This study aimed to elucidate the impact of oregano (Origanum vulgare) essential oil (OEO) inclusion in the diet on growth indices, redox balance, molecular responses, and intestinal integrity of European seabass larvae. Larvae (0.14±0.01 g) were allocated to four treatments in three independent replicate tanks (400 larvae/tank) and fed experimental diets containing OEO at 0 (T0; control; no treatment), 1.5 (T1), 2 (T2), and 3 (T3) g OEO /kg diet for 6 weeks. Our findings demonstrated that the T3 group showed the highest final weight, body weight gain (BWG), specific growth rate (SGR), and larval survival, and the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p<0.05) relative to T0. Additionally, feed supplementation with OEO substantially improved the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase (p<0.05), while malondialdehyde levels were reduced (p<0.05) relative to T0. Lysozyme activity and nitric oxide levels increased with OEO supplementation, with the highest levels at T2 and T3. Further, there was significant down-regulation of TNF-a and Hsp70 genes, along with elevated expression of growth genes (GH and IGF-1), immune genes (IgD (IGHD), C3, and LYS), and pro-inflammatory genes (IL-1ß and IL-6) (p<0.05) in T2 and T3 groups (p<0.05). Intestinal histomorphology revealed a remarkable increase in villus height and goblet cell numbers in the T2 and T3 OEO-fed fish groups. To sum up, incorporating up to 3 g/kg OEO into the diet of D. labrax larvae can significantly improve growth performance, oxidant–antioxidant response, innate immune response, and intestinal health.

The present study details the advancements and fundamental reforms underway in Turkmenistan horse breeding industry, focusing on the preservation and improvement of the indigenous Akhalteke breed. The Akhalteke horse is considered a national treasure, and the primary goal of current reforms is to increase the number of purebred horses while simultaneously elevating the breeding value of each foal. This study addresses the urgent need to scientifically analyze and enhance the 17 existing pedigree lines, a task that includes efforts to restore declining lines, establish new ones, and formally maintain mare families within state stud farms. The novelty of this work is its comprehensive approach, which integrates the study of pedigrees, performance in equestrian sports, efficacy in selection processes, quality of offspring, and the critical impact of mare families. Utilizing detailed selection criteria (bonitirovka) based on origin, body size, exterior, activity, and quality of offspring, the research analyzes breeding practices and performance data, including results from the 2022 racing season. The findings revealed that lines such as Gelshikli, Gyrsakar, and Garlavach are key drivers of speed and that trait inheritance is heavily maternal (50%), a result that significantly influences the future direction of selection. The conclusion emphasizes that the quality and economic efficiency of breeding can be markedly improved by adopting a wider use of the cross-breeding method among the 17 lines and, most importantly, by establishing and formally cultivating mare families within state stud farms.

