Computer-based, 2 hours, 120 questions: Part A 20 (general agriculture, animal husbandry, current events), Part B 50 (core group), Part C 50 (specialised subject). +4 / -1, maximum 480.
Sections
Core group 05: AGB, Animal Nutrition, LPM, LPT, Poultry Science
Core group 06: Parasitology, VPH & Epidemiology, Microbiology, Pathology
Core group 07: Medicine, Pharmacology & Toxicology, ARGO, Surgery & Radiology, Anatomy
Core group 08: Physiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology
Veterinary Extension is also admitted
Over the years
Called AICE-JRF/SRF (PGS) around 2019 (secondary). The 2025 and 2026 bulletins have the same format.
Original questions written to this exam's published syllabus and pattern. Not past papers.
1. Using the standard vertebral formulae, how many more presacral (cervical + thoracic + lumbar) vertebrae does the horse have than the ox?
0
6
12
5
Answer and working
D. 5
Horse C7 + T18 + L6 = 31; ox C7 + T13 + L6 = 26; difference = 5. Answering 0 counts only the cervical and lumbar vertebrae, which are equal in the two species (7 + 6); 6 and 12 do not follow from the formulae (the thoracic difference alone is 18 - 13 = 5), and caudal vertebrae are not presacral in any case. Individual variation in lumbar count exists, so this uses the textbook formulae.
Veterinary Gross Anatomy · Comparative osteology
2. A pathologist wants to confirm that the fine vacuoles in hepatocytes of a cat are lipid. Which is the most appropriate method?
Oil red O on a frozen section
Masson's trichrome on a paraffin section
PAS with and without diastase on a paraffin section
Perls' Prussian blue on a paraffin section
Answer and working
A. Oil red O on a frozen section
Lipid is dissolved out by the alcohol and xylene of paraffin processing, leaving empty vacuoles; frozen sections stained with oil red O (or Sudan dyes) retain and colour it. PAS with diastase would identify glycogen, which also causes clear vacuoles but is a different substance; trichrome shows collagen; Perls' shows iron.
3. Extracellular potassium is 4 mmol/L and intracellular potassium 140 mmol/L. Using the Nernst equation at body temperature (61.5 mV x log10[out/in]), what is the potassium equilibrium potential?
About -61.5 mV
About +95 mV
About -95 mV
About -219 mV
Answer and working
C. About -95 mV
E = 61.5 x log10(4/140) = 61.5 x log10(0.0286) = 61.5 x (-1.544) = -95.0 mV, about -95 mV. The inside is negative because potassium leaks out. +95 mV is a sign slip (in/out inverted); -219 mV comes from using the natural log with the log10 constant; -61.5 mV is the constant alone.
Veterinary Physiology I: Body Fluids, Blood, Circulation, Respiration and Excretion · Cellular basis of physiology
4. Which enzyme starts the activation cascade of pancreatic proteases in the duodenum?
Pepsin from the stomach
Trypsin inhibitor from the pancreas
Enteropeptidase of the brush border
Aminopeptidase of the brush border acting on trypsinogen
Answer and working
C. Enteropeptidase of the brush border
Enteropeptidase converts trypsinogen to trypsin, and trypsin then activates chymotrypsinogen, procarboxypeptidases and more trypsinogen. Pepsin works in the stomach and is inactivated at duodenal pH; trypsin inhibitor protects the pancreas and does the opposite.
Veterinary Physiology II: Digestion, Muscle, Nerve, Endocrinology, Reproduction, Lactation, Growth and Climate · Digestion in monogastric animals
5. Aspartic acid has pKa values of 2.09 (alpha-carboxyl), 3.86 (side-chain carboxyl) and 9.82 (amino). What is its isoelectric point?
5.955
6.840
2.975
5.257
Answer and working
C. 2.975
For an acidic amino acid the neutral (zwitterionic) form lies between the two carboxyl dissociations, so pI = (2.09 + 3.86)/2 = 2.975. Averaging the alpha-carboxyl and amino pKa gives 5.955; averaging side chain and amino gives 6.840; averaging all three gives 5.257.
Veterinary Biochemistry · Biomolecules and their interactions
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