Participatory on Farm Evaluation and Demonstration of 25% Crossbred (Boer x Woyito-Guji) Goats in Benatsemay District of South Omo Zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia

The study was carried out in Bena-Tsemay district of South Omo zone. The objective of this study was to evaluate performance of the F1 cross (25%) of Boer-WG goats at on farm level in selected areas of Benatsemay district. Based on interest of pastoralists three peasants association in the first phase and three in the second phase were selected and in each PA one farmers group formed. Selection of farmers was carried purposively and the selected farmers contributed 6 female goats, a total of 30 goats per each group of farmers. Data were analyzed using the mean comparison method of SPSS. Mean (±SD) was used to describe the effect of sex and birth year on birth, three, six and yearly weight of the crosses.The result indicated that the overall birth, three month, six month and yearly weight (Mean±SD) of Boer-WG 25% cross goats was found 2.89±0.38, 10.39±1.86, 13.90±2.19 and 19.05±3.51kg respectively. The result regarding to the effect of birth year was assessed and birth year has an effect on the growth rate only for third month weight (weaning weight) and the first phase kids attained higher weaning weight that the second year. Also the effect of sex was assessed and the result indicated that male goats had higher body weight than females.From the study it was concluded that Boer-WG crossbred goats have a better birth weight which can be exploited for a better growth performance under improved management system which should be done with integrated efforts combining the feed, breeding and nutritional aspects of production. Keywords: Agro-pastoral, Benatsemay, district, 25% crossbred goats, South Omo, Boar x Woyito-Guji

TropiLakes 2015: Tropical lakes in a changing environment: water, land, biology, climate and humans: excursion guide pre-conference excursion

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Production system of indigenous goat population reared in pastoral and agro-pastoral districts of South Omo, Ethiopia

The study was carried out to document the production system of indigenous Woyto-Guji goats and the major limitations to goat production reared in two districts (Nyangatom and Maale) of South Omo, Ethiopia. Stepwise purposive followed by a random sampling method was used to select respondents. Based on the result, the households in Nyangatom district preferred to rear cattle, goats and sheep and less number of poultry when compared to those residing in the Maale district. The purpose of keeping goats in the district was primarily for tangible and intangible benefits. They are raised for their milk, meat, and blood as a source of wealth creation and insurance against emergencies. The results also indicated that the respondents in Maale district provide feed supplements. Communal grazing is prevalent in Nyangatom district, while in the Maale district, they interchangeably used both communal and private grazing lands; this all depended on the carrying capacity of the grazing land. Natural grazing and browsing the bush was the common form of feeding in both the study areas, while crop residues too were provided in Maale district. The sources of water varied across the study areas, the respondents in Nyangatom district relied solely on river Omo, ‘Omo shesh’ and ‘kure shesh’. While the flocks in Maale district were provided with water in the nearby streams besides the river water. The frequency of delivering water in the districts showed that every alternate day at Nyangatom and daily in the Maale district. The major limitation towards goat production in Nyangatom district was the unavailability of feed mainly in the dry season, followed by incidences of diseases; while some also indicated the problems associated with erratic and decrease in rainfall, thefts of the livestock were the identified problems. In Maale district, disease prevalence was major problem in the area as well as feed shortages followed by shrinkage of grazing lands, predators and lack of herders to take the animals for grazing. The current result on the production and farming system of goats and the major problems associated with goat production in the district helps to design different intervention options for the district. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 13(1): 51-59, June 202

Examination of Fingernail Contents and Stool for Ova, Cyst and Larva of Intestinal Parasites from Food Handlers Working in Student Cafeterias in three Higher Institutions in Jimma