Bio-preservation has emerged as a natural and sustainable approach to suppress biological and chemical hazards, which constitute major food concerns. Probiotics not only provide several health benefits, like improvement of intestinal microbiota, gut barrier function, and digestion and stimulation of immune responses, but also reduction of inflammation. But also, it represents one of the fastest-growing areas of bio preservation, as it enhances the quality as well as safety and maintains the nutritional and organoleptic attributes of fortified products. Such effects could be achieved through different mechanisms including the antimicrobial compounds production (i.e., organic acid, hydrogen peroxide, bacteriocins, and exopolysaccharides) as well as competition for binding sites or nutrient uptake. However, challenges such as strain stability and survival in the dairy matrix and gastrointestinal tract (GIT), regulatory approval, and validation of health benefits limit probiotic large-scale applications. Additionally, probiotics can mitigate chemical hazards through different mechanisms; however, research on chemical hazard mitigation and application in dairy products is still limited. Thus, this review sheds light on the probiotics particularly isolated from dairy products, highlighting their health-promoting impacts, selection criteria, antimicrobial activity, safety assessment, and their recent technological benefits applications along with their role in controlling biological hazards in various food matrices. Furthermore, this review explored their potential role as a biodegradation strategy for controlling chemical contaminants in various dairy matrices along with the challenges associated with their broad applications and the future perspectives to overcome these challenges.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have become a major global health concern, further limiting the already restricted therapeutic options for complicated bacterial infections. Therefore, investigating this issue is essential for improving our understanding of the prevalence of MDR status in cats with otitis. Accordingly, this study aimed to isolate and identify MDR bacteria from cats with otitis in Mosul, Iraq. A total of 64 ear swabs were collected from cats with otitis. Standard bacterial isolation and identification techniques were followed to recover the most common bacteria. Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) was performed to identify MDR properties of the isolated bacteria. Molecular identification was used to confirm the bacterial species and to detect antimicrobial resistance genes at the molecular level. Only 24 out of 64 (37.5%) yielded bacterial isolates were obtained, which included Staphylococcus aureus (11/24, 45.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9/24, 37.5%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (4/24, 16.7%). The AST results for all 24 isolates revealed high resistance to several antibiotics: methicillin and trimethoprim (21/24, 87.5%), and tetracycline and cefotaxime (20/24, 83.3%). Additionally, MDR bacteria were detected in 70.8% (17/24) of the isolates studied, with the majority belonging to P. aeruginosa. The isolated bacteria were successfully identified by PCR at the species level by amplification of specific genes, including nuc gene for S. aureus and the 16S rRNA gene for both P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae. Furthermore, the methicillin resistance gene (mecA) was detected in S. aureus isolates, and the cefotaxime resistance gene (blaCTX-M) was detected in both P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae isolates. The detection of MDR bacteria in pet cats with otitis suggests their potential role as reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. This highlights the urgent need to raise pet owners’ awareness of the risk of bacterial resistance transmission and emphasizes the need for responsible antimicrobial use in veterinary practice.

Dietary yeast-derived products, particularly live yeast (Saccharomyces boulardii, SB) and yeast cell wall (YCW), are gaining attention as nutraceuticals for improving working dog health and performance under nutritional and environmental challenges. This study compared SB and YCW supplementation effects on nutritional, metabolic, and gut-health biomarkers in working dogs. Fifteen adult German Shepherd dogs (3.7 ± 0.5 years; 27.2 ± 0.8 kg) were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 5) for 50 days: Control (basal diet), SB (basal diet + 2 × 10¹° CFU S. boulardii/kg food), and YCW (basal diet + 3 g YCW/kg food). Health parameters, fecal characteristics, immune and inflammatory biomarkers, microbiota, serum biochemical indices, oxidative stress, liver and kidney function, and gut barrier- and immune-related gene expression were assessed on days 0, 25, and 50. Body weight, body condition score, food intake, fecal score, and fecal moisture were unaffected (P > 0.05). Both supplements decreased fecal calprotectin, increased total bacterial and Lactobacillus counts, and reduced coliform counts (P < 0.05). Fecal IgA showed significant time and treatment × time effects (P < 0.05), with group differences at T3, although the treatment effect was non-significant (P = 0.07). SB and YCW reduced total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (P < 0.05). Supplementation also increased serum total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations with a lower albumin/globulin ratio, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and urea concentrations, and increased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) (P < 0.05). Gene expression analysis demonstrated increased expression of occludin and decreased expression of fatty acid-binding protein-2 (FABP2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-6 (TRAF6) (P < 0.05). Overall, SB and YCW produced comparable benefits and significantly outperformed the control. SB showed more favorable responses for lipid profile, urea, T-AOC, and FABP2, including benefits to intestinal barrier function. YCW showed more favorable responses in the protein profile and intestinal immunomodulation, particularly fecal IgA and calprotectin. Some of these differences were statistically significant, whereas others represented numerical trends; therefore, neither supplement can be considered universally superior, particularly given the limited sample size.

