Assessing the nutritional status of four indigenous breeds of cattle using some blood metabolites in Nigeria

Data on some blood metabolites from five bulls each of Bunaji, Rahaji, Sokoto Gudali and Azawak breeds of cattle were collected. They were fed poultry litter in a concentrate mixture for 90 days and their nutritional status ascertained from the serum metabolic profile. Result showed that the metabolisable energy and crude protein composition of the diet were within the optimum values required for beef cattle. Significant (P<0.05) difference existed between the breeds for creatitnine values. It was highest for Bunaji at the beginning of the experiment, Bunaji and Sokoto Gudali had similar values at the middle. There also significant (P<0.05) difference observed between the breeds in terms of total protein even though it later decline in all the breeds at the middle and slightly went up at the end of the trial.  Blood urea nitrogen concentration was significantly (P<0.05) different across the time of collection between the breeds. It slightly declined at the middle and sharply increased at the end for all the breeds. Similarly, the result showed that there was significant (P<0.05) difference in the values obtained for blood glucose. SokotAo Gudali recorded the least value for blood glucose from the beginning to the end of the study. Albumin was only significantly (P<0.05) different at the beginning of the study. In conclusion, the results showed that in general metabolic profiling studies in these breeds of cattle did not identify any clear nutritional constraints to productivity. It can be said with certainty, from the glucose, albumin and urea results, that dietary energy and protein were not limiting. Key words: Albumin, Bulls, Glucose, Poultry litter, Total protei

In vivo Efficacy of Vernonia amygdalina (Compositae) Against Natural Helminth Infection in Bunaji (Bos indicus) Calves

Fifteen Bunaji calves (Bos indicus) averaging 105±12.5 Kg liveweight and approximately nine months of age with natural helminth infection were distributed into three treatment groups of five animals each. Animals were either treated orally with aqueous extract of Vernonia amygdalina at a dose concentration of 1.1g/Kg body weight, a conventional anthelmintic or left untreated. V. amygdalina treatment produced 59.5% reduction in eggs per gram (EPG) of faeces which was significantly different (P<0.001) from the untreated control (-17.24%), whereas levamisol hydrochloride treatment produced 100% reduction in EPG. A total of six genera of helminths were recovered from the gastrointestinal tracts and liver of experimental animals. These were Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus spp, Bunostomum spp, Oesophagostomum spp, Fasciola spp and Dicrocoelium spp. There was significant difference (P<0.001) in worm load between the different treatment groups. Except for Haemonchus spp, animals in the untreated group had significantly (P<0.001) higher worm load for all the genera of helminth recovered than those of the V. amygdalina treated group, indicating that V. amygdalina had no effect on Haemonchus contortus

Evaluation of Eucalyptus citriodora essential oil on goat gastrointestinal nematodes Avaliação do óleo essencial de Eucalyptus citriodora sobre nematóides gastrintestinais de caprinos

Phytotherapy may be an alternative strategy for controlling gastrointestinal parasites. This study evaluated the anthelmintic efficacy of Eucalyptus citriodora essential oil (EcEO). The in vitro effects of EcEO were determined through testing the inhibition of egg hatching and larval development of Haemonchus contortus. EcEO was subjected to acute toxicity testing on mice, orally and intraperitoneally. The in vivo effects of EcEO were determined by the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) in goats infected with gastrointestinal nematodes. The results showed that 5.3 mg.mL-1 EcEO inhibited egg hatching by 98.8% and 10.6 mg.mL-1 EcEO inhibited H. contortus larval development by 99.71%. The lethal doses for 50% of the mice were 4153 and 622.8 mg.kg-1, for acute toxicity orally and intraperitoneally. In the FECRT, the efficacy of EcEO and ivermectin was 66.25 and 79.16% respectively, on goat gastrointestinal nematodes eight days after treatment. EcEO showed in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activity.<br>Fitoterapia pode ser uma estratégia alternativa para o controle de parasitas gastrintestinais. Este estudo avaliou a eficácia anti-helmintica do óleo essencial de Eucalyptus citriodora (OeEc). Os efeitos in vitro do OeEc foram determinados através do teste de eclosão de ovos e inibição do desenvolvimento larvar de Haemonchus contortus. O OeEc foi submetido ao teste de toxicidade aguda oral e intraperitoneal, em camundongos. Os efeitos in vivo do OeEc foram avaliados através do teste de redução da contagem de ovos nas fezes (FECRT) com caprinos infectados com nematóides gastrintestinais. Os resultados mostraram que 5,3 mg.mL-1 OeEc inibiram 98,8% a eclosão de ovos e 10,6 mg.mL-1 OeEc inibiram 99,71% o desenvolvimento larvar de H. contortus. As doses letais para 50% dos camundongos foram de 4153 e 622,8 mg.kg-1 pela via oral e intraperitoneal. No FECRT, a eficácia de OeEc e ivermectina foi de 66,25 e 79,16%, respectivamente, em caprinos 8 dias após o tratamento. OeEc mostrou atividade anti-helmintica in vitro e in vivo