In sacco degradability of grass hay and rumen characteristics in sheep fed urea ammoniated rice straw or untreated supplemented rice straw.

DEGRADABILITE IN SACCO DU FOIN ET CARACTERISTIQUES DU RUMEN CHEZ LES MOUTONS NOURRIS DE PAILLE DE RIZ TRAITEE A L\'UREE AMMONIACALE OU DE PAILLE DE RIZ NON TRAITEE Résumé L\'objet de l\'étude était d\'examiner les changements dans le rumen et les taux de dégradation du rumen lorsque trois moutons munis d\'une fistule dans le rumen étaient nourris de paille de riz traitée à l\'urée ammoniacale (régime 1), de paille de riz non-traitée complémentée avec Griffonia simplicifolia (régime 2), avec Jaswminum dichotomum (régime 3) ou avec du son de blé (régime 4). Le liquide du rumen était recueilli 3, 6, 9, 12 et 24 heures après l\'alimentation afin de déterminer le pH du rumen et l\'azote issu de l\'ammoniac du rumen. Des sacs plastiques dacron contenant du foin bracchiaria étaient incubés dans le rumen pendant 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 et 120 heures. La disparition de la matière sèche (MS) et de la fibre au détergent neutre (NDF), ainsi que les taux de dégradation étaient déterminés. Le pH du rumen des régimes 1 et 2 était très différent (P0,05). Concernant la dégradabilité de la fibre au détergent neutre, l\'interception (a), la fraction potentiellement dégradable (b) et le décalage étaient tous fortement affectés par le régime servi (P 0.05). For DM degradability the potentially degradable fraction (b) and the potential degradability (a+b) were significantly affected by the diet fed (P < 0.05). For NDF degradability, the intercept (a), potentially degradable fraction (b) and time lag (TL) were all significantly affected by the diet fed (P < 0.05). It was concluded that supplementation of untreated rice straw with appropriate supplements gave results comparable to the feeding of urea-ammoniated rice straw. Bull Anim. Hlth. Prod. Afr. (2005) 53(2), 113-12

Periparturient behaviour of the West African Dwarf goat

The periparturient behaviour of 63 pregnant does and their kids was studied. The behavioural characteristics investigated were incidence of prepartum isolation and restlessness, time taken for new born kids to stand and to start sucking. Apart from these behavioural parameters, the time of parturition, duration of labour, and duration of grooming were also investigated. The results were analyzed for the effects of parity of dam and type of birth on these characteristics. All the does showed prepartum restlessness and about 90 per cent of them actively isolated themselves. Most parturitions (82.per cent) occurred during daytime. Labour on the average lasted for about 10 min. On the average, it took kids about 13 min after birth to stand up and an additional 2 min to start sucking. Parity of the damand the type of birth did not significantly affect any of the characteristics studied. Ghana Jnl.agric. Sci Vol.32(1), 1999: 95-10

The use of bovine colostrum as a source of immunoglobulin (Ig) for lambsUtilisation du colostrum bovin comme source d'immunoglobuline (Ig) pour les agneaux

A study on the use of bovine colostrum as an alternative source of immunoglobulin for lambs was carried out at the University of Ghana's Agricultural Research Centre (Legon). The study involved a total of fifty-six lambs. Thirty-three of them were bottle-fed with frozenthawed bovine colostrum while the rest (twenty-three) were allowed to suckle their dams and served as the control. The mean serum immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations of both groups of lambs were determined at 6hr intervals during the first 48 hrs of life, using a pocket refractometer. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in Ig levels between the bovine colostrum-fed lambs (21.01 zst units) and the normally suckled lambs (18.26 zst units). The peak serum Ig level for the bovine colostrum-fed lambs occurred at 12hrs postpartum as against 24hrs for the normally suckled lambs. The growth patterns for both groups of lambs were similar. It was concluded that bovine colostrum could be used as an effective alternative source of Ig for lambs. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa Vol. 54(2) 2006: 118-12

Response of cattle to dry season supplementation of Urea-Ammoniated rice straw of untreated rice straw fed with Griffonia Simplicifolia or wheatbran

No Abstract. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa Vol. 50 (2) 2002: pp. 96-10