Phytobiotics and probiotics are widely used as functional feed additives in poultry production, yet their standalone application is frequently limited by the presence of antinutritional factors and colonization challenges. Fermentation has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these limitations synergistically by enhancing bioactive bioavailability and probiotic metabolic activity. This study investigated the effects of supplementing broiler chickens with L. acidophilus-fermented P. angulata fruit filtrate on their growth performance and physiological conditions. A total of 280 mixed-sex Cobb broiler chicks were allotted to four groups, each consisting of seven replicates with 10 chicks per pen. The groups included T0 (chicks received untreated drinking water), T1 (drinking water containing 1% P. angulata fruit filtrate), T2 (drinking water with 1% probiotic L. acidophilus), and T3 (drinking water with 1% L. acidophilus-fermented P. angulata fruit filtrate). During the 32-day experiment, body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly, while blood and internal organs were collected at day 32. Throughout the study, T3 exhibited a significantly lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to T0. The duodenal length in T2 and T3 was greater than in T1 but did not differ from T0. The relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius was higher in T1, T2, and T3 compared to T0. Thrombocyte counts were elevated in T1, T2, and T3 compared to T0. The concentrations of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), total protein, albumin and globulin in T3 were lower than in T0 and T1 but comparable to T2. Creatinine concentrations in T1 and T3 demonstrated a significant increase compared to T0. Compared to the control and T1 groups, T3 exhibited reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity; meanwhile, the treatment had no effect on malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In conclusion, L. acidophilus-fermented P. angulata fruit filtrate stimulated longitudinal growth of the duodenum, maintained hepatic health, reduced protein concentrations in the circulation, promoted bursa of Fabricius development, and mitigated free radical challenges as reflected by the reduced SOD activity.

This study investigated the efficacy of a modified plastination technique, based on Elnady method, which utilizes reduced amounts of acetone and glycerin to create anatomical models for teaching anatomy at the University of Constantine 1 in Algeria. Plastination is a preservation method that allows long-term specimen storage without excessive reliance on animal cadavers. Unlike conventional protocols, this modified approach significantly reduces operational burdens and equipment needs. This study emphasizes the need for accessible, cost-effective tissue preservation, particularly in budget-constrained laboratories. It also eliminates specialized infrastructure needs, making it practical for resource-limited settings. The modified technique produced realistic, durable, and flexible specimens while avoiding the high costs associated with conventional plastination. A wide range of specimens, including hearts, fetuses, brains, kidneys, and a sheep’s head, were effectively processed. The total processing time, from fresh tissue to the final preserved model, was approximately 9 to 19 weeks. Additionally, the finished specimens were odorless, safe to handle with bare hands, and showed minimal shrinkage thanks to the room-temperature acetone dehydration. The results demonstrated that the preserved specimens maintained their integrity and condition after three years at room temperature, highlighting the effectiveness of using reduced reagent quantities. This confirms that reduced reagent volumes adequately preserve tissues and maintain clear structural details, even with limited acetone. The article concludes that this approach could revolutionize anatomy education and related disciplines in laboratories with limited budgets.

Bladder augmentation remains a surgical challenge, particularly in maintaining graft viability and achieving functional bladder regeneration. Although demucosalized intestinal grafts have shown regenerative potential, the use of non-vascularized demucosalized jejunal free grafts has not been previously investigated. This study compared vascularized versus non-vascularized demucosalized jejunal grafts for bladder augmentation in dogs and assessed whether omental pedicle flap coverage promotes regeneration in the non-vascularized demucosalized free grafts. Eighteen healthy adult male dogs were randomly allocated into two equal groups (n=9). Group I underwent bladder augmentation using a vascularized demucosalized jejunal flap (VDJF), while Group II received a non-vascularized demucosalized jejunal free graft (NVDJG), wrapped with an omental pedicle flap. Clinical evaluation, laparoscopy, and histopathological examinations were performed at 15, 30, and 60 days postoperatively. All animals recovered without major complications. Laparoscopic examination showed successful graft integration, progressive healing, and no evidence of urine leakage, graft necrosis, or wound dehiscence in either group. Histopathological findings demonstrated progressive bladder wall regeneration in both groups, characterized by angiogenesis, granulation tissue formation, urothelial regeneration, smooth muscle development, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Most histological parameters didn’t differ significantly between groups (P < 0.05); although the group ? showed slightly more advanced tissue organization, especially in fibrous connective tissue maturation, it was significantly greater at 60 days. Both techniques achieved satisfactory structural regeneration by the end of the study. These findings suggest that both vascularized and omentum-supported non-vascularized demucosalized jejunal grafts are effective for bladder augmentation in dogs. Omental coverage appears to enhance the survival and regenerative potential of free jejunal grafts, offering a practical alternative when preservation of the mesenteric vascular pedicle is not feasible.

