Phenotypic Correlations and Body Weights Prediction Using Morphometric Traits of Snails in Calabar, Nigeria

Data on hatchling body weights and morphometric traits (hatchling body shell length and hatchling body shell width) pertaining to two breeds of snails (A. marginata and A. achatina) from hatch to fourth (4th) week of age were analyzed. This was used to obtain correlation coefficient of morphometric traits and to generate prediction equations for live body weight of the animals. Strong, positive and significant correlations between hatchling body weight and body shell width (r=0.82) and between hatchling body weight and body shell length (r=0.80) for A. marginata as well as between hatchling body weight and body shell length (r=0.81) and between hatchling body weight and body shell width (r=0.86) for A. achatina were obtained. Low coefficients of determination (R2) were obtained with the range from 4.73% to 41.30% and from 2.12% to 50.20% for A. marginata and A. achatina respectively. Morphometric traits (Hatchling body shell length and body shell width) best predicted hatchling body weights of A. achatina and not of A. marginata snails. Strong, positive and significant correlations imply that selection for these morphometric traits will lead to improvement of hatchling body weights.Keywords: Correlation, Quantitative traits, Equations, Helicultur

Teenage pregnancy prevention: The church, community, culture and contraceptives

It is important to prevent teenage pregnancies to enhance their health, educational level and economic prospects. Peer education should be explored as a strategy to prevent teenage pregnancies. The purpose of this paper is to share the perceptions of peer educators who underwent a peer education-training programme and the effect it had on their own sexual behaviour. A qualitative descriptive, explorative and contextual research design was conducted, using in-depth interviews from 15 participants to gather data. The findings revealed that participants had positive educational experiences; positive personal growth; and wanted to become mentors for their peers. Despite their increased level of knowledge and positive experiences, some found it difficult to mentor others due to religion, culture as well as the opinion of their parents and community. Peer education will only have an effect on contraceptives if the church, the community, diverse cultural norms and traditions are included in the dialogue about contraception. (Afr J Reprod Health 2021; 25[6]: 51-57)

Genetic differentiation between the black skinned and white skinned snails (Archachatina marginata) using random amplified polymorphic DNAs

The study investigates the genetic differentiation between the black skinned and white skinned ectotypes of the giant African land snails (Archachatina marginata) from Cross River State in Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was employed in this study. Five (5) oligonucleotide primers (OPAD-09, OPAE-04, OPAE-05, OPAF-07 and OPAF-09) were used to amplify DNA from five samples of A. marginata constituting black skinned and white skinned ectotypes. A total of 58 RAPD bands with 24 polymorphic bands (40.18%) with size range of 150 to 5,500 bp, were scored from the populations. The black skinned ectotype had mean percentage polymorphism of 34.50%, while the white skinned ectotype recorded mean percentage polymorphism of 41.40%. Genetic similarity coefficient ranged from 60 to 63%, while the genetic distance ranged from 0.37 to 0.40. The genetic similarity between the two ectotypes of A. marginata from Cross River State is high and depicted low genetic differences. This reveals that the genetic variability of the species (A. marginata) from Cross River State is gradually eroding. Efforts should be made to conserve the genetic pool of this species, as the erosion of genetic variability is dangerous and could continue unnoticed till extinction is imminent.Keywords: Genetic, differentiation, snail, ectotypes, Niger Delta.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(32), pp. 5035-503

Comparative evaluation of reproductive performance and some egg quality parameters of black and white skinned snails

One hundred sexually matured snails, fifty each of the black skinned and white skinned ectotypes were used in the evaluation of reproductive performance and egg quality traits in a study that lasted for eighty-four days. The reproductive performance traits measured included clutch size (number of eggs laid per clutch), incubation period (days) of eggs, percent hatchability, and percent mortality and survivability, while the egg quality traits evaluated included egg weight and length. Results obtained showed significant differences at different levels among parameters measured in the two ectotypes of snails studied. The results of reproductive traits showed that mean clutch sizes were 5 and 4 for black skinned and white skinned ectotypes respectively. Mean incubation periods were 25.8 days for the black skinned ectotype and 22 days for the white skinned ectotype. The values for mean percent hatchability were 26.8 % and 22.8 % for the black skinned and white skinned ectotypes respectively. Mean survivability values were 22.8 % for black skinned ectotype and 20 % for the white skinned ecotype. The mean egg quality parameters were 2.7 g and 2.4 g, weight for black skinned and white skinned ectotypes respectively. The mean egg lengths were 4.6 mm and 4.2 mm for black skinned and white skinned ectotypes respectively. Among the measured parameters, clutch size and egg length had very high significant difference (

