The study was conducted to isolate and identify E. coli from apparently healthy broilers and layers from different poultry farms adjacent to the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh, during the period of January to May 2006 and characterize their ability to produce enterotoxin and also the antibiogram of the isolates. A total of 110 fecal samples were collected from broiler (n=55) and layer (n=55) chickens. E. coli were isolated and identified by cultural, biochemical, motility test and the heat-stable toxins were determined by Infant Mouse Assay (IMA). In case of broilers, 35 (63.6%) samples were found positive while 31 (56.4%) from layers. The overall prevalence of E. coli was 60%. Among the isolates of E. coli, 22.86% isolates from broiler and 38.71% isolates from layer were found positive for their ability to produce enterotoxin based on mice inoculation test. The antibiotic sensitivity pattern showed that the isolates were highly sensitive to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, kenamycin and cephalexin and an increasing trend of resistance was recorded in both broiler and layer isolates. It may be concluded from the results of this study that the high resistance of E. coli to antibiotics constitutes a threat to poultry industry in Bangladesh.

The microbiological investigation was conducted to determine the level of contamination of goat meat processed by butchers in slaughter yards and meat stalls and also at different body regions such as neck, brisket and thigh during the period of July to November 2007 in the Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, Bangladesh. A total number of 36 meat samples were collected equally from three slaughter yards and meat stalls namely Koshaibari, Mymensingh town and BAU campus, each containing 12 samples. Out of these 12 samples, four samples from brisket region, four samples from neck region, and four samples from thigh region were taken. After collection, bacteriological analysis of the samples were performed to asses the selected microbial attributes such as TVC, TCC and TSC in goat meat cuts of different sources by using Plate Count (PC) agar, MacConkey (MC) agar and Staphylococcal Media (SM-110) medium to find out the sanitary quality of goat meat. The mean values of TVC on slaughter yards and meat stalls were log 6.03 and log 6.53 respectively, whereas the TCC showed log 4.85 and log 3.82 respectively and that of TSC were 3.31 and 3.82 respectively. The mean values of TVC in brisket, neck and thigh regions of slaughter yards were log 6.11, log 6.01, log 6.31 and in meat stalls were log 6.48, log 6.30, log 6.84 respectively, whereas the TCC values of slaughter yards showed log 4.77, log 4.36, log 5.12 and meat stalls log 4.94, log 4.68, log 5.42 respectively. In case of TSC values, the mean values were log 3.83, log 3.07, log 4.06 and log 3.96, log 3.37, log 4.22 respectively. The result demonstrates the fact that the unhygienic and poor sanitary conditions under which the meat and meat products are handled and processed are not acceptable from sanitary point of view. The statistical analysis showed that TVC and TCC obtained from meat samples of different markets and different regions of the carcass exhibited regional variation significantly (P<0.01), whereas TSC did not present any remarkable regional variation. A significant correlation in TVC and TCC was found (P<0.01) and similar correlation was also recorded in TCC and TSC (P<0.01), but it is interesting to note that there was no significant correlation in between TVC and TSC.

Salmonellosis is a common problem in poultry farms of our country. Indiscriminate use of antibiotic to control the disease results drug resistance and limits the therapeutic possibilities in the treatment of the disease. This study was conducted during the period from January to May 2006 at Gobindapur of Dinajpur district. The present study was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence of salmonellosis in layer flocks and antibiogram study following isolation of Salmonellae. A total of 225 Star cross 579 brown chickens were studied with rapid serum plate agglutination test. Liver of 200 dead birds was studied for isolation and identification of Salmonellae. In vitro antibiotic sensitivity test of isolated Salmonellae was performed with commercial sensitivity discs. The overall seroprevalence was recorded 23.11%. The prevalence was varied from age to age. The highest rate was 28% in above 20 weeks of age. The antibiogram study revealed that the isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin (80%), nitrofurantoin (100%), sulphamethoxazole/ trimeoprim and amoxycillin (50%), tetracycline (60%) but resistant to penicillin-G and erythromycin. Further studies should be conducted on serotyping of the isolated Salmonellae, isolation and identification of Salmonellae from different feed and environmental sample.

The present study was undertaken with the aim of investigating the physical parameters (e.g. organoleptic and specific gravity of raw milk) and also to study the microbiological quality of raw milk (total viable count, Coliform count and Staphylococcal count) from different villages and Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Dairy Farm of Mymensingh District of Bangladesh, during the period from July to November 2007. A total number of 100 raw milk samples were collected at morning and evening from BAU dairy farm and surrounding four villages of BAU campus. The organoleptic and bacteriological qualities of each sample were analyzed. The organoleptic examination included taste panel score to assess consumer's acceptance and the bacteriological analysis comprised enumeration of total viable count (TVC), total colifrom count (TCC) and total staphylococcal count (TSC) for the determination of sanitary quality. The organoleptic quality of the milk samples is more or less same except the Churkhai milk samples which had flat taste (in 16% milk sample). The average values of TVC/ml were log 5.920, 5.934, 6.007, 6.075 and 6.127 for BAU Dairy Farm, Boira, Shutiakhali, Churkahai and Paglabazar respectively; coliform count were log 2.501, 2.522, 2.550, 2.620 and 2.619 respectively; staphylococcal count were log 2.832, 2.812, 2.866, 2.931 and 2.988 respectively. So, it may be concluded that the raw milk samples of BAU Dairy Farm were superior to others collected from the selected villages which may be due to maintaining better hygienic condition.

Efficacy of experimentally prepared formalin killed fowl cholera vaccine in Fayoumi chickens via different routes of vaccination was determined during the period from April 2002 to March 2003. Pasteurella multocida (PM-38) serotype 1 (X-73) was employed for vaccine preparation and antibody titres of the chicken sera were determined by passive haemagglutination (PHA) test. Vaccination was done either intramuscularly or subcutaneously. Each of the experimental chickens was challenged with a virulent isolate of P. multocida @ 3.8 x 108 CFU / ml per bird intramuscularly. The 100% vaccinated chickens protected against virulent P. multocida infection but all (100%) unvaccinated control birds died within 72 hours of challenge. Intramuscular (both primary and booster) route of vaccinations was found superior and more effective than subcutaneous route of inoculation. The higher PHA antibody titre was recorded with intramuscularly (222.86 ± 25.60) than subcutaneously (111.43 ± 12.80) vaccinated groups of birds. The result revealed the fact that intramuscular route followed by subcutaneous inoculation could be done for immunization against fowl cholera in chickens. Key words: Efficacy; fowl cholera vaccine; formalin killed; Fayoumi chicken doi: 10.3329/bjvm.v2i1.1929 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2004). 2 (1) : 23-25