The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of Q fever in sheep and goats in Kasur, Okara, and Pakpattan in the Punjab of Pakistan. Q fever is a widely reported zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella (C.) burnetii. The main reservoirs are small ruminants that excrete the bacteria in birth by-products in high numbers. Thus, the bacteria can also be detected in the air and the dust of livestock farms. The infection is often asymptomatic in ruminants, but it can lead to reproductive disorders. This cross-sectional study found that a significant number (n = 43; 11.3%) of 300 randomly selected small ruminants of nine tehsils were seropositive using a commercially available ELISA. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in goats (17.1%) than in sheep (4.9%). Binary logistic regression analysis proved that species, age, and breed have a significant effect on the prevalence of Q fever. Tick infestation, contact with animal fomites, contact with other animals, production system, and health status of an animal had a significant impact on the prevalence of Q fever. These findings on Q fever in animals can be used to improve the visibility of this zoonotic disease. These findings will help local health authorities to focus on the origin of the problem and facilitate applying preventive measures to the affected livestock farms.

Overuse of pesticides in agricultural soil and dye-polluted effluents severely contaminates the environment and is toxic to animals and humans making their removal from the environment essential. The present study aimed to assess the biodegradation of pesticides (cypermethrin (CYP) and imidacloprid (IMI)), and dyes (malachite green (MG) and Congo red (CR)) using biofilms of bacteria isolated from pesticide-contaminated soil and dye effluents. Biofilms of indigenous bacteria, i.e., Bacillus thuringiensis 2A (OP554568), Enterobacter hormaechei 4A (OP723332), Bacillus sp. 5A (OP586601), and Bacillus cereus 6B (OP586602) individually and in mixed culture were tested against CYP and IMI. Biofilms of indigenous bacteria i.e., Lysinibacillus sphaericus AF1 (OP589134), Bacillus sp. CF3 (OP589135) and Bacillus sp. DF4 (OP589136) individually and in mixed culture were tested for their ability to degrade dyes. The biofilm of a mixed culture of B. thuringiensis + Bacillus sp. (P7) showed 46.2% degradation of CYP compared to the biofilm of a mixed culture of B. thuringiensis + E. hormaechei + Bacillus sp. + B. cereus (P11), which showed significantly high degradation (70.0%) of IMI. Regarding dye biodegradation, a mixed culture biofilm of Bacillus sp. + Bacillus sp. (D6) showed 86.76% degradation of MG, which was significantly high compared to a mixed culture biofilm of L. sphaericus + Bacillus sp. (D4) that degraded only 30.78% of CR. UV–VIS spectroscopy revealed major peaks at 224 nm, 263 nm, 581 nm and 436 nm for CYP, IMI, MG and CR, respectively, which completely disappeared after treatment with bacterial biofilms. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis showed the appearance of new peaks in degraded metabolites and disappearance of a peak in the control spectrum after biofilm treatment. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis also confirmed the degradation of CYP, IMI, MG and CR into several metabolites compared to the control. The present study demonstrates the biodegradation potential of biofilm-forming bacteria isolated from pesticide-polluted soil and dye effluents against pesticides and dyes. This is the first report demonstrating biofilm-mediated bio-degradation of CYP, IMI, MG and CR utilizing soil and effluent bacterial flora from Multan and Sheikhupura, Punjab, Pakistan.

| Arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) are one of the greatest threats to aquatic biota for their persistence, bioaccumulation and biomagnification across the globe. This study presents the first hand data of toxic trace metals in edible fish muscles, sediments and water sampled from Head Punjnad (HP), Pakistan during 2017. The likely reason for the selection of HP as a study target was its emergent prominence as an irrigation hub and holidaymakers spot largely for angling and feasting. The investigated five fish species are Ctenopharyngodon idella , Oreochromis niloticus , Eutropiichthys vacha , Rita rita and Sperata sarwari . The results divulged the pattern of metals concentration in fish in the order of Cd > As > Hg. However, R. rita, O. niloticus and C. idella showed higher accumulation of the metals that clearly alluded to species-linked metal bioaccumulation, which might be due to their unique feeding mood. Cadmium presence ranged between 0.04 – 1.12 ppm while As and Hg fluctuated between 0.01 – 0.04 and 0.001 - 0.18 ppm, respectively. Conversely, higher bioaccumulation was detected in gills rather than the muscle tissues that evidently indicated gradual water quality degradation conceiving higher metal concentrations in the environment. Similarly, a higher concentration of Cd was observed in water (0.78 ppm) and sediment (0.64 ppm) samples. In acquiescence to the above-given outcomes, the metal concentration hierarchical arrangement in sediment and water was identical to the witnessed in fish species (Cd > As > Hg). In conclusion, this study established that selected metals level in HP water and sediments displayed levels higher than the permissible limits. However, As and Hg remained lower than the international guidelines for sediments. Cd showing the higher levels in edible tissues may produce toxic effects in the fish and its consumers, therefore, it is not safe to consume these studied fish species from Head Punjnad.

The medicinal attributes of honey appears to overshadow its importance as a functional food. Consequently, several literatures are rife with ancient uses of honey as complementary and alternative medicine, with relevance to modern day health care, supported by evidence-based clinical data, with little attention given to honey’s nutritional functions. The moisture contents of honey extracted from University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore honey bee farm was 12.19% while that of natural source was 9.03 ± 1.63%. Similarly, ash and protein contents of farmed honey recorded were 0.37% and 5.22%, respectively. Whereas ash and protein contents of natural honey were 1.70 ± 1.98% and 6.10 ± 0.79%. Likewise fat, dietary fiber and carbohydrates contents of farmed source documented were 0.14%, 1.99% and 62.26% respectively. Although fat, dietary fiber and carbohydrates contents of honey taken from natural resource were 0.54 ± 0.28%, 2.76 ± 1.07% and 55.32 ± 2.91% respectively. Glucose and fructose contents of honey taken out from honeybee farm were 27% and 34% but natural source were 22.50 ± 2.12% and 28.50 ± 3.54%. Glucose and fructose contents of honey taken out from honeybee farm were 27% and 34% but natural source were 22.50 ± 2.12% and 28.50 ± 3.54%. Similarly, sucrose and maltose contents of farmed honey were 2.5% and 12% while in natural honey were 1.35 ± 0.49% and 8.00 ± 1.41% respectively. The present study indicates that such as moisture, carbohydrates, sucrose and maltose contents were higher farmed honey as compared to the natural honey. In our recommendation natural honey is better than farmed honey.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different anti-stressors on growth performance, carcass traits, bloodchemistry and meat quality attributes of broiler Japanese quail. For this purpose, a total of 1,875 quail chicks were procured and arranged according to completely randomized design, birds were divided into 5 treatment groups having 5 replicates of 75 birds each. The treatments consisted of four anti-stressors i.e., synthetic anti-stressors (Vitamin C and Betaine) and natural anti-stressors (Turmeric and Chia Seed) along with a control group. Bird’s diets were supplemented with vitamin C, betaine, turmeric and chia seed @ 600 mg/kg, 700 mg /kg, 300 mg/kg and 7,000 mg/kg, respectively. After four weeks, 10 birds per treatment were slaughtered (Halal method), de-feathered, eviscerated and their carcass traits, serum chemistry and meat quality attributes were calculated. Birds supplemented with betaine revealed significantly (p≤0.05) lower feed intake, glucose, cholesterol, H:L ratio, better weight gain, times of gain, FCR and highest anti-oxidant assay and total viable count. However, carcass traits, processing traits and blood cortisol level did not differ (p>0.05) among the treatment groups. In conclusion, addition of anti-stressors (especially betaine) in the diet of growing Japanese quail had positive influence on growth and serum chemistry.