Foetal wastage in Abattoirs and its implications: Situation report from Ogun State, Nigeria

This study examined the magnitude and implications f foetal wastage resulting from the slaughtering of pregnant cows in Lafenwa - Abeokuhl and ljebu-Igbo abattoirs in Ogun State between 1984 and 1989. Results show that one foetus is wasted for every 8 cattle slaughtered in the abattoirs. This has the ~rnve effects of reducing over time the herd size and revenue of owners, the access of most Nigerians to a nutritive source of dietary protein and therefore the ability to attain the internationally recommended protein intake level per caput per day.Keywords: Slaughter, pregnant cows, foetal wastage/recovery

Some Haematological And Serum Biochemical Parameters Of Goats Fed Cynodon nlemfuensis, Spondias mombin and Gmelina arborea Based Diets

Haematological and serum biochemical analyses of West African Dwarf goats fed three different diets was carried out. Eighteen (18) growing bucks aged 7 – 7.5 months with a mean live weight ranging between 6.67 – 7.02 Kg were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments comprising six (6) animals per treatment. A 3 x 4 factorial experiment in a completely randomised design (3) different diets (A, B and C) and four collection periods (day 0, 21, 42 and 63) of blood samples was used. The animals were housed in wood shavings bedded individual pens (1.5 x 1.2 x 1.0) m3 and fed 0.30 Kg/head/day of the diets. The Cynodon nlemfuensis based diet served as the control (diet A) while Spondias mombin and Gmelina arborea based diets served as dietary treatments B and C respectively. Prior to the commencement of the feeding trial, blood samples were collected (day 0) by jugular venipuncture from the animals and at 21 days interval, during the trial which lasted sixty three (63) days. Collected blood samples, which were placed in well labeled heparinized bottles (2.5ml) and into anticoagulant-free well labeled plastic tubes (2.5ml), were analyzed within four hours of collection for Erythrocyte, Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin(Hb) and total leucocyte count. Total serum protein, albumin and globulin, PCV and white blood count (WBC) were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments and collection periods. However significant differences (

Browses (legume-legume mixture) as dry season feed supplemented with cassava offal based diet for West African dwarf goats

Increasing competition between man and animals(monogasters, polygasters, microlivestock and wild/feral) for high quality feed(proteinaceous and carbonaceous concentrate) excessive pressure on land from urbanisation , hence the need of multipurpose browse-legumes (Leucaena leucocephala, Gliricidia sepium and cassava teeming biodiversifically with west African dwarf goats, with males being often off-take for festive and other reasons. Such cheap ,nutritious and incessant supply of nutritious feed that can be sourced and resourced from the aforementioned fodders. It was on this premise that twenty (20) (12+2 months, 9+ 0.6kg) West African Dwarf Does were used to evaluate the sustainability of browses in W.A.D does in dry season. The four treatments were as follows: L (Leucaena leucocephala) 20_ (Gliricidia sepium) 80; L40 + G40, L60 + G20, L80 + G 20, with cassava offer concentrate. Highest (P< 0.05) -DMI was recorded in L80 (2.09g/d),-weight gain (g/day), -NDF digestibility, -ADF digestibility, -ADL digestibility, and Nitrogen balance were observed in L80 (15.18g/d), L20 (79.36%), L60 (48.53%), L20 (48.81%) and L20 (11.999g/day) respectively. Browses can suffice for W.A.D does in the dry season pending the onset of the rainy season.Keywords:- Legumes–Legumes mixture, Dry-Season-Feed, W.A.D-Does, Cassava offal.(3,381 words

Tephrosia bracteolate (Gull et Perr) – Panicum maximum (jacq) combinations utilization by West African Dwarf Goats

