Oral rabies vaccines (ORVs) have successfully eradicated rabies in wildlife, providing significant benefits over parenteral

vaccination by reducing human resources, costs, and time demands. Despite these advantages, ORV use in domestic dogs presents unique challenges due to the higher risk of human exposure, potentially leading to vaccine-associated rabies cases. Limited

genomic surveillance, inadequate screening of non-target animals, and insufficient funding for comprehensive surveillance

impede the detection and reporting of such cases. Simulation models indicate that human risk from 1st and 2nd generation

vaccine-associated rabies is significantly higher—approximately 19 times—when ORVs are used in dogs compared to wild

animals. Regulatory and procedural adaptations are essential to address these barriers and enhance ORV safety for domestic

dogs. Recommendations include encouraging manufacturers to secure central licensure for ORV use in dogs, and for the World

Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to support regulatory convergence among member countries. Additionally, WOAH

and the United Against Rabies initiative should adopt a structured, prequalification process to validate ORVs specifically for

canine use, thereby enhancing global oversight and harmonizing standards. Establishing a global regulatory science agenda,

spearheaded by the WOAH and WHO, could further advance ORV deployment, facilitating a standardized and safe application

of ORVs in canine rabies control efforts.

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a herbal growth promoter (Auctus) as an alternative to an antibiotic growth

promoter (AGP) in broilers. A total of 180 one-day-old VenCobb 430 Y chicks were randomly assigned to three groups: T0

(basal diet), T1 (basal diet + 100 g/MT Enramycin), and T2 (basal diet + 500 g/MT Auctus), with four replicates per group.

The trial duration was over 42 days. Results showed a significant improvement (P≤0.05) in body weight, FCR, and European

Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) in both T1 and T2 groups compared to the control. Histomorphometry analysis revealed

significantly higher (P<0.05) villus height in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum in the T2 group. The cecal microbial analysis

indicated a significant reduction in E. coli counts in T2 group and an increase (P<0.001) in Lactobacilli in the T1 and T2 groups.

Immune response analysis showed a significantly higher (P<0.001) antibody titer against Newcastle disease virus in the T1 and

T2 groups. Furthermore, there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in the bursa weight of broilers in the T2 group compared to

the control group. Herbal growth promoter fed broilers (T2) showed comparable growth performance and immune responses to

AGP fed broilers (T1) but had lower E. coli levels in the gut and longer small intestine villi. These findings suggest that Auctus

can effectively replace AGPs, supporting broiler performance while addressing concerns related to antibiotic use and human

health.

Present study investigates the differential expression of Transforming Growth Factor Beta Receptor 3 (TGFBR3) and Ubiquitin-

Protein Ligase E3C (UBE3C) genes in Large White Yorkshire (LWY) and Ankamali pigs, two distinct genetic groups in Kerala.

TGFBR3, a key regulator of the TGF-β signalling 1 pathway, influences muscle growth, fibrosis, and fat deposition, impacting

meat quality. UBE3C, a component of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), plays a crucial role in protein turnover and lipid

metabolism, affecting muscle composition. Using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), gene expression was analysed in

skeletal muscle tissues from six pigs per genetic group. Results revealed a significant down regulation of TGFBR3 and UBE3C

in Ankamali pigs, suggesting reduced TGF-β pathway activity and proteasomal function. These differences may contribute to

lower fat deposition and higher lean meat yield in Ankamali pigs, while LWY pigs exhibit higher intramuscular fat and superior

growth rates. Present findings highlighted TGFBR3 and UBE3C as potential genetic markers for optimising growth performance

and meat quality.

The present study was undertaken to assess the effect of exposure to slaughter ambient on various behavioural and carcass

parameters in goats. A total of 18 bucks (Boer cross, 8-12 months of age, 24-28 kg live weight) were divided into 3 groups

(n=6) viz., C- goats slaughtered alone, E - goats exposed to slaughter ambient by witnessing the slaughter of goat from S group,

S- goats slaughtered in front of E groups. The goats were Halal slaughtered, and various behavioural parameters (vocalization,

escape behaviour, turning backwards, and urination), blood loss, time to death, and carcass shrinkage were assessed. The

exposure to slaughter ambient in goats affected the behavioural responses, with medium-grade responses for vocalization and

avoidance behaviour in 50% of goats. The exposure to slaughter ambient in goats did not significantly affect the time to death,

bleed-out percentage, and carcass shrinkage percentage. Thus, the present study highlighted the issue of animal welfare and

emotional stress induced by exposure to slaughter ambient in goats as indicated by behavioural responses.

The present study was aimed at investigating the pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli in sheep and goats and their antibiotic

resistance patterns with special emphasis on extended spectrum beta lactamases producing E. coli. A total of 200 presumptive

E. coli isolates were obtained from 120 faecal samples of sheep and goats. Out of these 200 isolates, 62 isolates showed the

presence of at least one virulence gene studied. Among these, 10 isolates carried eaeA gene either alone or in combination

with ehxA and were categorized as EPEC. 44 isolates carried stx genes and were categorized as STEC, 08 isolates carried ehxA

genes and were designated as EHEC. All 62 isolates showing the presence of at least one virulence gene were further screened

for ESBL production by using primers specific for blaTEM, blaCTX-M, blaSHV and blaOXA genes. Out of 62 isolates, only 22 were

tested positive for presence of ESBL genes. Further, the prevalence of blaTEM, blaCTX-M and blaSHV genes was found to be 54.54%,

27.27% and 36.36% respectively. Antibiotic sensitivity profiling of the isolates positive for virulence genes revealed that all

isolates were resistant to cefotaxime.