Coxiella burnetii Shedding During the Peripartum Period and Subsequent Fertility in Dairy Cattle

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of Coxiella burnetii shedding or seropositivity on post‐partum recovery and subsequent fertility in high‐producing dairy cows. Given the difficulty in diagnosing C. burnetii infection at the farm level, an exhaustive series of tests in 43 pregnant animals that delivered at least one live calf were conducted, including blood serology and PCR of milk or colostrum, cotyledons (only at parturition), faeces, vaginal fluid against C. burnetii on gestation Day 171–177, at parturition and on Days 1–7, 8–14, 15–21, 22–28, 29–35 and 90–97 post‐partum. During scheduled herd visits, ultrasonography (US) of the genital tract and examination of vaginal fluid were performed on Days 15–21 (V1), 22–28 (V2), 29–35 (V3) and 51–57 (V4) post‐partum by the same veterinarian. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the likelihood of suffering endometritis (the presence of echogenic intrauterine fluid (IUF), cervical diameter of ≥4 cm or endometrial thickness ≥0.75 cm) was lower in C. burnetii‐seropositive animals (OR = 0.10), compared with C. burnetii‐seronegative animals. According to Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, C. burnetii‐seronegative and non‐shedding cows showed a delayed return to luteal activity and conception was delayed in non‐shedding animals, compared with the remaining animals. Overall, the results of our study provide useful insight into the effects of C. burnetii infection on post‐partum recovery and subsequent fertility. In particular, animals not infected with Coxiella seem to be susceptible to infection and not protected against the bacterium in dairy herds. The elevated costs of determining an infection at the farm level, make monitoring of cows virtually impossible from a clinical point of view.     

Factors Affecting the First Service Conception Rate of Cows in Smallholder Dairy Farms in Bangladesh

The successful outcome of an insemination is a combination of both male and female fertility‐linked factors. We investigated the first service conception rate of cows at artificial insemination (AI) in the smallholder dairy farms in Bangladesh. Frozen straws were prepared from ejaculates of Bos indicus (n = 7) and Bos indicus × Bos taurus (n = 7) AI bulls. Fertility was determined from 6101 first services in cows that were performed by 18 technicians in four regions between April 2004 and March 2005. Pregnancy was diagnosed by rectal palpation between 60 and 90 days post‐insemination. The Asian version of Artificial Insemination Database Application (AIDA ASIA) was used for bulls‐, cows‐ and AI‐related data recording, and later retrieved for analysis. The mean ± SD number of inseminations performed from individual bulls and their conception rates were 436.0 ± 21.6 and 50.7 ± 1.9%, respectively. Logistic regression demonstrated body condition scores (BCS), heat detection signs, months of AI and their interactions had greatest effects (odds ratios: 1.24–16.65, p < 0.04–0.001) on first service conception rate in cows. Fertility differed (p < 0.02–0.001) between the regions, previous calving months, months of AI, BCS, parity and heat detection signs of cows. Inseminations based on mounting activity (n = 2352), genital discharge (n = 3263) and restlessness and/or other signs (n = 486) yielded a conception rate of 53.6%, 48.8% and 50.1%, respectively (p < 0.05). Conception rate between technicians ranged between 43.4% and 58.6% (p < 0.05). The days interval from calving to first service (overall mean ± SD = 153.4 ± 80.6) had relationship (p < 0.001) with BCS, months of previous calving and parity of the cows. Fertility at AI in smallholder farms can be improved by training farmers on nutrition and reproductive management of the cows.     

A comparison of conventional cloning options for annatto (Bixa orellana L.)

