinjipadi, Melbhunagiri, and Parangipettai were identified in Cuddalore district. From this study, it was also identified that nearly 45% of the total area of 3678 km2 were inundated during the flood time. This present study will be a very useful tool and a resource for the policy planners and coastal planners to make effective decisions towards mitigation measures in flood-prone areas in the coastal districts.

First report on molecular characterization of Oestrus ovis in sheep from India.

The objective of the present study is to characterize the dipteran larvae species infesting the sheep being maintained at SRRC, Mannavanur, by means of COI gene based PCR. During the last week of May 2021, post mortem examination of the skull of an Avikalin male sheep (20 months old) revealed the presence of larvae in its nasal sinuses. The larvae were washed in PBS (pH 7.2) and preserved in 70% alcohol. Total genomic DNA was isolated from the larvae using an initial step of grinding with liquid Nitrogen in a sterile mortar and pestle. Using the isolated genomic DNA from the larvae as a template, Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene based PCR was employed using the primers designed based on the COI gene of reference isolate of Oestrus ovis available in the GenBank. Full length COI gene (1534 bp) gene of Oestrus ovis in sheep from South India was targeted in the PCR experiment. The pTZ57R/T vector was used for the cloning of the PCR amplified fragment and the confirmed recombinant plasmid was subjected to sequencing experiments. In addition to morphological examination, based on COI gene based PCR, eventual sequencing experiments and BLAST analysis, it was confirmed that the larvae in the nasal sinuses of sheep from South India were Oestrus ovis. The South Indian isolate of Oestrus ovis is sharing 100% sequence identity both at nucleotide and amino acid levels with that of O. ovis from Spain. The North Indian isolate of O. ovis (from Jammu) exhibited 92% and 99% identity at respective nucleotide and amino acid levels with South Indian isolate. With other members of the subfamily Oestrinae, the share of per cent nucleotide and amino acid identities of South Indian O. ovis ranged from 85-86% to 95-96%, respectively. O. ovis from South India was grouped with the other members of Oestrinae from different geographical areas of the globe in the analysis of phylogenetic tree based on COI amino acid sequences. Based on the research findings, it is concluded that Oestrus ovis is the dipteran species infesting the sheep at Mannavanur, Tamil Nadu, India. To our knowledge, this is the first report on full length nucleotide sequences of COI gene of O. ovis in sheep from Indian subcontinent. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12639-024-01666-2.

First Report on Molecular Identification of Moniezia expansa in Sheep from Mannavanur, Palani Hills, Tamil Nadu, India.

PURPOSE: Tape worm infection is common among sheep at SRRC, Mannavanur, Palani hills, Tamil Nadu, India. The aim of the present study is to find out the cestode species infecting the sheep being maintained at SRRC, Mannavanur, by means of molecular method. METHODS: During the second week of June 2021, the hogget flock of sheep (comprising both Bharat Merino and Avikalin sheep breeds) was drenched on empty stomach with commercial preparation of anthelmintic drug containing Niclosamide plus Albendazole, as per the standard dose specified by the manufacturer (Niclozole™: each 5 ml contains 500 mg of Niclosamide and 150 mg of Albendazole: dose for sheep-10 ml/15 kg body weight). The tapeworms expelled in dung by the drug-treated sheep were collected, washed in PBS (pH 7.2), and fixed in between two glass slides using 10% formalin. Furthermore, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (Cox-I) gene-based PCR was carried out. Only partial sequence (1593 bp) of Cox-I gene of Moniezia expansa from Sheep at SRRC, Mannavanur, Tamil Nadu, India was obtained by PCR. The PCR amplified fragment was cloned into pGEM-T vector and the recombinant plasmid was sequenced. The obtained nucleotide sequences of Cox-I gene of the M. expansa from Indian sheep were analysed with that of 27 more cestode species from different mammalian species (available in GenBank) using bioinformatics tools. RESULTS: The species of the tapeworm was identified as Moniezia species by the Department of Veterinary Parasitology, VC& RI, Orathanadu, TANUVAS by the standard Acidic alum carmine staining method. Due to the ambiguity in the conventional method, Cox-I gene-based PCR and subsequent gene sequencing protocols were used for the identification of the species of cestode infecting sheep at SRRC, Mannavanur, and it was confirmed as M. expansa upon BLAST analysis. Moniezia expansa from SRRC, Mannavanur is having 100% sequence identity at nucleotide level with that of M. expansa from Sengal/Ethiopia. M. benedeni shared 87-88% nucleotide identity with Indian M. expansa. With taenids, the share of percent nucleotide identity of Indian M. expansa ranged from 79 to 81%. M. expansa from Indian sheep was clustering with other anaplocephalids from various mammalian species in the analysis of phylogenetic tree based on Cox-I nucleotide sequences. CONCLUSION: From the present study, it is concluded that M. expansa is the anoplocephalid cestode infecting the sheep at Mannavanur, Tamil Nadu, India. To our knowledge, this is the first report on partial nucleotide sequences of Cox-I gene of M. expansa from Sheep of Indian peninsula. An investigation on the involvement of oribatid mites as the vector in the transmission of M. expansa among sheep at SRRC, Mannavanur needs to be carried out.

