Krvni i biokemijski pokazatelji u zapadnoafričkih patuljastih jaraca kastriranih Burdizzo kliještima.

The response to the closed method of bilateral castration using Burdizzo castrator was investigated in six West African Dwarf (WAD) goats at the Teaching and Research Farm, University of Ibadan, Nigeria for 4 weeks. Urea significantly increased (P<0.05) from the first week of experiment until the third when it decreased significantly (P<0.05) and it was again elevated in the final week of the study. Creatinine also increased significantly (P<0.05), without further changes until the fourth week of the study. ALP decreased significantly (P<0.05) from the first to the third week of the study and thereafter increased significantly. ALT did not change significantly until the third week when it increased (P<0.05) and then decreased during the last week of the study. This was still higher than the value at pre-orchidectomy. Serum protein levels increased and decreased without significant differences, but were later significantly (P<0.05) elevated to the pre-castration level. Although the albumin fraction continued to decrease until the 3rd week, this was not significant. A significant increase (P<0.05) was then observed in the last week of the study. Globulin fraction decreased significantly and remained so until the end of the study. The haematological values showed no significant increase in PCV, Hb, RBC and other indices of measurement, but the WBC count showed a significant increase (P<0.05) upon castration and remained elevated until the 4th week when it returned to within a normal range. This study showed that bloodless castration had a milder effect on serum profiles and might be a safer alternative to surgical castration in WAD goats, especially where protein deficiencies or hepatocellular insufficiency exists.Tijekom četiri tjedna promatrani su učinci beskrvne obostrane kastracije Burdizzo kliještima u šest jaraca zapadnoafričke patuljaste pasmine, uzgajanih na obrazovno-istraživačkoj farmi Sveučilišta Ibadan u Nigeriji. Razina ureje značajno je porasla (P<0,05) od prvog do trećeg tjedna kada se značajno smanjila (P<0,05) da bi ponovno porasla u završnom tjednu istraživanja. Razina kreatinina također je značajno (P<0,05) porasla, bez daljnjih promjena do četvrtoga tjedna istraživanja. Razina alkalne fosfataze bila je značajno snižena (P<0,05) od prvoga do trećega tjedna promatranja, a nakon toga njezina je razina bila značajno povišena. Razina alanin transferaze nije se značajno mijenjala sve do trećega tjedna kada je porasla (P<0,05), a nakon toga opadala tijekom posljednjega tjedna istraživanja. No, bez obzira na opadanje, njezina razina bila još uvijek viša u odnosu na onu prije kastracije. Razina bjelančevina u serumu rasla je i opadala bez statistički značajnih razlika, ali je kasnije značajno porasla (P<0,05) u odnosu na razinu prije kastracije. Iako su se frakcije albumina postojano smanjivale do trećega tjedna, to nije bilo statistički značajno, već je značajan porast (P<0,05) bio opažen u posljednjem tjednu istraživanja. Razina globulina značajno se snizila i ostala jednaka sve do kraja istraživanja. Vrijednosti pokazatelja u krvi nisu pokazale značajan porast PCV, Hb, RBC kao ni ostalih pokazatelja osim broja leukocita koji se značajno povećao (P<0,05) nakon kastracije i ostao povišen do četvrtoga tjedna kada se vratio u granice normale. Istraživanje je pokazalo da beskrvna kastracija ima slabiji učinak na promjene u serumu i može biti sigurnija zamjena za kiruršku kastraciju zapadnoafričkih patuljastih jaraca, posebice ako postoji manjak proteina ili jetrena insuficijencija

Ovarian morphology and estradiol-17beta concentrations in serum and follicular fluid of slaughtered zebu cattle in Ibadan, Nigeria

Over a period of three months (January to March), ovarian morphology and estradiol-17β concentrations in serum and follicular fluid were studied in 110 Bunaji (Bos indicus) cows slaughtered at Bodija abattoir, Ibadan, Nigeria, in order to determine the reproductive state and history of such cattle. Macroscopic examination of the ovaries revealed that 70 (63.6%) of the cows were undergoing active oestrous cycle. Of these, 42 (60.0%) had large ovarian follicles of greater than 3 mm diameter, while 22 (31.4%) had corpora lutea (CL). Six animals (8.6%) had corpora haemorrhagica. Of the 22 animals exhibiting CL, 12 (54.5%) had CL of pregnancy and were with calf, while 10 (45.5%) others had those of normal oestrous cycle. Corpora albicans (CA) counts showed that 90 (81.8%) of the cows had calved at least once, the mean being 4.5 calves per cow. Fifty-eight cows (52.7%) had calved 0-2 times, 34 (30.9%) 3-5 times and 18 (16.3%) 6-8 times. The mean estradiol-17β levels in follicular fluid (1669.6 ± 9.7 pg/mL) were significantly higher than that of the serum (85.5 ± 0.8 pg/mL). The non-pregnant cyclic with corpus luteum group had the highest follicular estradiol concentration (2558.8 ± 8.9 pg/mL), while the pregnant group had the lowest (858.5 ± 6.8 pg/mL). The mean serum estradiol level among pregnant cows was 115.7 ± 1.2 pg/mL. Low levels of serum estradiol-17β were consistently recorded among animals having active ovaries and good volume of follicular fluid, indicating that they were reproductively active and were being sold for reasons other than infertility

