Optimum production plan for maize-based crop farmers in Niger State, Nigeria

The study tried to address optimum production plan for maize-based crop farmers in Niger State, Nigeria. Primary data were collection with the aid of a structured questionnaire. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting a total of 133 farm households engaged in maize-based crop production. The results showed that maize-based arable crop production in the study area is predominantly male activity, with a mean age of 37 years. The average household size of the respondents was 5 persons. Majority (86.46%) of the farmers had one form of formal education ranging from tertiary, primary, secondary and adult education. Also, 81.95% of the farmers earned less than ₦100,000 per annum from off-farm activities. An average farmer had 20 years of farming experience and cultivated 1.88 ha of land. Linear programming solution prescribed maize/soybeans on 1.1988 ha and maize/cowpea on 0.0468 ha respectively in the optimum farm plans for the farmers. It also indicated gross margin could be increased from ₦120,122.73 ha−1 in the existing crop production plan to ₦211,555.70 ha−1 in the prescribed optimum crop production plan. It was concluded that production inputs were not optimally utilized and that crop mixtures were in a better competitive position than sole crop to increase the farmers’ income in maize-based crop production systems in Niger State. It was recommended that farmers should produce crop mixtures maize/soybeans and maize/cowpea based on their hectarage allocation as prescribed in the optimum farm plans and that farm advisory services should give attention to optimum cropping patterns towards promoting increased agricultural productivity among farmers.Keywords: linear programming, sole crop, crop mixtures, incom

Performance characteristics, nutrient digestibility and blood profile of rabbits fed diets containing graded levels of Moringa oleifera seed powder

A ten-week feeding trial was conducted to determine the performance, nutrient digestibility and blood profile of rabbits fed diets containing graded levels of Moringa oleifera seed powder (MSP). Twenty-four male growing rabbits of mixed breeds were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments. Each treatment group was further sub-divided into three (3) replicates of two (2) rabbits each in a completely randomized design (CRD). Four diets were formulated to include MSP at varying inclusion levels of 0, 0.5, 1 and 2% for treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively, which were pelletized. Feed and water were provided ad-libitum. Data were collected on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of rabbits fed the experimental diet while at the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected to determine the effect of different inclusion levels of MSP on haematological and serum biochemical indices of rabbits. Result revealed that the average daily feed intake (68.76-78.93g) decreased significantly (p<0.05) across the dietary treatments as the MSP inclusion levels increased but a rise was noticed at the highest inclusion level of MSP (T4). The weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were not significantly influenced (p >0.05) by the dietary treatments. No significant differences (P>0.05) among treatments were observed on all the blood profile except the lymphocyte, monocytes, total protein and globulin. Rabbits on T4 recorded the highest values in total protein (6.91 g/dl) and globulin (3.03 g/dl). Digestibility studies however showed that all the parameters were significantly affected (p<0.05) by dietary treatments in which rabbits on T2 had the highest dry matter (82.03%), crude protein (62.23%) and ash (89.48%) digestibility values. It can be concluded that Moringa oleifera seed powder (MSP) can be supplemented in growing rabbit’s diet without any deleterious effects on performance, blood profile and nutrient digestibility.Keywords: Moringa oleifera, Performance, Blood profile, Nutrient digestibility, Rabbit

Effects of Calcitriol Supplementation on the Hematological Parameters of Sleep Deprived Wistar Rats

The present study investigates the hematologic effect of Calcitriol on rats undergoing sleep deprivation. Male Wistar rats were treated with Calcitriol 120 ng/kg and subjected to sleep deprivation for four successive days. Twenty four hour after last injection, animals were sacrificed and blood was collected for haematological analysis. A four-day sleep restriction caused a decline in total white cell count and increased mean cell hemoglobin and mean cell volume. Furthermore, red blood cell count, packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration and mean cell hemoglobin concentration also declined in sleep deprived rats. Peripheral blood cell examination revealed that these effects were mild in rats treated with calcitriol. Our findings showed that a four-day paradoxical sleep restriction altered the biochemical integrity of erythrocytes. The observed immunosuppressive effects of sleep deprivation were reversed by exogenous vitamin D supplement, calcitriol. However, only the functional haemoglobin component of red cells was enhanced by a high dose of calcitriol which appears unbeneficial for other units of the erythroid-forming processes. It is therefore possible that the erythrocytic enhancing power of calcitriol is dose dependent and we suggest that lower doses (<120ng/kg) may be required to produce beneficial effects on erythropoiesis

