We provide a checklist of Angiosperm alpha diversity of Sendirakillai Sacred Grove (SSG), a community conserved Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest (TDEF) fragment located on the Coromandel Coast of Cuddalore district (11°44’24” N, 79°47’24” E), Tamil Nadu, South India. Plant specimens were collected either with flowers or fruits and were identified and confirmed with available regional floras, revisions and monographs. In the present study, we have enumerated a total of 180 species and 2 varieties belonging to 151 genera distributed in 66 families from 29 orders according to Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III Classification. More than 30% of the total flora is represented by six families namely Fabaceae (14), Rubiaceae (12), Cyperaceae (10), Apocynaceae (8), Poaceae (8) and Euphorbiaceae (7). Three endemic species to India and three species that are confined to peninsular India and Sri Lanka are recorded from the sacred grove. Threats to the biodiversity of sacred grove are identified and conservation strategies are proposed.

Humans have altered the forests of urban regions drastically, thereby reducing the original forests to isolated fragments. Such fragments may contain remnants of the original vegetation. Nanmangalam Reserve Forest (NRF), located in the Metropolitan Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, is an example of such a forest fragment, covering an area of 321 ha. A total of 449 angiosperm species belonging to 313 genera representing 83 families were recorded from NRF. Amongst the species, 79% were dicots and 21% were monocots. The most genera/species rich families were Fabaceae (37/69) and Poaceae (34/52). The species rich genera included Cassia (10), Crotalaria (7), Erogrostis, Hedyotis and Phyllanthus (6 each). Six endemic species were recorded. This diversity amidst a rapidly expanding city has to be protected in order to enable the conservation agenda of urban areas.

| The study was undertaken to know the effect of probiotic supplementation on growth and health of Holstein Friesian crossbred calves in an organized cattle farm. Sixteen numbers of two weeks old female calves were randomly divided into 2 groups of 8 each. Both groups were maintained under same managemental conditions and fed similarly except the treatment group was supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1026 @ 2 g/ head/day (1×10 10 cfu) for 16 weeks. The average daily dry matter intake and body measurements were higher (P<0.05 or P<0.0) in treatment group as compared to control group. The average daily weight gain was significantly higher (P<0.01) in treatment group (560.27±8.56 g) as compared to control group (512.28±6.52 g). However, feeding of probiotics is more beneficial in pre-ruminant stages of crossbred calves.

D airy sector in India is contributing 4 per cent of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 26 per cent of the agricultural GDP (NAS, 2012) and playing a crucial role in livelihood activity for the farmers. Milk is generally composed of 87 per cent water and 13 per cent total solids and milk composition is economically important to milk producers, processors and consumers by contributing to the health, nutrition and earnings of the household (Wangdi et al., 2016). The variation in the milk composition of crossbred cows in different seasons is a universal phenomenon and is caused by variation in the breeding cycle of the animal, the environmental factors like temperature, humidity and the quantity and quality of feed and fodders supplied to the animals (Abraham and Gayathri, 2015). Hence, an attempt has been made to investigate the variation in the fat, SNF and total solids in milk of crossbred cows reared in the southern part of Tamil Nadu during different seasons. MAterIAl AnD MetHoDs Tamil Nadu located in southernmost part of India, has an area of 130,058 km 2. It extends North latitude between 8° 5' to 13° 35' and East longitude between 76° 15' to 80° 20'. The climate of the Tamil Nadu ranges from dry sub-humid to semi-arid with an ambient temperature of 24-34°C, relative humidity of 70% and an annual rainfall is about 945 mm. Tamil Nadu is mostly dependent on monsoon rains and thereby is prone to droughts when the monsoon failed. It is divided into seven agro-climatic zones such as northeast , northwest , west, southern, high rainfall, high altitude hilly and Kauveri delta zone. short communication Abstract | The study was designed to evaluate the seasonal influences on crossbred cow milk composition in an organized cattle farm, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu, India. One hundred (n=100) samples from each season were collected from a herd of Holstein Friesian crossbred cows during summer (March-May), rainy (June-September), autumn (October-November) and winter (December-February) and analyzed for fat, solids not fat (SNF) and total solids. Overall mean for fat, SNF and total solids of milk were 3.74, 8.258 and 11.998 per cent respectively. Fat and SNF content significantly (P<0.01) differed among seasons and highest in winter (3.819% and 8.348%) followed by autumn (3.771% and 8.282%), summer (3.739% and 8.246%) and lowest in rainy season (3.631% and 8.158%). The seasonal variation in this part of the southern region of Tamil Nadu influences the fat, SNF and total solids content of crossbred cow milk.

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