• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.1011-1018
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• 2011

Aflatoxin-contaminated feed cause mortality, suppression of the immune system, reduced growth rates and losses in feed efficiency. This research study was planned to investigate the immunomodulatory and growth promoting effect of milk thistle as feed additive against aflatoxin $B_1$ in broiler chicks at NWFP Agricultural University Peshawar, Pakistan. Two hundred and forty (240) day old broilers chicks were randomly assigned into four major groups AfF, aflatoxin free feed; Aflatoxin $B_1$ was present in the feed at the levels of 80-520 ${\mu}g/kg$ of the feed in the remaining three groups. Aflatoxin contaminated feed was provided for 5 weeks. Group AfB was supplemented with toxin binder "Mycoad" at 3 g/kg of feed and group AfT was supplemented with milk thistle at10 g/kg of feed. Each group was further sub divided into two sub-groups, vaccinated against ND (Newcastle disease), IB (Infectious bronchitis) and IBD (Infectious bursal diseases) according to recommended schedule of vaccination or non vaccinated. Each sub group carried three replicates with 10 chicks per replicate. Chicks were reared in pens in an open sided house. Supplementary heat was provided to all the chicks during brooding period. Mean body weight gain and dressing percentage were significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfF, followed by AfT, AfB and Af. Weight gain and dressing percentage was the same in group AfB and AfT, while it was significantly lower in group Af. Feed intake, breast, thigh and leg weight were found significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfF, followed by AfB, AfT and Af. Significantly lower (better) FCR value was recorded in group AfT. Water intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfT and AfF as compared to other groups. Mortality was significantly (p<0.05) higher in group Af. Mean bursa and thymus weights were found significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfF, AfB and AfT followed by Af, while higher spleen weight was recorded in group AfT. Mean antibody titer against ND, IB and IBD was significantly (p<0.05) higher in group AfT, as compared to other groups. It is concluded that milk thistle at 10 g/kg of feed could effectively be utilized as immunostimulant and growth promotant in the presence of immunosuppressant aflatoxin $B_1$ in the feed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.414-422
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• 2001

Antibiotic resistance in human pathogens is a major public health issue. Some of the resistance problem can be attributed to the transfer of resistant bacteria from animals to people and the transfer of resistance genes from animal pathogens and commensal bacteria to human pathogens. Control measures include improvements in food hygiene to reduce the spread of zoonotic bacteria to people via the food chain. However, to specifically address the issue, the medical profession must control misuse and overuse of antibiotics in hospitals and community practice. In addition, the livestock industries and their advisors must reduce and refine the use of antibiotics in animal production and replace antibiotics with alternative disease control measures as much as possible.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 1992

SMZ is one of the most widely used antibacterial agents in veterinary medicine. It is also used as a growth promotant in many species of domestic animals There are marked species differences in its metabolism and pharmacokinetics. However, its pharmacokinetic and metabolism in rabbits. which are ragarded not only as good laboratorty animals hut also as good economical animals in its own, are lacking. Sex-differences in drug metabolism are well recognized in wide range of animal species including rats. Males are known to he more active than females. It is also know that there are Significant differences in the direction of metabolic pathways. But recently, female goats are reported to be more active in the metabolie capacity of SMZ than the other sex by Dutch researchers at Utrecht. Therefore, it is not easy to make general conclusicn of having higher SMZ metal-die capacity in the male compared to the opposite sex in every animal species. In this regard, the study on metabolic pattern of SMZ in rabbits, which are regarded as hervivorous, is of interest because the dietary habbits of rabbit are comparable to thai of goal, NEW Zealand White rabbits of each sex were given SMZ(35mg/kg) as a bolus injection into the marginalean, vein in order to study its pharmacokinetic profiles(using plasma) anc metabolic pattem(24h urine) as specified in the methods anc materials. 1. In the rabbit, the major metabolic pathway of SMZ was the acetylation(the formation of $N_4AcSMZ$). There were hydroxylation pathways(50HSMZ, $6CH_2OHSMZ$) as well, in the metabolism of SMZ in the rabbit, but minor pathways. 2. No sex differences in the metabolic direction of SMZ and its metabolites formation were found from the urinary excreted metabolites of SMZ out of 24h collected urine. 3. The concentration-time curves of SMZ(35mg/kg, iv) in the plasma compartment were fitted to a one-compartment open model when using a computer program(NONLIN). There was also no difference in the pharmacokinetic pattem of SMZ between two sexes. 4. The emergence of $N_4AcSMZ$ metabolized from SMZ was very fast in the plasma of the rabbit The elimination of $N_4AcSMZ$ was prolonged as compared to that of the parent drug Vie found no sex difference in the elimination pattern of $N_4AcSMZ$ in the rabbit.