An attempt was made to fabricate a rolling device for determining the plastic limit of different loamy and clay soils. Five different types of soil collected from different location were used for the present investigation. Clay was taken as the yardstick of converting the soil as a continuous particle and measuring scale of this continuity was expressed in terms of clay ratio. Thus plastic limit of the soils were determined by following rolling device, Casagrande method and cone penetrometer method. It was observed that plastic limit determined by different methods have similar values for different soils and clay ratio has played important role in varying the values. Plastic limit varied from almost 20 to 25% for loamy soil having clay ratio 0.30 to 0.40 and almost 25 to 30% for clay soils having clay ratio 0.75 to 0.78. The results revealed that values of plastic limit by rolling device method were on an average 5% less than that of Casagrande method and almost same to that of the cone penetrometer method at different levels of clay ratio. However, the construction of rolling device has been found easy and economical. It provides perfect terminal point for accurate result. Hence it is a reliable technique for determining soil plastic limit for cohesive soil. But it is not a workable means for non-cohesive soil.

Ascariasis is very common in indigenous chicken causing retarded growth, low productivity and mortality. Considering the problem of Ascaridia galli in chickens, anthelmintic resistance, high cost and human health hazard of chemical anthelmintic the use of medicinal plant is an alternative choice. The study was conducted to determine the incidence of ascariasis in Polashbari upazilla of Gobindhaganj district during July to November 2012 and subsequently evaluated the efficacy of pineapple (Ananus comosus) leaves extract against ascariasis infected chickens. Out of 500 chickens examined for presence of A. galli infestation by faecal sample examination, 365 hens and 135 cocks. The 292 female (80%) and 119 male (88.15%) were found infected with A. galli. The highest infection rate 95.26% was found in 60 to 90 days of age group. Infected chickens were treated with pineapple leaves extract @ 1ml/kg body weight per OS for 7 consecutive days. The efficacy of anthelmintic treatment was evaluated by counting fecal egg per gram (EPG) compared with pretreatment values. Body weight and hematological changes of each chicken was recorded in pre and post treatment. In the untreated control chickens the average EPG increased from 300 ± 11.07 to 340 ± 13.96. The average EPG reduced from 300 ± 11.07 to 60 ± 7.40 within 28 days of pineapple treatment. The mean body weight gain in treated chicken was significantly (p<0.01) higher than the control. Pineapple leaves extract increased the TEC, Hb and PCV and decreased TLC and ESR values of chickens. But in control group TEC, Hb and PCV decreased and TLC and ESR values increased. It may be concluded that pineapple leaves extract treatment effectively reduced the ascariasis load in chicken and improved body weight. Akter et al. Prevalence of Ascariasis in indigenous chickensRes.

Effects of different chemotherapeutics were examined against experimentally infected stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis. Fish were collected from a fish market in Mymensingh, acclimatized for 7 days in laboratory condition from January to February, 2016 in aquaria at Fish Clinic of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, experimentally injured by using forceps and knife and waited seven days for the establishment of infection. Before starting chemotherapeutic trial, it was confirmed that the fish were infected with microorganisms by clinical diagnosis in laboratory condition. They showed hemorrhages and ulcerative lesions over the infected area. A total of 80 such experimentally infected stinging catfish having average body weight of 18 g were used for the experiment. Two chemotherapeutics: antibiotic, Eryvet (erythromycin thiocyanate INN, sulphadiazine (NaUSP) & trimithoprim BP) and antifungal, methylene blue were used in separate and combined treatment with three different doses of antibiotic. The same dose of methylene blue, 0.2 mg/l, was used for separate and combined treatment by antibiotic. Doses of antibiotic (Eryvet) were 0.8 g/10 kg body weight of fish, 1g/10 kg body weight of fish and 1.2 g/10 kg body weight of fish as lower dose, recommended dose and higher dose respectively. For combined treatment the above different doses of antibiotic and the same dose of antifungal were used. Water was exchanged regularly. The chemotherapeutic trial was conducted for 7 days and observation was continued for another 8 days to observe the effect of treatment. Combined treatment with the recommended dose of the antibiotic and methylene blue showed the best result where 90% fish were recovered. By the treatment with the higher dose of the antibiotic 70% fish were recovered. Antifungal treatment showed that 20% fish were recovered. All the fish in negative control aquarium died.

