Aim:To evaluate some forage feeds of ruminants in terms of their carbohydrate (CHO) and protein fractions using Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS).Materials and Methods:Eleven ruminant feeds (six green fodders - maize, oat, sorghum, bajra, cowpea, berseem and five range herbages - para grass, guinea grass, hedge lucerne, setaria grass and hybrid napier) were selected for this study. Each feed was chemically analyzed for proximate principles (dry matter, crude protein [CP], ether extract, organic matter and ash), fiber fractions (neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose), primary CHO fractions (CHO, non-structural CHO, structural CHO and starch) and primary protein fractions (neutral detergent insoluble CP, acid detergent insoluble CP, non-protein nitrogen and soluble protein). The results were fitted to the equations of CNCPS to arrive at various CHO (CA - fast degrading, CB1 - intermediate degrading, CB2 - slow degrading and CC - non-degrading or unavailable) and protein (PA - instantaneously degrading, PB1 - fast degrading, PB2 - intermediate degrading, PB3 - slow degrading and PC - non-degrading or unavailable) fractions of test feeds.Results:Among green fodders, cowpea and berseem had higher CA content while except hedge lucerne all range herbages had lower CA values. CB1 content of all feeds was low but similar. All feeds except cowpea, berseem, and hedge lucerne contained higher CB2 values. Oat among green fodders and hybrid napier among range herbages had lower CC fraction. Feeds such as bajra, cowpea, berseem and the setaria grass contained lower PA fraction. All green fodders had higher PB1 content except maize and cowpea while all range herbages had lower PB1 values except hedge lucerne. Para grass and hybrid napier contained exceptionally low PB2 fraction among all feeds. Low PC contents were reported in oat and berseem fodders.Conclusion:Based on our findings, it was concluded that feeds with similar CP and CHO content varied significantly with respect to their CHO and protein fractions. Due to lower CC fraction, oat and hybrid napier were superior feeds in terms of CHO supply to ruminants. Similarly, among all feeds oat and berseem had a lower PC fraction, thus were considered good sources of protein for ruminants.

Mycoplasma bovis is one of the important bovine mycoplasma involved in economically important clinical conditions like respiratory diseases, otitis media, and mastitis. The present study was undertaken with the objective of developing a SYBR Green dye-based real-time PCR assay targeting uvrC gene for the diagnosis of M. bovis. The analytical sensitivity and specificity of the assay were evaluated. The test showed 10-fold more sensitivity than conventional PCR and detected down to 100 fg level of DNA. It was found to be specific, as no cross reactivity was shown with other related bacteria and Mycoplasma species. The developed assay was able to detect down to 40 copies of uvrC gene from spiked bovine milk samples. At present, this developed assay may be used as a valuable diagnostic tool for the detection of Mycoplasma bovis.

The present study was carried out with the objective of development of species-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for identification of tissue of cattle origin. The cattle-specific LAMP primer set was designed by targeting mitochondrial D-loop gene. The conditions for LAMP reaction for amplification of template DNA from cattle using designed cattle-specific primer set were optimized for the components of mixture and temperature of reaction. Amplified products were analysed using SYBR Green I dye and by agarose gel electrophoresis. The developed species-specific LAMP assay was evaluated for its specificity, sensitivity and validated in laboratory on samples from known, coded, binary meat admixture with other than cattle at relative percentage of 20%, 10%, 5% and 1%, Phire tissue direct PCR master mix treated tissues of cattle and on species-specific polymerase chain reaction assay positive samples. The developed LAMP assay using self-designed primer set was highly specific, amplifying the DNA template exclusively from cattle tissue under the optimized LAMP reaction conditions. The sensitivity assay using serially diluted DNA templates revealed lowest level of detection as 0.01 ng of absolute DNA from target species. Laboratory validation substantiated the accuracy of assay in known/unknown (coded) samples and up to the 1% level of admixture in binary meat sample. DNA present in supernatant of Phire Animal tissue kit treated samples were also amplified successfully eliminating the extra step of extraction of genomic DNA. The developed assays exhibited comparable results with previously established species-specific PCR assay taken as gold standards. Thus, it was concluded that developed species-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay was effective in identification of tissue of cattle origin.