Summary

Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) is a tree indigenous to tropical America that has been naturalised throughout the Indian sub-continent. The plant is chiefly valued for its carotenoid pigments, annatto. Methods for the clonal propagation of hardwood and softwood cuttings, air-layering, budding, and grafting of annatto were investigated. Hardwood cuttings collected during the wet Summer months (June-July) were treated with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at varying concentrations. The highest percentage rooting (63.4%), along with highest number of roots (8.33 per cutting) were achieved by hardwood cuttings after 12 h of 2.5 mM IAA treatment. Among the various auxin treatments of softwood cuttings, 5.0 mM IBA in combination with 5.0 mM NAA for 5 min resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) rooting percentage (56.7%). The responses of softwood cuttings to an auxin analogue (boric acid) and/or to thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B) were inferior to synthetic auxins. When subjected to air-layering, hardwood branches gave 100% rooting without any application of hormone. Among the different types of budding methods attempted (patch, T, or I), patch budding produced the highest efficiency (78%) of propagation. Splice-grafting could also be used for conventional propagation of annatto, with a 50% survival rate. Annatto can therefore be cloned by adopting these methods. Propagation based on softwood cuttings facilitated moderate-scale cloning of this valuable, elite germplasm.     

Current status and prospects of farming the giant river prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man) and the monsoon river prawn Macrobrachium malcolmsonii (H.M. Edwards) in India

Freshwater prawn production in India that includes farming and wild capture of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii and the monsoon river prawn, M. malcolmsonii has increased steadily since 1999 reaching a peak output of 42 780 t in 2005, but then declined to 6568 t in 2009–2010. Stunted growth and diseases in ponds because of poor seed quality and the broodstock which had been inbred over several generations; pond water quality issues; and increased cost of production on account of feed, labour and the mandatory certification requirements are suggested to be some of the factors leading to the production declines. While majority of the output occurs in Andhra Pradesh, single crop paddy–prawn production systems in the low‐lying fields of Kerala have helped gradual transformation to a sustainable, organic mode of farming of both rice and prawns, suitable for other states of India. Although the trends by June 2011 indicate that the sector is set to a revival, future prospects of freshwater prawn farming in India will also depend on the expansion of whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei that was introduced recently in India and provided a more profitable opportunity for farming.     

Nasal immunization with inhibin DNA vaccine delivered by attenuated Salmonella choleraesuis for improving ovarian responses and fertility in cross‐bred buffaloes

This study was conducted to determine the effect of immunization with inhibin DNA vaccine delivered by attenuated Salmonella choleraesuis on ovarian responses and fertility in cross‐bred buffaloes. A total of 134 cross‐bred buffaloes were divided into four groups: groups T1 (n = 34), T2 (n = 35) and T3 (n = 31) were nasal immunized twice a day with 10 ml of 1 × 10¹⁰ CFU/ml of the C501 (pVAX‐asd‐IS) vaccine for 5, 3 and 1 day, respectively. Group C (n = 34) was nasal immunized with 10 ml PBS for 5 days. All animals were immunized twice with an interval of 14 days and administered with 200 μg of a GnRH analogue on day 28, 0.5 mg PGF_2α on day 35 and 200 μg of the same GnRH analogue on day 37. TAI was performed at 18 and 24 hr after the second GnRH treatment. Fourteen days after primary immunization, C501 (pVAX‐asd‐IS) elicited significant immune responses, and anti‐inhibin IgG antibody titres in group T1 were significantly higher (p < .01) than groups T3 and C. After the second GnRH treatment, the growth speed of the dominant follicles in group T1 was significantly faster (p < .05) than groups T3 and C. The number and diameter of large follicles (≥10 mm) as well as ovulatory follicles in group T1 were the greatest in all groups, resulting in a greater conception rate in buffaloes with positive anti‐inhibin antibodies. These results demonstrate that immunization with the C501 (pVAX‐asd‐IS) vaccine, coupled with the Ovsynch protocol, could be used as an alternative approach to improve reproductive performance in cross‐bred buffaloes.     

