Perception of Skin Bleaching Among Female Secondary School Students in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria

Despite the social, pathological, physiological and psychological effects that skin bleaching presents, it has become a popular practice among individuals of different age groups, gender and religious affiliations in Nigeria. An objective observation would identify a particular group as being mostly involved in the practice than the others. Upon this backdrop, this study investigated the perception of female secondary school students on skin bleaching practice in Ibadan metropolis. The sample comprised six hundred female students across ten secondary schools in Ibadan metropolis. The instrument employed for the study is titled “Perception of Skin Bleaching Questionnaire” (POSBQ) designed by the researchers. The data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean and t-test statistical measures. The major findings revealed that young girls engaged in skin bleaching as a method of receiving desired attention and relationship from the opposite sex and attract the desired marriage partners. The study revealed that religion has no significant influence on the perception of the respondents as regards skin bleaching while age has significant influence. Therefore, counsellors should enlighten female students on best practice in body beautification and guide them on life building skills such as assertiveness, decision making and healthy living. Keywords: Beautification, Perception and Skin bleachin

REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE, FEED INTAKE AND EFFICIENCY OF INDIGENOUS AND CROSSBRED TURKEYS

This study assessed the reproductive performance of indigenous and crossbred parent stocks and the influence of sire genotype on the growth and efficiency of feed utilization by their progenies. A total of 300 poults, 150 for each genotype were generated from two crosses (Nicholas white x Indigenous and Indigenous x Indigenous turkeys). Data were collected on the reproductive performance of the parents while body weight and feed intake from day old to the 20th week of age were also collected from the progenies generated. The experiment was a complete randomized design with data generated subjected to two way analysis of variance using SAS. The result of the study showed that sire genotype had significant effect (p<0.05) on semen colour and semen volume while semen pH, motility, morphology and live dead ratio were not significantly affected. Crossbred tom had higher semen volume (0.39 ml) compared to 0.18 ml recorded in indigenous turkey. Genotype had no significant effect (p>0.05) on all female reproductive traits such as fertility, hatchability, dead in-germ, weak in-shell and dead in-shell. However, the indigenous turkey had higher fertility percentage (85%) while 80% hatchability was observed in crossbred turkey. Crossbred turkey significantly (p<0.05) had higher body weight (3330g) at 20 week of age compared to the indigenous turkey (2869g). Sexual dimorphism in favour of the male turkey was also observed throughout the period of the experiment. Although the crossbred turkey consumed more feed, the efficiency of feed utilization was better in the indigenous turkey. This findings suggested that the indigenous turkeys can be successfully improved with the introgression of exotic genetic material while crossbred turkeys can be further selected for improved productive and adaptive traits. &nbsp

Estimates of repeatability for growth traits of pure and crossbred turkeys in the tropics

Growth traits and their repeatability estimates were studied in a flock of 300 turkeys made up of 120 indigenous, 120 crossbred and 60 exotic turkeys. Weekly body weights and their conformation traits (breast girth (BG), body length (BL), thigh length (TL), shank length (SL) and keel length (KL)) were taken from week 1 to 20. The mean values for body weight and other conformation traits for the three groups of turkeys increased with age with exotic turkey having the best performance while the least was observed in indigenous turkey. Low repeatability estimate for body weight at week 1 of 0.01 and 0.16 were obtained for exotic and indigenous turkey while medium estimate (0.30) was obtained for crossbred turkey. As their age increases, the repeatability estimates of 0.95 to 0.99 were obtained for body weight in exotic and indigenous turkey from week 5 to 20 while the estimate in crossbred turkey ranged from low (0.11) to high (0.46). High repeatability estimates for breast girth ranging from 0.50 to 0.90 from week 5 to 20 were obtained for exotic and indigenous turkey while that of crossbred ranges from 0.11 to 0.46. Repeatability estimate ranges for BL (0.38-0.99, 0.34-0.99, 0.11-0.64), TL (0.50-0.98, 0.72-0.99, 0.01-0.97), SL (0.51-0.99, 0.57-0.99, 0.72-0.93) KL (0.44-0.98, 0.43-0.99, 0.24-0.98) were obtained for indigenous, exotic and their crossbred turkey respectively. This is the first study to estimate repeatability for growth traits in turkey in the tropics. The crossbred turkey although is better in terms of growth performance than their indigenous counterpart, more measurements will be required to realise expected response from selection.Keywords: Turkey, Body weight, Conformation traits, Repeatability estimate

