The veterinary medicine daily .

The veterinary medicine daily is a compilation of veterinary and medical news from around the world. Pet health and safety is top priority,learn how to deal with emergency situations and how to prevent occurrence. The one health initiative is an important learning curve that demonstrates the relationship between animals and man and how to deal with emerging diseases. The war against abuse of antimicrobial s in food animals is on and steps and control measures are outlined to stop this practice to ensure food safety. continue.

Why you should never kiss your cat.

Cats constantly groom their fur,licking and cleaning their anal region thus making their mouth a haven of bacteria. Kissing a cat ? think again

How to feed a cat.

The number of times you feed your cat and the way you present the meal could be one reason your pet is obese. According to a new research feeding your cat once or twice a day is contributing to the overweight issues common in most cats nowadays. The researchers advice that actually feeding your cat small meals five times a day, including at night is a better nutrition protocol. These smaller meals mimics how your cat would eat if he were hunting and catching prey, such as mice. When cats are given a large amount of food in one sitting, they ignore their natural inclination to stop eating when they are full. Additionally, they are more sedentary, since they don’t need to hunt for their food, all of which can lead to obesity. When you want to feed your cat, try to give him small portions of food at a time,or you can make feeding time resemble a hunt hiding bits of food throughout the house, or using a toy which requires your cat to play with it in order to dispense the food. You can also play with your cat before feeding time to simulate how he would eat when hunting in the wild.If your cat is overweight, simply changing the way that you food him may help him to lose weight. You won’t notice an immediate change, but with a bit of time your cat’s weight should decrease. source

Reduce, replace and re-think the use of antimicrobials in animals.

 

 Reducing the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals, replacing them where possible and re-thinking the livestock production system is essential for the future of animal and public health.

 Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the world’s most pressing public health issues and the use of antimicrobials in animals contributes to this problem, so limiting their use to the minimum necessary to treat infectious diseases in animals is crucial. 

 Control strategies that have been important drivers for change include setting of national targets to reduce antimicrobial use. The use of antimicrobials in animals should be reduced to the minimum that is necessary to treat infectious diseases. Other than in exceptional cases, their use to prevent such diseases should be phased out in favour of alternative measures. 

 Critically important antimicrobials for human medicine should only be used in animals as a last resort. Alternatives to antimicrobials that have been shown to improve animal health and thereby reduce the need to use antimicrobials include vaccines, probiotics, prebiotics, bacteriophages and organic acids. 

 However, reducing the use of antimicrobials and finding alternatives is not enough. There is a need to re-think the livestock system by implementing farming practices that prevent the introduction and spread of the disease into farms and by considering alternative farming systems which are viable with reduced use of antimicrobials. 

Education and awareness of AMR should be addressed to all levels of society but in particular to veterinarians and farmers. 

 Experts concluded that it is reasonable to assume that reducing antimicrobial use in food-producing animals would result in a general decrease in antimicrobial resistance in the bacteria that they carry and the food products derived from them. 

However, they could not quantify the impact of single reduction measures or alternatives to antimicrobials on levels of antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals and food due to lack of data. continue

Blood bank for cats.

A blood bank for cats is run in Australia ,giving hope to cats who need blood transfusions to recover from trauma and anemia and to survive major surgery or cancer.The Animal Hospital at Murdoch University treats and saves many critically ill cats at its emergency clinic, the demand for blood has continued to rise and the hospital is calling on donors to keep the blood bank functioning. Donor cats get a free vet examination with every donation and the pool of donors is made up with felines owned by veterinary staff and students. In the past and in a lot of smaller clinics, if a vet had a patient that needed a blood transfusion, they would often pop home and get their dog or cat, bring it in and collect a blood donation. The blood bank has changed all that,where blood is pooled from donors and used when needed. Harry almost died from blood poisoning but was saved by transfusion from the community blood bank ,now Harry donates blood to the center to help other cats. The recovery is fine and the cat doesn’t suffer in any way. The procedure for donation is simple, it involves dropping your cat off at the clinic in the morning and pickup your cat at the end of the day. Cats who give blood are given anesthesia during the procedure. source

Dog donates blood to save life of cat that had eaten rat poison.

Rodenticide poisoning in pets accounts for a large percentage of deaths in households basically because pets are curious ravaging and rooting at every corner and most importantly the owners were not discrete when applying baits. Rodenticide poisoning is an emergency and its easy to prevent your pets from consuming the poison than running around after deed is done. Read how to lay baits in the house to prevent poisoning in pets. see When the level of poisoning is high and condition critical,peculiar interventions can be employed to save the pet. This was what happened when a cat ate rat poison,the owner rushed to the vet who did what she could do to save the cat. The vet did a blood transfusion using a dog's blood and luck was on her side as she did not have time to type the blood,but cat survived. The owner is happy and cat is doing well and without any doggy behavior. read

Bulgarian stray cats get bionic legs .

Bulgarian stray cats get bionic legs.Two stray Bulgarian cats who lost their hind legs in accidents have been given bionic paws, in what vets say is the first such operation in Europe outside Britain. One-year-old Pooh, whose name means "fluff" in Bulgarian, scurries around Sofia's Central Vet Clinic, chasing a toy mouse and curiously sniffing at medicine bottles inside an open cupboard—just like any other cat would. The only difference is a gentle tapping sound as his two tiny polymer-and-rubber paws mounted on titanium stems touch the floor. Pooh, who is thought to have lost his legs in a car or train accident last April, is back on the prowl thanks to Bulgarian veterinary surgeon Vladislav Zlatinov. He is the first vet in Europe to successfully apply the pioneering method of Irish neuro-orthopaedic surgeon Noel Fitzpatrick, who shot to fame in 2009 when making Oscar the first bionic cat by fitting him with new hind legs in Britain. continue

Corn turning French hamsters into deranged cannibals.