Identification of mungbean lines with tolerance or resistance to yellow mosaic in fields in India where different begomovirus species and different <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bemisia tabaci</Emphasis> cryptic species predominate

The segmentation of symptoms during image analysis of diseased plant leaves is an essential process for detection and classification of diseases. However, there are challenges involved in the task, many of them related to the variability of image and host/symptom characteristics and conditions. As a result of those challenges, the methods proposed in the literature so far focus on a specific problem and are usually bounded by tight constraints regarding image capture conditions. This research explores a new automatic method for segmenting disease symptoms on plant leaves that was designed to be applicable in a wide range of situations. The proposed technique employs only color channel manipulations and Boolean operations applied on binary masks, thus being simpler and more robust compared to many previously described automatic methods. Its effectiveness is demonstrated by tests performed over a large database containing images of 77 different diseases of 11 plant species. A comparison with manual segmentation is also presented, further reinforcing the advantages of the proposed approach.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cinderella</Emphasis> agroforestry systems

The underlying principles and traditional knowledge concerning indigenous agroforestry systems (AFS) around the world have been used successfully in the design of improved systems; but lately there has been a slow-down in that effort. Recognizing that Cinderella, by analogy, refers to an individual whose attributes were unrecognized or one who unexpectedly achieved success after a period of obscurity and neglect, we propose Cinderella agroforestry systems for such underexploited and “forgotten” AFS. In order to highlight their unrecognized potentials, a few such systems that are location-specific and little-known outside their areas of existence were selected from around the world. Each selected system is unique in terms of its production, environmental, and sociocultural attributes; but none had been described in quantitative terms of ecology and production. A qualitative SWOT (strengths–weaknesses–opportunities–threats) analysis of the systems showed several commonalities among them. While sustainability, multi-functionality, and high sociocultural values are common strengths, low levels of production and lack of research- and technology inputs to improve the system are the major weaknesses. The opportunities emanating from strengths and weaknesses are also common to all the systems; and “threats” to these systems arise mostly from ramifications of government policies. Given the acknowledged role of AFS in climate-smart agriculture and the current global momentum for working with communities to better manage landscapes, learning from success stories of the Cinderella AFS could suggest models for sustainable development, and efforts in that direction should also be incorporated into global agroforestry research agendas.     

Potential Use of Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Leaf Extract for the Destabilization of Turbid Water

In the present study, the ability of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis leaf extract (HLE) to act as a natural coagulant for the water treatment was tested. Synthetic turbid solutions were prepared using kaolinite, and the efficiency of HLE was examined for low and high turbid solutions. HLE was very effective in high turbid solutions than in low turbid water and follows enmeshment mechanism of destabilization. An insignificant effect of alkalinity on the performance of HLE was observed. The addition of NaCl increased the dissolution of coagulation active species and enhanced the efficiency of HLE, significantly. Hydroxyl and carboxyl groups present in HLE were the major functional groups responsible for the bonding between coagulant and kaolinite. The efficiency of alum was very high compared to that of HLE in both turbid solutions. But the optimal dosages of HLE were lesser than that of alum. Thus, HLE can be used as a coagulant aid for the effective treatment of water.     

Management of Cassava Starch Factory Solid Waste (Thippi) through Composting to a Nutrient-Rich Organic Manure

In India, cassava cultivation is confined in South India. In Tamil Nadu, tubers are used as raw material for starch and sago industry. About 8–10 large-scale starch factories and 150–200 small-scale starch and sago production units are generating nearly 40–60 tonnes of solid waste (thippi) per annum creating serious environmental pollution. A study undertaken to manage it through composting to a nutrient-rich organic manure revealed thippi as acidic with low major and micronutrient concentration, high water-holding capacity, good porosity, low bulk density, high starch, fiber, low protein, and cyanide. Composting of thippi with different combinations of raw materials, microbial cultures, and earthworms indicated that thippi enriched with gliricida and cassava leaves and composted with earthworm had the highest nutrient concentration with narrow carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio. The mean concentrations of N, phosphorus (P), potassium (K) calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in thippi compost were 1.32, 3.82, 0.40, 2.18, 0.96, 1.11, 0.08%, 11.23, and 89.93 mg/kg, respectively, which is 3.5, 49,7, 32.5, 8, 185, 100, 2.5, and 12 times than thippi. Thippi compost had low bulk density, starch, without fiber and cyanide but high protein suggesting this protocol as a possible alternative for the management of thippi.