Background and Aim: Small ruminants require vaccines to prevent and manage diseases. Unfortunately, no studies have been conducted in Bangladesh to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of small ruminant farmers (SRF) regarding vaccine use against infectious diseases, affecting the success of vaccination campaigns. The present study aims to assess SRF’s KAP regarding vaccines, revealing gaps and barriers to efficient vaccination. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and twenty-eight SRF in northern Bangladesh were surveyed in a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from random participants through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. KAP levels were categorized as “good” or “poor” and “positive” or “negative” using a scoring method with a 60% cutoff. The analysis comprised the utilization of descriptive statistics as well as logistic regression models. Results: Results showed that most participants were female (60.5%), aged 31–40 (34.2%), with secondary education (28.1%), and vaccination training (22.8%). While 75% knew about vaccines, only 37.3% understood their role in preventing infectious diseases, and 63.6% in reducing antibiotic use 68.4% of farmers were aware of negative drawbacks, and 61.8% reported vaccinating their herds. About 42.1% of the farmers had good knowledge, 52.6% had a positive attitude, and 22.8% followed good practices. Female farmers with graduate degrees and 6–10 years of goat farming experience, but not those with vaccination training, demonstrated stronger knowledge. Female farmers with a graduate degree and 6–10 years of goat farming experience displayed positive attitudes. Female goat farmers from Thakurgaon had a higher likelihood of following good vaccination practices than those with vaccination training. Conclusion: The study unearths disparities in KAP scores among farmers. To effectively address KAP gaps concerning vaccine usage and prevent potential infectious diseases, it is essential to design focused educational and training programs. About 52.6% of SRF hold a positive view toward vaccines. Keywords: Bangladesh, knowledge, attitudes, and practices, small ruminant farmers, vaccine use.

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) Escherichia coli in poultry farming is a growing global public health concern, particularly in Bangladesh, where the use of antibiotics remains largely unregulated. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and AMR patterns of E. coli isolated from broiler chickens in Sylhet district of Bangladesh and to investigate the network of coexisting resistance traits among the isolates. A total of 130 samples (44 cloacal, 46 faecal, 21 liver and 19 intestinal) were collected from live and dead broiler chickens in the Sylhet district of Bangladesh from July 2020 to June 2021. E. coli was detected in 77.7% of samples by standard cultural and biochemical tests, with 65.4% confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the malB gene. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed complete (100%) resistance to tetracycline (TE), cloxacillin (CLOX) and co‐trimoxazole (COT), with 91.8% resistance to erythromycin (E). Gentamicin (GEN) exhibited intermediate resistance (69.4%), whereas azithromycin (AZM) was the most sensitive, with 58.8% of the isolates demonstrating susceptibility. Faecal samples had the highest E. coli prevalence (84.8%), and liver samples had the lowest (66.7%). All isolates demonstrated multidrug resistance (MDR) in different combinations, with over one‐third exhibiting resistance to six or more antibiotics. The coexistence network revealed that resistance to TE, CLOX and COT frequently occurred together, whereas GEN exhibited a distinct resistance pattern characterized by limited co‐resistance with other antibiotics. The findings of this study extend beyond local concerns, carrying global implications for food safety, and emphasize the urgent need for stricter antibiotic regulations to mitigate the zoonotic transmission of MDR E. coli to humans.Summary: The study reported a 77.7% prevalence of Escherichia coli in broiler chickens in Sylhet, Bangladesh with alarming resistance patterns, including complete (100%) resistance to several antibiotics (tetracycline, cloxacillin and co‐trimoxazole), underscoring an urgent public health concern. The results revealed critical resistance trends, showing that several antibiotics are losing their effectiveness, which could threaten sustainable poultry farming and food safety. The correlation and coexistence network analysis identified frequent resistance linkages among specific antibiotics, suggesting shared pathways that could drive co‐selection in resistant E. coli populations. The study emphasizes the pressing need for stricter antibiotic regulations, enhanced AMR surveillance and improved biosecurity measures to mitigate the spread of multidrug‐resistant E. coli, with implications for both human and animal health.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) poses a significant threat to Bangladesh's poultry industry, causing substantial economic losses every year. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MG infection in turkeys using serum plate agglutination (SPA), enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Sylhet, Bangladesh from December 2019 to November 2020. In addition, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of these tests and identified potential risk factors associated with MG infection. A total of 250 blood samples and 250 tracheal swabs were collected from suspected turkeys across 25 farms from three sub‐districts of Sylhet namely Sylhet Sadar, Golapganj and Beanibazar. Blood samples were tested with SPA and ELISA, while tracheal swabs were analysed by PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene of MG. The overall prevalence of MG was 35.2%, 29.2% and 25.6% for SPA, ELISA and PCR respectively. Higher infection rates were observed in turkeys aged 0–4 months (SPA 57.1%, ELISA 52%, PCR 42.8%), during winter (SPA 43.1%, ELISA 37.8%, PCR 30%) and among female turkeys (SPA 54.5%, ELISA 49.5%, PCR 45.5%). Geographically, the Beanibazar had the highest prevalence (SPA 54.2%, ELISA 48.6%, PCR 41.4%), compared to the Sylhet Sadar and Golapganj sub‐districts. Both SPA and ELISA tests showed 100% sensitivity, with specificity of 87.1% and 95.2%, respectively using PCR as a gold standard. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights for developing effective control measures for MG infections in the poultry industry of Bangladesh.

The aim of the study was to describe the scenario of the present condition of production and management system of dairy buffalo at Haor areas of Sylhet in Bangladesh. Data were collected between February 2019 and January 2020. Sixty dairy farmers and thirty indigenous dairy buffaloes were selected for the study purpose. All respondent farmers were male and 65% were in between 40 to 50 years of age. Parity number had a significant relation in response of body weight. Quality analysis of milk showed that buffaloes which were reared at Haor areas have more fat content on an average 7.88% than buffaloes which were reared conventional dairy farm containing 7.34%. Price of buffalo’s milk and meat were varied with the seasonal changes, lower in winter season. All farmers fed the buffaloes only with green grass in winter. Four major diseases of buffaloes were found in Haor areas where the percentage of foot and mouth diseases was 15.59% followed by black quarter (11.01%), anthrax (7.34%) and hemorrhagic septicemia (6.42%). The buffaloes were not dewormed so parasitic infestations dramatically increased and easily transferred from one to another. The farmers had not enough knowledge about regular vaccination. But in contrast with profitability, total benefit cost ratio from buffalo rearing was 1:1.56 annually.

Md Ashraful Islam, Obaidul Islam, Md Sodrul Islam, Sungryong Kim, Mohammed Mebarek Bia, Seongjun Choe, Ki-Jeong Na. J Vet Clin 2024;41:88-94. https://doi.org/10.17555/jvc.2024.41.2.88