Demand Side Management potentials for mitigating energy poverty in South Africa

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd South Africa is severally posited to be Africa's most industrialized nation with an economy heavily reliant on energy. With depleted electricity reserve margin which led to massive load shedding and rationing of electricity in 2008, Eskom has stepped up the construction of additional power plants to cover for growing supply deficits. Emerging trends however favour Demand Side Management (DSM) initiatives as alternatives to building additional supply capacity due to environmental and economic constraints. This research evaluates the electricity per capita for 2007, 2011 and 2016 on provincial basis assuming 100% and 36.8% residential sector consumption of generated electricity to show declining electricity per capita values. A scenario simulation (for 100%, 50% and 30% household participation) of cloth washers and cloth dryers optimal dispatch is then modelled to show the enormous DSM potentials in terms of electricity cost reduction and supply flexibility. A modified genetic algorithm (MGA) is used in the dispatch of participating loads on the Medupi power plant which has been modelled to operate with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology. DSM potentials of 6938.34 MW, 3469.18 MW and 2081.51 MW are computed for 100%, 50% and 30% household participation for cloth washers and cloth dryers

Wpływ wdrożenia programów rozwoju obszarów wiejskich na dochody: studium przypadku na podstawie Projektu Rozwoju Rolnictwa i Obszarów Wiejskich opartego na społeczności lokalnej w stanie Kwara (Nigeria)

Globally, governments initiate various programmes to address income poverty among rural farmers. However, studies that focus on the impact of such programmes on farmers&rsquo; income are either scanty or non-existent, especially in developing countries, including Nigeria. Therefore, this study examines the impact of Community-Based Agriculture and Rural Development Project (CBARDP) in Kwara State, Nigeria. Data were obtained from 120 respondents comprising 60 benefi ciaries and 60 non-benefi ciaries of the programme. Descriptive statistics and double-diff erence estimator were used for the data analysis. The study showed that there was 46.3% increase in the income of the benefi ciaries while the non-benefi ciaries had just 7.4% increase. The study further revealed that there was a positive income diff erence of N151.27 in favour of the benefi ciaries of the project. However, the constraints to deriving a full impact of the programme by the benefi ciaries were: lack of commitment by the facilitators, lack of technical know-how, poor transportation system and inadequacy of the equipment provided. The study therefore recommends policies aimed at overhauling the activities of the facilitators, improving the technical skill of the benefi ciaries, improving the transportation system and providing the benefi ciaries with more equipment

Do HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy influence multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment outcomes?

The aim of this study was to find out whether human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection and antiretroviral drugs influence multidrug-resistant (MDR)-tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes. The study compares MDR-TB treatment outcomes between HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. It involved patients admitted for treatment of MDR-TB between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2006. From 363 patients selected, 268 (177 males and 91 females) had MDR-TB and 95 patients (59 males and 36 females) were co-infected with HIV. Children in the HIV-negative group were 41 and 7 in the HIV-positive group. The HIV-infection was treated with Stavudine, Lamivudine and Efavirenz in 54 patients. Kanamycin, Ethionamide, Ofloxacin, Terizidone, Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol were used for MDR-TB treatment. In HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients MDR-TB treatment outcomes were, respectively as follows: 37 and 35% cure, 9 and 5% treatment failure, 20 and 25% lost to follow up, 11 and 17% mortality, 19 and 13% treatment completed, 6 and 5% transfer-out. The cure rate was 100% in children. In HIV-positive patients, MDR-TB cure rate was 35% in patients on ARVs and 34% in patients not receiving ARVs. The difference between these cure rates is not statistically significant (p-value = 0.79). The median (range) duration of ART before the start of MDR-TB treatment was 10.5 (1 to 60) months and did not influence MDR-TB treatment outcomes. In children, the full treatment was supervised in hospital. This could explain the 100% cure rate. Adults’ treatment was supervised in hospital only during the intensive phase then followed up as out patients over 18 months. According to the results of this study, HIV-infection and antiretroviral therapy did not influence MDR-TB treatment outcomes.Web of Scienc