Rabies remains one of the deadliest zoonotic diseases worldwide and continues to represent a major public health challenge in North Africa. Despite longstanding national control programmes, comprehensive national assessments integrating human and animal rabies surveillance within a One Health framework remain limited in Algeria. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of human and animal rabies and to assess selected surveillance indicators and rabies control activities in Algeria during 2018–2024. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using official national surveillance data obtained from the Algerian Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Human and animal rabies cases, outbreak foci, affected animal species, geographical distribution, vaccination activities, healthcare-seeking behaviour following animal exposure, and bite characteristics were analysed. Descriptive statistics and exploratory Spearman’s rank correlation analyses were performed using R software (version 4.4.1). Between 2018 and 2024, Algeria reported 101 human rabies deaths, with 11–20 deaths annually and a persistent predominance of males (male-to-female ratio: 2.5–14.0). The Tell region accounted for 56.4% of reported human cases, whereas the Sahara region accounted for only a limited proportion. Dogs were the principal source of reported human rabies exposure and accounted for 55% of reported animal rabies cases. Delayed healthcare-seeking increased after 2020, reaching 73.3% in 2022 and 76.9% in 2023, and remained high at 66.7% in 2024. During the study period, the national veterinary surveillance system recorded 4,253 reported animal rabies cases and 3,040 outbreak foci. Reported animal rabies cases showed a strong positive correlation with outbreak foci (Spearman’s ? = 0.81), whereas a weak negative correlation was observed between annual human and animal rabies cases (? = -0.03). Vaccination of domestic carnivores decreased between 2018 and 2020 before increasing thereafter, and 47,994 domestic carnivores were vaccinated during the 2024 World Rabies Day campaign. Rabies remains endemic in Algeria despite ongoing control efforts. Strengthening mass dog vaccination, integrated One Health surveillance, responsible dog ownership, sustainable management of free-roaming dog populations, public awareness, and timely access to post-exposure prophylaxis are essential to support the WHO–WOAH–FAO Zero by 30 strategy.

Phytogenic feed additives have emerged as promising natural alternatives for improving broiler productivity, health, and product quality while reducing reliance on antibiotic growth promoters. This study evaluated the effects of two commercial phytogenic drinking-water supplements, CX Tonic® and WINTERS®, on growth performance, litter quality, immune response, meat traits, and histopathological characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 300 one-day-old Avian-480 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group receiving untreated drinking water, a CX Tonic® group receiving 0.25 mL/L CX Tonic® in drinking water, and a WINTERS® group receiving 0.25 mL/L WINTERS® during weeks 1–3 and 0.50 mL/L during weeks 4–5 in drinking water. The experiment lasted 35 days. Both phytogenic supplements significantly improved final body weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) compared with the control group (P < 0.05), with the greater improvement observed in the CX Tonic® group. Litter moisture content was significantly reduced, particularly in the WINTERS® group, whereas total aerobic bacterial counts were not significantly affected. WINTERS® supplementation resulted in the highest antibody titer against avian influenza virus (H5N1) and significantly increased bursal and splenic histomorphometric indices, indicating enhanced the immune organ development. In contrast, Newcastle disease virus (NDV) antibody titers were numerically higher in the supplemented groups, particularly with WINTERS® but differences were not significant (P > 0.05). Both phytogenic products improved breast meat quality by increasing moisture content and reducing total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), fat content, and lipid oxidation. The most favorable meat quality characteristics were observed in the CX Tonic® group. Histological examination demonstrated normal hepatic and renal architecture in all groups, confirming the safety of both supplements. In conclusion, phytogenic supplementation through drinking water improved broiler performance, meat quality, and health status. CX Tonic® was more effective in enhancing growth and meat quality, whereas WINTERS® showed superior immunomodulatory effects.