A new research has shown that corn turning French hamsters into deranged cannibals.A diet of corn is turning wild hamsters in northeastern France into deranged cannibals that devour their offspring, there is an imbalance, and the hamster habitat is collapsing. The findings, reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, finger industrial-scale monoculture as the culprit. Once nourished by a variety of grains, roots and insects, the burrowing rodents live today in a semi-sterile and unbroken ocean of industrially grown maize, or corn. The monotonous diet is leaving the animals starving, the problem is a lack of vitamins especially vitamin B3, or niacin. According to the report, A first set of lab experiments with wild specimens compared wheat and corn-based diets, with side dishes of clover or worms. There was virtually no difference in the number of pups born, or the basic nutritional value of the different menus.,but when it came to survival rates, the difference was dramatic. About four-fifths of the pups born of mothers feasting on wheat-and-clover or wheat-and-worms were weaned. while only 5% , of the baby hamsters whose mothers ate corn instead of wheat stayed alive that long. These females stored their pups with their hoards of maize before eating them, and Pups were still alive at that time. The cannibal mothers showed other signs of abnormality,such as climbing,running in circles and pounding their feeders. The females also had swollen and dark tongues, and blood so thick it was difficult to draw for samples. Vitamin B3 deficiency has been linked to 'black-tongue' syndrome in dogs, and a condition in humans called pellagra, also known as the "3-D" disease: diarrhoea, dementia and dermatitis, such as eczema.

Feedback and disease prevention in pigs.

Feedback and disease prevention in pigs. The term feedback refers to methods of controlled antigen oral exposure in pig farming,and several methods have been explored to stimulate antibodies in the sows and piglet. The major benefit of feedback is to ensure a disease free stock and production of healthy piglets. The feedback material is usually fed to the sows 8-10 weeks before farrowing to ensure that colostrum is concentrated with antibodies. The common form of feedback material is fecal matter from scouring pigs or from sows in gestation and this will generate maternal antibodies that will be available through colostrum. Pig intestines from sick pigs,low-weight piglets and from dying neonates. The purpose is to extract a concentrated material that contains specific bacterial agents that came from sow feces and the best source for these agents is probably the intestines of young pigs. Another feedback method involves freezing the material into ice blocks giving the pigs access to lick and chew before it melts or the feedback is processed and the slurry is poured on the sows feed. The efficacy of feedback depends on the time of giving feedback, type of feedback collected and the housing arrangement of the sows.The housing arrangement is key as feedback practice has proved to become more difficult when keeping gestating sows in groups, as sows are free to move around and When using electronic Sow Feeding (ESF) stations as the sows are not simultaneously fed,thus exposure to feedback is not uniform. A research published in the Journal of Swine Health and Production says providing additional ice blocks to sows might overcome the nonuniform exposure to feedback and thus confer herd immunity.Enteric pathogens of swine can be frozen and still be viable. Ice blocks could provide a convenient and effective vehicle for controlled exposure of pathogens to pen-gestating sows if sufficient numbers of sows interact with the ice blocks before they melt. The research shows, that when ice was placed in the pen on two consecutive time points 1 week apart, over 90% of the sows in the large dynamic pen contacted the ice. When 4 blocks were used instead of 2 blocks,this increased the number of sows to make contact with the ice, as well as increasing the duration of contact by individual sows and decreasing aggression at the ice block.

MEPs hop into action on rabbit farming welfare

MEPs hop into action on rabbit farming welfare: Member States of the European Union are encouraging rabbit farmers to phase out conventional battery cages.

Indian pork industry benefits from UK pig semen

Indian pork industry benefits from UK pig semen: The Indian and British livestock sectors have strengthened relations after pig semen from UK animals was shipped to India for the first time.

Avian Flu Outbreaks Raise Concerns About Possible Pandemic.

Avian Flu Outbreaks Raise Concerns About Possible Pandemic. U.K. officials confirmed a fifth area in the country has been hit with the H5N8 strain of the avian flu since December. The strain has been spread from wild birds to farmed poultry, but has yet to affect humans, according to the U.K. Department of the Environment. There have been more than 40 countries reporting outbreaks of different strains of the avian flu since last November, according to World Health Organization officials. With the new avian flu outbreaks popping up in recent months, health experts have been increasingly concerned that one or more of the various strains of avian flu could mutate, increasing the risk of a dangerous new flu that could spread quickly across the globe. Normally the virus spreads among birds, often transmitted long distances by wild birds that migrate. In rare cases people in close contact to the birds become ill and the virus rarely spreads from person to person. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said the public health community is increasingly concerned that the virus could potentially mutate. "The concern always is that they could pick up a gene that permits that kind of flu to spread readily from person to person," Schaffner said. Currently "bird flu by itself cannot do that." However, Schaffner said in recent years the medical community has developed better surveillance technology to find new outbreaks more easily. On Monday, World Health Organization said they were on "high alert" due to the avian flu outbreaks and the possibility of mutation. During an address to the WHO executive board on Monday, WHO Director Margaret Chan explained one form of the virus first detected in humans in 2015 was created "by gene-swapping among four different viruses." She urged all countries to closely watch for avian flu cases in both birds and humans to stop any new easily transmitted strain of the virus from spreading. "We cannot afford to miss the early signals," Chan said. continue

Equine veterinarians says delayed response to Hendra virus vaccine report stalls education of horse owners.

Equine veterinarians says delayed response to Hendra virus vaccine report stalls education of horse owners.Equine veterinarians say the Queensland Government's decision to delay its response to a report into the Hendra virus vaccine for horses is hampering their efforts to educate horse owners. The vaccine was developed by the CSIRO to protect horses from the deadly bat-borne virus, but some horse owners have questioned its safety.Equine Veterinarians Australia (EVA) president-elect Ben Poole said the delay meant continuing uncertainty, especially for horse owners. He said any delay in a response meant there would be a delay in implementation, pushing back action on critical issues like the speed of testing in the north, which can have consequences for horse health. source

New research strategy offers hope to pastoralists battling mystery cattle disease in southern Flinders Ranges.