Risky sexual behaviors and prevalence of chlamydia trachomatis antibodies among students in a tertiary institution

Chlamydia infection is a common sexually transmitted infection in humans caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. This infection occurs frequently in sexually active adolescent and young adults. This study determined the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies among students involved in risky sexual behavior in a tertiary institution. A total of 92 students consisting of 46 males and 46 females between ages 16 and 25 years who were involved in risky sexual behaviors were investigated. Gamma immunoglobulin (IgG) and Mu immunoglobulin (IgM) antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis were assayed in the serum of the students using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Of the total students, 71.9% had multiple sex partners while 28.3% had single sex partners. The overall prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis IgG and IgM antibodies were 56.5% and 40.2% respectively. Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis IgG and IgM, though more in ages 16-20 is not statistically significant (p&gt;0.05) over higher ages. No significant difference was recorded in the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies among gender. A very significant difference (p&lt;0.05) was recorded among students involved in multiple sex partnership in relation to those having single sex partners. Risk of Chlamydia trachomatis was high among sexually active students especially among students involved in multiple sex partnership behavior. In view of the subtle nature of Chlamydia trachomatis infection and the long term deleterious effects it may produce, it is pertinent to campaign against risky sexual activities, especially among students in higher institutions to reduce the rate of infection and safeguard their future

Effect of six-weekly harvests on the yield, chemical composition and dry matter degradability of Panicum maximum and Stylosanthes hamata in Nigeria

The dry matter (DM) yield and degradability of 6-week-old harvests of tropical forages were measured over a season. The forages were nitrogen-fertilized Guinea grass (Panicum maximum, NFG), unfertilized Guinea grass (UFG), Verano stylo (Stylosanthes hamata,VS), a Guinea grassVerano stylo mixture (GSM) and Guinea grass in the grassVerano stylo mixture (GGSM). Six-week-old forages were made possible through a cutting regime, which produced four harvests in the growing season. The DM yields of the forages differed significantly (P < 0·001) and showed a significant reduction (P < 0·01) across the season. Crude protein and neutral-detergent fibre concentrations were significantly (P < 0·01) different between the forages but there was no difference between harvests. The DM degradability of the forages at all harvests were significantly (P < 0·001) different with differences in the soluble fraction (a), degradable fraction (b), potential degradability (PD) and effective degradability (ED), but rate of degradability (c) did not show any significant difference between the forages. Significant (P < 0·01) differences were found between harvests for b and PD, and for the interaction between forage and harvest for b, PD and ED but were not found for the a and c fractions. Both the PD and ED values of all the forages fell with advancing harvests. Although the 6-week-old harvests of forage were found not to influence the characteristic reduction in yield of tropical grasses over time, it is concluded that such a management system could be used to obtain forage of relatively high nutritive value during the growing season

Potentials of plantain peel and Tithonia diversifolia leaves as soil amendments in enhancing performance and nutritional contents of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Screen house experiment was conducted in 2020 at the Landmark University Teaching and Research Farm Omu-aran, Kwara State. The experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential of dried unripe plantain peel and Tithonia diversifolia as soil amendments and its effect on growth, yield and fruit quality of tomato. Four rates each of dried plantain peel (0, 5, 10 and 15 t/ha) and Tithonia diversifolia (0, 10, 20 and 30 t/ha) were applied sole and combined. The experimental layout was a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. Parameters were collected on the plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, stem girth, yield and fruit quality. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the GENSTAT Discovery Software, Edition 4. Comparison of the treatment means were carried out using Duncan Multiple range test (DMRT) at 0.05 level of probability. Results showed that dried plantain peel and Tithonia diversifolia improved, number and weight of fruits as well as the fruit quality of tomato and were comparable to the application of NPK fertilizer. Treatment P5T30 (T8) increased number of leaves and number of branches while P15T20 (T15) and P10T30 (T12) increased plant height and stem girth respectively. Treatment P5T30 (T8) and P10T20 (T11) also significantly improved the fruit quality (minerals, lycopene and Vit. A) of tomato fruits. It can therefore be concluded that application of dried plantain peel and Tithonia diversifolia at P5T30 (T8) and P10T20 (T11) increased the vegetative, yield and quality parameters of tomato in the screen house of the study area