Effect of castration on growth rate, body and visceral organ weights of pigs

No Abstract

Effects of castration on growth rate, body and visceral organ weights of pigs.

Effects of castration on growth rate, body and visceral organ weights of pigs were investigated using data from intact males, intact females of Large White pigs full or half castrated at 2, 4, or 6 weeks of age. Body weights and feed intake were recorded to the nearest 0.1 kg at weekly intervals from birth, while weights of abdominal and thoracic organs were taken at slaughter.Results show that age at castration significantly affected weaning weights and weights at 2 months of age (P < 0.05), but did not affect the weights of visceral organs and the average daily weight gain (P > 0.05). Castration significantly affected weaning weights (P < 0.05) average daily gain (P < 0 .01), body weights at 4 months (P < 0 .05), but not the weights of the visceral organs (P > 0 .05).Intact females and intact males significantly differed in body weights at 4 months and in average daily weight gain (P < 0.05). Comparisons between full castrates and intact males showed significant differences in all the measured parameters except the weights of visceral organs. Full castrates and. intact females did not differ, significantly (P > 0 .05) in any of the traits measured

Haematological and serum biochemical values of West African dwarf does following superovulatory treatment with FSH+LH (Pergonal&#174)

The effect of the administration of varying doses of FSH+LH (Pergonal®, Ferring Labs, USA) for superovulation on the haematological and serum biochemical values of goats was evaluated using 16 clinically sound, parous, West African Dwarf does, aged 23 years. Four treatment groups were employed including, T1 (administered with physiological saline as the control); T2, T3 and T4 given 19.0 IU, 58.0 IU and 82.0 IU FSH+LH respectively, as intramuscular injections over 3 days. The results revealed significant differences (

Predictive ability of boiler production models

The weekly body weight measurements of a growing strain of Ross broiler were used to compare the of ability of three mathematical models (the multi, linear, quadratic and Exponential) to predict 8 week body weight from early body measurements at weeks I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII. The results suggest that the three models fitted the 8th week body weight records at the seventh-week body measurement closely, judging from their respective R2-values (linear, 0.58; quadratic, 0.58 and exponential, 0.57). However, their ability to predict 8th-week body weight from early records using R2-value, varied generally from 0.15 + 0.36 to 0.58 + 0.23 for all the models. The predictions of 8th-week body weights based on fit to 7th-week data were more accurate for the linear and quadratic models, though all the models predicted less than the actual 8th-week records (-32, -35 and -38.14%) for linear, quadratic and exponential respectively. It could be concluded that based on the goodness of fit to 7th week body measurements record accuracy to predict 8th-week body weight from early record, the linear model gave the best result followed by the quadratic and exponential respectively. It could therefore be said that the models have graded theoretical advantage. This may be found useful in decision making concerning replacement of broiler chicken.Keywords: Poultry, broiler production, modeling, predictive abilit

Blood chemistry and relative organ weights of rabbits fed neem leaf meal based diets

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of neem leaf meal (NLM) based diets on blood and relative organ weight characteristics of rabbits. In the first experiment, 36 rabbit bucks aged 7 to 8 months were distributed into four dietary groups, T1 , T2 T3 and T4 of 9 rabbits using completely randomized design. Each group was replicated 3 times with 3 rabbits per replicate. Rabbits in T1 group were fed diet that contained 0% NLM while those in T2 T3 and T4 groups were fed diets that contained NLM at 5%, 10% and 15%, respectively for 112 days. In the second experiment, 36 rabbit does were used and experimental procedures were laid out as described in experiment 1. Blood samples for analysis, live weight and organ weights were collected from each replicate and data obtained analysed statistically. Higher (p<0.05) kidney weight was obtained for rabbit does on diets T2 T3 and T4 . Bucks on diet T2 recorded significantly (p<0.05) higher pancreas weight than those on diet T1 diet. No significant effect (p>0.05) on haematological parameters was observed among all treatments except for MCV and neutrophils which were significantly (p<0.05) decreased in the groups fed diets T2 and T4 and diets T1 and T3 groups respectively than others. Rabbit bucks and does on diet T1 recorded significantly (p<0.05) higher serum cholesterol values than those on the other diets. Serum glucose value of rabbits on diet T4 was significantly (p<0.05) different from those on the other diets. Serum ALP value of rabbits on diet T1 differed significantly (p<0.05) from those on the other 3 diets with the exception of bucks on diet T4 that had similar value with those on diet T1 . Addition of neem leaf meal in rabbit diets increased serum AST and ALT values but the differences were not significant (p>0.05). It was therefore concluded that up to 5% of neem leaf meal can be included in the diet of pubertal rabbits without any deleterious effects on their organs and blood characteristics.Keywords: Rabbits, neem leaf meal, haematology, serum biochemistry, organ

Analysis of ten years production trends of a Nigerian University Piggery unit

The operations of a collapsing University of Nigeria, Nsukka piggery unit was studied over a period of 10 years with the objective of identifying the reasons for the deterioration of the unit as well as prescribe solutions. The piggery unit had in the past obtained regular funding from the university up to the 6th year of the period under review, after which it became irregular and finally stopped by the 9th year. This insufficiency of funds led to an erratic supply of feed and thus starvation, death of pigs and eventual almost total collapse of the unit. The average total stock population of the piggery unit increased from 42 in the first year of the study period to a peak of 232 in the 5th year and thereafter declined to an average of 45 in the 10th year. The annual feed allowances of the pigs were far below the annual feed requirements in quantitative and qualitative terms over the ten-year period. The highest feed consumption deficit was recorded in the 10th year and the least deficit in the first year. Because of continued increase in the cost of feeds coupled with stoppage of funding by the university, the unit resorted to feeding the pigs mainly with boiled cassava tubers, which is high in fiber and low in protein. Litter size at birth ranged from 4.3 to 6.8 and the average number of piglets weaned per litter per year ranged from 2.1 to 6.6. This accounted for the continued decline in the stock population. Piglet mortality attained its peak of 64.8% by the 10th year. The average piglet mortality, over the ten year period was however approximately 31%. The problem of the unit can be traced back to lack of adequate funding by the university. Keywords: piggery, diseases, feed requirement, university farm, NigeriaInternational Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development Vol. 6 2005: 39-5