Effect of bovine Azawak colostrum administration on plasma protein profile in red kid.

This study evaluated the impact of heterologous Azawak colostrum administration on plasma protein profile in red kids from Niger. Forty (40) newborn kids were affected to one of two treatments: control group (access to water and the mother) and colostrum group (access to the mother, water and additional 50 ml of colostrum Azawak/animal the day of birth, then 25ml/animal/day from the 2nd to 15th day). Blood samples (10ml/animal) were obtained at the age of 10 and 30 days by jugular puncture into EDTA vacutainer tubes. The quantification of total protein was performed by the Biuret method. The agarose gel electrophoresis was used to determine serum levels of albumin, ɑ-globulin, β1-globulin, β2-globulin, γ-globulin and finally the albumin/globulin ratio. In general, the average concentrations of these proteins obtained at both ages reached higher values in colostrum than in control group. At day 10, the colostrum group tended to show (P <0.07) higher levels for ɑ-globulin and showed higher values (P <0.04) for β1-globulin. At day 30, total protein and β2-globulins were higher in colostrum group. The administration of heterologous colostrum in kid seems to have positive effects on some plasma parameters. It would be worth to discriminate the plasma proteins derived from bovine and maternal colostra.Utilisation du Colostrum Bovin chez les petits ruminant

Characterization of the sheep breed Balami in Niger by descriptive and multivariate analysis of morpho-quantitative parameters

L’objectif principal visé par cette étude est d’établir les caractéristiques phénotypiques quantitatives du mouton Balami au Niger. Elle a pris pour cible la zone de prédilection de la race notamment la Région de Maradi (commune d’Azagor, Bermo, Dakoro) et celle de Tahoua (commune de Madaoua). Dix-sept paramètres morpho-biométriques quantitatifs ont été mesurés sur 311 Balamis appartenant à 99 exploitations sur 10 sites choisis au hasard en fonction de l’adhésion volontaire des éleveurs. Les résultats de l’analyse descriptive ont mis en évidence que le Balami est un animal très long et de grande taille. L’ACP a permis de distinguer dans la zone d’étude deux (2) sous populations dont une plus importante réunissant les quatre communes étudiées et la seconde regroupant les Balamis de Dakoro et Bermo. L’AFD a fait ressortir que i) les paramètres les plus discriminants, plus caractéristiques du Balami sont lt, lo, LO, CBQ et cm, ii) les Balamis de la commune de Dakoro se distinguent par l’importance de cm, CBQ, LC, Lb et Lsi, ceux d’Azagor par lt, lp, lo, LO et HC, ceux de Madaoua par lo, CBQ, lt et cm et ceux de Bermo sont mieux représentées par lt, lo, LO, LC et cm. Mots clés&nbsp;: Balami, paramètres morpho-biométrique quantitatifs, NigerThe main objective of this study is to establish the quantitative phenotypic characteristics of Balami’s sheep in Niger. It targeted the area of ??choice of the breed including the Region of Maradi (Azagor, Bermo, Dakoro communes) and Tahoua (Madaoua commune). Seventeen morpho-biometric quantitative parameters were measured on 311 Balamis belonging to 99 farms at 10 sites selected randomly based on farmer’s willingness to cooperate. The descriptive analysis showed that Balami is a very long and large animal. ACP analysis permit to distinguish in the study area two (2) subpopulations including a larger one bringing together the four studied communes and the second grouping the Balamis of Dakoro and Bermo. AFD pointed out that i) the most discriminating parameters, more characteristic of Balami are lt, lo, LO, CBQ and cm, ii) the Balamis of Dakoro commune are distinguished by the importance of cm, CBQ, LC, Lb and Lsi, those of Azagor by lt, lp, lo, LO and HC, those of Madaoua by lo, CBQ, lt and cm and those of Bermo are better represented by lt, lo, LO, LC and cm. Key words: Balami, quantitative morpho-biometric parameters, Nige

An echographic study of follicular growth during induced estrus in female Azawak zebu in Niger

An echographic study of follicular growth up to ovulation was carried out on 42 lactating Azawakh cows (Bos indicus) after estrus induction by means of a PGF2α or a procedure involving the administration of progesterone vaginally (PRID® DELTA: Progesterone-releasing intravaginal device) for a ten-day period and the injection of a PGF2α and an eCG (400 and 800 IU) on withdrawal. All the animals treated in this way were inseminated 12 and 24 hrs after the onset of estrus. The percentage of estrus induced was not significantly different between the two groups of animals (81%). The average time delay before the onset of estrus was significantly longer after injection of a PGF2α (84.8 ± 26.0 hrs) than after withdrawal of the PRID® (59.2 ± 5.8 hrs). The average duration of the estrus was significantly shorter after its induction by PGF2α (12.6 ± 2.6 hrs) than after induction by progesterone (22.9 ± 2.7 hrs). There was not a significant difference in the interval between the beginning of estrus and ovulation in animals treated by PGF2α (30.3 hrs) and progesterone (28.4 hrs). Injection of a PGF2α was accompanied by a significantly lower rate of gestation than that obtained after treatment of animals by progesterone (31.2% vs 54.5 %). These results confirm the necessity to adapt an insemination policy to hormonal treatment for estrus induction in Bos indicus

Effect of bovine colostrum administration on plasma protein profile, growth, and survival in Red kid.