South Australia's peak livestock body wants more research funding to help solve mysterious cattle deaths that have left pastoralists and vets baffled for more than a century. About 30 pastoralists from the Hawker and Craddock region have met with Livestock SA and PIRSA vets to discuss a strategy to tackle the unexplained stock deaths. Termed the "November disease", the deaths typically occur within a single cattle or sheep mob without explanation from November to February in years when there is greater rain and more pasture in paddocks. Symptoms include drooling, diarrhea, neurological problems and in almost all cases, eventually leads to death, with autopsy results showing severe liver and kidney damage, intestine inflammation and brain lesions. There are a number of theories about what could be causing the unexplained deaths with pulpy kidney suggested to be the cause in 2016, but that diagnosis has since been ruled out. Other speculated causes are bacterial or fungal toxins from soil or plant matter but ultimately, the cause remains unknown. PIRSA chief veterinary officer Roger Paskin said the sporadic nature of the disease made it difficult to investigate but thus far his team had ruled out all the known traditional bacteria, viruses and infectious conditions.Dr Paskin said understanding those "ecological triggers" for the disease would be key to getting to identifying the cause. more

Doctor pulls 6 foot-long tapeworm from a guys's mouth.

Doctors are telling of a remarkable medical case in which they had to a remove a 6-foot-long tapeworm from a man's gut by pulling it through his mouth. Live Science explains that the 48-year-old patient from India had been having stomach pains for two months before he decided to visit PVS Memorial Hospital in Kerala. During a colonoscopy, doctors discovered a segment of a pork tapeworm, a common sign that a larger tapeworm is hiding elsewhere in the body. Doctors then maneuvered a camera into the man's upper intestine, where they found what Dr. Cyriac Philips describes as the longest tapeworm he's ever seen. The worm was curled up, but as doctors began slowly pulling it out through the patient's mouth in what must have felt like an endless scarf gag, its size became clear. In the end, it measured a little over 6 feet long, doctors write in the New England Journal of Medicine. The patient—who was kindly sedated during the 1.5-hour procedure—likely became infected after eating raw or under cooked pork, per the CDC. Those who have tapeworms often don't know it because they're typically symptom-free. Another case,a 20-foot-long tapeworm caused a man to lose 22 pounds in three days. source

Male baboons and domestic violence.

Male baboons and domestic violence. Male baboons turn to domestic violence for a chance to mate and sire their own offspring. A study shows that male baboons turn to domestic violence when in a group with few fertile females so they kill infants sired by other males and attack pregnant females, causing them to miscarry, so as to have a mating chance . This behavior reduces their waiting time to breed with pregnant and nursing females, who otherwise wouldn't become sexually available again for up to a year. This study which appeared in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, is a result of a long-term study of wild baboons monitored on a near-daily basis since 1971 at Amboseli. Researchers studying a baboon population around Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya found that immigrant males were responsible for roughly 2 percent of infant deaths and 6 percent of miscarriages between 1978 and 2015 and when cycling females were few, the death rates more than tripled. In situations where males have few opportunities, they resort to violence to achieve what's necessary to survive and reproduce,and When reproductive opportunities abound, this behavior is less frequent. At any given time, a troop of baboons typically contains one or two newly arrived males that have left the group where they were born in search of opportunities to reproduce and pass on their genes elsewhere. A baboon male would normally have to wait at least a year for a pregnant or lactating female to finish gestating and nursing her infant and resume cycling for a chance to sire her next offspring. When female have no baby to gestate or feed anymore , females that suffered a miscarriage or the death of an infant were ready to conceive again within 41 days. The study showed that most killer males went on to mate with the mothers of their victims.

How the male baboons choose their partners.

The female baboon's big red bottom has an aphrodisiac effect on her mates,though this may repel others. Scientists have long thought that baboon males prefer females with bigger backsides as the sign of a good mother, but recent study proves otherwise. The study in the journal Animal Behavior reveals that the size of a female's swollen rump doesn't matter as much as earlier concluded. Baboons breed throughout the year, and mating occurs during times when a female's behind is swollen -- a sign that she may be ovulating. For ten to 20 days each month, the tissue in a female baboon's hindquarters swells up, reaching peak size when a female is most fertile and then shrinking back to normal. The researchers recorded male courtship behavior during the time when females were swollen and they found that big-bottomed females were no more likely to attract mates than their smaller-bottomed counterparts. The males preferred females that had cycled more times since their last pregnancy,rather than going for bigger backsides. Female baboons are like humans they don't start ovulating again right away after having a baby, return to normal cycles when their infant starts weaning, but until that time they're less likely to get pregnant.The results suggest that baby readiness means more to males than the bigger bottom, because rather than size, it seems that males use the number of postpartum cycles as a cue to gauge their likelihood of making a baby. The male baboons seem to follow this law that lesser butt-size is better than bigger.

Dog's diet and its gut microbiome.

In a new paper, researchers report that the ratio of proteins and carbohydrates in a canine's daily diet have a significant influence on the balance of microbes in its gut. Researchers observed that dogs fed a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet had enriched microbial gene networks associated with weight loss in humans. The paper published in mBio, researchers from Nestle Purina PetCare Company report that the ratio of proteins and carbohydrates in a canine's daily diet have a significant influence on the balance of microbes in its gut. Among other findings, they observed that dogs fed a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet had decreases in the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes bacteria, as well as enriched microbial gene networks associated with weight loss in humans. These microbial responses were more pronounced in obese and overweight dogs than in dogs of a healthy weight. The study will help identify new microbiology-inspired strategies for managing pet obesity, which is a growing problem.According to the most recent annual survey by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention ,more than half of pet dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. Altering dogs diet to be high in protein and soft on carbohydrates with a blend of fat and supplements will keep dogs in trim and healthy.

Agricultural fires in Brazil harm infant health, a warning for the developing world.

Agricultural fires in Brazil harm infant health, a warning for the developing world. Anew research has shown that exposure to pollution from agricultural fires in the last few months of gestation leads to earlier birth and smaller babies. Researchers at Princeton and Duke universities gathered information from satellites, pollution monitors and birth records to untangle those competing influences and accurately measure the impact of pollution from the fires. They found that exposure to pollution from the fires in the last few months of gestation leads to earlier birth and smaller babies, and they found some evidence of increased fetal mortality. Conditions in early life, including in-utero, have been shown to affect children's long term outcomes, not only in terms of health but also their educational and economic success.

Scientists develop new flu vaccines for dogs.

