In this investigation, the immune response of goats to two commercial foot-and-mouth disease vaccines (FMDV) was compared. Highest mean antibody titre was observed on days 60 and 21 in goats vaccinated with two doses of algel (group 1) and oil adjuvant (group 2) quadrivalent vaccines, respectively. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in mean antibody titre between the two vaccine groups. However, the antibody titres for type O fell below the protective titres by day 180 and 270 for groups 1 and 2, respectively. The mean maternal antibody titre was 0.610 +/- 0.0 immediately after birth. The highest mean maternal antibody titre was observed at 24 h after birth for all serotypes and then steadily declined. The maternal immunity of kids born to the vaccinated does was persistent up to 90 days after birth. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in mean maternal antibody titre between the two groups of goats for all four serotypes throughout the study period. The protective maternal antibody titre for serotype O was maintained only up to 1 week after birth, where for the other three serotypes A, C and Asia1 the protective maternal antibody titre was maintained up to 4 weeks of birth. Oil adjuvant vaccine may be used for control of FMDV in goats and the animals have to be revaccinated after 9 months, whereas the kids must be vaccinated at around 3-4 months after birth. Goats must be included in the FMDV control programmes and the same schedule for cattle can be followed.

Skin scabs and scrapings from 82 dermatitis cases in dairy cattle were subjected to detailed bacteriological, mycological, parasitological and molecular studies. Microscopical examination of Giemsa or Gram's stained smears of scab material from the lesions revealed characteristic gram positive septate branching filaments with typical tram track appearance suggestive of Dermatophilus congolensis in 72 samples (91.5%). Culture of scab materials in sheep blood agar under anaerobic condition yielded typical beta haemolytic colonies of D. congolensis in 75 samples, which were further confirmed by colony morphology, staining characters and biochemical reactions. Molecular confirmation of the isolates was carried out using polymerase chain reaction with primers based on 16S rRNA which yielded specific band of 500bp. The pathogenicity of the isolates was also proved by experimental inoculation into rabbits.

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