Body Weight Prediction in Nigeria Goats using Body Measurements of Different Age, Sex and Breeds

Data collected from 900 goats sampled from Borno, Sokoto and Ogun States from three different breeds on the following metric characters: Body Weight (BW), Age, Horn Length (HL), Ear length (EL), Shoulder width (SW), Neck circumference (NC), body length (BL), Withers Height (WH), Heart Girth (HG), Pouch Girth (PG), Tail Length (TL) and Scrotal circumference (SC) were subjected to stepwise multiple linear regression. Results obtained showed Live weight changes with body measurements were poorly to highly predictable with R2 values ranging between 0.000 - 0.031 in animals < 1 year old, 0.000-0.241in animals 1-2 years and 0.000-0.658 in animals 2 years and above. It was thus concluded that the low, moderate and high predictive power obtained from this study might be due to instability of regression coefficient at different ages and points also to decreasing environmental impact on growth with increase in age

Heritability and repeatability estimates of growth traits in FUNAAB Alpha and Noiler chicken genotypes

Genetic improvement of animals has greatly been encouraged as it has proved very efficient in improving productivity, health status and general management of animals. Hence, this research on heritability and repeatability of growth traits of FUNAAB Alpha and Noiler chickens. The study lasted for eighteen weeks and growth data were collected on weekly basis. Four hundred (400) day-old chicks, with 200 a piece for the two chicken genotypes were generated from parent stocks (5 cocks and 25 hens per genotype) with good pedigree data. Growth data were analysed using Generalized Linear Model of SAS and least significant difference (LSD) test was used to separate significant means. Computed variances and covariances of Generalized Linear Model of SAS were used to estimate heritability and repeatability of growth traits of interest. Noiler chicken genotype had a better body weight and linear body measurements from week ten to eighteen. Noiler male chickens were superior in all traits considered from week twelve to eighteen for genotype by sex interaction. Heritability and repeatability estimates were generally high in both chicken genotypes for all traits at the early stage while a decline was observed at the late stage. The highest heritability estimates for body weight observed at week seven in Noiler chicken and all linear body measurements (body circumference, breast girth, shank length, thigh length and wing length) observed at weeks 4, 12, 4, 2 and 4, respectively in FUNAAB Alpha is an indication that breeders can select for these traits at the aforementioned weeks

Assessing the genetic diversity of South-western Nigerian Indigenous Pig (Sus scorfa) using mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequence

In this study, the maternal genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship of South-western pig population were assessed. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from air-dried blood spotted on Fast Technology for Analysis (FTA) card. The extracted DNA were amplified with predefined mitochondria (mtDNA) primers. A total of 843 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop region of 30 pigs were analyzed. Seven (7) haplotypes and 64 polymorphic sites were identified, with no insertion or deletion between nucleotide 3 and 835. The mean haplotypic and nucleotide diversity were found to be 0.381±0.058 and 0.315±0.155 respectively. The phylogeny revealed one divergent haplotype clade, suggesting one possible maternal lineage (European domestic pig) in South-west Nigerian pigs. The median joining network formed a star-like pattern, suggesting population expansion from a small number of founding ancestor (IFE1). Genetic variation within and between populations accounted for 63.32% and 36.68% of the total genetic variation respectively. This study concluded that there was relatively high genetic diversity in our indigenous pig population, thus, will probably pave way for preservation and improvement of Nigerian pigs as genetic resources. Keywords: mtDNA, genetic variation, phylogenetic relationshi

Combining Ability and Inheritance of Growth Traits in Rabbits

New Zealand Red, Californian White and Chinchilla rabbit’s growth performance traits were evaluated using diallel analysis. Data on body linear measurements were analysed by partial diallel analysis. The data were first corrected for significant effect of animals’ sex using least squares constants while effects of months of birth of the kittens and their does’ age were not significant. The results showed that General and Specific Combining Ability (GCA) were significant for all traits measured. Both additive and non-additive effects influenced the performance of the hybrid in all the traits. The non-additive effects played a more important role than additive effects in body weight, height at withers and trotter length and additive effects were more important for ear length, body length, breast girth and tail length. The New Zealand Red and Californian White parents were found as the reliable general combiner. The reciprocal effect was not found to be significant for all traits. Therefore, use of separate male and female breeds of rabbit in any crossbreeding programme may not accumulate additional advantage. Keywords: General Combining Ability, Heritability, Rabbit, Specific Combining Ability

