Somatic cell counts and bacteria in milk from two nomadic herds in Abeokuta, Nigeria

Mastitis, the inflammation of the mammary gland, is a major endemic disease affecting dairy production worldwide. Costs of treatment and control of mastitis contributes to major losses to the dairy industry especially if the condition is not promptly and accurately diagnosed, thus necessitating the engagement of regular and reliable means of recognising intra-mammary infections. Somatic cell counting, which has been recognized as a major standard for mastitis diagnosis in milk, was utilized in this study as a direct measure of intramammary inflammation (IMI), along with bacterial culture and isolation to establish the presence of mammary infections in cows from two nomadic herds. Milk from all four quarters (composite samples) of each of 100 cows at various stages of lactation, were obtained and subjected to Levowitz-Weber staining of duplicate smears and direct microscopic counting of somatic cells. Culture and isolation of sterile milk swabs and subsequent identification by morphology, gram staining and biochemical tests were employed to assess the presence of mastitis-causing pathogens in the samples. Using ≤100,000 cells/ml as cut off for non-mastitic milk, sub-clinical mastitis (SM), was determined in 70 (70%) of the examined samples. Contagious pathogens, namely; Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus species and others as well as environmental bacteria, E. coli and Enterococcus species amongst others, were isolated from the samples. This result circuitously indicates the level of losses to dairy production through poor milk quality and yield, costs of treatment and culling obtainable in the nomadic dairying venture. The need for routine evaluation of raw milk and other dairy products emanating from the itinerant pastoralists, using sensitive and reliable parameters to facilitate prompt diagnosis, targeted treatment and rapid control of cow to cow or herd to herd spread of IMI is highlighted in this study

Effects of pyridoxine in combination with different antioxidants on viability and oxidative stress parameters of cryopreserved goat buck semen

The effects of pyridoxine alone or combined with different antioxidants on viability and oxidative stress parameters of cryopreserved sperm of goat bucks were studied. Pooled semen samples diluted with tris-egg yolk extenders were supplemented in the Study I: with 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mM of pyridoxine; in the study II with 2 mM of pyridoxine (P) each combined with different concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mM) of vitamin E (PE), vitamin C (PC) and melatonin (PM); and in study III: with 2 mM of pyridoxine each supplemented with different combinations of vitamin C, vitamin E and melatonin (PCEM) each at different concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mM). The results showed higher (pSe estudiaron los efectos de la piridoxina sola, o en combinación con diferentes antioxidantes, sobre los parámetros de viabilidad y estrés oxidativo de los espermatozoides caprinos criopreservados. Muestras combinadas de semen, diluidas con diluyente yema de huevo-tris se complementaron, en el estudio I con 0, 2, 4, 6 y 8 mM de piridoxina; en el estudio II con 2 mM de piridoxina (P), en combinación con diferentes concentraciones (0, 2, 4, 6 y 8 mM) de vitamina E (PE), vitamina C (PC) o melatonina (PM); y en el estudio III con 2 mM de piridoxina suplementada con combinaciones de vitamina C, vitamina E y melatonina (PCEM) a diferentes concentraciones (0, 2, 4, 6 y 8 mM). Los resultados mostraron mayor (

Effects of aqueous leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana on semen morphology and characteristics in male Wistar albino rats

To study the effect of the aqueous leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana (Euphorbiaceae) on some reproductive parameters of male Wistar albino rats,  three groups (A, B and C) of six rats each were treated with 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg/day of leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana, respectively for 28 days while 5 mLs/kg of distilled water was given to the control group D. At the end of the experimental period, animals were sacrificed and sperm characteristics, histology of the testes and epididymis were assessed. Sperm motility (80.00+7.0, 75.00+2.9), sperm count (82.75+2.7, 76.50+3.8) and  sperm live/dead (96.00+2.0, 94.50+1.7) were not significantly reduced (P<0.05) at the dosages of 400 and 800 mg/kg Acalypha wilkesiana leaf extract, respectively. did not have any significant reduction (P<0.05) in, but significant (P<0.05) reductions in sperm count (71.50+3.5*) was observed at 1600 mg/kg dose. Also, significant (P<0.05) increase in morphological abnormalities of the spermatozoa were only observed in the 1600 mg/kg treated  group of rats. Histopathological evaluation of the testis and revealed varying degrees of degeneration and necrosis of the germinal epithelia cell of the seminiferous tubules and spermiostasis, whereas no significant lesion was seen in the epididymis. The high dose of the leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana may have significant anti-spermatogenic effects on adult male Wistar rats. Keywords: extract, leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana, rats, sperm