Assessment of Mycoflora of Poultry Feed Raw Materials

Abstract: The study was carried out to identify the common moulds growing in the selected feed raw materials in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Fifty-four bulk samples were derived from 162 bags of 6 different raw materials, which included local fish meal (LFM), soybean meal (SBM), groundnut cake (GNC), palm kernel cake (PKC), brewers dried grain (BDG) and maize (MZ). The samples were collected during the rainy season months of June, July and August. The common moulds isolated from these samples were Mucor spp., Aspergillus spp., Yeast spp., Bacteria spp and Rhizopus spp. More fungal organisms were isolated in the month of July although Aspergillus spp was not isolated during the month. Local fishmeal, palm kernel cake, and brewers dried grain had the highest isolates of three organisms each with the prevalence ranging from 13.64 to 18.18%. Soybean meal, maize and groundnut cake on the other hand returned between one and two isolates. The present result showed that untreated feed raw materials are important vehicles for introduction of fungal organisms into poultry feed. It is therefore, advised to routinely treat such feed raw materials with fungal growth inhibitors in order to limit their growth since these organisms are capable of reducing the nutritional values of finished feeds

Study of the haematological and biochemical values and gastrointestinal and haemoparasites in racing pigeons ( Columba livia check for this species in other resources ) in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

The study was conducted to determine the blood chemistry, and naturally occurring haemo and gastrointestinal parasites of rearing pigeons ( Columba livia check for this species in other resources ) in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. The packed cell volume, white blood cell, red blood cell, mean cell volume, mean haemoglobin concentration and total bilirubin values of the female pigeons were significantly (p 0.05) between the two groups. Out of 150 pigeons examined for prevalence of parasites, 70 (46.7%) of them were infected with gastro-intestinal parasites, of which 30 (42.9%) were males and 40 (57.1%) females. Four gastrointestinal parasites were identified, with Trichomonas check for this species in other resources sp. returning the highest prevalence of 42.8%, followed by Eimeria check for this species in other resources sp. (28.6%), while coccidian oocysts and Ascaridia check for this species in other resources sp. each gave the prevalence rate of 14.3%. Results of haemoparasitological examination of thin blood smears revealed haematozoa of two genera: Haemoproteus check for this species in other resources sp. and Plasmodium check for this species in other resources sp. The haemo-parasitological examination revealed that Haemoproteus sp. was more common, with the prevalence of 30 (75.0%) for males and 70 (87.5%) for females. Plasmodium sp. gave prevalences of 10 (25.0%) for both, male and female. Fecal cultures recorded high growth of bacterial organisms, of which the prevalence for Proteus check for this species in other resources sp. was 130 (86.7%), while Enterococcus check for this species in other resources sp. was 20 (13.3%). Overall, 40.0% of the pigeons had bacterial infections. It is concluded that there was high prevalence of gastrointestinal and haemoparasites in rearing pigeons in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. However, these parasites did not cause any observable clinical effects in the serum biochemical and haematological parameters of the pigeons.El estudio se realizó para determinar la química sanguínea y los parásitos sanguíneos y gastrointestinales que se encuentran naturalmente en palomas ( Columba livia check for this species in other resources ) criadas en Owerri, Estado de Imo, Nigeria. Los valores de hematocritos, glóbulos blancos, volumen promedio de células, concentración promedio de hemoglobina y bilirrubina total de las palomas femeninas fueron significativamente (p 0,05) entre los dos grupos. De las 150 palomas examinadas para prevalencia de parásitos, 70 (46,7%) de ellas estaban infectadas con parásitos gastrointestinales, de los cuales 30 (42,9%) fueron masculinos y 40 (57,1%) femeninas. Se identificaron cuatro parásitos gastrointestinales, siendo Trichomonas check for this species in other resources sp. el de mayor prevalencia (42,8%), seguido por Eimeria check for this species in other resources sp. (28,6%), mientras oocistos de coccideos y Ascaridia check for this species in other resources sp. cada uno dio una prevalencia de 14,3%. Los resultados del examen hemo-parasitológico de frotis finos de sangre revelaron los hematozoarios de dos géneros: Haemoproteus check for this species in other resources sp. y Plasmodium check for this species in other resources sp. El examen hemo-parasitológico reveló que Haemoproteus sp. fue el más común, con una prevalencia de 30 (75,0% para los machos y 70 (87,5%) para las hembras. Plasmodium sp. dio prevalencias de 10 (25,0%) para ambos, machos y hembras. El cultivo de heces registró un alto crecimiento de organismos bacterianos, de los cuales la prevalencia de Proteus check for this species in other resources sp. fue de 130 (86,7%), mientras que Enterococcus check for this species in other resources sp. fue 20 (13,3%). El 40,0% de las palomas tuvo infecciones bacterianas. Hubo una alta prevalencia de parásitos gastrointestinales y sanguíneos en palomas criadas en Owerri, Estado de Imo, Nigeria. Sin embargo, estos parásitos no causan ningún efecto clínico observable en los parámetros séricos bioquímicos y hematológicos de las palomas