Background: A prerequisite for the most practical and economic control and prevention measures of intestinal parasites is to have a clear understanding of their mode of transmission and epidemiology. Food handlers with poor personal hygiene working in food serving establishments could be potential sources of infections by many of the intestinal helminths and protozoa. The objective of this study was to determine the level of fingernail contamination with stages of parasites as a contribution of the hand-tomouth route in the transmission of intestinal parasites. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of food-handlers working in student cafeteria in three higher educational institutions in Jimma town i.e., Jimma University (the former Jimma Institute of Health Sciences and Jimma College of Agriculture), and Jimma Teachers’ Training College, was conducted to determine the level of finger nail contamination with ova, larvae and cysts of parasites and stool from November 1 to December 1, 1997. One hundred and one food-handlers working in the three cafeterias during the study period were included in the study. From the study subjects finger nail contents of both hands and stool specimens were examined by direct microscopic examination using normal saline and iodine solution. Results: Out of the 101 finger nail content specimens, 11 (10.9%) were positive for one or more parasites. The parasites identified were Ascaris lumbericoides, Taenia species, Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica. Of the 101 of the stool specimens examined 59(58.4%) were positive for any one parasite and multiple infections were identified in 17.8% of the positive cases. A. lumbricoides 24(23.8%) was found to be the most prevalent parasite followed by Trichuris trichuria 17(16.8%), E. histolytica,10 (9.9%), Hookworm species, 3 (2.9%), Taenia species, 3 (2.9%), and G. lamblia, 2 (1.9%). Further analysis showed that there was no statistically significance difference between the findings in the three institutions (P>0.05). Conclusion: Results from such studies may contribute in identifying the factors involved in the hand-to-moth transmission of parasites and in breaking the chain of transmission by recommending the implementation of such simple preventive and control measures including proper personal hygiene, regular medical check up of food handlers, regular trimming of fingernails and health education.Ethiop J Health Sci Vol. 11, No. 2 July 200

A critique of current methods in nematode taxonomy

Morphology based nematode taxonomy and biodiversity studies have historically challenged most biologists. In the past few decades, there have been efforts to integrate molecular methods and digital 3D image-capturing technology in nematode taxonomy, the former to enhance the accuracy of identification of such a taxonomically challenging group and the latter to communicate morphological data. While the employment of these two methods is growing in recent taxonomic, biodiversity andbiogeographic studies, a movement to abandon traditional phenotypic identification methods altogether has emerged. Proponents try to justify this trend by citing the challenging gap between the high estimated number of undescribed species and the limited ability of traditional taxonomy to accomplish the task of documenting such diversity. Here we present a review of the various techniques used in the taxonomy of free-living and plant parasitic nematodes and critique those methods in the context of recent developments and trends including their implications in nematode taxonomy, biodiversity and biogeography.Key words: Species delimitation, taxonomic methods, genetic and molecular methods, traditional taxonomy, nematode biodiversity

DETERMINANTS OF PARENTAL SCHOOL CHOICE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The study examined determinants of parental school choice internationally aiming to identify research gaps and providing suggestions for researchers. Articles published between 2000 and 2023 were searched from 9 databases and a total of 30 articles were included in the review. The result showed that parental school choice is critically affected by parent-related factors like parents’ education, income, family size, and education level of the children, and the school-related factors: quality of education, performance of teachers, school facilities, school cost, parent-teacher relationship, and school curriculums are the major ones. The safety/security related and children’s educational achievement is found slightly affecting factor on parental school choice. The research design of reviewed articles is found descriptive research although the explanatory research design was appropriate as it supports better. The study also identified factors for developing and developed countries are different. For developing countries socio-economy, income, family education, cost, curriculum, technology,  proximity to home, number of children, and age of the child are the major ones. For developed countries: school quality, teacher performance, special programs, playground, training teachers, library service, student moral development, school performance, environment, school ranking, interaction with parents, discipline, curriculum structure, knowledge, result, and communication skills are paid attention for parental school choice decisions

Intestinal parasitism and related risk factors among students of Asendabo Elementary and Junior Secondary school, South Western Ethiopia

Abstract: A cross-sectional parasitological survey was conducted in Asendabo elementary and Junior Secondary Schools, Omo-Nada Woreda, Jimma Zone. From 1322 students, 282 faecal specimens were collected by stratified random sampling and were examined for ova, larva and cysts of intestinal parasites using Kato-thick and direct wet mount techniques. The overall prevalence rate was 86.2%. A total of 10 species were identified with Ascaris lumbricoides leading (56.4%) followed by hookworm (25.5%), and Trichuris trichuria (21.6%), and with Hymnolepis dimunita as the lowest (0.4%). A statistically significant difference was observed in the prevalence rate of intestinal parasites by sex, (p<0.01). However, there was no statistically significant difference in prevalence of polyparasites by sex, (P>0.5). No statistically significant associations were observed between family size and infection, latrine usage and infection, source of drinking water and rate of infection, and habit of wearing shoes and rate of hookworm infection (P>0.1 in each case). However, there was significant association between status of personal hygiene and rate of infection (p<0.001) where poor personal hygiene favours infection. A multi-disciplinary action is recommended to minimize the risk factors emphasizing on repeated mass chemotherapy for school children. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1999;13(2):157-161