Scientists develop new flu vaccines for dogs.Scientists at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry have developed, for the first time, two new vaccines for canine influenza.Dogs that have been infected with multiple influenza viruses have the potential to act as "mixing vessels" and generate new flu strains that could infect people. Today, veterinarians use vaccines that include inactivated or killed flu virus, but experts say they provide short-term, limited protection. Scientists created two "live-attenuated" vaccines against H3N8 canine influenza virus, which is currently circulating in dogs in the U.S. Past research shows that live-attenuated vaccines, made from live flu virus that is dampened down so that it doesn't cause the flu, provide better immune responses and longer periods of protection. The study, published in the Journal of Virology, found the live vaccine was safe and able to induce better immune protection against H3N8 canine influenza virus in mice and dog tracheal cells than a commercially available inactivated vaccine.

Restoring the sweet tomato flavor.

Modern tomatoes lack sufficient sugars and volatile chemicals critical to better flavor. Those traits have been lost during the past 50 years because breeders have not had the tools to routinely screen for flavor.The supermarket tomatoes are bigger but they lack the vine flavor that was common some years back from farm fresh products,as the quest to get bigger,juicer faster maturing fruit overshadowed the taste peculiar to tomatoes. The breeding and selection of different strains to achieve bigger fruit has been fingered as the root of the dwindling taste,thus genetic intervention is needed to reverse what was produced years ago. In a study published in the journal Science, Harry Klee, a professor of horticultural sciences with UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, identifies the chemical combinations for better tomato flavor. The first step was to find out which of the hundreds of chemicals in a tomato contribute the most to taste,researchers studied "alleles," the versions of DNA in a tomato gene that give it its specific traits. Scientists then identified the locations of the good alleles in the tomato genome,using genome-wide assessment study. The scientists mapped genes that control synthesis of all the important chemicals,and used genetic analysis to replace bad alleles in modern tomato varieties with the good alleles.

The battle over palm oil in Gabon.

There is a battle over palm oil in Gabon presently,the environmental agencies are pitched against the producers and investors sighting logging/deforestation as an issue. Firstly, the new Gabonese operations of agricultural trading company Olam International was heavily criticized by US environmental NGO Mighty Earth in December. Then Dimensional Fund Advisors, a big US investment firm that had previously been criticized for continuing to invest in palm oil companies, decided to divest two of its portfolios of all such assets, including equity in Wilmar International and Olam. The campaign against palm oil could have profound implications for the sector’s development in Africa. Palm oil cultivation has become controversial because ecologically diverse areas of rain forest are often cut down to allow cultivation to take place. Huge areas of forest have been felled in Indonesia and Malaysia, affecting flora and fauna, and producing air pollution caused by forest fires when land is being cleared for palm oil plantation. According to Friends of the Earth and numerous other environmental NGOs, palm oil plantations are the fastest growing cause of rain forest destruction and an increasingly important cause of climate change. Palm oil produces almost quadruple oil yeild compared to sunflower or rapeseed oil, and the majority of the palm oil is produced in Indonesia and Malaysia. However, African countries have also been targeted for cultivation more recently. Olam is a major player in the global palm oil sector and a big investor in African agri-business. The company currently sources more than 99% of its palm oil from third-party suppliers. In 2011, it set up a palm oil and rubber cultivation joint venture with the government of Gabon, with equity shared 60:40 in favour of the Singaporean firm. Mighty Earth’s ‘Palm oil’s black box’ report claims that environmentally important forest areas have been cleared and the report is accompanied by video footage of tall trees being felled. A spokesperson for Mighty argued: “These forests are the last place any company should be looking to develop plantation agriculture.” continue

Technological advancement in veterinary medicine.

There are significant technological advances available to practitioners as many practices now have complete in-house diagnostics for blood chemistry and blood counts. Test results can now be obtained within a half hour versus being sent out to an overnight referral laboratory. The diagnostic devices also include computerized ECG and digital radio graphs ,which eliminates x-ray film as all the images are uploaded to a computer. These can be sent anywhere by email if needed for further analysis. Ultrasound technology has also improved, allowing for early detection of pregnancies or even some abdominal diseases, resulting in earlier diagnosis and treatment. surgeons are trading scalpel for surgical laser as it is now used routinely for certain procedures. Kittens can now go home the day after a declaw surgery in much more comfort and with no stitches or bandages. These surgeries can be followed by a separate laser as a form of therapy that reduces postoperative inflammation and facilitates healing. An important part of animal health continues to be dental health. Now with digital dental radio graphs and refined oral surgery instruments, the common dental cleaning can help prevent future disease. Portable dental units have been designed to provide ultrasonic scaling, polishing, and high-speed drilling for oral surgery. It has been proven that bacteria from dental disease can decrease health by attacking internal organs. Mobile apps and devices such as trackers have found a place in practice,drones have been used in certain areas to collect/deliver samples to areas that are not motor able. The digital revolution has taken a new turn as the surgeon can access information at the speed of light and also with the touch of an app monitor clients,check appointments and even examine a patient via the phone. Veterinarians can easily connect with colleagues mile -away,offering tips and updates about a case and then there is the possibility of participating in a surgery iles away from your location without moving,all possible by mobile phones,apps and a data platform.

The veterinary medicine daily.

A compiliation of veterinary news, around the world. Dog mimics owner's expression? see how . Learn how pharmacists can bridge the human-vet practice #onehealth. Veterinary jobs, online courses see

South African e-learning to reach excluded.

South African e-learning to reach excluded. Tablets, laptops and digital learning are increasingly being used to reach students with little or no access to education, according to an international report from the ITU/Unesco Broadband Commission. This is especially crucial in the developing world, where Unesco says the digitilization of learning could be a means of accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, such as ensuring access to primary school for all children. This process is already evident in Africa, which according to Unesco has 30 million primary-age children not attending school, over half the global total. Yet the continent is overcoming challenges surrounding lack of internet access and electricity to become a major player in the e-learning space. According to a recent report from Ambient Insights, Africa is the region globally where e-learning revenues are most likely to increase, with South Africa the leading market on the continent. The University of South Africa (Unisa), which teaches through distance learning, has over 310,000 South African and international students enrolled. The mobile operators have launched digital learning projects, such as Vodacom's "e-school" offering online educational content.All over the country, companies of all shapes and sizes are tapping into the growth of the digital learning market. Chris Rawlinson, founder of South African e-learning company, 42courses, says: "We are living in a world where two billion more people from mostly emerging markets are about to get online." continue

Telecommunication and agricultural revolution in Pakistan.

