Effect of selenium supplementation on growth, haematological and serum biochemical profile of rabbit bucks

A study was conducted to determine growth, haematological and serum biochemical profile of rabbit’s bucks fed graded levels of selenium. A total of 20 mixed breed of rabbits aged between 6–8 weeks with an average weight of 756g were randomly assigned to four (4) dietary treatments with five (5) bucks per treatment with each rabbit as replicate in a completely randomized design. The rabbits were fed (0.0 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg, 0.4 mg/kg and 0.6 mg/kg) for a period of twelve weeks. The growth parameters were taken on weekly basis and blood samples were taken from ear vein via venipuncture from three bucks selected randomly from each treatment for haematological and blood chemistry in laboratory at twelfth week. The data collected were analysed using General Linear Model Procedure of SAS. The growth performance showed that those fed 0.4 mg/kg selenium had higher values except for feed conversion ratio (FCR) for those on 0 mg/kg selenium had the best FCR. The packed cell volume was significantly (P<0.05) higher at 0, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg selenium compared to 0.6 mg/kg inclusion level. It was observed that lymphocyte count for rabbit bucks on 0.0 and 0.6 mg/kg were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those on 0.2 mg/ and 0.4 mg/kg. Aspartate transaminase (16.00-39.33IU/l) and alkaline phosphatase (102.00-286.00) were significantly (P<0.05) higher at 0.2 mg/kg selenium. It was observed that selenium inclusion improved growth parameters at 0.4 mg/kg addition while selenium inclusion increased alkaline phosphatase and Aspartate transaminase in blood serum biochemical profile of rabbit bucks

Detection and genetic characterization of orf virus from sheep and goats in Nigeria

Orf is a contagious, viral epitheliotropic disease of small ruminants. We investigated the molecular epidemiology of orf virus (ORFV) in breeds of small ruminants to determine the evolutionary diversity in Nigeria. Out of 54 small ruminants screened, the number of animals that were positive for ORFV in the three locations were 25. The distribution of positive animals by location were FCT 45.0% (n = 9/20), Oyo State 42.9% (6/14), and Plateau State 50.0% (n = 10/20). ORFV sequences from this study clustered with viruses detected in Taiwan, Iran, USA, and France. Our findings highlight the risk of transmission across geographic boundaries in Nigeria and West Africa, and reinforces the need for increased surveillance to prevent and control spread. Comprehensive characterization of ORFV in small ruminants as well as in humans in Nigeria is required to better elucidate the epidemiological dynamics and the virus evolution