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The developed probe based RT-LAMP is a powerful gene amplification technique is a specific, fast diagnostic tool for early detection and identification of Brucella. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Aim:The aim was to determine the chemical composition and metabolisable energy (ME) content of feedstuffs used in ruminant animals using in vitro method. Materials and Methods: A total of 18 feedstuffs used for ruminant feeding including cultivated non-leguminous fodders like maize, sorghum, pearl millet, and oat; leguminous fodders like cowpea and berseem; agro-industrial by-products such as wheat bran, deoiled rice bran, rice polish, wheat straw, and concentrates such as mustard oil cake, groundnut cake, soybean meal, cotton seed cake, grains like maize, oat, wheat, and barley were taken for this study. Chemical compositions and cell wall constituents of test feeds were determined in triplicate. The crude protein (CP) content was calculated as nitrogen (N) × 6.25. True dry matter digestibility (TDMD), true organic matter digestibility (TOMD), ME, and partitioning factor (PF) values were determined by in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT). Results: The CP content of non-leguminous fodders varied from 7.29% (sorghum) to 9.51% (maize), but leguminous fodders had less variation in CP. Oilseed cakes/meals had high CP and ether extract (EE) content than other feedstuffs except rice polish, which had 12.80% EE. Wheat straw contained highest fiber fractions than the other ingredients. ME content was highest in grains (wheat-12.02 MJ/kg) and lowest in wheat straw (4.65 MJ/kg) and other roughages. TDMD of grains and oilseed cakes/meals were higher than the fodders and agro-industrial by-products. The same trend was observed for TOMD. Conclusions: It was concluded that the energy feeds showed a great variation in chemical composition and ME content. The results of this study demonstrated that the kinetics of gas production of energy feed sources differed among themselves. Evaluation of various feedstuffs is helpful in balanced ration formulation for field animals and under farm conditions for better utilization of these commonly available feed resources.

-The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity of lactobacilli in Churpi cheese, a traditional variety of cheese made from yak milk. Thirty-five lactobacilli isolated from five different samples procured from different parts of Arunachal Pradesh (India) were analyzed by phenotypic and genotypic methods. The 16S rDNA sequencing for all the isolates was performed. Five different species of lactobacilli were isolated from Churpi cheese with the predominance of Lactobacillus paracasei followed by Lactobacillus plantarum. All the isolates were further evaluated for their technological properties such as citrate utilization, exopolysaccharide (EPS), bacteriocin, and acid production. Forty-three percent isolates were found positive for citrate utilization, while 14% were found good acid producer, and 11% for EPS production. Lactobacillus coryniformis was an uncommon species found in Churpi cheese. Isolates obtained in this study can be potentially used for the development of defined strain starter for Churpi cheese.Churpi cheese / Lactobacillus / 16S rDNA / yak Article published by EDP Sciences traditionnelle de fromage fabriqué à partir de lait de yak. Trente-cinq lactobacilles isolés de cinq échantillons différents obtenus de différents endroits d'Arunachal Pradesh (Inde) ont été analysés à l'aide de méthodes phénotypiques et génotypiques. Le séquençage de l'ADNr 16S de tous les isolats a été réalisé. Cinq espèces différentes de lactobacilles ont été isolées du fromage Churpi avec une prédominance de Lactobacillus paracasei suivi par Lactobacillus plantarum. Tous les isolats ont ensuite été évalués pour leurs propriétés technologiques telles que l'utilisation du citrate, la production d'exopolysaccharides (EPS), de bactériocine et d'acide. 43 % des isolats se sont avérés positifs pour l'utilisation du citrate, 14 % bons producteurs d'acide et 11 % producteurs d'EPS. Lactobacillus coryniformis, espèce rare dans le fromage, a été trouvé dans le fromage Churpi. Les isolats obtenus dans la présente étude pourraient servir au développement de levains de souches définies pour la fabrication de fromage Churpi.