Pakistan is an agricultural country as agriculture is backbone of the country’s economy. According to Pakistan’s Economic Survey 2016, agriculture contributed 20 per cent of GDP that accounts for 42.3 per cent of Pakistan’s employed labour force. Despite its importance, the agriculture sector is suffering from unpredictability in growth and its performance remains subdued. According to Pakistan’s Economic Survey 2014-15, insufficient progress in technological innovation, limited progressive farming techniques, marketing and trade restrictions, low prices of crops and traditional processing methods are major reasons for low production. Around 40 per cent of the total agricultural production was wasted in post-harvest due to insufficient utilization of biotechnology. In this scenario, use of biotechnology seems to be the most fitting solution to revive this sector. There is a strong need to launch an initiative to digitize agriculture and provide necessary information to farmers to increase production. It is heartening to note that a mobile company operating in Pakistan has taken the initiative in this regard but the services of this initiative are limited to certain regions, which needs to be extended to the whole country.source.

New bird flu case reported in China.

New bird flu case reported in China. A new bird flu case today reported in Chinas Hunan province, taking the total number of human H7N9 avian influenza cases in the South Central province to 17 this year. H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in March 2013 in China The 67-year-old patient in Hengyang city, who was diagnosed with the flu, was critical, the Hunan provincial disease control and prevention centre said. He had come in contact with poultry and fell ill, the centre said. People who have had close contact with the patient have not shown symptoms of fever or coughing. Hunan has reported as many as 17 human H7N9 infections, including five fatalities this year, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. In addition to Hunan, human infections have also been reported in Guangdong, Guizhou, Hubei, Henan, Jiangxi and Shandong provinces and in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macao. An early onset of this years human H7N9 virus, which is more active this winter, has resulted in more infections in Hunan and the whole country, Liu Fuqiang, an official with the Hunan disease control and prevention centre said. The public are advised to avoid direct contact with poultry and wear masks when symptoms such as headache, fever, coughing and chest congestion appear.At least 10 people have died from the virus since the start of the year, according to disease control centers in Henan, Guangdong and Hunan provinces. SOURCE.

How to bathe a cat.

These steps are important; 1) trim cat's claw to be prevent been clawed. 2) put a rubber mat in the tub,to prevent slipping. 3) partly fill tub with warm water,just some few inches. 4)carefully handle the cat,latter the coat with cat shampoo. 5) rub the shampoo on coat and wash all areas avoiding the eyes. 6) rinse shampoo off thoroughly and wipe the head region with wet cloth. 7) wrap cat in towel to dry.

VETERINARY MEDICINE: Chocolate toxicity in dogs.

VETERINARY MEDICINE: Chocolate toxicity in dogs. Chocolates are harmful or rather toxic to dogs. The level of toxicity depends on the type of chocolate and quantity consumed,the rule of thumb is the darker the chocolate the higher the rate of toxicity. VETERINARY MEDICINE: Chocolate toxicity in dogs. Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which is a stimulant similar to caffeine. Theobromine also found in tea has negative effects on the heart, kidneys and nervous system. When level of toxicity is high as in very severe cases the heart rhythm can be stimulated enough to cause the heart to stop. Theobromine also cause seizures and induce comas. Signs of chocolate toxicity include ;1)vomiting. 2)diarrhoea. 3)trembling/shaking 4) fever 5)tachycardia 6)rapid breathing. When next you decide to give your dog a treat,stay away from chocolate. Read labels and avoid food with theobromine,caffeine and cocoa.

Periodontal disease in dogs.

Periodontal disease is caused by plaque,plaque contains 100 trillion bacterial cells in every gram under the gum line. This causes “pockets” to form around teeth as bone and gum tissue, which normally fit tightly around each tooth, are destroyed.Plaque bacteria are 100 times more resistant to antiseptics, and antibiotics won’t resolve the problem either, but mechanical removal will. The purpose of periodontal therapy is to prevent bone loss, because bone loss has severe consequences that can be fatal. The prevention of plaque is the best therapy and this can be initiated by oral hygiene using by routine brushing of dog's teeth. A large number of dogs have periodontal disease as high as 85% which is partly due to the early onset in younger dogs,thus its important to incorporate oral hygiene early. Oral hygiene can be in form of brushing,use of oral rinse or dental chews. Stages of periodontal disease. 1) Gingivitis: This is the only reversible stage and signs include bleeding, swelling and glistening gingiva. Identifying and treating gingivitis early on can successfully prevent more serious problems from developing, and there is no bone loss. 2)There is bone loss of less than 25% and periodontal pocket depths of 3 to 5 mm. This is not severe for a large-breed pet such as a golden retriever or Rottweiler, but it can be extremely severe in a pets under 6kg. 3) The bone loss of more than 25% and less than 50% is characteristic and treatment plan is based on the tooth size and amount of attachment loss. 4) There is about 50% bone loss, teeth in this stage are loosely attached and extractions are the only option.

Telemedicine in veterinary practice.

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technology to provide clinical health care from a distance. It helps eliminate distance barriers and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities. The benefits of telemedicine in veterinary practice

NEWS: The cry of an African girl.

The real life experience of an African girl, her sorrows,struggles and cry for freedom. The journey starts; Aloby

How to brush your dogs teeth.

