Sixty scavenging chickens from villages in Penang were examined for their state of nutrition or body condition and the presence of helminthic parasites. The majority of the chickens were of poor body condition. More than 66.7% (females) and 73.3% (males) belonged to the ‘below normal’ category of general body condition. A total of eight different helminth species were recovered from the trachea and the gastrointestinal tract of the various chickens. Four of the species were nematodes and the rest were cestodes. No trematodes were recovered from the chickens. The highest mean worm burden was recorded for the cestode Raillietina echinobothrida while the lowest was the nematode, Ascaridia galli.
The deposition of anticoagulant residues in the eggs of barn owls, Tyto alba by assessing eggshell thickness were
investigated in oil palm plantations. Three study plots were set aside; one plot each baited with chlorophacinone and
bromadiolone, respectively and the third was left unbaited. Four baiting campaigns were conducted on the rodenticide
designated plots, coinciding with the breeding seasons of T. alba. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
showed that 29.73% (n=37) and 5.35% (n=56) of addled eggs collected from rodenticide treated plots contained
bromadiolone and chlorophacinone, respectively, with mean concentration of residues from 0.009 to 0.031 µg/g wet
weight. None of the addled eggs (n=28) collected from the unbaited plot contained bromadiolone or chlorophacinone
residues. The detection of rodenticide residues in both albumen and yolk indicated high risk of secondary poisoning to
both compounds. However, low levels of residues detected have no effects on shape of egg, eggshell mass or thickness.
Penentuan jantina burung adalah penting untuk tujuan kajian ekologi dan biologi evolusi, serta program pembiakan dan konservasi terutamanya bagi burung yang mempunyai ciri monomorfik. Bagi burung pungguk jelapang Tyto alba, pengesahan jantina adalah penting untuk konservasi serta program pengenalan bagi kawalan tikus perosak. Penentuan jantina secara molekular untuk subspesies Asia Tenggara, Tyto alba javanica, telah dijalankan menggunakan Reaksi Rantai Polimerase (PCR) diikuti 3% gel agaros elektroforesis. Primer P2/P8 and 2550F/2718R untuk amplifikasi gen CHD (Chromo Helicase DNA-binding gene) diuji dan kedua-dua set primer memberi keputusan yang berjaya. Set primer 2550F/2718R memberi hasil yang lebih baik kerana jurang di antara jalur berganda lebih terang. DNA yang diekstrak dari darah, darah yang dicairkan, serta DNA yang diekstrak dari bulu burung digunakan untuk menentukan jantina burung. DNA yang diekstrak dari bulu memberi keputusan yang kurang memuaskan akibat pencemaran serta kuantiti DNA yang rendah. Penentuan jantina menggunakan darah yang dicairkan merupakan kaedah yang menjimatkan kos serta masa. Penjujukan gen CHD dari Tyto alba javanica menunjukkan 98% hingga 99% kesamaan identiti bila dibandingkan gen CHD Tyto alba alba.