Cutaneous myiasis, also known as flystrike or blowfly strike, occurs when parasitic fly larvae (maggots) hatch from eggs deposited in damp, soiled, or wounded wool and feed on the living tissue of the host. Traumatic myiasis in sheep is a serious animal welfare problem that imposes substantial economic losses on the global livestock industry through reduced meat and wool production. Despite its impact, few studies have combined clinical, morphological, haematological and histopathological findings with molecular confirmation of the causative larvae in domestic sheep. This study aimed to characterize cutaneous myiasis in sheep in the Basrah governorate, Iraq, through an integrated clinical, morphological, haematological, histopathological, and molecular (PCR) approach. A total of 88 sheep with skin lesions and 15 clinically healthy sheep (control group) were examined. The predominant clinical findings among the 70 confirmed sheep were lethargy and general weakness, pale mucous membranes, inappetence, cutaneous wounds, foul odour, localized wound pain, swelling with erythema, wound exudation, visible larvae within the skin and local hyperthermia, each recorded in 100% of cases. Among 88 infected sheep, larvae from 70 were identified to species level by morphological and molecular (COX-1 gene) examination, comprising four species: Chrysomya bezziana (37.14%), C. albiceps (28.57%), C. megacephala (18.57%), and Calliphora vicina (15.71%). Infected sheep showed a significant increase (P = 0.05) in white blood cell count (22.99 ± 4.83 × 10³/µL) and significant decreases in RBC (7.35 ± 0.75 × 106/µL), Hb (7.55 ± 0.68 g/dl), PCV (23.00 ± 2.10%), and MCV (31.29 ± 1.72 Fl) compared with controls. Consistent with microcytic, normochromic anaemia of inflammation, coagulation parameters (D-dimer, platelet count, fibrinogen) were also significantly elevated, while LDH remained unchanged. Histopathological examination revealed extensive destruction of the epidermis and dermis with dense inflammatory cell infiltration. These results showed that cutaneous myiasis in sheep was a systemic disease with complex clinical, haematological, and coagulation abnormalities rather than a localized skin lesion. This highlights the need for early clinical diagnosis, combined morphological–molecular confirmation, and timely intervention to reduce economic losses and improve welfare in sheep-rearing areas (Basrah governorate).

Indigenous (village) chickens are fundamental to rural livelihoods, household nutrition, and economic resilience among smallholders in developing countries across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Despite their local adaptation, multi-faceted bottlenecks, such as inadequate nutrition, high disease mortality, unstructured breeding, and weak market integration, severely constrain productivity. While existing literature frequently examines these constraints in isolation, this review addresses a critical knowledge gap by synthesizing how nutrition, health, genetics, and socioeconomic frameworks interact within resource-constrained smallholder environments. This article systematically evaluates evidence-based interventions tailored to small-scale poultry systems. The synthesized evidence demonstrates that single-factor interventions yield limited long-term impact; instead, sustainable productivity gains require synchronized entry points, including community-based selection programs, strategic supplementation using local feed resources, low-cost biosecurity and vaccination protocols, and gender-equitable value-chain development. Furthermore, this review establishes a novel framework that illustrates the synergistic interactions among genotype, nutrient availability, and environmental management under village conditions.