Dogs need to have their teeth brushed to maintain oral hygiene. Teeth are an important part of a dog’s health to maintain,but sadly 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 3 have gum disease, which suggests that thorough dental care in dogs are overlooked. In most areas,people hardly care for the oral health of their dogs not realizing the overall effect oral health has on the wellness and health of their dogs. Gum disease is caused by a buildup of plaque and tartar around the gum line. If teeth are not routinely cleaned the buildup will result in gingivitis, bad breath and potential tooth loss. Dental work can often be very painful, both for the dog and for the owner’s bank balance, but brushing your dog’s teeth is a great way to reduce the risk of gum disease and can also be a fun activity. Brushing the dog teeth you need the following 1) a pet toothbrush 2) dog toothpaste 3 ) a lot of patience to clean the teeth properly. Starting off,you need to allow your dog to get accustomed to brushing the teeth,this you can achieve by putting a small amount of the pet paste on your finger which the dog will lick up. This is the advantage of using a pet paste as the pet paste can be swallowed but not the human paste. The pet paste come in various flavors and it will make a lot of sense to try out different flavors and settle for your pets favorite. Brushing can be done b2-3 times a week. How to brush:1) Position the brush at a 45 degree angle against your dog’s teeth and ensure you massage the gum line. 2) Brush in small circles to reach where the gum meets the teeth . 3)The majority of plaque accumulates on the outer surfaces of all the teeth, so brush there first then move to the inside surfaces.

Super-foods to enhance dog’s intelligence.

Dogs benefit from super-foods which can help maximize and enhance dog’s intelligence. This can help them to learn simple commands thus enhancing training,social behavior ,improve responsiveness when out and about and even delay some of the cognitive signs of aging. Feeding your dog a healthy diet made up of foods such as salmon, peas and sweet potato will ensure they are getting good levels of nutrients like vitamins, fatty acids and antioxidants, which have been shown to improve intelligence, memory and cognitive abilities. The common but overlooked super-foods for dogs are 1) fish and fish oil ,those rich in for omega 3 .2) Sweet potato a ready source of betacarotene in the same class with carrots. 3) Peas 4) Maize for lutein and zeaxanthin .5) Eggs its a complete meal with all essential nutrients for growth. All body functions benefits from feeding dogs with eggs see more

Here is why the dangote tomato paste factory might not reopen in February.

Here is why the dangote tomato paste factory might not reopen in February.Earlier this month, the Managing Director of the Dangote Tomato Processing Factory, Abdulkadir Kaita, had disclosed that the company is set to begin the production of tomato pastes in February. However, with the economic condition in the country, it is unlikely that the factory will open in February. Executive Director, Dangote Group, Edwin Devakumar explained that the plant is unlikely to open due to the shortage of dollars to import raw materials. Though, he highlighted that the factory would open when if it is able to obtain an adequate supply of raw tomatoes locally. Last year, the Union of Tomato Paste Manufacturers in Nigeria through its spokesman, Mr. Nnamdi Nnodebe, hinted that the once vibrant tomato industry might stop existing in 2017 if the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) did not amend its policy on Forex to exclude triple concentrate tomato paste from the scope of the 41 items on the restricted list. The triple concentrate tomato paste is used as raw material by manufacturers for further processing into tomato paste, ketchup, and sauces. Dangote’s influence in the country has enabled him to gain a reasonable level of preference by Nigeria’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Between March to May 2016, Dangote’s companies bought at least $161 million in hard currency from CBN, estimated to be 9 percent of the total hard currency sold during that period. In a single week in March 2016, one in every eight dollars sold by the CBN went to Dangote group. continue

Agribusiness can help to unlock the true potential of Africa.

Agribusiness can help to unlock the true potential of Africa. The challenges faced by small farmers are similar across the developing world – pests, diseases and climate change. Yet in Africa the challenges are even greater. If farmers are to survive at current rates (let alone grow), they need to have access to high-yielding seeds, effective fertilizers and irrigation technologies. These issues threaten the region’s ability to feed itself and make business-growth and export markets especially difficult to reach. Other factors include the rise in global food prices and export subsidies for exporters in the developed economies, which leave African farmers struggling to price competitively. Organizations such as The International Finance Corporation (IFC) provide and mobilize capital, knowledge and long-term partnerships in agribusiness. It has provided over $25 billion in financing, mobilized investments from partners and provided advisory services across the continent. Connecting the private sector with global and regional NGO’s and the public sector is one of the most important steps. Of the $3.7 billion invested in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2015 by the IFC, $1.8 billion came from other investors. Modernization of technologies, innovative technologies and widening access to markets is central to turning such huge sums of money into results. In Kenya, a mobile app called M-Farm allows farmers to directly send messages requesting guidance and data on crop prices. It also helps farmers to connect directly with food suppliers; thus reducing reliance on middlemen and market buyers. Cutting costs in this way can go some way to mitigating the impact of subsidized exports from the developed economies. continue

Virgin Birth: Zebra Shark Has Babies Without Mating.

Virgin Birth: Zebra Shark Has Babies Without Mating. Leonie had been living apart from males for the past few years, so her keepers were surprised when she laid eggs that produced three baby sharks in April 2016. Leonie could be the first shark ever observed to make the switch from sexual to asexual reproduction. University of Queensland biologist Christine Dudgeon, who described the case in the journal Scientific Reports that they thought she could be storing sperm; but when they tested the pups and the possible parent sharks using DNA fingerprinting, they found they only had cells from Leonie. Leonie's case marks the first time scientists have seen this type of asexual reproduction —known as parthenogenesis—in the zebra shark (Stegostoma fasciatum). Parthenogenesis occurs when embryos develop and mature without fertilization by a male's sperm. Rather, an egg progenitor cell that usually gets absorbed by the female's body acts as a surrogate sperm to "fertilize" her egg. This reproduction strategy is more common in plants and invertebrate organisms. source

Lutein and brain health: Enriched formula leads to selective increases in multiple brain regions

Lutein and brain health: Enriched formula leads to selective increases in multiple brain regions: Enriching infant formula with lutein leads to selectively increased levels of the carotenoid in the brain, with the highest amounts in the visual processing center, the occipital cortex, says a new study.

New blood: Soy bean extract wins EU approval

New blood: Soy bean extract wins EU approval: A Japanese firm has won EU novel foods approval for a blood clot-benefitting fermented soy bean extract for all groups except “pregnant and lactating women.”

Study shows natto enzyme helps break down blood clots, benefits blood flow

Study shows natto enzyme helps break down blood clots, benefits blood flow: Japan Bio Science Laboratory, a company that has been developing a nattokinase ingredient, has released research results bolstering the ingredient’s effects at combating the formation of abnormal blood clots and benefiting blood flow.

