Evaluation of Some Litter Traits and Heritability Estimates of Nigerian Indigenous Pigs

Cumulative litter records of 1494 progeny from 257 litters produced by 30 sires and 87 sows of Nigerian indigenous pigs (NIP) from the Swine Unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching and Research Farm for a period of fourteen years (1977-1990) were used for this study. Data were analysed with the use of SAS (1997), litter trait means and their heritability were estimated with the use of variance component analysis. Results showed that, mean birth weight and weaning weight were 0.93 ± 0.02 kg, and 4.03 ± 0.55 kg respectively, and the litter weights at birth and weaning were 5.44 ± 0.12 kg and 23.39 ± 0.55 kg. The mean litter sizes at birth and at weaning were 5.82 ± 0.11 and 5.53 ± 0.11 respectively. The heritability estimates were 0.00 ± 0.04 for litter size at weaning and 0.37 ± 0.12 for weaning weight. Others were 0.36 ± 0.09, 0.29 ± 0.07, 0.24 ± 0.07 and 0.27 ± 0.07 for birth weight, litter birth weight, litter size at birth and litter weaning weight respectively. It was concluded that individual selection may be appropriate for genetic improvement of birth weight and weaning weight while family selection may be effective for litter birth weight, litter size at birth and litter weaning weight for the NIP

Evaluation of Some Litter Traits and Heritability Estimates of Nigerian Indigenous Pigs

Cumulative litter records of 1494 progeny from 257 litters produced by 30 sires and 87 sows of Nigerian indigenous pigs (NIP) from the Swine Unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching and Research Farm for a period of fourteen years (1977-1990) were used for this study. Data were analysed with the use of SAS (1997), litter trait means and their heritability were estimated with the use of variance component analysis. Results showed that, mean birth weight and weaning weight were 0.93 ± 0.02 kg, and 4.03 ± 0.55 kg respectively, and the litter weights at birth and weaning were 5.44 ± 0.12 kg and 23.39 ± 0.55 kg. The mean litter sizes at birth and at weaning were 5.82 ± 0.11 and 5.53 ± 0.11 respectively. The heritability estimates were 0.00 ± 0.04 for litter size at weaning and 0.37 ± 0.12 for weaning weight. Others were 0.36 ± 0.09, 0.29 ± 0.07, 0.24 ± 0.07 and 0.27 ± 0.07 for birth weight, litter birth weight, litter size at birth and litter weaning weight respectively. It was concluded that individual selection may be appropriate for genetic improvement of birth weight and weaning weight while family selection may be effective for litter birth weight, litter size at birth and litter weaning weight for the NIP.Key words: Litter traits, heritability estimates, Nigerian Indigenous Pigs, Sow

A study of some production traits in an inbred herd of shorthorn cattle

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1968 A38Master of Scienc

The status of neglected tropical diseases amidst COVID-19 in Africa: Current evidence and recommendations

Health care services and programs directed towards combating the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) have been disrupted because of the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The African continent because of its staggering health care system and poor economy disproportionately bears the burden of these diseases. While successes have been recorded in controlling and eliminating the NTDs, policymakers in Africa should consider the potential of the COVID-19 to dwindle these successes an issue of high priority. This commentary seeks to discuss the current status of NTDs in Africa and proffer recommendations to help combat these diseases at this period. It is worthy to say that similar dedication directed towards fighting the COVID-19 should also be deployed into eliminating other diseases like the NTDs which often, are neglected

Sex workers should not be forgotten in Africa's COVID-19 response

COVID-19 is a global health emergency facing many countries around the world. Sex workers in Africa are among one of the vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent. Sex workers are excluded from African government safety net, and this may force some sex workers back to sex work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the nature of sex work, physical distancing and other precautionary measures are impossible to observe, further compromising COVID-19 response. Sex workers in Africa have been known to face high levels of stigma and discrimination, including limited access to healthcare services. Disruption in HIV care and prevention services due to the pandemic among this key population may have negative impacts on the hard-won achievements in HIV response in Africa. In addition, stigma and discrimination toward sex workers could also make contact tracing challenging and limit accesstoCOVID-19testingamongthisvulnerablegroup.Withtheadoptionofthe2030Agendafor the UN Development Program, UN member states all pledged to ensure “no one will be left behind” and to “endeavor to reach the furthest behind first.” This could not be more important than now as ex workers as a part of the population are left behind in COVID-19 response in Africa. It is important that the African government should ensure collective and inclusive response in the fight against COVID-19. Sex workers should not be forgotten in Africa’s COVID-19 response because no one is safe, until all are safe

Estimates of genetic parameters for economic traits in West African Dwarf goat

Records of 848 West African  Dwarf goat kids and 220 kiddings over a period of eight years (1982·1989) were analysed. The records were used to · provide heritability  nd repeatability estimates for litter' size at birth, kidding interval (repeatability estimate  alone) and body weight at birth, weaning, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 1 year of  age. Heritability  estimates of 0.28 ± 0.005, 0.18 ± 0.003, 0.14 ± 0.003, 0.29 ± 0.005, 0.11 ± 0.003 and 0.17 ± 0.004 were obtained for litter size at birth, body weight at birth, and at weaning, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months of age respectively. Corresponding repeatability estimates were slightly higher than the heritability etimates. However, repeatability estimate of 0.04 ± 0.030 was obtained for kidding interval. Key words:Tropics, heritability, repeatability, WAD goats, body weight, little size, kidding intetval

Reproductive and body weight performance of the New Zealand white rabbits in the humid tropics of Nigeria

No Abstrac

Genetic parameters and factors affecting reproductive performance in White Fulani cattle in southern Nigeria

Data on reproductive performance of the White Fulani (Bunaji) cattle in Southern Nigeria were analysed. Age at first calving, first and overall calving intervals averaged 4.03± 0.43 years, 436.19±9.32 and 420.98± 4.11 days respectively. The year of birth significantly affected age at first calving and calving interval (P < 0.01) but the season of birth had significant effect only on calving interval (P < 0.05). In addition the age of the dam also affected the calving interval (P < 0.05) but the sex of the calf nursed had no effect. Heritability estimates from half-sib analysis were 0.01± 0.03, 0.26±0.10 and 0.28±0.08 respectively for age at first calving, first and overall calving intervals. Low repeatability estimates were obtained for calving intervals

Further Studies on the Utilization of Cocoa Husk in Ruminant Rations

The effect on body weight changes of sheep and goats and digestibility of maintenance rations in which cocoa husk constituted, 0%, 20%, 40% and 50% of the basal ration respectively were studied. These rations were fed to wethers and castrated goats (castrates) in two separate but concurrent digestibility trials. There was no significant change in body weight of both the sheep and the goat. Significant decreases in apparent digestibility occurred in dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fibre and total digestible nutrients. The 40% cocoa husk ration in which cocoa hust existed with maize in the ratio 2:1 appeared to be next best to the control ration for crude fibre digestibility. Apparent digestibility of the crude fibre component of the feed was significantly higher in the sheep than in the goats

Improvement of beef cattle through breeding methods

Two inbred lines of purebred Shorthorn cattle were established and progressively developed, to study production traits and effects of inbreeding. Inbreeding was initiated in the Wernace Premier Line in 1949 and in the Mercury line in 1952. Both lines have remained closed to outside breeding since. Inbreeding has progressively increased as the result of successive generations of half sibbing