Oestrous Response to Synchronization using Different Progesterone Treatments in Yankasa Ewes

Nigerian Veterinary Journal Vol. 32(3): 2011; 218 - 22

Climate change adaptation options in farming communities of selected Nigerian ecological zones

This chapter examines the impacts of climate change on three tropical crops and assesses the climate change adaptation options adopted by rural farmers in the region. The study was conducted among farming communities settled in three major ecological zones in Nigeria. Over 37 years of data on rainfall and temperature were analyzed to examine climate change impacts on three major crops: rice, maize, and cassava. Farmers' adaptive capacity was assessed with a survey. Climatic data, crop yields, and survey data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The relation between rainfall/temperature and crop yields was examined using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results show a high variation in the annual rainfall and temperature during the study period. The major findings from this research is that crops in different ecological zones respond differently to climate variation. The result revealed that there is a very strong relationship between precipitation and the yield of rice and cassava at p <0.05 level of significance. The results further showed low level of adaption among the rural farmers. The study concludes that rainfall and temperature variability has a significant impact on crop yield in the study area, but that the adaptive capacity of most farmers to these impacts is low. There is a need for enhancing the adaptation options available to farmers in the region, which should be the focus of government policies

The effect of supplements Bujani Weaner cattle with dried poultry manure based concentrate

Two experiments were conducted at the Livestock Teaching and Research Farm, University of Agriculture; Makurdi to evaluate the effect of dried poultry manure (DPM) based concentrate diets on the performance of Bunaji weaner cattle grazing natural pasture. In experiment 1, ten Bunaji weaner cattle aged between ten and eleven months and weighing approximately 117kg on the average, grazing natural pasture were fed DPM based concentrate diets for 90 days in a complete randomized design. The concentrate diets contained 0, 17.8, 33.7 and 47.96 percent levels of DPM and were designated treatments A, B, C, and D respectively. Animals on treatment E grazed natural pasture only. There was a decreasing trend in body weight gain as the level of DPM in the diets increased. However, no significant difference (P&gt;0.05) were observed in feed intake, body weight gain and feed efficiency among the animals. The daily-weight gain of-the animals that were supplemented with DPM based concentrate diets however was significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher than those on natural pasture alone. The average daily weight gains for treatments A, B, C, D, and E were 0.65kg, 0.60kg, 0.48kg, 0.44kgand 0.10kg respectively. In experiment 2, four male Bunaji weaner cattle with an average ag^ of 13.5 months and weight of 129.5kg cere used ina4x4 latin square digestion trial to evaluate the utilization of the experimental diets. DM, CP, CF, EE and NFE digestibilities were not significantly different (P&gt;0.05) among the treatments. There was however, a decreasing trend in the digestibilities of DM, CP, CF, EE and NFE as the level of DPM in diets increased. DM digestibility were 71.85, 68.53, 65.84 and 60.75 per cent for diets A, B, C and D. CP digestibilities were 80.14, 6.60, 73.91 and 71.68 per cent for diets A, B, C, and D respectively. The CF digestibilities were 56.19,51.48, 9.02 and 45.04 percent; EE digestibilities were 87.81,86.35,85.50, and 85.95percent while the NFE digestibilities were 79.26, 78.46, 77.30 and 74.61 percent for diets A, B, C, and D respectively. The nutritional and practical significance of these results are discussed. Keywords: Supplementation, weaner cattle, poultry manure

Growth performance, carcass and hematological characteristics of rabbits fed graded levels of tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus)

This experiment was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of tiger nuts (Cypers esculentus) rejects on the growth performance, carcass weight and hematological parameters of weaner rabbits. Three experimental diets were formulated with Diets A being a commercial growers’ mash as control diet; Diet B: 5% parts of Tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus) +95% parts of Diet A; Diet C: 10% parts of Tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus) +90% parts of Diet A. The effects of dietary treatments on feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were not significant (p>0.05). The dressing percentage ranged from 66.87 to 75.92% and was significantly (

Comparative chemical composition of 24-hour fermented sweet orange fruit (Citrus sinensis) peel meal and maize and effect on performance response of starting pullet chicks

The study evaluated the effect of 24-hour fermentation of sweet orange fruit (Citrus sinensis) peel meal (24SOFPM) on its chemical composition and performance response to graded levels of peel meal in the diets of pullet chicks. Dry matter, crude protein and phosphorus level in 24SOFPM were close to that of maize. While limonene was higher in 24SOPFM, phytate was higher in maize than the 24SOPFM. One hundred and forty-four fourteen dayold Nera black pullet chicks were assigned to four experimental diets F0, F10, F20 and F30. SOPFM substituted maize in F0, F10, F20 and F30 respectively at 0, 10, 20 and 30%. The feeding trial lasted the remaining 6 weeks of the chicks’ phase. The study design was Completely Randomized Design. Daily feed intake was not significantly different (p&gt;0.05). Average body weight gain was significantly different (p&lt;0.05) and was depressed with no definite pattern in the SOPFM based diets. FCR was significantly different (p&lt;0.05). Substitution of maize with SOFPM significantly (p&lt;0.05) reduced feed cost/25kg, feed cost/bird and cost of production while decreasing efficiency of feed utilization for growth. Apparently, SOPFM might be a potential feedstuff which could substitute a proportion of maize in pullet chick’s diet when fermented for 24 hours.Keywords: chemical composition, performance, chick, sweet orange fruit peel mea