The magic of mushrooms: Can this fungus help delay or prevent depression?

The magic of mushrooms: Can this fungus help delay or prevent depression?: Bioactive compounds contained within an edible mushroom may delay or prevent the onset of neurological conditions like depression, investigations have concluded.

California measles outbreak reportedly involves Orthodox Jewish community.

An ongoing measles outbreak in California is reportedly affecting a local Orthodox Jewish community.20 cases of measles have been confirmed so far, including 18 in the county encompassing Los Angeles. The outbreak has largely been limited to unvaccinated people in a single social group and the disease is spreading among personal contacts in the group. According to the Los Angeles Times, a rabbi who runs a Jewish health care foundation in the city said county health officials told him the outbreak was affecting the Orthodox Jewish population. The outbreak began in early December, about 5 months after a new state law eliminating all nonmedical vaccine exemptions, including those based on personal beliefs, took effect in California. The health department could not confirm vaccination against measles in any of the 18 patients in Los Angeles County and has reached out to leaders of the affected social group to encourage vaccination. According to the CDC, two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles. There has been a dramatic decline in measles in the United States from an estimated 3 to 4 million cases a year prior to the launch of a vaccination program in 1963 to just 70 documented cases in 2016, according to the CDC.

Mathematical model limits malaria outbreaks.

Mathematical models can effectively predict and track malaria transmission trends, ultimately quantifying the efficiency of various treatment and eradication strategies in high-risk regions. In a new paper by authors from Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics explain a malaria transmission model that considers three distinct factors: climate, the extrinsic incubation period (EIP), and the vector-bias effect. One of the most common infectious diseases in the world, malaria causes public health problems and depresses the economy of infected areas. When untreated or treated improperly, the disease can result in fatalities. Despite impressive control measures and increased prevention techniques, which have reduced the global malaria mortality rate by 29% over the last six years, 3.3 billion people throughout 97 countries and territories still face a risk of infection. According to the World Health Organization, there were 212 million cases of malaria in 2015; approximately 429,000 resulted in death. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to exhibit a disproportionately high number of outbreaks and fatalities. Mathematical models can effectively predict and track malaria transmission trends, ultimately quantifying the efficiency of various treatment and eradication strategies in high-risk regions. In a paper publishing in the SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics on January 24th, Xiunan Wang and Xiao-Qiang Zhao explain a malaria transmission model that considers three distinct factors: climate, the extrinsic incubation period (EIP), and the vector-bias effect. Using data from Maputo Province, Mozambique to simulate transmission trends, the authors ultimately present a possible way to limit the disease's transmission.

African trees kill both malaria mosquitoes and the parasite.

A new study has shown that African trees kill both malaria mosquitoes and the parasite. Scientists from the University of Oslo, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences have examined the bark from two African trees and found substances that can kill both the mosquitoes that transmit malaria, and the parasite itself. Malaria is one of the world's most serious infectious diseases and affects more than 200 million people each year. Traditional healers in West Africa have for many years used extracts from the bark of two trees in the citrus family (Rutaceae) to treat malaria, which is a widespread disease in the region and kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year. Researchers at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Oslo in Norway have now shown that bark from the trees contains substances that not only kill the malaria parasite, but also the mosquitoes that transmit the disease. The scientists found several interesting substances both in the so-called Olon tree (Zanthoxylum heitzii) that is found from Cameroon to Congo, and in a related tree from Mali. The most interesting and active compounds were found in the Olon tree, but also the bark of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides from Mali contains active substances. The scientists used extracts from the bark of the Olon tree and found that it contained at least one compound that kills the mosquitoes that transmit the malarial parasite,but the bark also contains another substance that kills the parasite itself. More than 30 species of the mosquito genus Anopheles kan infect humans with the malaria parasite,the scientists worked with both water-based and alcohol-based extracts from the bark of the two trees, and it turns out that the extracts with alcohol contains more of the active substances. The substance that kills the mosquito is called pellitorine and was found in the bark of both trees. The scientists also found that a mixture of four main substances from the bark of the Olon tree had a higher toxicity than pellitorine alone, even if the other ingredients were not toxic separately, this suggests that there is a synergistic effect between the ingredients. The scientists has now shown that the bark of the Olon tree from Congo contains at least two interesting compounds: Pellitorine that kills malaria mosquitoes, and dihydronitidin that kills the malaria parasite.

Scientists Have Created Heat-Sensing “Skin” for Robots.

Scientists Have Created Heat-Sensing “Skin” for Robots.Drawing inspiration from nature, scientists have created a heat-sensing film that would allow robots to detect temperature changes in their environment. Developed by the team from ETH Zurich in Switzerland, the material mimics how the natural membrane of a snake works to help the animal identify nearby prey. Surprisingly, the researchers were able to achieve this using pectin — a low-cost substance that’s primarily used to thicken jam. To make the film, a pectin solution was mixed with calcium chloride and then dehydrated to create a transparent, flexible material. Unlike traditional electronics, which detect temperature changes via currents of electrons, this film senses temperature variations through ion currents, which is the process used by snakes. Any change in the nearby temperature would affect the film’s resistance, which the researchers could measure via electrodes along the film’s edges. To test the film, the team microwaved a teddy bear to 37° C (98.6° F) and measured how it affected the film from various distances. Results showed that the membrane was able to recognize the warmed bear from as far away as one meter. It could also detect temperature changes as small as 10 millikelvin — that’s twice as sensitive as human skin. Pectin films are ultra-low cost and scalable, insensitive to pressure and bending, and can be used to augment temperature sensing when integrated in synthetic skin platforms. This could be particularly useful in creating artificially intelligent (AI) robots, as covering a robot’s entire body with this film would essentially give it a layer of “skin” capable of 360-degree thermal sensing. source

