Effect Of Different Management Environment On Hematological Perfomance In West African Dwarf (WAD) Goats

This study was carried out to assess the effect of management environment on heamatological performance of West African Dwarf goats reared under different management system commonly adopted by farmers in Nigeria (i.e. extensive, semi-intensive and intensive system). The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design using fifteen (15) West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. Result from the experiment shows that PCV and Hb values were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by management system. This value ranges from 28.3±1.50 to 31.3±2.52% for PCV and 8.93±0.45 to 10.3±1.57 g/dl for Hb. whereas other parameters such as RBCs, MCHC, WBCs shows no significant (P>0.05) differences in their values. Total serum protein and Serum glucose reveals significant (P<0.05) differences in their values too, with intensively reared goats having higher serum values. This value also ranged from 7.14±0.51 to 8.51±0.30 g/dl for total serum protein and 47.75±3.35 to 61.16±3.47mg/dl for glucose respectively. It was concluded that intensively reared goats have better heamatological performance compared with extensively reared goats

Growth and Physiological Performance of West African Dwarf Goats Reared Under Two Different Management Systems

Twenty young growing West African Dwarf (WAD) goats of both sexes with an average body weight of 5.77kg were used in an experiment which lasted for three months to assess growth and physiological performance of goats reared under two different management systems. Result of the experiment revealed that growth rate was significantly better in animals reared under intensive system of management as indices measured such as average daily weight gain, (kg) and metabolic weight (W0.75kg), were better in goats reared intensively. Feed intake was not significantly different (p>0.05) among the two management systems. However, physiological parameters such as rectal temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate and ambient temperature revealed some significant correlation. It was thus concluded that goats reared under both intensive and extensive systems of management could be thermally stressed by the ambient temperature, while rearing goats intensively is better than the extensive method commonly adopted in Nigeria

Assessment of serum biochemistry in West African Dwarf (WAD) does administered varying levels of medroxyl–progesterone acetate (MPA), an estrus synchronizing drug

This study was carried out to assess the health status (serum biochemistry) of West African Dwarf (WAD) does administered varying levels of modroxyl-progestrone acetate (MPA), an oestrus synchronizing drug. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design. Result of the experiment showed that all the does were in good health status before, during and after the drug administration. Blood serum electrolytes analyses showed that all parameters assessed were within the normal range of a healthy goat. Sodium (Na+) mEq/L and potassium (K+) mEq/L were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected, by the drug administered. Urea (mg/dl) and creatinine (mg/dl) were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the drugs administered. Serum enzymes activities in WAD does showed that alanine transaminase (ALT) (m/L) and aspartate transaminase (AST) (m/L) were not significantly affected (P > 0.05) by administering MPA drug but alkaline phophatase (ALP) (mg/dl) was significantly (P < 0.05) influenced before and during the drug administration. Similarly, serum protein (g/dl) and serum glucose (mg/dl) values were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced before and during the drug administration. However, the result of this study showed that all the does were in good health status after synchronizing oestrus with the drug.Key words: Serum biochemistry, West African Dwarf (WAD) does, oestrus synchronization drug

An assessment of the reproductive performance of estrus synchronized West African Dwarf (WAD) does using medroxyl-progestrone acetate (MPA)

This study was carried out to assess the reproductive performance of cycling West African Dwarf does as well as to assess the efficacy of medroxyl-progestrone acetate, an estrus synchronizing drug, thathas the advantage of being administered orally and intramuscularly. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design using 40 cycling does divided into five experimental treatment groups.The results of the experiment show that estrus behavior in the does was significantly (P0.05) affected by the drug. These results show that there is good prospect in the use of medroxyl-progestrone acetate orally and intramuscularly in synchronizing estrus in cycling WAD does

Growth responses of yearling Yankasa rams to four different hays and concentrate supplementation

The objective of the study was to ascertain the feed intake, acceptability of hay and weight gain by yankasa rams fed basal diets of either natural grass hay (NGH) as control, Digitaria exilis hay (DEH), Bracharia decumbens hay (BDH) or Digitaria decumbens hay (DDH) along with equal amounts of concentrate feed as supplement. The 10-week experiment was conducted at the College farm of the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria using Completely Randomized Design. The four hays were allotted randomly to twenty rams housed in separate pens. There were five rams per treatment. Each animal was served 2 kg of the hay treatment, plus 200 g concentrate supplement. The parameters measured were feed intake (FI), water consumed (WC), hay acceptability (HA), weekly weight (WW), total weight gained (TWG) and daily weight gain (DWG) by rams. Hay treatment affected weekly weight of yankasa rams significantly. Daily weight gain was 142.9, 60.7, 42.9 and 10.7 g per day for rams fed with BDH, DDH, DEH and NRH, respectively. At week 10, rams fed with BDH were significantly heavier by 78.0 % than rams fed NGH and heavier by 33.2 % on aggregate than rams fed with DEH and DDH. Total weight gain of rams fed BDH was 809.1 % higher than TWG of animals fed with the control (NGH) treatment. Yankasa rams consumed 2.5 litres of water per head daily. The rams consumed significantly more of the natural grass hay (NGH) than the other hays. Acceptability of NGH, DEH and BDH was similar but DDH was not well accepted by rams. The great prospects of Bracharia decumbens hay for fattening yankasa rams, warrants expansion of this grass by NVRI.Keywords: Weight gain, yankasa rams, hay, feed intake, Vom, Nigeri