AGRICULTURE AND BIOLOGY JOURNAL OF NORTH AMERICA Goat products: Meeting the challenges of human health and nutrition

ABSTRACT The prospect of using small ruminants as food has not been fully exploited. Small ruminants produce food and fiber for man at a relatively low cost as they graze on pasture and feed on farm by -products. There are documentations on the benefits that can be derived from goat products regardless, of the breed or region. Goat meat is a source of high quality protein and low saturated fats which is good for human health. The use of goat meat and milk as therapeutic aids in heartrelated diseases and other ailments is unknown to many. This paper therefore, seeks to present goat as a good source of protein to help alleviate the protein nutritional deficiency of humans. The utilization of goat as experimental animal in researches, for medical purposes and other uses were also highlighted

Appraisal of pig production in Songhai redemption farm, Nekede, Imo State, Nigeria

The objectives of the study are to estimate the costs and returns of pig production in the farm estimate the production function of the enterprise and isolate the factors militating against enhanced production performance of pig enterprises in the farm. Data used for the analysis were collected through well-structured questionnaire and personal interview on the piggery units, costs and revenue items in the farm. The results show that piggery production is a profitable venture. Feeding cost accounted for the largest proportion of the total variable cost incurred in this enterprise. The findings revealed that such variables like number of pigs in stock, labor cost, medication cost and depreciated value of capital implements were positively related to output and statistically significant while feeding cost was negative and significant, but purchasing cost was negative and insignificant. It is recommended that alternative feed sources that will enhance cost reduction and increase output be used. Feed ingredients should be subsidized. More competent workers should be employed and the capacity of piggery production in the establishment should be increased. Workers need motivation and more capital should be made available. Keywords: Pig, production cost, farm, feed, Nigeria > Animal Production Research Advances Vol. 2 (4) 2006: pp. 208-21

Cassava root meal as substitute for maize in layers ration

The effect of replacing maize with graded levels of cassava root meal (CRM) as energy source in the diet of laying hens was evaluated during the eight weeks of feeding experiment on performance and cost benefits on layers. Forty-five Nera black laying hens of 24 weeks of age were allocated to five dietary treatments, with nine birds per treatment in a completely randomized design. CRM was used to formulate the diets at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%. The result showed that the feed intake of birds in the control group was significantly (p<0.05) different from those fed the CRM diets. The average weight gain of layers receiving up to 50% CRM was similar to the control birds, but significantly different from layers fed 75 and 100% CRM. No mortality was recorded. Egg production per hen per day and average egg weight were significantly different (p<0.05) for birds consuming more than 50% CRM in T4 and T5. Layer feed ration was made cheaper by the replacement of maize with cassava root meal in the diets