New Study Supports the Link Between Autism and Gut Microbes

New Study Supports the Link Between Autism and Gut Microbes. The study in which autistic children were given daily fecal microbial transplants yielded improvements in gastrointestinal symptoms by 80% and behavioral symptoms by 20-25%. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disorders categorized by a range of symptoms and behaviors. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that 1 in 68 children fall on this spectrum. That number continues to rise as awareness of the condition grows. A new method of treating ASD is being investigated by researchers from Arizona State University, Ohio State University, and the University of Minnesota. Using past research that concluded that there were ties between ASD and gut microbe diversity as a foundation, the team attempted to make the gut microbiome of children with autism more closely resemble that of non-ASD children. The researchers hoped that by performing fecal microbial transplants, which are typically used to treat recurrent C. difficile colitis, a condition that can cause serious digestive problems, the composition of the treated children’s microbiome would be changed and symptoms of the disorder would be mitigated. The study involved 18 children between the ages of seven and 16 with autism. Each child took part in a 10-week course of treatment involving antibiotics, a bowel cleanse, and daily fecal microbial transplants. The testing produced some promising results, including an 80 percent improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms and 20 - 25% improvement in autism-related behaviors such as social skills and sleeping habits. source

Wound healing in horses using protein from the orf virus.

A recent study has shown that specific proteins from the orf virus can assist in wound healing in the horse. Researchers from Canada and New Zealand recently showed the healing potential in a specific proteins from the orf virus, a parapoxvirus that causes a highly contagious skin disease in ungulates and humans. The concept is perfectly safe and very promising, as the virus was not smeared on the wound,and wound was irrigated and kept clean. Previous studies had shown that recombinant proteins (IL-10 and VEGF-E), derived from the virus worked well in the skin cells and wounds of mice, so the researchers tested the proteins’ effects in equine skin cells in a laboratory. The results, was satisfactory.

Raising cattle on a candy diet.

Cattle rearing is a very lucrative business,but the high cost of feed has pushed many farmers to the extreme to look for an alternate source to break even. Cattle are ruminants and thus tend to thrive on forage,cereals amongst other supplements but to strike a balance the ration must be complete with representatives of all classes of food and water. 

 Water is very vital to growth and development of the cattle as well as support all the metabolic activities in the body. Cattle must be given cool,fresh water everyday which must be clean,odorless and colorless. The alternate options to cattle feed are candies,orange peels,potatoes,dried fruits,rice products amongst others.

 According to CNN,farmers tapped into the candy factory to augment the feed of cattle when corn prices soared,now prices have skyrocked and farmers are at the candy station. The sugar in the candy is source the farmers want for the cows,as they gain weight and even increases milk production. 

 The candy is mixed with other forms of cattle feed, but at a percentage of 3%. This is how a farmer uses the candy; a dairy farmer in Middlebury, Ind. feeds his 400 cows bits of candy, hot chocolate mix, crumbled cookies, breakfast cereal, trail mix, dried cranberries, orange peelings and ice cream sprinkles, which are blended into more traditional forms of feed, like hay.

 The farmer said that he goes over the feed menu every couple of weeks with a livestock nutritionist who advised him to cap the candy at 3% of a cow's diet. He said that the sugar in ice cream sprinkles increase milk production by three pounds per cow per day. Sugar also helps to fatten up beef cattle, according to livestock nutritionist Chuck Hurst, owner of Nutritech, Inc., in Carmen, Idaho, without any ill effects to the cow, or to the person consuming its meat or milk. He said that it's the sugar in the candy that's important, and that it provides "the same kind of energy as corn." source

The satellite and the chimpanzee.

The satellite and the chimpanzee,this is how satellite data changed chimpanzee conservation efforts.Chimpanzees are an endangered species and scientists and conservationists are turning to the NASA-US Geological Survey Landsat satellites to help bolster their efforts to preserve their forest homes. Approximately 345,000 or fewer chimpanzees remain in the wild, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, a substantial decline from the more than two million that existed a hundred years ago. Humans' closest genetic cousins, chimpanzees are an endangered species and scientists and conservationists are turning to the NASA-U.S. Geological Survey Landsat satellites to help bolster their efforts to preserve their forest homes. A joint mission of NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey or USGS, the Landsat series of satellites has provided a continuous record of Earth's land use for 44 years. Images are available cost-free to the public. NASA satellite data gives an understanding of what it means to be a chimp by overlaying distribution of the habitat with the chimpanzee behavior and ranging data. Unlike maps that don't show the chimpanzees' habitat side-by-side with human activities, in Landsat imagery, both scientists and the villagers could see the direct result of various land uses -- farming and logging for example -- and how they shaped the surrounding terrain and forests. When deforestation happens, important ecological functions and services are lost which impacts both chimps and people, the chimpanzees lose feeding and nesting grounds, and it is very difficult for the territorial animals to shift their home range to another location. People lose local forest resources like honey or specific valuable tree species, as well as suffer alterations of the local water cycle that make erosion and flash flooding new problems. The satellite images were a game changer for improving local conservation efforts by using science and data to plan and monitor .

Fungus-infecting virus could help track spread of white-nose syndrome in bats.

A newly discovered virus infecting the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in bats could help scientists and wildlife agencies track the spread of the disease that is decimating bat populations in the United States, according to a new study. The study published online in PLOS Pathogens, the researchers were able to eliminate the virus from one fungal isolate, which provided a virus-free isolate that they could compare to wild isolates that harbor the virus to look for biochemical changes. White-nose syndrome is a particularly lethal wildlife disease, killing an estimated 6 million bats in North America since it was identified in 2006. The disease, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, first was found in New York and now has spread to 29 states and four Canadian provinces. Although several species of bats have been affected, some of the most prevalent species in the Northeast -- such as little brown bats -- have suffered estimated mortality as high as 99 percent. These losses have serious ecological implications. For instance, bats have a voracious appetite for insects and are credited with helping to control populations of mosquitoes and some agricultural pests. P. destructans is clonal, meaning it is essentially identical everywhere it has been found in North America, making it difficult to determine how it is moving, but the virus it harbors has quite a bit of variation. All the fungal isolates from Pennsylvania that were analyzed all had the viruses that were similar,but those viruses differ from the ones found in isolates from Canada, New York and so. forth. The differences in the viruses reflect the movement of the fungus, and this viral variability would give a clearer picture of how the disease is spreading.