Effect of Dietary Replacement of Maize with Yam and Irish potato peel meals on the Growth and Economic Performance of Growing Rabbits

An eight-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding yam and irish potato peel meals on the growth performance and economic analysis of cross-bred (Dutch x New Zealand white) growing rabbits aged between five to seven weeks. Thirty rabbits were randomly allocated to six dietary treatments with five rabbits per treatment. Diets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 contained 100% maize, 50% maize and 50% yam peel meal, 50% maize and 50% irish potato peel meal, 50% yam peel meal and 50% irish potato peel meal, 100% yam peel meal and 100% irish potato peel meal, respectively. The response showed that the growth parameters were not significantly (P>0.05) different among the treatment groups except mean final body weight which was significantly (P>0.05) different. The mean final body weight of rabbits fed T3 diet (50% maize and 50% irish potato peel meal) was significantly (P< 0.05) higher than those fed T2 (50% maize and 50% yam peel meal) and T6 (100% irish potato peel meal) diets, but were similar (P>0.05) to other diets. However, the lowest mean final body weight was obtained in rabbits fed T6 (100% irish potato peel meal) diet. The cost per kg feed decreased progressively as the levels of yam and irish potato peel meals increased in the diets. The cost per kg gain also declined from  ₦ 249.59 in T1 (100% maize) to ₦ 181.95 in T4 (50% yam peel meal and 50% irish potato peel meal), which showed the best cost per kg weight gain. The study demonstrated that the yam and irish potato peel meals can replace maize up to 100% as energy source for growing rabbits without adverse effect on performance.Keywords: Growth Performance, Yam and Irish Potato peel meals, Economic Analysi

Effects of monosodium-L-glutamate administration on serum levels of reproductive hormones and cholesterol, epididymal sperm reserves and testicular histomorphology of male albino rats

This study investigated the effects of administration of monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) on serum gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), luteinising hormone (LH), testosterone and total cholesterol (TC), cauda epididymal sperm reserves (CESR) and testicular histomorphology of adult male albino rats. Eighty-four rats, randomly assigned to 7 groups of 12 rats each, were used for the study. Varying low doses (0.25, 0.50 or 1.00 g/kg body weight) of MSG were administered orally or subcutaneously at 48-h intervals for six weeks. Serum GnRH, LH, testosterone and TC, and CESR were evaluated on days 14, 28 and 42 of MSG administration. Testicular histomorphology was evaluated on day 42. The results showed that the mean serum GnRH, LH and testosterone levels, and the CESR of all the treated groups were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of the untreated control on days 14, 28 and 42 of MSG administration. The mean serum TC levels of all the treated groups were also significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of the control group on days 14 and 28. No lesions were observed on sections of the testes. It was concluded that MSG administration for 14, 28 and 42 days led to significantly lower serum levels of GnRH, LH, testosterone and TC, and significantly lower CESR

Anatomija orofarinksa i jezika u afričke crnobijele vrane (Corvus albus)

An understanding of the anatomy of components of the digestive tract of the African pied crow would prove useful in relation to the medical, surgical and nutritional management of these birds, especially in captivity. The present study was designed to provide basic data on the morphology of the oropharynx and tongue of the African pied crow. Our results showed that the roof of the oropharyngeal cavity was formed by a cartilaginous hard palate, whose mucous membrane exhibited many caudally directed papillae. The tongue was located in the floor of the oropharyngeal cavity. The rostral and caudal parts of the tongue were demarcated by a transverse row of caudally pointed papillae. The histology of the caudal part of the tongue revealed the presence of many mucous glands that discharge their secretions onto the dorsal surface of the tongue via ducts. Whereas the papillae may serve principally as mechanical obstacles to the involuntary return of food that has passed over them, the secretions of the glands may aid in swallowing by lubricating the caudal part of the oropharyngeal cavity and probably, the initial part of the oesophagus. It was concluded that the anatomical features of the oropharyngeal cavity and tongue of the African pied crow may be adaptations to the bird’s mode of food acquisition and feeding habits.Proučavanje anatomije probavnoga sustava afričke crnobijele vrane potrebno je radi njezina liječenja, pravilnoga načina hranidbe i kirurških zahvata što je od posebnoga značenja kad se ona drži u zatočeništvu. Ovo istraživanje provedeno je u svrhu prikupljanja temeljnih podataka o morfologiji orofarinksa i jezika afričke crnobijele vrane. Polučeni rezultati pokazali da je krov njezine orofaringealne šupljine građen od tvrdoga hrskavičnoga nepca na čijoj se sluznici nalazi mnoštvo kaudalno usmjerenih papila. Jezik je smješten na dnu orofaringealne šupljine. Rostralni i kaudalni dijelovi jezika odijeljeni su poprječnim redom kaudalno usmjerenih papila. U kaudalnom dijelu jezika nalazi se mnoštvo sluznih žlijezda koje svoje sekrete izlučuju na dorzalnu površinu jezika putem kanalića. Dok papile prvenstveno služe kao mehanička prepreka za povratak hrane, lučevine žlijezda mogu pomoći pri gutanju podmazivanjem kaudalnoga dijela orofaringealne šupljine i, vjerojatno, početnoga dijela jednjaka. Može se zaključiti da je anatomska građa orofaringealne šupljine i jezika afričke crnobijele vrane prilagođena hranidbenim navikama i načinu uzimanja hrane

