Background High concentrate (HC) diet-induced oxidative stress causes gut epithelial damages associated with apoptosis. Selenium (Se) being an integral component of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) plays an important role in antioxidant defense system. Therefore, increasing dietary Se level would alleviate HC diet-induced injuries in gut mucosa. The present study investigated eighteen cross-bred goats, randomly divided into three groups (n = 6/group) fed either low concentrate (LC, roughage: concentrate ratio 65:35), high concentrate (HC, 35:65) or HC plus Se (HC-SY) diets for 10 weeks. Se was supplemented at the dose rate of 0.5 mg Se kg− 1 diet in the form of selenium yeast. The background Se level in HC and LC diets were 0.15 and 0.035 mg.kg− 1 diet, respectively. The Se at the dose of 0.115 mg.kg− 1 diet was added in LC diet to make its concentration equivalent to HC diet and with the supplementation of 0.5 mg Se kg− 1, the goats in group HC-SY received total Se by 0.65 mg.kg− 1 diet. Results The molar concentrations of individual and total short chain fatty acids (TSCFA) significantly increased (P < 0.05) with simultaneous decrease in pH of colonic fluid in goats of HC and HC-SY groups compared with LC goats. HC diet induced loss of epithelial integrity, inflammation and loss of goblet cells in colonic mucosa associated with higher lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations in colonic fluid whereas, the addition of SY in HC diet alleviated such damaging changes. Compared with LC, the HC diet elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) level with concurrent decrease in GSH-Px and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, while SY supplementation attenuated these changes and improved antioxidant status in colonic epithelium. Moreover, epithelial injury and oxidative stress in colon of HC goats were associated with increased apoptosis as evidenced by downregulation of bcl2 and upregulation of bax, caspases 3 and 8 mRNA expressions compared with LC goats. On contrary, addition of SY in HC (HC-SY) diet alleviated these changes by modulating expression of apoptotic genes in colonic epithelium. Conclusions Our data suggest that supranutritional level of Se attenuates HC diet-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis and thereby minimizes the epithelial injury in colon of goats.

The buff-throated partridge (Tetraophasis szechenyii), a sexually mono chromatic Galliformes species, is an endangered bird endemic to western China. Previous studies suggested that it had the behavior of facultative cooperative breeding, which was rarely reported in Galliformes. In this study, we isolated 17 tetra-nucleotide microsatellite loci to test parentage and kinship for a wild population with 29 individuals from 10 different families (A-J). The 17 loci with the mean polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.566 and the combined probability of exclusion for the second parent (CPE2 = 99.98%) met the minimum standard of international human paternity test. Among all 18 identified birdlings and helpers, bi-parents of eight offspring were successfully inferred and single parents of seven offspring were inferred at a confidence level of 95%. Except helper H1 without valid parents detected, the remaining six helpers were inferred to be at least single parents. The mean relatedness of nine females (0.08554 ± 0.01041) was smaller than that of 20 males (0.10243 ± 0.02838). The results showed: 1) cooperative breeding families might have one or more helpers, which were philopatric offspring, or were foreign individuals without kin relationship, or both; 2) both male and female could serve as helper, although male helpers seemed to be more, which were six times than the females in present study; 3) it was preliminarily inferred that femalebiased dispersal existed in this study group; 4) inbreeding and extra-group paternity (EGP) were detected.

The water buffalo play a significant role in the economy of livestock industry of Pakistan. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of reproductive disorders in 928 buffaloes and its economic impact on dairy farms in 2014-15. The data were collected from Landhi Cattle Colony Karachi to analyze the reproductive disorders and mastitis problems in dairy buffaloes. The prevalence of the abortion recorded was 41% which was significantly highest (P<0.01) as compare to others disorders. Whereas, repeat breeding, dystocia, retention of placenta, vaginal prolapse and vaginitis were 32%, 14%, 8%, 5 % and 2% respectively in water buffaloes. Moreover, mastitis cases were 11% in Landhi cattle colony Karachi during study period. The economic losses due to abortion, repeat breeding, dystocia, vaginal prolapse, vaginitis and mastitis were 320, 320, 640, 480, 560, 240 and 640 Pakistan rupees per animal respectively in water buffaloes. In conclusion, findings of the present study indicated that mastitis, abortions and dystocia caused major economic losses to dairy farms at Landhi Cattle Colony Karachi during study period.

Study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different energy rations on their growth performance and carcass characteristics in Kamori goat kids. Kids were grouped into A, B and C groups each consisting of 6 kids. Group A (Control) was fed Medium energy (ME) 2.37 Mcal/kg, group B were fed High Energy (HE) 2.56 Mcal/kg, and group C was fed Low Energy (LE) 2.18 McCall/kg ration for 60 days. Average live weight gain and average daily gain was significantly higher (P<0.05) in group B whereas daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in group B. The average dressed carcass (Kg) and average dressing percentage was significantly higher (P<0.05) in group A and B than Group C. Group A & B showed significantly higher (P<0.05) hematocrit value. Hemoglobin percent was significantly higher (P<0.05) in group C. TLC was significantly lower in group B than in group A and C. Neutrophils, eosinophils, monocyte, platelet, MCH, MCHC values did not differ significantly (p>0.05) in all groups. Lymphocyte count significantly higher in kids fed with low energy ration as compared to medium energy ration. The MCV of Kamori goat kids in group C was significantly higher than group A and B. There was no significant difference between MCV values of group A and B. Significantly higher (p<0.05) glucose level was in group B followed by group A (control) and group C. There was no significant difference in serum protein levels between all groups. Cholesterol level was significantly higher (P<0.05) in group A & B than C. Uric acid was significantly (P<0.05) higher in group A. No significant difference was observed in BUN between all groups. There was no significant difference in between Net Revenue from Control and Kid feed with H.E. Whereas net loss in revenue was observed in group C fed with low energy rations. It was therefore concluded that feeding high energy ration could be beneficial for goat production.

Numbers of 300 day-old broiler chickens through a CRD design with 5 treatments, 3 replicates and 20 chicks in each pen were used to evaluate the effect of thyme (T), licorice (L), thyme + licorice (TL), and enzyme supplemented (E) diets on performance, immune and carcass characteristics. According to the results, performance traits, immune indices, and carcass traits in herbal medicine and enzyme supplemented diets were improved significantly than control diet (P < 0.05). Weight gain and FCR in T and E groups were significantly higher and lower than other groups respectively (P < 0.05). Internal organs such as abdominal fat and liver weight as indicators of lipogenesis rate were decreased in T, L, and TL diets than control or E diet significantly (P < 0.05). Immune organs such as burse and spleen weight as indicators of immune situation were increased in TL diet than other treatments significantly (P < 0.05). These findings indicated that thyme and licorice singly or in combination as organic herbal medicine can affect performance, carcass and immune characteristics. Also an improved immune organ such as burse or 106spleen in this study indicates that this herbal medicine can promote the immune situation and efficacy of health and livability.