Discussion on Drs. Sansi and Ngere's Papers

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Observations on the White Fulani (Bunaji) Zebucattle of Northern Nigeria in a Southern Nigeria environment

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Comparative Physical Carcass Characteristics in the Indigenous Nigerian and Imported European Pigs

The Physical carcass characteristics of 100 indigenous Nigerian pigs (IND.) (50 gilts and 50 barrows), and 100 Large White x Landrace pigs with a similar sex ratio were compared. These were slaughtered at either one of five weights, 22.7, 34.0, 45.5, 56.8 or 68 kg live-weight, in such a way that 10 gilts and 10 barrows of each breed were slaughtered at each of the predetermined slaughter weights. For the purpose of comparing sexual influences on physical carcass traits in the indigenous pigs carcass data were obtained on an additional group of 50 indigenous boars during the same period as the above at similar slaughter weights involving similar numbers per slaughter weight. In a third experiment carcass data were collected on 40 pure Large White pigs (LW) (20 gilts and 20 barrows) and 40 indigenous x Large White pigs (IND.XLW) also made up of 20 gilts and 20 barrows. A comparison was made between these and the data on a similar number of indigenous barrows and gilts. The results indicated highly significantly different (P<0.01), proportions of lean and fat significantly (P<0.05) different proportions of bone and skin in the carcasses of IND and LWXLD pig. The LWXLD pigs had more lean, and bone, less fat and skin, than the indigenous pigs. Carcass conformation was also clearly different in both breeds. The indigenous pigs had lower proportion of lean cuts and greater proportion of the fat cuts than the LWXLD pigs at all slaughter weights. From 22.7 to 68 kg slaughter weights, the IND pigs were shorter, had thicker back fat, higher dressing percentage and smaller loin eye muscle area compared to the LWXLD pigs. Percentages lean, bone skin, ham, loin, shoulder and sum of four lean cuts decreased while percentages fat, fat cuts, trimmed fat and backfat thickness increased with increasing slaughter weights for both breeds. A comparison of carcass traits in the indigenous boars, barrows and gilts showed that the boars were leaner and had superior carcass conformation to the gilts which in turn were leaner than barrows. Crosses between the indigenous pigs and pure large White pigs were superior to the pure indigenous pigs in terms of lean to fat and thinner backfat measurements, while they were inferior to the pure Large White pigs in terms of these measurements

The Value of Cassava for Growth of Sheep

Three experiments were conducted to investigate the value of cassava for sheep feeding. In Experiment 1 twelve Nigerian Dwarf sheep between five and six months of age, ranging in liveweight from 6 to 14 kg were randomly allotted by sex and weight to three experimental treatments. The treatment groups received either a maize-groundnut meal control diet, a fresh cassava + poultry litter mixture that had been ensiled and later mixed with protein supplement, or dried cassava-groundnut meal diet, during the 70-day experimental period.In Experiment 2, unpeeled fresh cassava roots of the high HCN variety were used to replace maize in lamb diets. Fresh cassava was fed mixed daily with a protein supplement to the first treatment group while the other group received a maize-based control diet, over a 56-day period. In Experiment 3 the apparent digestibility of the nutrients in the unpeeled fresh roots, dried roots and peels were investigated.The results of the three experiments indicated that total replacement of maize with either dried total replacement of maize with either dried cassava, cassava ensiled with poultry litter or unpeeled fresh roots for growing lambs gave responses equal to the control diet. Ensiling of fresh cassava roots destroyed 99% of the HCN while the addition of poultry litter increased the crude protein content of the silage by about 270% when compared with the unpeeled fresh roots and by about 435% when compared with ensiled roots to which no poultry litter was added. All the nutrients in cassava roots, except crude protein were well digested by sheep. Ether extract digestibility was however generally low. In all cases no symptoms of toxicity were noticed

The Composition, Nutrient Digestibility and Energy Value of Maize Cobs, Yam Peels and Plantain Peels for Three Weight Groups of Pigs

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The effects of graded levels of brewers' dried grains and maize cobs in the diets of pigs on their performance characteristics and carcass quality

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