Abstract:A study was conducted to determine the efficacy of three most commonly used growth promoters from different pharmaceutical companies on growth performance of hybrid walking catfish (Clarias batrachus × Clarias gariepinus). The experiment was done in the wet laboratory of the Department of Aquaculture, BAU, Mymensingh, with a total of 10 aquaria and 160 fish having mean initial weight of 6.3 ± 0.48 g. The three growth promoters, "Charger gel" from Fishtech (BD) Ltd., "Growth gel" from Advance Agrotech (BD) Ltd. and "Hepaprotect-aqua" from Renata Animal health Ltd., were used in separate nine (9) aquaria at recommended, lower dose and higher dose respectively. One aquarium was used as control (diet without any growth promoter). The fish were fed with paragon nursery floating feed at 20% of body weight in each aquarium for 28 days. Doses of Charger gel were given as 80, 60 and 100 mg/20 g feed/day, that of Growth gel, 0.14, 0.12 and 0.16 ml/20 g feed/day and of Hepaprotect-aqua, 30, 15 and 50 mg/20 g feed/day. Re-circulatory system was used throughout the experimental period. By applying recommended, lower and higher dose of "Charger gel", mean final weights were found as 23.0, 21.9 and 35.9 g; average daily weight gain as 0.60, 0.56 and 1.06 g and specific growth rate (SGR) as 2.01, 1.93 and 2.70% respectively. For "Growth gel", mean final weights were found as 22.8, 17.3 and 31.1 g; average daily weight gain as 0.59, 0.39 and 0.88 g and SGR as 1.99, 1.57 and 2.48 % respectively. For "Hepaprotect-aqua", mean final weights were found as 24.2, 17.5 and 28.2 g; average daily weight gain as 0.64, 0.40 and 0.78 g and SGR as 2.09, 1.58 and 2.32% respectively. In all the cases survival rates were 100%. All the three growth promoters showed better results at their higher doses in comparison to their results in lower and recommended doses. However, in average Charger gel showed the best result than the other two growth promoters. This information on the efficacy study of growth promoters needs to be disseminated to the farmers for improved fish production.

Fifteen experimental trials were made in fifteen dogs in three different groups to study the degree of sedation produced by different premedicants, to evaluate and to compare their effects on various clinical parameters including different reflexes in dogs. These animals were premedicated with xylazine (1.1mg/kg), atropine (0.05mg/kg)-xylazine (1.1mg/kg) and diazepam (0.2mg/kg)-xylazine (1.1mg/kg) to observe their effect on different clinical and anaesthetic parameters. Diazepam-xylazine combination produced deep sedation while mild sedation was recorded with atropine-xylazine premedication. Respiration rate, heart rate and rectal temperature significantly decreased (P<0.05) in dogs of all three groups after fifteen minutes of premedication. Diazepam-xylazine produced marked reduction (P<0.05) on clinical parameters while atropine-xylazine produced mild to moderate reduction (P<0.05) on clinical parameters in dogs. All experimental dogs in different groups were anaesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride after fifteen minutes of premedication. The respiration rate, heart rate and rectal temperature reduced significantly (P<0.05) in xylazine-ketamine, atropinexylazine- ketamine and diazepam-xylazine-ketamine combination at 5, 10 and 15 min after induction when compared with pre-induction control values. The longest duration of anaesthesia (61.6 minutes) was obtained with diazepam-xylazine-ketamine combination while the shortest anaesthetic period (28.4 minutes) was observed in xylazine-ketamine combination. Diazepam-xylazine-ketamine combination produced longest recovery period (56.4 minutes) while the shortest recovery period (46.2 minutes) was observed with xylazineketamine combination. Atropine-xylazine-ketamine combination appears to be a safe combination for anaesthesia in dogs.Res. Agric. Livest. Fish.4(3): 209-214, December 2017