Comparative evaluation of the influence of species, age and sex on carcass characteristics of camels, cattle, sheep and goats in Sahel environment

This study, comparative evaluation of sources of supply of edible meat from camel with cattle, sheep and goats in Sahel environment was conducted at Zinder Abattoir in Niger Republic. The factors considered were species, sex and age. Species significantly influenced (p˂0.01) the meat evaluation indices with camel being highest in most of the meat indices. Cattle yielded highest head and skin weights. Goat yielded highest dressing percentage. The sheep had no superiority in any index. Sex of the animal had no significant effect (p>0.05) on meat evaluation indices in camel and goats. It significantly affected (p<0.05; 0.01) the indices in cattle and sheep; except for hind quarter weights and edible offals in sheep (p>0.05). Age of the animals significantly (p<0.01) affected the meat evaluation indices in camel, cattle and sheep. It only significantly affected (p<0.05; 0.01) hind quarter weight, legs weight and edible offals in goats. The correlation observed among the meat evaluation indices showed some variable correlated relationship (p<0.05 – 0.01; r = 0.25 – 0.97 and r = 0.29 – 0.93) and (p> 0.05; r = -0.03 – 0.24 and r = 0.00 – 0.20). In conclusion, camel and ruminants meat productive performance can be assessed through their respective meat indices. Camels could serve as good sources of meat supply in the arid environment to supply the needed animal protein to the populace.Keywords: Camel, Ruminants, Meat evaluation indices, Meat supply, Sahel environmen

Responsed to Genetic Improvement and Heritability of Egg Production and Egg Quality Traits in Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

A study was conducted to determine the egg production, egg quality traits, response to genetic improvement of the egg traits and heritability of the traits in the Japanese quail. The birds used were about 470 chicks purchased at day 14 to serve as foundation stock. They were sexed at day 21 and the females were caged in 28 cages each contain 15 quails constructed in dimension of 60cm x 45cm x 45cm (length x breath x weight). Three birds from each caged were randomly picked at day 35, 42, 49 and 56 in each generation base (Gs), first (G1) and second (G2) and the data obtained were subjected to analyses of variance and realized heritability were obtained as appropriate from the following traits: live body changes in female sexual maturity, body weight gain, egg production, egg quality traits, reproductive traits, realized h2 for the egg traits and egg production in the Japanese quail.The result shows that selection base on high body weight led to the traits to differed significantly (P  by generations, age and sex of quails and significantly affects egg production for base, first and second generations. There were more egg production in first generation than base and second generations. The advances in age for a set of generation led to increase in weekly egg production, selection for body weight for the first generation base on average weekly egg production which was lower than the base and second generation and also as the bird’s advances in age there was improvement in egg traits at day 35, 42, 49 and 56. The percentage death in shell, percentage death in egg and percentage infertility responded positively to selection base on high body weight. The realized h2 of egg number and age at sexual maturity in female quail was very low 0.05 in egg number and 0.23 in age at sexual maturity. There was also low realized h2 values observed in egg width, yolk width, albumen length, shell weight and shell thickness and egg production (0.01 - 0.07). Apart from the age at sexual maturity which h2 is moderate and implies that response to selection for high body weight may be rapid while the low realized heritability obtained for egg number and egg quality traits implies that response to selection for the traits could be slow

Effect of post-partum body condition score on milk yield and composition of Friesian x Bunaji dairy cows

The study determines the effect of dam body condition on milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows. The milk production records of 60 Friesian x Bunaji dairy cows were used for the study. The body condition score (BCS) was recorded on scale 1 to 5 with an increment of 0.25 points. The mean initial milk yield (IMY), daily milk yield (DMY) and total milk yield (TMY) was 6.54, 6.51 and 1872kg, respectively, while the mean peak yield (PY), peak day (PD), peak week (PWK) and lactation length (LL) were 10.61kg, 26.94 days, 4.33 weeks and 283.87 days, respectively. The mean fat, protein and lactose content of the milk was 4.22, 4.15 and 4.00 %, respectively, while the mean fat, protein and lactose yield was 0.269, 0.272 and 0.261 kg/day. The ratios of the milk composition were FPR (1.02), FLR (1.03) and PLR (104). There was relatively high variability in the population of the experimental animals with regard to their milk yield characteristics (CV = 15.38 – 67.13%) compared to the milk composition variables (CV = 4.36 – 26.09%). The effect of dam body condition score was significant (p<0.05) on all the milk yield  characteristics except IMY, PY and ADY. Dams with moderate BCS of between 2.5 to 3.5 during the lactation period takes longer days to peak yield (PD = 27.41 ± 3.27 days) and peak week (PWK = 4.43 ± 0.49 weeks) with longer lactation length (LL = 301 ± 31.17 days) and consequently higher TMY (1995.25 kg/lactation). However, those with higher BCS (>3.5) had higher IY (7.00 ± 1.86 kg) and shorter days to peak yield (PD = 20.50 ± 13.12 days), PWK (3.0 ± 1.95 weeks) and shorter LL (275.33 ± 25.44 days), which invariably resulted in relatively lower TMY (1819.83 ± 335.80 kg/lactation). The dam BCS had significant effect (p<0.05) on the percentage milk fat (MFC), milk lactose (MLC), fat protein ratio (FPR) and fat lactose ratio (FLR). Dams with higher (>3.5) BCS had higher MFC, MLC, FPR and FLR. It is obvious that BCS is an important factor that reflects the metabolic stability of dairy cows.Keywords: Post-partum, Body condition score, Milk yield, Milk composition, Friesian X Bunaji dairy cow