EFFECT OF REPLACING MAIZE WITH CASSAVA ROOT MEAL AND MAIZE/SORGHUM BREWERS’ DRIED GRAINS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF STARTER BROILERS

A study was carried out with one hundred and twenty one-week-old Hubbard broilers to determine the effect of replacing maize with cassava root meal (CRM) and maize/sorghum brewers’ dried grains (MSBDG) on performance of starter broilers. Four experimental diets were formulated to contain 0, 15, 30 and 45% CRM and MSBDG combined in the ratio of 1:1 in the broiler starter rations. There was no difference (P>0.05) in feed intake among the birds on 0, 15 and 45% CRM/MSBDG, but these were lower (P0.05) in daily weight gain among the birds on 0, 15 and 30 CRM/MSBDG diets, and each of these was higher than that of the birds on 45% CRM/MSBDG diet. The feed convertion ratio of 0% compared favourably with that of the birds on 15% diets, and these two diets were better (

Evolutionary changes in symbiont community structure in ticks

International audienceEcological specialization to restricted diet niches is driven by obligate, and often maternally inherited, symbionts in many arthropod lineages. These heritable symbionts typically form evolutionarily stable associations with arthropods that can last for millions of years. Ticks were recently found to harbour such an obligate symbiont, Coxiella-LE, that synthesizes B vitamins and cofactors not obtained in sufficient quantities from blood diet. In this study, the examination of 81 tick species shows that some Coxiella-LE symbioses are evolutionarily stable with an ancient acquisition followed by codiversification as observed in ticks belonging to the Rhipicephalus genus. However, many other Coxiella-LE symbioses are characterized by low evolutionary stability with frequent host shifts and extinction events. Further examination revealed the presence of nine other genera of maternally inherited bacteria in ticks. Although these nine symbionts were primarily thought to be facultative, their distribution among tick species rather suggests that at least four may have independently replaced Coxiella-LE and likely represent alternative obligate symbionts. Phylogenetic evidence otherwise indicates that cocladogenesis is globally rare in these symbioses as most originate via horizontal transfer of an existing symbiont between unrelated tick species. As a result, the structure of these symbiont communities is not fixed and stable across the tick phylogeny. Most importantly, the symbiont communities commonly reach high levels of diversity with up to six unrelated maternally inherited bacteria coexisting within host species. We further conjecture that interactions among coexisting symbionts are pivotal drivers of community structure both among and within tick species

Abstracts of the 3rd Annual Graduate Entry Research in Medicine Conference

This book contains the abstracts of the papers presented at The 3rd Annual Graduate Entry Research in Medicine Conference (GERMCON 2020) Organized by Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick in collaboration with Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Wales, UK held on 12–18 October 2020. This was especially important for Graduate Entry Medical (GEM) students, who have less opportunity and time to engage in research due to their accelerated medical degree. Conference Title: 3rd Annual Graduate Entry Research in Medicine ConferenceConference Acronym: GERMCON 2020Conference Date: 12–18 October 2020Conference Location: Online (Virtual Mode)Conference Organizer: Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, UKCo-organizer: Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Wales, UK Other Abstract Book of GERMCON: Abstracts of the 4th Annual Graduate Entry Research in Medicine Conferenc