This study evaluated the effect of colostrum from Azawak cows on plasma protein profile, 24 growth, and survival in Red kids from Niger. Forty (40) newborn kids were allocated to one 25 of two treatment-groups: control (free access to water and the mother) and colostrum (free 26 access to water and the mother, but with additional 50 mL of colostrum/animal/day of birth 27 and 25 mL/animal/day from the 2nd to 15th day of age). Blood samples were collected into 28 EDTA vacutainer tubes by jugular puncture at 10 and 30 days of age. Total protein was 29 quantified by the Biuret method. The agarose gel electrophoresis was used to determine the 30 serum levels of albumin, -globulin, β1-globulin, β2-globulin, γ-globulin and the 31 albumin/globulin ratio. The animals from the colostrum group showed higher body weight 32 and average daily gain when compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The average 33 concentration in protein at the both sampling times reached higher values in the colostrum 34 than in the control group. At D10, the colostrum group tended (P < 0.07) to show higher 35 levels of -globulin and had higher values (P < 0.05) for β1-globulin. At D30, total protein 36 and β2-globulins were higher in colostrum group. Colostrum from Azawak cows seems to 37 have positive effects on some plasma proteins levels and on growth rate in Red kids.Utilisation du colostrum hétérologue en production ovine et caprine en période post-partum

Critères d’appréciation des reproducteurs en systèmes d'élevage traditionnel du zébu Azawak dans les zones d’Abalak, Filingué et Niamey (Niger)

Au Niger, le zébu Azawak fait l’objet d’un programme de sélection au sein de la Station de Toukounous, créée en 1954. Si de substantiels progrès en termes de production individuelle ont été atteints, ce matériel génétique nécessite d’être diffusé à travers le pays. Cette étude caractérise les critères d'appréciation des géniteurs Azawak auprès de 120 éleveurs d’Azawak non-améliorés au sein de trois contextes d’élevage différents: pastoral (Abalak, n=38), agricole (Filingué, n=54) et périurbain (Niamey, n=28). Près de 65,5% des éleveurs interrogés apprécient l’Azawak pour sa production laitière, sa valeur socioculturelle, l’esthétique de la robe, la facilité d'engraissement et sa docilité pour la traction. Les motifs mentionnés par les 34,5% d'éleveurs affirmant ne pas apprécier le zébu Azawak amélioré sont son exigence en compléments alimentaires et en soins vétérinaires et son inadaptation à la transhumance. Les critères majeurs du choix du géniteur sont la longueur de la queue (60,0%), la grosseur du fourreau (58,2%), la performance laitière des descendants (55,0%), ainsi que leur bonne conformation (48,3%) et leur docilité (46,7%). La réforme des mâles par l’éleveur est dictée par le comportement d'errance (67,7%), l'indocilité (51,9%) et la mauvaise conformation des descendants (42,6%). Les déterminants de l’appréciation des reproducteurs par les éleveurs sont le fondement des objectifs et critères de sélection. L’inadéquation entre les deux résulte en une absence de diffusion du matériel amélioré. La compréhension de ces contraintes à la diffusion permettra leur prise en compte au niveau du programme de sélection ou des autres services d’élevage

Breeding criteria and willingness-to-pay for improved Azawak zebu sires in Niger

In Niger, the growth in local demand for milk and meat makes it necessary to consider a genetic improvement of indigenous cattle. In Toukounous breeding station, the Azawak zebu has undergone over 50 years of line breeding for milk and meat production traits. To understand the diffusion potential of improved Azawak sires in Niger, this study proposes to estimate the values that cattle keepers ascribe to different breeding criteria. In a first participatory stage, the breeding criteria used by cattle keepers were first listed and their relative importance was semi-quantified in three different production zones: agricultural, peri- urban and pastoral. The willingness-to-pay (WTP) for chosen breeding criteria have then been estimated through stated preference methods with 150 breeders. From participatory surveys, the most important attributes in sire choice were reproductive performance, feeding requirements, and docility. The criteria considered for conjoint analysis were feeding requirements, docility, meat or dairy type, reproductive performance, coat color, and tail length. The WTP was 149 € for low feed requirements, 139 € for docility, and 132 € for a long tail. The meat or dairy type of the sire showed a lesser importance in the decision-making

The Koundoum sheep breed in Niger: morpho-biometric study and description of the production system

The diffusion of highly productive breeds across developing countries goes along with a neglect of indigenous breeds, which are well suited to their environment but often show low yields. Thus, in Niger, the flock of Koundoum sheep are rapidly decreasing. The Koundoum is one of the few wool sheep breeds of Africa and shows important adaptive feature to its native environment, i.e. the humid pastures on the banks of the Niger River. To characterise the breed and to understand its production context, a survey has been conducted in 104 herds in four communes along the Niger River (Kollo, Tillabery, Say and Tera). Nine body measurements, including live weight, were taken on 180 adult sheep (101 females and 79 males). The herds varied from 2 to 60 heads, with a median size of eight animals and two thirds of the herds having less than 10 animals. Mainly fed on natural pastures, 85.6% of the herds received crop residues. Only natural mating was practiced. Veterinary care was restricted to anti-helminthic and some indigenous treatments. The frequent affiliation of breeders to professional unions appeared as favourable to the implementation of a collective conservation program. The Koundoum sheep were white or black coated, with the black colour being most frequent (75.6%). Wattles were present in both sexes at similar frequencies of around 14%. All biometric variables were significantly and positively correlated between them. The thoracic perimeter showed the best correlation with live weight in both males and females. Three variables were selected for live weight prediction: thoracic perimeter, height at withers and rump length. From the present study, it is expected that the in situ conservation of the Koundoum sheep will be highly problematic, due to lack of market opportunities for wool and the willingness of smallholders to get involved in pure Koundoum rearing