Buruli ulcer of the foot in an urban dweller: a case report and review of the literature

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a chronic cutaneous ulcer caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. It is the third most common mycobacteria infection of immunocompetent host, after tuberculosis and leprosy. The index case is a 24year-old male with a left foot ulcer of 3weeks duration. It initially started as a single painless papule, then subsequent suppuration and necrotic ulceration followed. Complete wound healing was achieved following long course of treatment with rifampicin and clarithromycin; and wound care with debridement, dressing and split-thickness skin grafting. A high index of suspicion for the diagnosis of BU is necessary for a foot ulcer in the tropics, especially when there is no response to initial conventional wound care. A work-up for BU should be instituted and it responds to rifampicin and wound care

Association of IGF 1 gene polymorphisms with some morphometric traits of Nigerian indigenous sheep breeds

The relationship between IGF 1 gene polymorphisms and some morphometric traits of the Balami, Uda and Yankasa sheep breeds of Nigeria was investigated. Blood samples and morphometric measurements were obtained from 150 sheep (50 for each of the three breeds) at the Maiduguri Livestock market and abattoir while DNA was extracted at the Biotechnology laboratory of the University of Maiduguri. Evaluation of results revealed 2 alleles (A and B) and 3 genotypes (AA, AB and BB) for all the breeds. The Uda and Yankasa breeds had higher frequency of allele B (0.64 and 0.56, respectively) while Balami had higher allele frequency for A (0.61). Balami and Yankasa had high heterozygosity for IGF-1 gene while Uda had high homozygosity for B. For Balami sheep, the genotype BB had higher (P &lt; 0.05) body weight and heart girth (56 kg and 79 cm, respectively) than AB for body weight (45.80 kg) and BB for heart girth (69.67 cm). Conversely, genotype AA had higher body length (94.33 cm) than AB (73.80 cm). IGF 1 gene polymorphisms did not significantly (P &lt; 0.05) affect most morphometric traits of the Yankasa and Uda sheep except height at withers where the genotype AB had higher (P &lt; 0.05) height at withers (71.77 cm) than AA (53.50 cm) for Yankasa sheep. Thus, the three breeds were found to be 100% polymorphic at the regulatory region of IGF-1 locus and this gene may be used as a marker for some morphometric traits in Nigerian indigenous sheep.Keywords: body weight, heart girth, height at withers, breeds, shee

Morfologija testisa i zalihe sperme u epididimisu štakora nakon prestanka davanja nigerijske sirove nafte Qua Iboe Brent

The reversibility of crude oil-induced male reproductive abnormalities was studied in fifi fty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats. Exposure to crude oil was achieved by oral administration of increasing doses (165mg/kg body mass, 330mg/kg body mass, and 660mg/kg body mass) of Nigerian Qua Iboe Brent crude oil to male rats every 48 hours for 4 weeks. Thereafter, the crude oil was withdrawn from some of the rats for a period of 8 weeks. The results showed signififi cant reduction in the cauda epididymal sperm reserves of the rats that received the crude oil (P<0.05) and the rats from which the crude oil was withdrawn (P<0.05), relative to the control group. The testes of the rats that received crude oil showed reduced spermatogenic activity in the seminiferous tubules, as well as hyperaemia and oedema of the interstices. The testes of the rats from which crude oil was withdrawn showed evidence of recovery and the restoration of active spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubules. The indication is that the withdrawal of Nigerian Qua Iboe Brent crude oil from male rats over a period of 8 weeks reversed the testicular pathology, but not the cauda epididymal oligospermia associated with this environmental pollutant.Reverzibilnost reprodukcijskih poremećaja uzrokovanih sirovom naftom istraživana je na 56 štakora Sprague-Dawley. Peroralno su štakorima bile davane sve veće doze (165 mg/kg tjelesne mase, 330 mg/kg tjelesne mase i 660 mg/kg tjelesne mase) nigerijske Qua Iboe Brent sirove nafte svakih 48 sati tijekom četiri tjedna. Nakon toga neki od štakora više nisu dobivali sirovu naftu u razdoblju od osam tjedana. Rezultati su pokazali značajno smanjenje rezervi sperme u epididimisu štakora koji su dobivali sirovu naftu (P<0,05) i u štakora kojima se prestalo davati sirovu naftu (P<0,05) u odnosu na kontrolnu skupinu. Testisi štakora koji su dobivali sirovu naftu pokazivali su smanjenu sposobnost spermatogeneze u sjemenskim tubulima, a dokazana je bila hiperemija i edem intersticija. Nakon prestanka davanja sirove nafte testisi su se oporavili te je ponovo došlo do aktivne spermatogeneze u seminifernim tubulima. Aktivnost testisa vratila se na normalu osam tjedana nakon prestanka davanja nigerijske sirove nafte Qua Iboe Brent, ali ne i oligospermija repa epididimisa povezana sa zagađenjem okoliša