Prevalence of Aflatoxicosis in Broiler Chickens in Quetta, Pakistan

Abstract.-A base line study was conducted to determine the prevalence of aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens in and around Quetta district during the period June 2009 to May 2010. The study was based on the examination of sick and dead birds (n=1105 broiler chickens). Congested and oedematous carcass, hemorrhages, yellowish brown or pale liver; swollen kidneys; atrophy of bursa and thymus were the common necropsy findings. Thin layer Chromatographic analysis of liver samples of suspected birds was carried out for the confirmation of aflatoxin. Aflatoxin contents of analyzed samples ranged between 3.0 -11.7 µg/kg. It was recorded that 8.78% (n=97) birds were aflatoxicosis positive. The highest season wise prevalence was recorded in autumn (13.29%) and the lowest in winter (5.1%). It is concluded that existing situation of aflatoxicosis need strict surveillance to monitor the problem. There should be a campaign among public to create awareness about toxicological effects of aflatoxins and development of good laboratory facilities for confirmation of disease. Further use of aflatoxin ameliorators should be promoted to limit the problem

Estimating body weight from several body measurements in harnai sheepwithout multicollinearity problem

The aim of this study was to estimate body weight from several linear body characteristics collected from 730 Harnai sheep, in Pakistan. For this aim, morphological characteristics viz. body length (BL), withers height (WH), chest girth (CG), paunch girth (PG), face length (FL), length between ears (LBE), length of ears (EARL), width (FTW) and length (FTL) of tail to be useful for breeding purposes were measured. With removing multicollinearity problem, the complex relationship between BW and the measured characteristics was assessed by using scores derived from factor and principal component analyses in multiple regression analysis (MLRA) for male and female sheep. Body weight from morphological characteristics was predicted by Regression tree method. R2 (%), adjusted R2(%), and RMSE values for weight prediction were estimated very high for MLRA (90.6, 90.3, and 4.635 for male sheep, and 92.4, 92.3, and 4.102 for female sheep), whereas use of factor scores in MLRA (87.8, 87.6, 0.352 for male sheep and 92.0, 91.9, and 0.284 for female sheep), and principal component scores (85.9, 85.8, and 0.367 for male sheep and 88.8, 88.7, and 0.335 for female sheep) in MLRA exactly removed multicollinearity problem. Regression tree method explained 84.4 % of total variation in BW. Consequently, use of factor and principal component scores in MLRA gave breeders a good chance without multicollinearity problem for a more accurate estimation of body weight in Harnai sheep compared to the results of MLRA. The results might present valuable knowledge for genetically improving body weight of Harnai sheep

Some Morphological, Fertility and Growth Traits for Mengali Sheep of Balochistan, Pakistan

The present study was conducted to establish the characteristics regarding the habitat, status, norms and performance parameters of Mengali sheep breed of Balochistan. For the present study, 15 households of 7 villages were visited in 7 districts. Information on management, feeding, breeding, health practices, and utility patterns, productive and reproductive performance was collected by questionnaire and personal observations. Body weight and measurements were recorded for total 386 and 83 animals of extensive Farmers Flock (FF) and semiintensive production system, Experimental Station CASVAB (ESC), Quetta, respectively. The data were analyzed using unpaired t- test. In both production systems, sex had a significant effect on growth performance (P<0.05). Average adult body weights for ESC and FF were 49.0±0.51 and 40.4±0.35 for male, and 41.2±0.37 and 36.0±0.21 kg for female, respectively (P<0.05). Male had higher height at withers height, chest girth and body length compared to female (P<0.05), whereas no significant difference was found in ear and tail length. No difference was observed in yearly greasy fleece weights. Averages of the twinning percentage for ESC and FF were 5.25 and 3.55% respectively. A ewe on an average delivers 6-9 lambs in lifetime. The variation in growth performance of sheep raised in different rearing systems could give remarkable clues in order to set genetic improvement plan by selection for a long term. The results suggested that the performance of the sheep was improved under semi-intensive managemental system, which indicates shortage of nutrients in the range, whereas in the semi-intensive conditions the feeding cost increased quite significantly

Some Morphological, Fertility and Growth Traits for Mengali Sheep of Balochistan, Pakistan

The present study was conducted to establish the characteristics regarding the habitat, status, norms and performance parameters of Mengali sheep breed of Balochistan. For the present study, 15 households of 7 villages were visited in 7 districts. Information on management, feeding, breeding, health practices, and utility patterns, productive and reproductive performance was collected by questionnaire and personal observations. Body weight and measurements were recorded for total 386 and 83 animals of extensive Farmers Flock (FF) and semiintensive production system, Experimental Station CASVAB (ESC), Quetta, respectively. The data were analyzed using unpaired t- test. In both production systems, sex had a significant effect on growth performance (P<0.05). Average adult body weights for ESC and FF were 49.0±0.51 and 40.4±0.35 for male, and 41.2±0.37 and 36.0±0.21 kg for female, respectively (P<0.05). Male had higher height at withers height, chest girth and body length compared to female (P<0.05), whereas no significant difference was found in ear and tail length. No difference was observed in yearly greasy fleece weights. Averages of the twinning percentage for ESC and FF were 5.25 and 3.55% respectively. A ewe on an average delivers 6-9 lambs in lifetime. The variation in growth performance of sheep raised in different rearing systems could give remarkable clues in order to set genetic improvement plan by selection for a long term. The results suggested that the performance of the sheep was improved under semi-intensive managemental system, which indicates shortage of nutrients in the range, whereas in the semi-intensive conditions the feeding cost increased quite significantly

Influence of Slaughtering Age on Chemical Composition of Mengali Sheep Meat at Quetta, Pakistan

The aim of this study was to investigate chemical composition of meat of Mengali sheep (n=100) without teeth (group A), with 2 teeth (group B), with 4 teeth (group C) and 6 teeth (group D). Chemical characteristics of mutton in respect of moisture, protein, fat, ash and Vitamin A contents were determined. Moisture content for mutton group A was higher (76.20±1.48%), followed by B, C and D sheep viz., 75.12±2.52%, 74.07±1.61% and 73.17±2.32%, respectively. Protein content of group A meat was lower (17.79±1.77%) compared with B (18.31±2.24 %), C (20.02±1.98%) and D (20.40±2.14%). The highest fat content was recorded in sheep meat of group D (4.71%±0.55%), followed by group C (4.41±0.43%), B (3.91±0.48%) and group A (3.02±0.36%). Ash content in meat of group A sheep averaged 1.21±0.17 %, group B 1.334±0.23 %, group C 1.353±0.11% and group D 1.32±0.09%. Vitamin A content were found high in meat of group A (683.16±5.33 µg/100g) compared with that of B, C, and D (668.06±7.50, 664.04±5.12 and 653.74±4.89 µg/100 g meat, respectively). The meat of sheep with six teeth had the highest protein and fat contents and the lowest levels of moisture, vitamin A and ash contents. It is concluded that the moisture and Vit. A level decreased with age in the Mengali mutton whereas the protein, fat and ash contents increased with age