An analysis of data on Sokoto Gudali cattle at Bulassa and Dogondaji, north western state, Nigeria

Growth performance of Sokoto Gudali was investigated at Bulussa and Dogondaji, Nigeria. Animal weights at different ages were examined. Data on influence of sire, sex and month of birth, dates of age at first calving and calving interval included

An analysis of data on Bunaji cattle at Birnin Kudu and Kabomo, northern Nigeria

Weights of Bunaji cattle at different ages at Kabomo and Birnin Kudu were analysed for differences caused by sire, sex and month of birth. At Kabomo where two sires represented were paternal half brothers, differences in weight due to sire effects were not significant at any age included in the study. At Birnin Kudu where the sires were less closely related to each other, beginning when the calves were six months of age, sire differences were significant at all older ages studied. Bulls were heavier than heifers at all ages, though at Kabomo the number of animals included was so small the differences were significant only at six months, but at Birnin Kudu differences attributed to sex were significant at all ages beginning at birth. Month of birth significantly affected weights of animals at Kabomo at six and twelve months of age. Birth weight, 12 weeks, 12 months, and 18 months weights were significantly affected by month of birth at Birnin Kudu. By the time the animals were two years old, month of birth no longer significantly affected weight. Cows at both stations averaged 42 months of age at first calving; average calving interval at Kabomo was 436 days, but at Birnin Kudu the average was only 388 days. Generation interval at Kabomo and Birnin Kudu were 72 and 75 months respectively, but average ages of the parents were more variable at Kabomo where the standard deviation was 27 months and at Birnin Kudu the standard deviation was only 12 months

Improvement of beef cattle through breeding methods

The purebred Shorthorn cattle breeding project was continued during 1960 according to the breeding program adopted when the study was initiated in 1949. Two inbred lines were established and have been continued. The Wernacre Premier line in now in the fourth generation of inbreeding and the Mercury line, in the third generation. The bulls, Wernacre’s Premier and Gregg Farm’s Hoarfrost, were used as foundation sires to establish these two lives, respectively

Stilbestrol in a guinea pig ration.

This study was to determine the response of young guinea pigs to stilbestrol added to the basic ration of ground oats, tankage, bonemeal, ground alfalfa hay, and freshly-cut, green alfalfa. Eight litters of guinea pigs, each consisting of two pigs of the same sex were used. These pigs ranged from 3 to 5 weeks of age and the initial weights ranged from 220.7 to 368.6 grams. Four of the litters were males and four were females. One male from each of the male litters was placed in the control cage and the other pig from each litter was placed in the treatment cage. The female litters were divided in a similar manner and an effort was made to equalize the initial weights in the control and treatment cages for each sex

Improving beef cattle through breeding methods

The purebred Shorthorn beef cattle breeding project was continued during 1963 without modification. Inbreeding was continued in the two separate lines, which have remained closed to outside breeding since the study was initiated in 1949. The inbreeding plan has been basically to continue successive generations of half-sibbing in both lines. The Wernacre Premier line is in its fifth generation and the Mercury line, its fourth generations of inbreeding

Improvement of beef cattle through breeding

The purebred Shorthorn cattle breeding program was continued during 1964 according to the plan initiated in 1949. Inbreeding of the two lines has been continued. The Wernuere Premier Line is in its fifth generation and the Mercury line in its fourth generation of inbreeding. The inbreeding program for both lines has been basically to continue successive generations of half-sibbing

Use of diallel matings to estimate maternal effects and general and specific combining abilities in swine

Swine Industry Day 1970 is known as Swine Day, 1970As early as 1926, Danish workers reported that cross-breeding gave larger litters at weaning that gained faster on less feed per pound of gain. Crossbreeding is now used extensively in market hog production. It uses heterosis that results from hybrid combinations. Heterosis (superiority of crossbred progeny over the average of their parents) may be evaluated in terms of a high general combining ability, the capacity to cross well in several crosses, and specific combining ability, the ability to "nick" or cross particularly well with certain other strains, but not with all. Strains that "nick" well are said to have specific combining ability

The effect of Stilbestrol implants on fertility in adult male guinea pigs.

July 6, 1955, two adult guinea pig males each was implanted with 24 milligrams of stilbestrol. A young female that previously had given birth to a litter was placed in the cage with these males, but for some time they showed no interest in the female. One male died during the latter part of the summer but the other male remained in the colony until February 29, 1956. The female was kept in the cage with the implanted male and she gave birth to a litter about February 1, 1956. The average gestation length in the guinea pig is 68 days so the implanted male must have recovered from the effect of the stilbestrol and sired this litter by about November 24, 1955, approximately 4% months after the implant was administered. This indicates that adult guinea pig males can recover sufficiently from large dosages of stilbestrol to sire progeny

Bunaji cattle at the Shika Research Station: North Central state, Nigeria

Effects of sire, sex and month of birth on body weights of Bunaji, Friesian x Bunaji and Brahman x Bunaji crossbred cattle were investigated at Shika research station, Nigeria. Data on calving intervals included