Microsatellite markers-based characterisation of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) harvested from selected locations in South-West Nigeria

This study was carried out to characterise Pennisetum purpureum harvested from some selected locations in S outh-W estern Nigeria using microsatellite markers. Leaf parts of growing young elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) were harvested and immediately preserved in ethanol solution before DNA extraction. Two (2) SSR primers (CTM59 and Xtxp278) were used to assess genetic diversity in Pennisetum purpureum. The result shows that 72% of the molecular variations in the elephant grass exists within the population with 28% among the population; there were no unique characteristics among the Nine (9) populations. Nei genetic index ranged from 0.067 (lowest) observed between Isokan and Odeda populations to 0.158 (highest), between Ifedore and Ikoyi Populations. Morphological characterization showed moderate diversity with two major clusters and one minor cluster. Keyword: Elephant grass; cultivars; locations; marker

Association between Insulin Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) gene polymorphism and carcass traits in improved Nigerian indigenous chickens

The insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) is a key regulator of muscle development and metabolism in birds and other vertebrate. Our objective was to determine the association between IGF1 gene polymorphism and carcass traits in FUNAAB Alpha chicken. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood of 50 normal feathered birds. At 10 weeks, the birds were slaughtered for carcass traits. Specific primers for chicken IGF1 were used for amplification of a 622 base segment. The amplified gene products were digested with Hinf1 restriction enzyme and the digested fragments were genotyped. Allele frequencies were 52% and 48% for A and B, respectively. Genotype frequencies were 27%, 50% and 23% for AA, AB and BB genotypes, respectively. All carcass traits values and the IGF1 gene polymorphism observed were subjected to analysis of variance and the mean were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. The results showed that the occurrence of the polymorphism did not affect all the carcass traits but AB genotypes had the highest carcass traits values than the AA and BB genotypes. The conclusion of this study demonstrated that IGF-1 gene, to some extent, could be a candidate gene that affects carcass traits in Improved Nigerian indigenous chicken.Keywords: IGF-1, PCR-RFLP, indigenous chicke

Genetic conservation through effective utilization of the improved indigenous chicken breeds by rural households in Nigeria

SUMMARY. Our collection and genetic characterization of various indigenous chicken genotypes in Nigeria started in 1984 at the National Animal Production Research Institute, Shika, Zaria, (Shika Brown) in 1994 at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria (FUNAAB) and in 2014 in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (FULANI). Collections were screened and characterized for genetic improvement and effective utilization by rural households in Nigeria With the financial and technical support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the International Livestock Research Institute, Ethiopia, respectively, improved chicken genotypes were developed and evaluated alongside some other tropically adapted chicken breeds. A total of six improved tropically adapted chicken breeds (three Nigerian – Shika Brown, FUNAAB alpha and Fulani; three imported – Kuroiler, Sasso and Noiler) were tested for 52 weeks on-farm, across five agro-ecological zones of Nigeria and on-station in a public University farm and a private farm in Ogun and Oyo States, respectively. Results showed the Nigeria’s improved Indigenous chicken breed, the FUNAAB-Alpha, to be of comparable performance with the three imported breeds. It has met with high acceptance and demand after exhibition of the six breeds during the 2017 Science and Technology Expo in Abuja, Nigeria

Breed and sex effects on morphometric parameters of four indigenous cattle in Nigeria

Experiments were conducted to assess the morphometric traits in four indigenous cattle breeds (n=300) namely; Keteku, Muturu, N’dama and White Fulani, so as to determine the effects of breed and sex on the body measurements in cattle and prediction of the linear body relationship among body parameters using linear, quadratic and cubic functions, results of the morphometric traits data analyses showed that breeds and breed*sex were important sources of variation and significantly (P0.05), the coefficients correlation gave the best and highest relationship between HW and HC in N’dama with a value of 0.94, and the coefficients correlation in the Muturu were generally lower as compared with other breeds.Se llevaron a cabo experimentos para evaluar los rasgos morfométricos en cuatro razas de ganado autóctonas (n = 300); Keteku, Muturu, N’dama y White Fulani, para determinar los efectos de la raza y el sexo en las mediciones del cuerpo en el ganado y la predicción de la relación corporal lineal entre los parámetros corporales usando funciones lineales, cuadráticas y cúbicas, resultados de los rasgos morfométricos los análisis de datos mostraron que las razas y el sexo de raza fueron fuentes importantes de variación y significativamente (P 0.05), la correlación de los coeficientes dio lo mejor y más alto La relación entre HW y HC en N’dama con un valor de 0.94 y la correlación de los coeficientes en Muturu fueron generalmente más bajas en comparación con otras razas

