Effects of an Oregano Based Dietary Supplement on Performance of Broiler Chickens Experimentally Infected with Eimeria Acervulina and Eimeria Maxima

A study was conducted to examine the effect of dietary oregano essential oil supplementation on the performance of broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima at 14 days of age. A total of 375 day-old Cobb-500 male chicks separated into 5 equal groups with three replicates each, were used in this study. Two of the groups, one challenged with 1 X 10(5) sporulated oocysts of E. acervulina along with 1 X 10(5) sporulated oocysts of E. maxima and the other not, were given a basal diet and served as controls. The other three groups also challenged with combined E. acervulina and E. maxima were administered diets supplemented with oregano essential oil by adding the product Orego- Stim (containing 5% oregano essential oil) at the levels of 300 or 600 mg/kg, and the last group the anticoccidial substance salinomycin at the dosage of 60 mg/kg. Following the challenge, survival rate, bloody diarrhea and oocysts excretion, as well as intestinal lesion score were all determined. Throughout the experimental period that lasted 35 days, body weight gain and feed intake were weekly recorded, and feed conversion ratios were calculated. The results showed that dietary oregano oil supplementation in both oregano supplemented groups, attained body weight gains and feed conversion ratios not differing (p>0.05) to those of the non-challenged group or the salinomycin group. The challenged control presented lower (p>0.05) performance than those of the other groups for the consecutive three weeks after the challenge. These performance parameters along with lesion scoring indicated that oregano essential oil exerted an anticoccidial effect against E. acervulina and E. maxima, comparable to salinomycin

Field evaluation of a live vaccine against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome in fattening pigs [Εκτίμηση της αποτελεσματικότητας σε επίπεδο εκτροφής ενός ζωντανού εμβολίου κατά του αναπαραγωγικού και αναπνευστικού συνδρόμου του χοίρου σε αναπτυσσόμενους/παχυνόμενους χοίρους]

In this study, a live vaccine based on an European isolate of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (Porcilis PRRS, Intervet) virus has been tested in order to determine the protection of fattening pigs against the respiratory form of the syndrome under field conditions. Ten thousand pigs in an infected farm were vaccinated against PRRS virus at the age of 6 weeks and were compared to non-vaccinated pigs with respect to their health status, mortality, performance parameters (average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio) and the presence of specific pathogens in their lungs. The results have shown that treated pigs became less frequently sick and have demonstrated reduced mortality compared to untreated ones. As compared to non-vaccinated animals, PRRSvaccinated pigs also performed in a better way with respect to feed conversion ratio (P0.05). Bacteriological examinations of the lungs have revealed increased incidence of respiratory bacterial infection in untreated pigs compared to treated ones. Also a tendency for faster antibody response was detected in the vaccinées. Finally, no clinical side effects were observed after the administration of the vaccine. The results of the present study show that immunization with Porcilis PRRS (Intervet) does protect fattening pigs against the respiratory manifestations of PRRS. © 2018, Journal of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society. All Rights Reserved

Milk quality characteristics of indigenous sheep breeds Boutsko, Frisarta and Karagouniko

In this study, the chemical and microbiological characteristics of ovine milk from three indigenous Greek breeds, Boutsko, Frisarta and Karagouniko were examined, while reared in the semi mountainous areas. The milk yield of each sheep breed was recorded at the early, mid and late stages of lactation for two consecutive years. The average composition of the samples of ewe's milk used in this study was similar for protein, lactose and total solids among the three; however fat values were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in Frisarta milk compared to Boutsko and Karagouniko. Total viable cells of Boutsko and Karagouniko raw milk were lower (p < 0.05) than those of Frisarta. Enterobacteria detected in bulk raw milk from Boutsko and Frizarta breeds were in lower numbers (p < 0.05) compared to milk from Karagouniko breed. Somatic cells were also counted in lower numbers in milk collected from Boutsko and Karagouniko breeds compared to Frisarta. The percentage of detected as potentially pathogenic bacteria (coagulase negative staphylococci and enterobacteriae) was higher in the milk from Frisarta sheep milk. © 2018 I Skoufos, I Giannenas, A Karamoutsios, A Tsinas, GK Papadopoulos, A Tzora

Field evaluation of a live vaccine against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome in fattening pigs

A live vaccine based on a European isolate of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (Porcilis PRRS) was tested in this study in order to determine the protection of fattening pigs against the respiratory form of the syndrome under field conditions. Ten thousand pigs in an infected farm were vaccinated against PRRS virus at the age of 6 weeks and were compared with non-vaccinated pigs with respect to their health status, mortality, performance parameters (average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio) and the presence of certain pathogens in their lungs. The results showed that treated pigs became ill less frequently and demonstrated reduced mortality compared with untreated ones. As compared with non-vaccinated animals, PRRS-vaccinated pigs also performed in a better way with respect to the feed conversion ratio (P 0.05). Bacteriological examinations of the lungs revealed increased incidence of respiratory bacterial infection in untreated pigs compared with treated ones. A tendency for a faster antibody response was also detected in the vaccinees. The results of the present study show that immunization with a live vaccine does protect fattening pigs against the respiratory manifestations of PRRS. © 1999 Blackwell Wissenschafts-Verlag