Effective biotechnologies for revolutionalizing the livestock industry in Nigeria after COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe health and hunger challenges both in developed and developing economies of the world thereby posing a serious threat to the economies and food security issues particularly of vulnerable regions of the world. Currently in Nigeria, there is a great increase in the market prices of crops and livestock products occasioned by the prevailing clashes between crop farmer and livestock herders. There is thus a huge gap in the demand and supply of available essential agricultural products leading to the high inflation rate being witnessed in the country today. With the current population of over 200 million which is expected to double by 2050, the task of feeding these Nigerians is daunting and very challenging. To overcome these challenges, the livestock industry in Nigeria needs to be transformed accordingly. FAO report of 2019 had advised African livestock producers to work to expand the scope of their operations and to invest in productivity-enhancing technologies in order to meet the growing demands for livestock products. The adoption of biotechnological innovations already available in animal reproduction, nutrition, health and genetics, is a clear pathway to enhance livestock production in Nigeria. The Nigerian Government is expected to play a leading role by providing enabling environment that will make for easy and seamless adoption of these technologies. Nigerian livestock farmers on their part should be ready and willing to embrace these technologies to enhance the productive capacity of their stock as well as improving their own welfare and economic wellbeing. Key words: COVID-19 pandemic, biotechnology, livestock industry, development, Nigeri

Effects of quantitative feed restriction on the semen quality of Nigerian local cocks

Twenty (20) mature local cocks were randomly assigned to five feeding treatments with four cocks in each treatment. Group I cocks (full-fed control) received 90g of a 16% CP commercial growers ration per cock per day. Cocks in Groups II, III, IV and V received 63g, 45g, 27g and 18g of the same ration per cock per day, representing 70%, 50%, 30% and 20% of Group I intake, respectively. The feeding trials lasted for 8 weeks during which two ejaculates per week were collected from each cock using the massage technique. Ejaculated semen samples were subjected to both physical and biochemical evaluations. Results showed that cocks that were severely underfed (i.e. Groups IV and V) took significantly longer time (

Haematology of normal and trypanosome infected Muturu cattle in southeastern Nigeria

Blood parameters of 23 Muturu cattle in a herd were studied between April and August 1998 by monthly examination of their blood samples. Fourteen of a total of 110 blood samples analysed (5 samples were unsuitable for analysis) were infected with Trypanosoma vivax. Data from the trypanosome-infected blood were included to evaluate the role of trypanosome infection. The blood values of infected animals were except for the erythrocyte indices of MCH and MCHC indistinguishable from those of uninfected animals. There were variations due to age and physiological status (open heifer, pregnant and lactating). Mean RBC and WBC count, MCV and monocyte count were lower in calves than older animals. Open heifers had higher mean RBC and monocyte count, and lower WBC count, MCV and MCH than pregnant and suckling cows. Keywords: Haematology, muturu, trypanosomosis, Nigeri