Investigation of average daily water consumption and its impact on weight gain in captive common buzzards (Buteo buteo) in Greece

This investigation was to find out whether captive common buzzards need additional drinking water to complement the water they obtain from their pre-slaughtered meat meals and to investigate their average daily water requirements. Twenty five (25) common buzzards were studied at the wildlife hospital and rehabilitation centre, Aegina, Greece with weight ranging between 498.4g and 911g. Large quantity of potable water was measured equally into same size ceramic bowls and served each bird under study in separate individual paper boxes. At the end of 24 hours, the left over water was carefully brought out and re-measured to determine the quantity the birds have consumed. A control was set with a ceramic bowl with same quantity of water put in a paper box without a bird to determine the quantity of water lost to the atmosphere through evaporation on each day of the experiment. The water lost from the control on a daily basis was corrected in order to determine the quantity the common buzzards consumed daily. The weight of the studied buzzards were carefully taken and recorded 6 times each during the study period with W1 and W6 as entry and exit weights respectively. The mean of W1-W6 was used for the computation of the average percentage live body weight of the buzzards. The investigation revealed that captive common buzzards took water every day and the average daily water consumption of 724.9g buzzard was 31.4cc or 4.3% of its live body weight. The investigation further shows that the average water lost by evaporation daily (10.7cc) and that consumed by each buzzard daily (31.4cc) add up to 5.8%, equivalent of the average live body weight of the studied captive common buzzards which was 724.9g. The regression coefficient indicated that weight gain/ loss = 0.942 + 1.795 H2O. This implies that a unit increase in the average quantity of water consumed resulted in a corresponding increase of 1.795 body weight gain by the captive common buzzards.Keywords: Daily water consumption, Weight Gain, Captive common buzzards

Control and prevention of biodeteriation caused by termites (Isoptera

The paper reviewed the control measures against damage caused by termites. The objective was achieved using baseline published literature and data. This is particularly important because of the ever present destructive effect and presence of termites in every area of life worldwide. Multiple effective measures, ranging from chemical treatments to independent pest management procedures were identified. The right choice and application of termite preventive and control measures will be a great reprieve to stakeholders all over the world.Keywords: Damage, Control, Termites

Occurrence, Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Biofilm Production in Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Pork and other Meat Processing Items at Oko-Oba Abattoir, Lagos State, Nigeria

Unhygienic slaughtering practices are associated with meat contamination by pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes. This study investigated the occurrence, bacterial load, antimicrobial susceptibility and biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes in pork, slaughter facilities and water from Oko-Oba abattoir, Lagos State, Nigeria. A total of 216 samples; 146, 30, 20 and 20 from pork, water, table swabs and knife swabs respectively were collected for bacteriological analysis. Listeria selective media was used to isolate and characterise L. monocytogenes, antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolated bacteria was also determined. Biofilm production by the isolates for periods of 12, 24 and 36 hours were evaluated. Glucose, ethanol and crystal violet binding assay were used as nutrient, stressor and indicator respectively. The occurrence of L. monocytogenes in pork, water samples, table and knife swabs were 64.5%, 75%, 90% and 95% respectively, while overall prevalence was 73.3%. The mean load per gram were 3.78 ± 2.85, 4.27 ± 2.54, 5.60 ± 1.95 and 5.52 ± 1.41 (p ˂ 0.05) for pork, water table and knife swab samples, respectively. Fifty five percent of the isolates exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR) patterns to erythromycin (55%), tetracycline (55%), augmentin (85%), amoxicillin (90%), cotrimoxazole (95%), and cloxacillin (100%). The isolates produced biofilms at different concentrations of glucose and ethanol with the highest concentrations of biofilm produced at 36 hours. There were significant differences in mean biofilm values produced by the isolates. The occurrence of L. monocytogenes and the bacterial load in different samples are of economic and public health importance. Hygienic meat production from the abattoir could prevent contamination of pork by L. monocytogenes. Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Biofilm; Listeria monocytogenes; Por