Imbabi TA, Amer SA, Halawa EH, Sabeq II, Abdel-Warith AA, et al.
Tropical animal health and production •
Antibiotic-resistant microbes have emerged because of the widespread misuse of antibiotics in modern animal production. To overcome antibiotic resistance, the name lactoferrin (Lf) is promising since it is a naturally safe alternative to antibiotics. Considering the few sources available, this study evaluated the effects of Lf administration as a possible alternative to antibiotics on the growth, meat quality, blood hematology, hepato-renal function, antioxidant, and immune status of rabbits. A total of 60 four-week-old V-line male weaned rabbits (average body weight 530 ± 20 g) were randomly distributed to three experimental treatments (TRTs). The first TRT was the control group (CON). In the 2nd and 3rd TRTs, rabbits were orally administered with 1 mL oxytetracycline (OXY)/kg BW and 300 mg Lf/kg body weight (BW), respectively. The TRTs were applied orally twice weekly for 8 weeks. The results showed that the BW of rabbits treated with Lf was higher than the CON rabbits at the 8th and 12th week of age (P < 0.05). The average daily gain was higher in the Lf-treated group than in the CON and OXY-treated groups in the 12th week (P < 0.01). The meat quality parameters showed that Lf produced bright red meat with the highest lightness and lowest yellowness and hue values compared to OXY TRT and CON rabbits. At the same time, the other technological meat parameters, such as water holding capacity, drip loss (24 and 48 h), cooking loss, and Warner-Bratzler Shear Force, were not significantly changed. The serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, and urea were reduced in the Lf-treated group and increased in the OXY-treated group compared with the CON. The total and direct bilirubin levels and creatinine and uric acid levels were increased in the OXY-treated rabbits. The total protein and globulin serum levels were raised in the Lf-treated rabbits and reduced in the OXY-treated rabbits. The albumin level decreased in the OXY-treated group. The serum levels of IgG and IgM were higher in the LF-treated animals compared to the CON and OXY-treated groups (P < 0.01). The serum levels of IgA, IgD, and IgE were increased in both Lf- and OXY-treated groups compared with the CON group. The hepatic and renal MDA and NO concentrations were decreased in the LF-treated group and increased in the OXY-treated group. The opposite is true for the activity of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-reduced glutathione-S-transferase, and catalase. Lactoferrin administration upregulated the growth-related genes and downregulated the proinflammatory and apoptotic genes. In conclusion, lactoferrin in a dose of 300 mg /kg BW is a potential antibiotic alternative for improving rabbits' growth, health, meat quality, antioxidant, and immune status.
An outbreak of infectious influenza was recognized in Menofeia governorate in October 1989. Eight naturally influenza infected as well as 8 healthy control horses, mules and donkeys were selected for collection of blood and sera separation to estimate four lysosomal enzymatic activities and to describe the clinical findings, which were fever, congested nasal, conjunctival membranes and cough. Bronchopneumonia followed later with bilateral purulent nasal discharge as a complication in 2 donkeys. Thereafter laboured breathing occurred. Therefore a therapeutic penicillin-streptomycin dose was injected to safeguard against the secondary bacterial invasion. All lysosomal enzyme levels in serum of diseased equines were subjected to consistent regression except N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase -beta-NAG) that behaved very highly significant activity, probably due to the acid pH resulting from bronchopneumonia and respiratory acidosis which override the inhibitory action of the antibiotics. Influenza virus may inhibit the synthesis of the pulmonary surfactant in alveolar and bronchial epithelium, thereafter, the animals suffered from respiratory distress and bronchospasm with resultant decreased acid phosphatase (ACP) value which was histochemically located in both sites. The disappearance of alpha- and beta-galactosidases (alpha-GAL & beta-GAL) from the serum of diseased animals can be attributed to the antibiotic dose.
Clinical findings and lysosomal enzymes (LYE) in eight lumpy skin diseases (LSD) cows and same number of healthy ones were reported in Tal-El Baker village and Tal Alkabir centre, Ismailia province, Egypt. LSD began with fever, anorexia, skin lesions in form of nodules all over the body, which disappeared spontaneously or gathered to form large lumps. It was complicated with respiratory manifestation, corneal opacity, mastitis, dehydration and later on recumbency. It is noteworthy that the level of 3 LYE showed the same trend of significant reduction in acute stage of the disease (5 days after occurrence of LSD) probably due to injection of animals with a therapeutics dose of terramycin. Acid-phosphatase (ACP) enzyme is the sole that behaved very high significant increase in the serum in acute stage of LSD due to the damaged tissues caused by the virus. It underwent insignificant decrease in late stage of the disease (20 days after its occurrence) to restore the normal LYE level in control cows indicating recovery. Alpha-galactosidase (alpha-GAL) decreased perpetually by the progression of LSD because of the decreased bactericidal index which ist in concomitance with the secondary bacterial invader. N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (beta-NAG) and beta-galactosidase (beta-GAL) in LYE had the same fluctuating manner. The activities showed very highly significant decrease in acute stage, followed by highly significant and significant increases (late LSD stage) respectively. The appreciable significant increase of beta-GAL may declare the effect of anorexia on LSD. In view of these findings, it can be postulated that LSD may be diagnosed and prognosed through LYE changes in the serum.