Automobilismo: no calor da competição Automovilismo: en el calor de la competición Car racing: in the heat of competition

O presente artigo questiona o papel do calor como um fator de risco adicional para o acidente que vitimou Ayrton Senna. O automobilismo de competição constitui um desafio biológico, uma situação estressante do ponto de vista mental e físico. A manutenção da performance depende da disponibilidade de carboidratos e oxigênio, hidratação adequada e temperatura interna constante entre 37 e 38 graus centígrados. A dissipação do calor produzido pelo metabolismo ocorre através do aumento do fluxo de sangue para pele e produção de suor e manter a temperatura cerebral constante se constitui num problema permanente. Verificou-se experimentalmente que a energia necessária para dirigir um automóvel de corrida é comparável a um esporte como o voleibol. Durante uma corrida, o indivíduo está exposto a um microambiente quente na cabina, que pode atingir 50ºC, gerado por fontes de calor mecânicas e ambientais. O bloqueio da evaporação do suor pelo macacão resulta em umidade e desconforto pessoal, o que implica maior esforço mental para dirigir o carro. As medidas contra o calor começam antes da corrida, cuidando-se do estado nutricional, da hidratação e principalmente do condicionamento físico através de exercícios aeróbios regulares e adequados, que permitem aumentar a capacidade de trabalho e a tolerância ao calor, o que resulta em menor fadiga durante a corrida. Outro procedimento importante deveria ser a aclimatação prévia dos pilotos aos ambientes quentes e úmidos. Deve-se fazer o possível para reduzir o aquecimento do veículo e respeitar o sistema de bandeiras de advertência para os riscos de hipertermia. Em conclusão, embora Ayrton Senna fosse um indivíduo com maior risco de desenvolver hipertermia, independentemente de outras causas, não parece ter havido tempo de corrida suficiente para haver produção de calor metabólico capaz de aumentar excessivamente a temperatura interna do piloto nas condições ambientais do autódromo no dia de sua morte.<br>El presente artículo cuestiona el papel del calor como un factor de riesgo adicional para el accidente que sufrió Ayrton Senna. El automovilismo de competición constituye un desafío biológico, una situación estresante desde el punto de vista mental y físico. El mantenimiento de la performance depende de la disponibilidad de los carbohidratos y del oxígeno, hidratación adecuada y temperatura interna constante entre 37 y 38 grados centígrados. La disipación de calor producido por el metabolismo que ocurre a través del aumento del flujo de sangre para mantener la temperatura cerebral constante constituye un problema permanente. Se ha verificado experimentalmente que la energía requerida para conducir un auto de carrera es similar a la requerida para practicar un deporte como el voleibol. Durante una carrera, el individuo está expuesto a un microambiente caliente dentro de la cabina que puede llegar hasta los 50 grados centígrados generado por fuentes de calor como las mecánicas y las ambientales. El bloque del sudor por el mameluco resulta en humedad y disconfor personal, lo que implica un mayor esfuerzo personal para conducir el auto. Las medidas contra el calor comienzan antes de la carrera, cuidando el estado nutricional, la hidratación y principalmente el acondicionamiento físico a través de ejercicios aeróbicos regulares y adecuados, que permitan aumentar la capacidad de trabajo y la tolerancia al calor, lo que resulta en una menor fatiga durante la carrera. Otro procedimiento importante debería ser la aclimatación de los pilotos en ambientes calientes y húmedos. Se debe realizar lo posible en el acondicionamiento del vehículo para respetar el sistema de banderas de advertencia para los riesgos de hipertermia. En conclusión, si ahora Ayrton Senna fuera un individuo con mayor riesgo de desarrollar hipertermia, independientemente de otras causas, no parece haber habido tiempo suficiente en la carrera para la producción del calor metabólico capaz de aumentar excesivamente la temperatura interna del piloto en las condiciones ambientales del autódromo el día de su muerte.<br>The present study discusses the role of heat as an additional risk factor for the accident that killed the pilot Ayrton Senna. The competition car racing is a biological challenge, a stressing situation from the physical and mental point of view. The maintenance of performance depends on the oxygen and carbohydrates availability, adequate hydration and constant internal temperature, between 37 and 38ºC. The dissipation of heat produced by the metabolism occurs through the increase on the cutaneous blood flow and sweat and maintaining brain temperature constant becomes a permanent problem. It was experimentally verified that the energy required to the racecar driving is comparable to a sport such as volleyball. During a car race, the individual is exposed to a hot microenvironment in the cockpit, sometimes reaching 50ºC, generated by mechanical and environmental sources of heat. The obstruction of the sweat evaporation by the racesuit results in humidity and personal discomfort, what leads to higher mental effort to drive the car. The anti-heat measures are adopted before the race, considering the nutritional state, hydration and specially the physical conditioning through adequate and regular aerobic exercises that enable increasing the work capacity and the heat tolerance, resulting in lower fatigue during the car racing. Another important procedure should be the previous acclimation of pilots to hot and humid environments. All efforts should be done to reduce the vehicle heating and to respect the warning flag system for the risks of hyperthermia. Finally, although Ayrton Senna was an individual with higher risk of developing hyperthermia, regardless other causes, it seems not to have elapsed sufficient time of race in order to produce metabolic heat capable to increase excessively the pilot's internal temperature in the environmental conditions of the autodrome in the day of his death