Influence of Dietary Supplementation of Inorganic and Organic Chromium on Body Conformation, Carcass Traits, and Nutrient Composition in Muscle and Internal Organs of Black Bengal Goats.

The effect of dietary inorganic and organic chromium (Cr) on body morphometry, carcass traits, and nutrient composition, including different minerals and fatty acids in meat and internal organs of Black Bengal goats, was studied. Thirty weaned Black Bengal kids of 3-5 months (5.40 ± 0.34 kg body weight) were assigned randomly into five groups and fed additional Cr for 150 days. The experimental diets comprised a basal diet supplemented with Cr at the rate of 0 (control; without Cr supplementation), 1.0 and 1.5 mg/kg of inorganic Cr (Cr(III)-chloride), and 1.0 and 1.5 mg/kg of organic Cr (Cr-yeast). The body morphometry such as body length, heart girth, paunch girth, loin width, leg circumference, and the carcass traits, namely, slaughter body weight, dressing percentage, hind quarter and forequarter weight, and rib eye area of goats, were not significantly (P < 0.05) changed due to inorganic and organic Cr supplementation. However, organic Cr supplementation (1.0 and 1.5 mg/kg) resulted in a reduction of breast and back fat thickness (P < 0.05) compared with the control group. The weights of internal organs including liver, lungs, spleen, kidney, testes, and heart and their weights as a percentage of slaughter weight were similar (P > 0.05) among different experimental groups. Dry matter, ether extract, and total ash concentrations of muscle and internal organs of Cr-supplemented groups were not affected (P > 0.05) by Cr supplementation. However, crude protein contents in the liver, muscle, kidney, and lungs were greater (P < 0.05) in the organic Cr groups than in the control and inorganic Cr groups. In meat (longissimus dorsi muscle), total saturated fatty acid concentration was lower (P < 0.05; 59.4% versus 55.7%) and the unsaturated fatty acid concentration was greater (P < 0.05; 40.6% versus 44.3%) including palmitoleic acid, heptadecenoic acid, elaidic acid, and arachidonic acid in the organic or inorganic Cr-supplemented groups than in the basal diet group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of organic Cr in Black Bengal goats has no influence on the carcass traits, but may improve the meat quality with greater protein content, lean, and healthier fatty acids for human consumption.

Deep eutectic solvents as efficient solvent system for the extraction of κ-carrageenan from Kappaphycus alvarezii.

Three different deep eutectic solvents (DESs) prepared by the complexation of choline chloride with urea, ethylene glycol and glycerol along with their hydrated counterparts were used for the selective extraction of κ-carrageenan from Kappaphycus alvarezii. Upon comparison of the quality of the polysaccharide with the one obtained using water as extraction media as well as the one extracted using widely practiced conventional method, it was found that, the physicochemical as well as rheological properties of κ-carrageenan obtained using DESs as solvents was at par to the one obtained using conventional method and was superior in quality when compared to κ-carrageenan obtained using water as solvent. Considering the tedious nature of the extraction method employed in conventional extraction process, the DESs can be considered as suitable alternative solvents for the facile extraction of the polysaccharide directly from the seaweed. However, among the hydrated and non-hydrated DESs, the hydrated ones were found to be more effective in comparison to their non-hydrated counterparts.

A comparative study on the expression profile of MCTs and HSPs in Ghungroo and Large White Yorkshire breeds of pigs during different seasons.

