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Health Assessment In Captive Asiatic Elephants (Elephas maximus)

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Title Health Assessment In Captive Asiatic Elephants (Elephas maximus)
 
Creator Senthilkumar, A.
 
Contributor Jayathangaraj, M.G.
Gomathinayagam, S.
Valli, C.
Thangavelu, A.
 
Subject Chemical composition
Proximate analysis
Minerals-Fibre
Probiotic
E.coli-Salmonella
Endoparasite
Management
 
Description The study was carried out to estimate the chemical composition of feed
materials (concentrate and fodder crops) which comprised proximate analysis related
factors like dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, nitrogen free extract,
total ash and Acid Insoluble Ash, minerals like calcium, phosphorus and sodium
chloride, fibre fractions comprising of neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre,
hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin. Further, digestibility was estimated in all the
temple elephants (n=25) and subsequent to supplementation of Probiotic bacteria
comprising of Genus Lactobacillus and Bifiodobacterium in elephants (n=10) with
low digestibility. In elephants with diarrhea (n=8), dung and water samples were
examined to rule out evidences of micro organisms like E.coli and Genus Salmonella.
Endoparasitic prevalence was also revealed in summer and winter seasons.
Druing the study of proximate composition in different concentrate
ingredients, Eleusine corocana (Ragi) was found to have significantly lowest amount
of crude protein (6.07±0.02) and Cicer aritinum (Black gram) was found to have
significantly highest crude protein (23.13±0.06), when compared to the other feed
ingredients. Crude fibre content was significantly lowest in Oryza sativa (White
flaked rice) (0.11± 0.00) and was significantly highest in Cicer aritinum (Bengal
gram) (7.73±0.04). Significantly lowest values for ether extract, nitrogen free extract,
total ash and acid soluble ash were encountered in the feed ingredients – Oryza sativa
(Rice), Cicer aritinum (Bengal gram), Oryza sativa (Rice) and Macrotyloma
uniflorum (White Horse Gram), respectively, and significantly highest values for ether
extract, nitrogen free extract, total ash and acid soluble ash were encountered in the
feed ingredients-Cicer aritinum (Bengal Gram), Oryza sativa (White flaked rice),
Macrotyloma uniflorum (White Horse gram) and Oryza sativa (Rice), respectively.
The calcium and phosphorus in per cent were significantly lowest in the Oryza sativa
(white flaked rice) (0.23±0.01) and Oryza sativa (Rice) (0.14±0.00) respectively.The
calcium and phosphorus in per cent were significantly highest in the Cicer aritinum
(Bengal gram) (0.50±0.01) and Eleusine corocana (Ragi) (0.33±0.00). Among the
fibre fractions examined, the lignin content was significantly lowest in Eleusine
corocanai (Ragi) (0.33±0.00) and was significantly highest in Macrotyloma
uniflorum (Black horse gram) (0.15±0.00).
The crude protein content was significantly lowest in Onchlandra species
(Nanal grass) (3.73±0.14) and was significantly highest in Fig tree leaves Ficus carica
(Fig tree leaves) (14.30±1.92). Crude fibre content was significantly lowest in
Sccharum officinarum (Sugarcane tops) (23.23±0.73) and was significantly highest in
Hybrid grass (CO3) (33.77±0.43). Significantly lowest and highest values for ether
extract, nitrogen free extract, total ash and acid soluble ash were revealed in various
fodder crops under study. Calcium and phosphorus in per cent were significantly
lowest in the Sccharum officinarum (Sugarcane tops) (0.02±0.01) and Banyan tree
leaves Ficus bengalensis (Banyan tree leaves) (0.02±0.00), respectively and both of
these minerals were significantly highest in the Ficus carica (Fig tree leaves)
(0.26±0.04 and 0.12±0.01), respectively. Sodium chloride values in per cent
significantly highest in Sccharum officinarum (Sugarcane tops). The lignin content
was significantly lowest in Ficus bengalensis (Banyan tree leaves) (0.94±0.05) and
was significantly highest in Sccharum officinarum (Sugarcane tops) (6.02±0.15).
Dry matter digestibility in per cent was revealed for 25 elephants.
Identification of Probiotic bacteria-Genus Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium was
carried out using suitable culture methods from the elephant dung samples. The
amplicon sizes were 233 bp and 1550 bp for Genus Lactobacillus and the amplicon
sizes were 777 bp and 1350 bp for Genus Bifidobacteria. Subsequent to bulk culture
and supplementation at the rate of 1 gram of Probiotic preparation with 1x109 CFU of
Genus Lactobacillus and 1x109 CFU of Bifidobacterium orally per 50 kg body weight
in 10 elephants, through concentrate feeds, on a daily basis for ten days, the
digestibility improved in 9 elephants.
Overall examination of dung and water samples related to the diarrheic
elephants revealed that 75.00% (n=6) of the samples were positive, for Genus
Salmonella and E.coli organisms. Culture and PCR were carried out for identification
of these organisms.
In summer season, mean + Standard Error of EPG of Strongyles,
Strongyloides spp. and mixed parasitic infections comprising of these parasites were
153.17 ± 3.95, 177.00 ± 4.75 and 243.33 ± 11.21, respectively and in winter season,
the Strongyles, Strongyloides spp. and mixed parasitic infections comprising of these
parasites were 150.25 ± 5.57, 165.67 ± 2.72 and 224.00 ± 0.00, respectively.
Management measures were recommended for the captive elephants reared
in temples with regard to feeds and supplementation of Probiotics-Genus
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium to the feeds of elephants was also recommended
and use of disinfectant like glutaraldehyde was also suggested in the elephant
enclosures in addition to usage of effective anthelmintics.
 
Date 2016-05-24T17:05:13Z
2016-05-24T17:05:13Z
2014
 
Type Thesis
 
Identifier http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/66289
 
Language en
 
Format application/pdf
 
Publisher Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University