2-(1H-indol-3-ylcarbon-yl)acetonitrile.

The title compound, C(11)H(8)N(2)O, crystallizes with two crystallographically independent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit which are approximately perpendicular to each other [79.97 (6)°]. The indole ring system is planar [r.m.s. deviation = 0.010 (1) Å]. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter-molecular C-H⋯N and N-H⋯O inter-actions.

4-(4-Bromo-phen-yl)-6-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine-5-carbonitrile.

In the title compound, C(25)H(15)BrN(4), the two pyridine rings lie in a common plane [r.m.s. deviation = 0.023 (2) Å], whereas the bromo-phenyl and indole rings are twisted away from this plane by 52.82 (12) and 28.02 (10)°, respectively. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter-molecular N-H⋯N inter-actions.

4-(4-Chloro-phen-yl)-6-meth-oxy-2,2'-bipyridine-5-carbonitrile.

There are two independent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(18)H(12)ClN(3)O. The two pyridine rings are almost coplanar [dihedral angles between the rings: 2.87 (15) and 5.36 (16)°] while the chloro-phenyl rings are twisted out of the plane of the adjacent bipyridine ring by 44.1 (1) and 43.8 (1)° in the two mol-ecules. The crystal packing is stabilized by C-H⋯N and C-H⋯Cl inter-actions.

4-(2,4-Dichloro-phen-yl)-6-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine-5-carbonitrile.

The title compound, C(25)H(14)Cl(2)N(4), crystallizes with two independent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. The two pyridine rings are almost coplanar, making dihedral angles of 3.2 (1) and 8.6 (1)° in the two independent mol-ecules. The dichloro-phenyl and indole rings are twisted away from the bipyridine ring by 64.32 (5) and 18.46 (4)°, respectively in the first molecule and by 51.0 (1) and 27.99 (5)°, respectively in the second molecule. The crystal packing is stabilized by C-H⋯N, C-H⋯Cl, N-H⋯N and C-H⋯π inter-actions.

4-(2,4-Dichlorophenyl)-2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-6-(2-pyridyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-4-carbonitrile.

The title compound, C(25)H(16)Cl(2)N(4), has intra-molecular N-H⋯N and C-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. In the crystal structure, mol-ecules are linked through N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming a centrosymmetric R(2) (2)(16) dimer.

4-(2,4-Dichlorophenyl)-2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-6-methoxypyridine-3,5-dicarbonitrile.

In the title compound, C(22)H(12)Cl(2)N(4)O, the indole ring system and the benzene ring form dihedral angles of 21.18 (7)° and 68.43 (8)°, respectively, with the pyridine ring. The meth-oxy group is coplanar with the pyridine ring. In the crystal structure N-H⋯N inter-molecular hydrogen bonds link the mol-ecules into C(10) chains running along [011]. Intramolec-ular C-H⋯N hydrogen bonds are also observed.

Effect of drinking water temperature on physiological variables of crossbred dairy cattle at high altitude temperate region of Himalayas.

AIM: The objective of study was to investigate the effects of drinking water on certain physiological parameters such as heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT) and, ruminal motility (RM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment was carried out on 18 farm bred lactating crossbred cows. The animals selected for the study were divided into three groups of six animals each on the basis of milk yield and parity and were allotted to three treatment group of six each such as ambient drinking water temperature at 10.25±0.28°C (ambient water, T1), drinking water temperature at 15-20°C (T2) and drinking water temperature at 35-40°C (T3). All the managemental practices were kept similar during experiment except drinking water temperatures physiological variables such as HR, RR, RT, and RM of the individual cow was measured and recorded twice in a day at 800 h and again at 1400 h two consecutive days in a week 15 min after providing drinking water. RESULT: HR and RR at morning and at evening recorded were within the normal physiological level for all the treatment groups. However, RT at morning was comparable in all the treatments whereas at evening it was significantly (p<0.01) higher for cows consuming in T2 and in T3 than cows consumed (T1). The RM during morning among the treatments were non-significant as compared to the rumen motility at evening was significantly higher for (T1) and (T2) than for cows in (T3). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that offering warm drinking water at 35-40°C to crossbred lactating dairy cow is beneficial during winter at high altitude temperate region.