Sixteen (16) west African Dwarf Goats (8 bucks and 8 does) were balanced for age, sex and weight (average of 5.79±0.60kg), to test for performance characteristics, cell wall digestibility and Nitrogen Retention, were fed Tephrosia bracteolata based diets were allotted randomly to the following dietary treatments (T. bracteolate, P. maximum, Concentrate) viz: I (20%, 60%, 20%) as control, II (40%, 40%, 20%), III (60%, 20%, 20%) and IV (80%, 0%, 20%) for one hundred and twelve days; 14 day pre-growthadaptation, 84 day-growth and 14 day digestibility (7 day adaptation and 7 day monitoring). Highest (P<0.05) DM was observed in IV  (338.88±31.72g/d) and lowest (P<0.05) in I (255.68±35.48g/d).  Treatment IV (54.29±3.66g/d) also had highest (P<0.05) and daily weight gain and lowest (P<0.05) occurred in I (40.59±4.93g/d). Concerning NDF, ADF and NDL digestibility (%), highest (P<0.05) occurred in IV (81.53±25.37, 75.49±9.23 and 15.84±2.36) and lowest (P<0.05) recorded in I (62.15±25.48, 55.88±8.20 and 8.67±1.50). Similarly trend of highest (P<0.05) in IV (2.67±0.62g/d) and lowest (P<0.05) in I (0.97±0.60g/day) repeated itself with respect to nitrogen balance. This study confirms that with Concentrate waste Tephrosia bracteolata can be sole fed to goats with A.I.B. (Agro industrial byproducts) for optimal performance with or without grass supplement despite its inherent anti nutrient factors.Keywords: Cell wall digestibility, Performance Characteristics, Nitrogen Retention, Tephrosia bracteolata, West African dwarf goat

Nitrogen utilisation and nitrient digestibility of west African dwarf goats fed combinations of dry leaves of Cynodon nlemfuensis, Spondias mombin or Gmelina arborea and pap processing waste meal

An experiment to evaluate and compare the nitrogen utilization and nutrient digestibility of goat fed a pasture species (Cynodon nlemfuensis) or browse plant leaves (Spondias mombin or Gmelina arborea) based diets was conducted with fifteen (15) growing male West African Dwarf goats aged 7 – 7.5 months and weighing between 6.67 – 7.02 Kg. The animals were randomly divided into three groups of approximately equal mean live weight in a completely randomized design and each group was assigned to one of the experimental diets (A, B and C). The cynodon nlemfuensis based diet served as the control (diet A) while Spondias mombin and Gmelina arborea based diets served as dietary treatments B and C respectively. Each animal was later kept in a metabolism cage equipped with feed and water troughs. Feed (0.40 kg/head/day) was offered at 08.00hrs and water provided ad libitum. Faeces and urine were collected during the sixth week of the experiment and analysed chemically. The dry matter intake (40.25 g/day/W0.75 kg) of goats fed diet C was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those on diets A and B. Diet B was the least consumed (34.74 g/day/W0.75 kg). Animals on diet C recorded the highest Nitrogen intake (4.15 g / head/day) and nitrogen retention (0.44 g /day/W0.75 kg). Goats on diet C also recorded highest values for the digestibility of DM, CP and OM. Although goats on diet B recorded a higher nitrogen intake (2.90 g/head/day) as against that of diet A (2.27 g/head/day), the least nitrogen retention value (0.12 g/day/W0.75 kg) was obtained from them. The nitrogen retention value for goats on diet A was 0.17 g/day/W0.75 kg. The low DM intake and nitrogen retention recorded for goats on diet B was attributed to low palatability / availability of nitrogen due to the presence of high tannin content. Keywords: Cynodon, Spondias, Gmelina, nitrogen utilization, WAD goats, tanninJournal of Agriculture, Forestry and the Social Sciences Vol 3(1) 2005: 89-9

Fortification of cassava peel meals in balanced diets for rabbits

An eight-week feeding trial was conducted with twenty-four individually caged growing rabbits weighing initially 300 - 380g. Six experimental diets were formulated such that diet 1 was a maize-soyabean based control while in diets 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, cassava peel meal totally replaced maize. There was also a stepwise reduction in the quantity of soyabean meal utilised in diets 3, 4 and 5 while the quantity of palm kernel cake was increased. Diet 6 was an extruded version of diet 4. The diets were fortified with palm oil for energy and soyabean and palm kernel cake for protein. Each diet was fed to four replicates of rabbits consisting of one rabbit per replicate and water was supplied ad libitum. Feed intake, weight-gain and feed cost/unit weight-gain were significantly affected by dietary treatments (P&lt;0.05) while treatments had no effect on water intake and Feed: Gain ratio (P&gt;0.05). The feed cost was reduced to N13.8/kg in diet 5 compared with N17.8 in the control diet. The extrusion process was not efficient in all indices of measurement as rabbits on the diet showed poor performance. A major finding of the study is that up to 50% of the protein supplied by soyabean meal when fed in conjunction with cassava peel meal can be replaced with palm kernel cake without adverse effects. It is recommended that future studies look into alternatives to palm oil as energy booster in diets containing cassava peel meal so as to further improve the economy of feed utilization.Keywords: Rabbit performance, cassava peel meal, palm kernel cake, soyabeans, extrusion