Mutational and Evolutionary Analyses of Bovine Reprimo Gene

Bovine reprimo (RPRM) gene is a pleiotropic gene involved in cancer suppression, regulation of mitotic cell cycle, cell cycle arrest, survival and fertility. This study used in silico approach to analyse single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and indels in bovine RPRM gene in order to identify mutations which can be used in marker assisted selection when working with the gene in cattle. The evolution of the gene was also studied to infer its relatedness with RPRM gene of other species. Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of bovine RPRM gene were downloaded from GenBank. Amino acid sequences of RPRM gene of other animals were also downloaded from GenBank and Universal Protein Resources database. The SNPs and indels in the bovine RPRM gene were identified and analysed using HaploSNPer software. The percent identity and similarity between the amino acid sequences of bovine RPRM and RPRM genes of other species was determined by conducting a pair wise comparison of the sequences using Comparing two or more sequences option of Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. The Molecular Evolution and Genetic Analysis (MEGA5) software was used to determine the phylogenetic relationship between bovine RPRM and RPRM genes of other species. Four (4) reliable transition SNPs and 5 indels were identified in the gene with D-value of 0.4677. The reliable transitions identified were 890G>A, 901A>G, 1216C>T and 1245C>T. The indels were 845C/-,878G/-, 1229-/T, 1230-/T and 1264-/A. The percent identity and similarity between the amino acid sequence of bovine RPRM and RPRM genes of other mammals were higher than 90% (91-100% and 94-100%, respectively), except in the duckbill platypus where percent identity and similarity indices were 78% and 81%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the gene revealed that there was high relatedness between bovine RPRM and RPRM genes of other mammals. It can therefore be concluded that bovine RPRM gene contained 4 transition mutations and 5 indels that can be used in marker assisted selection. Evolutionary findings also demonstrated the existence of a divergent evolution between bovine RPRM gene and RPRM gene of fishes and frog.Keywords: Identity, phylogeny, reprimo gene, similarity, single nucleotide polymorphis

Genetic parameter estimates for growth traits at different ages in Nigerian indigenous turkeys

Precise and accurate genetic parameter estimates are crucial for making sound decisions in many stages of animal improvement programme. Genetic parameter estimates for eight growth traits were determined in 308 turkeys generated from mating pure indigenous parents. PROC MIXED of SAS was used to estimate variance and covariance components of the growth traits. The highest heritability estimates for body weight, breast girth, thigh length, shank length, keel length and wing length were observed at week 1, week 8, week 4, week 16, week 4, and a day old-old, respectively. The repeatability estimates ranged from 0.01 to 0.93 with body weight and body length having the least values at week 20 and week 1, respectively. Negative genetic correlations were observed among the growth traits at a day-old. Also, negative correlations were observed among all the growth traits at week 20 except between body weight and shank length, shank length and wing length, shank length and wing span as well as wing length and wing span. Positive phenotypic correlations existed among all the growth traits measured except among some traits at weeks 1 and 16. Phenotypic correlations observed at week 20 were relatively higher than those observed in other weeks. These results suggested that breeders can select for body weight, breast girth, thigh length, shank length, keel length and wing length of Nigerian indigenous turkeys at week 1, week 8, week 4, week 16, week 4, and a day old-old, respectively. Fewer records are required to estimate response to selection of Nigerian indigenous turkeys when selecting for breast girth at a day-old and body length at week 16. The negative genetic correlation observed among most growth traits at week 20 was an indication of unpredictability among these traits at week 20, so tandem method of selection cannot be used in selecting these traits

Effect of crossbreeding and selection for meat on Nigerian indigenous chickens

Indigenous chicken possesses great potentials for genetic improvement through crossbreeding, selection and other breeding programmes. This study was conducted to compare our improved local broiler line with the commercial Anak Titan broiler chicken in terms of growth performance, feed intake and water consumption. A total of 250 birds were used for this study comprising 110 improved local broiler chicken and 140 Anak Titan broiler chicken. The two genotypes were subjected to the same standard management procedure from day old to ten week of age in different pens. Data on seven growth traits (bodyweight, breast girth, keel length, body length, shank length, thigh length, chicken height), feed intake, feed efficiency and water consumption were collected from week one to ten in the two genotypes. Data were analyzed using the Generalized linear model implemented in SAS. As expected, genotype and sex significantly (p<0.05) affected bodyweight and all the linear body parameters with the exotic broiler performing better than the improved local broiler. The bodyweight ranged from 47.21g and 37g at week one to 2754.55g and 1573.39g at week ten in exotic and improved local broiler respectively. Breast girth at week one to ten ranged from 11.27cm and 11.76cm to 29.21cm and 27.36cm in exotic and improved local respectively while other linear body parameters followed the same trend. Higher feed intake, efficiency and water intake were recorded in exotic compared to our improved local broiler. The results indicated that our improved local broiler consume lesser feed to achieve improved growth performance when compared to our unimproved local chicken although not as high as that observed in the commercial Anak Titan broiler.Keywords: crossbreeding, selection, broiler, indigenous chicken, Anak Titan broile