Bioinformatic analyses of kappa casein gene in mammalian livestock species

Kappa casein (CSN3) gene is a variant of the milk protein highly conserved in mammalian species. Genetic variations in CSN3 gene of six mammalian livestock species were investigated using bioinformatics approach. A total of twenty-seven CSN3 gene sequences with corresponding amino acids belonging to the six species studied were retrieved from GenBank. Using a comparative genomic approach, we obtained 1797 bp of the CSN3 sequences from cattle, goat, horse, pig, rabbit and sheep. Alignment of twenty-seven sequences within the region of 1713 bp and containing gaps was carried out using Clustal W. The sequence alignment revealed high polymorphisms of CSN3 sequences among the six species. The percent identity and similarity between species were determined by conducting pair-wise comparisons of the sequences. Results revealed high level of identity and similarity among the ruminant animals (84-97% and 86-99%) which implied the gene is conserved in all the ruminants. However, percent identity and similarity between pig and rabbit were relatively low (45%, 61%). This revealed that CSN3 protein from them might be functionally different and divergence between them is more ancient. Higher polymorphism of amino acids was observed among the species than within species. Four non-synonymous mutations occurred in cattle, six in goat, four in horse, three in rabbit and seven in sheep. The results of DnaSP analysis indicated that the selected region (1-1797 bp) of the twenty-seven sequences from all the species had 1298 nucleotide sites excluding sites with gaps (499). There are invariable and variable sites that include 185 singleton variable sites and 56 parsimony informative sites. The nucleotide diversity (ð= 0.212) and average number of nucleotide diversity (k = 94.84) for all sequences which were lower than the highest values in rabbit (ð = 0.557, k = 229) were estimated. Divergence of the species could be inferred from high genetic diversity of the CSN3 gene. The haplotype diversity was 1.00 in goat, horse and sheep indicating abundant genetic diversity in those species. Close relationship between goat and sheep was observed in phylogenetic tree of CSN3 gene which showed that the comparability of CSN3 gene sequences was highest between the goat and sheep and they evolved from a most recent common ancestor. A more detailed study involving more divergent taxa and complete amino acid sequence will help to delineate how the mutations affect the functions of the gene.Keywords: Diversity, Haplotype, Kappa casein, Non-synonymous, Polymorphis

Genetic Diversity of Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Population in South Eastern Nigeria Using Microsatellite Markers:

A study was conducted to estimate the diversity that exists among three rabbit populations adapted to the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. Blood samples were collected from 75 matured, mixed-sex, and unrelated three rabbit breeds selected across the zone. Eight microsatellites (Sol30, Sol33, and Sol44, Sat3, Sat7, Sat8, Sat12, and INRA) markers were used for the study. These microsatellites were uniformly distributed among rabbit genomes for genotyping. Subsequently, genetic variability within and between breeds was calculated. Allelic frequencies and Hardy-Weinberg equilibriums as well as Analysis of Molecular Variance, were also estimated using GenAlEX 6.41 software. Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components (DAPC) for the population structure of the rabbit breeds was performed in R v.3.5.0 using the R package adegenet. All the 8 loci amplified in this study were found to be 100% polymorphic, the observed allele sizes and their frequencies for the microsatellite markers in every three breeds showed that the highest frequency was 0.330 for the allele with the size of 470bp at Sol33 locus in New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. The Nei’s genetic identities and distances between Chinchilla (CHI) and Dutch (DUT), CHI and NZW, DUT and NZW obtained in this study were [0.173, 0.185, and 0.189] and [1.753, 1.689, and 1.666] respectively. The dendrogram and biplot revealed that the three breeds were identified at two separate clusters. In addition, the admixture level of an individual rabbit among the three breeds indicated that the breeds were not pure and also the existence of more polymorphism within the breed than among the breed diversity