Productive performance of rabbits as influenced by source of fibre and chemical treatment of dietary maize cob sawdust and mango leaves

An experiment was conducted using 36 growing rabbits of mixed breeds and sexes with initial liveweight of 658g to evaluate the effect of feeding diets containing three different fibre sources, Maize Cob (MC); Sawdust (SD); and Mango Leaves (ML) which were subjected to three processing methods viz: untreated, NaOH and Urea treated. The fibre materials were incorporated such that the various experimental diets had approximately 12% crude fibre. The rabbits were randomly allocated to nine experimental diets such that four individually caged rabbits served as replicates for each dietary treatment. The feeding trial lasted for 56 days. Although a slight decline in dry matter value of all the fibre sources was observed as a result of chemical treatment, the crude protein content increased with treatment with maize cob being an exception where the crude protein value was reduced as a result of NaOH treatment. Dietary treatments had significant (

In vitro Evaluation of antibacterial agents against ocular Bacterial isolates from a Tertiary Hospital, South-West of Nigeria

ABSTRACT Failure to cure eye infections and reduced potency in ocular antibacterial agents had been observed in South Western Nigeria, this study sought to evaluate in vitro, the efficacy of antibacterial agents used in the treatment of eye infections. A total of 135 bacterial isolates were recovered from the diagnostic laboratory of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, from conjunctival swabs of patients having underlying eye diseases (Cataracts and glaucoma), and from patients presenting with other symptoms of eye infections (conjunctivitis, keratitis and dacryocystitis). The pathogens incriminated were Staphylococcus aureus (75.5%), Coagulase negative Staphylococci (11.1%), Klebsiella species (11.1%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.2). Disc diffusion tests (Kirby-Bauer method) were carried out using ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, amoxicillinclavulanate, cefuroxime and levofloxacin. Broth dilution technique was thereafter demonstrated using gentamicin, chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin. The macrolideerythromycin was 54.4% efficacious, amoxicillin-clavulanate and cefuroxime showed 69.9% and 72.8% efficacy. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of commonly used antibiotics however showed different levels of resistance. Resistance to the aminoglycosides was marked, yielding 51.6%, with MIC 50 = 8, MIC 90 &gt; 256, resistance to chloramphenicol was also marked, yielding 76.9%, with MIC 50 = 8, MIC 90 = 64. The fluoroquinolones showed high efficacy; levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin showed 91.1% and 75.5% susceptibility respectively, with MIC 50 &lt; 0.5, though slightly demonstrable resistance was observed (MIC 90 = 8). This study recommends discontinuation of empirical therapy by physicians in order to stem the tide of resistance; it justifies the inclusion of the fluoroquinolones in susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates and its first line of choice if cure is warranted

Toxicological Assessment Of Veronia amygdaliana Leaf Meal In Nutrition Of Starter Broiler Chicks

In a 6-week feeding trial, Vernonia amygdaliana leaf meat (VaLM) was tested as a dietary ingredient in broiler starter diets. The diets comprised VaLM included at Og (diet 1), 50g per kg basal diet (incorporated at the expense of groundnut cake and wheat offals - diets 2 and 3 respectively) and 100g per kg basal diet (incorporated at the expense of groundnut cake - diet 4). During the study, parameters such as characteristics, blood parameters, histopathology of some organs (liver, kidney, lungs, heat, gizzard and pancreas) and carcass characteristics were investigated. Birds fed on VaLM - based diets performed poorly, the effects of the diet being more pronounced on those fed diet 4. Addition of VaLM to poultry feed significantly (P&lt;0.05) reduced feed intake and weight gain of experimental birds. Blood cellular constituents decreased significantly (P&lt;0.05) in birds fed VaLM - based diets and there were serious histopathological changes within the liver, kidney, lungs, heart, gizzard and pancreas.Keywords: Vernonia amygdaliana leaf meal, starter broiler performance, histopatholog