Thermal stress has a significant adverse effect on commercial swine production but it is not easy to measure. Animals may adapt to stress conditions by an alteration in the expression of stress-related genes such as heat shock proteins (HSPs) and monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). The present study presents a comparative analysis of seasonally varied effects on the expression profiles of HSPs (27, 70, and 90) and MCTs (1, 2, and 4) transcripts in thigh muscle and colon tissue of Ghungroo and Large White Yorkshire (LWY) breeds of pig. By real-time polymerase chain reaction, the mRNA expression of HSP27 and HSP90 genes was found to be higher in both thigh muscle and colon tissue in Ghungroo compared to Large White Yorkshire pigs during the summer. However, the relative expression of HSP70 was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in Ghungroo compared to Large White Yorkshire pigs during both seasons in both thigh muscle and colon tissue. The expression of HSP90 was higher in Ghungroo when compared to LWY though the variation was non-significant (P > 0.05) in the colon during different seasons. However, in Ghungroo, the mRNA expression of MCT1 was found to be significantly (P < 0.05) higher in thigh muscle and colon regions during the summer compared to LWY, whereas MCT2 was expressed more in the colon in LWY compared to Ghungroo during the summer. The relative expression of mRNA of MCT4 was found to be significantly (P < 0.05) higher in thigh region in both summer and winter in Ghungroo compared with LWY. Thus, the study demonstrated that both HSPs and MCTs gene expression during thermal stress suggests the possible involvement of these genes in reducing the deleterious effect of thermal stress, thus maintaining cellular integrity and homeostasis in pigs. These genes could be used as suitable markers for the assessment of stress in pigs.

Co-infection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended spectrum ß-lactamase producing Escherichia coli in bovine mastitis--three cases reported from India.

Emergence of antimicrobial resistance among bovine mastitis pathogens is the major cause of frequent therapeutic failure and a cause of concern for veterinary practitioners. This study describes intra-mammary infection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli in two Holstein Friesian crossbred cows with subclinical mastitis and one non-descript cow with clinical mastitis in two different districts of West Bengal, India. In total, three MRSE, one MRSA and three ESBL producing E. coli were isolated from these cases. Both the crossbreds were detected with MRSE (HFSE1 and HFSE2) and ESBL producing E. coli (HFEC1 and HFEC2), whereas, simultaneous infection of three pathogens viz. MRSA (NDSA1), MRSE (NDSE1) and ESBL producing E. coli (NDEC1) was found in the non-descript cow. The methicillin-resistant isolates possessed mecA gene and exhibited resistance to various antibiotics such as amikacin, tetracycline and glycopeptides. The ESBL producers were positive for blaCTX-M and blaTEM genes; in addition, HFEC1 and HFEC2 were positive for blaSHV and possessed the genes for class I integron (int1), sulphonamide resistance (sul1), quinolone resistance (qnrS) and other virulence factors (papC, iucD and ESTA1). All the ESBL producers exhibited resistance to a variety of antibiotics tested including third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins and were also intermediately resistant to carbapenems. This is the first ever report on simultaneous occurrence of MRSE, MRSA and ESBL producing E. coli in bovine mastitis indicating a major concern for dairy industry and public health as well.

The occurrence of bleaching stripe disease in Gracilaria corticata and controlling of the disease using quorum quenching approach.

In the present study, the Gram-negative bacteria Vibrio and Pseudoalteromonas species associated with Gracilaria corticata found to be opportunistic pathogens that caused bleaching stripe disease on its host. Consortium of these pathogens induced maximum disease symptoms with 27.3 mm long bleaching stripe. Presence of Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus reduced the disease appearances in the co-culture of Gram-negative bacteria. Each Gram-negative bacteria had capability to produce two different types of AHLs. For the first time found that in the addition of (Z-) - 4- Bromo- 5- (bromomethylene) - 2(5H)- furanone with co-culture of pathogenic bacteria and host fronds significantly minimized the bleaching stripe symptoms. Incubating of pathogenic bacteria with 8 and 10 µm ml(-1) of furanone did not able to induce disease symptoms. The present study will help to understand the chemical interaction between Gram- positive and negative bacteria in marine environment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Detection and quantification of some plant growth regulators in a seaweed-based foliar spray employing a mass spectrometric technique sans chromatographic separation.

The sap expelled from the fresh harvest of Kappaphycus alvarezii , a red seaweed growing in tropical waters, has been reported to be a potent foliar spray. Tandem mass spectrometry of various organic extracts of the sap confirmed the presence of the plant growth regulators (PGRs) indole 3-acetic acid, gibberellin GA(3), kinetin, and zeatin. These PGRs were quantified in fresh state and after 1 year of storage by ESI-MS without recourse to chromatographic separation. Quantification was validated against HPLC data. The results may be useful in correlating with the efficacy of the sap. The methodology was extended to two other seaweeds. The method developed is convenient and precise and may find application in other agricultural formulations containing these growth hormones.