Genetic differentiation between black-skinned and white-skinned ectotypes of giant African land snails (Archachatina marginata) in Calabar, Nigeria

This noble research provides information on the genetic differentiation between black-skinned and white-skinned ectotypes of giant African land snails (Archachatina marginata). Ten (10) snails consisting of five (5) black-skinned and five (5) white-skinned ectotypes were examined by using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Five (5) primers (OPAD-09, OPAE-04, OPAE-05, OPAF-07 and OPAF-09) were screened and selected to amplify DNA from the ten (10) samples of snails. A total of 31 bands were generated from the two snail types, out of which 14 bands were generated from the black-skinned ectotype, while 17 bands were from the whiteskinned ectotype. The DNA banding between the two ectotypes showed no statistical difference (P > 0.05) between the black-skinned and the white-skinned ectotypes of Archachatina marginata. There were however, relative high genetic differences in numerical number of bands between the two ectotypes. This implied that the genetic similarities are relatively low. The high genetic differences between the two ectotypes of Archachatina marginata snails studied signaled high level of genetic diversity and heterogeneity among the giant African land snails (GALS).Keywords: DNA, Banding, Differentiation, Black-skinned, White-skinne

Effects of cultivar and agrobotanical storage treatment on organolepetic quality of yam (Dioscorea rotundata)

There is current interest in the search and use of agrobotanicals in preference to conventional chemicals in agriculture as plant protectants hence the need to investigate the potential effects of some of the agrobotanicals on yam food after storage. This study was, therefore, conducted to assess the effects of yam cultivar and agrobotanical extracts on the organoleptic quality and acceptability of two yam based food forms: boiled yam and pounded yam. Tubers of four yam cultivars (Nwaopoko,Danacha, Ezakwukpolo and Pepa) were treated with aqueous leaf extracts of Neem (Azadiracta indica), Scent leaf (Occimum gratissimum), pod extracts of ‘Uda’ (Xylopia aethiopica), root extracts of Ginger (Zingibger officinale) and a synthetic phytohomorne (Gibberellic acid) and stored for six months. Thereafter, two food forms (boiled yam and pounded yam) were prepared from the stored yam tubers and a nine-member panel of judges enlisted to perform sensory quality assessment on them. The attributes scored with respect to boiled yam were colour, taste, texture, mealiness and general acceptability while pounded yam was assessed for its aroma, texture, colour and general acceptability. No significant differences were found among the sensory attributes due to the agrobotanical treatments rather, differences were due to yam cultivars. The results obtained and confirmed by the scatter plots and multiple linear regression showed that texture and taste contributed much to the general acceptability of boiled yam while aroma and consistency were the major qualities of pounded yam. Consistency of pounded yam was best with Nwaopoko and Danacha cultivars but significantly less so with other cultivars with or without agrobotanical treatment. The agrobotanical treatments did not affect the culinary quality of the stored yam tubers as no evidence of such treatment was noticed in the prepared yam foods. This result suggests that the constituent active ingredients imparted on the tubers during storage by the plant extracts were either water-soluble and heat labile or that their shelf lives were less than six months of the storage period and therefore had no effects on the quality attributes of food yams

Transgenesis techniques and its application in poultry production

The advent of DNA recombinant technology and the possibility of gene transfer between organisms of different species have presented a wide range of possibilities for the improvement of livestock production. This is demonstrated by the recent progress in gene transfer, animal cloning and assisted reproductive techniques in the field of livestock transgenesis. The ability to introduce foreign DNA into the genome of an organism has proven to be one of the most efficient tools in animal breeding and modern biology. Transgenesis is applied in production of therapeutic proteins, improvement of economic traits such as meat quality, disease resistance, feed conversion efficiency; as well as protection of humans from zoonotic diseases. Thus, transgenic technologies may revolutionalize the production of poultry birds with improved meat quality, low fats, low cholesterol as well as disease resistance in addition to production of biopharmaceutical products with efficiencies far greater than any conventional breeding methods.KEYWORDS: Gene transfer, usefulness, poultry production, techniques

Heterosis of Body Weights and Egg Weights of F1 Snails (Archachatina marginata var. saturalis) in Obubra, Nigeria

A study was conducted to provide baseline information on the trends of heterosis in snail traits, so that reproductive and production performance of snails will be enhanced as is the case with other farm animal species. Three hundred (300) grower snails, one hundred and fifty each of the black-skinned (BS) and white-skinned (WS) ectotypes of Archachatina marginata snail were generated from an earlier study in the same location. The snails had weight ranging from 43.31 to 45.43 g for both ectotypes at the time of selection and were allotted into three mating groups. The mating groups are; black skinned x black skinned (BS X BS), white skinned x white skinned (WS X WS) and black skinned x white skinned (BS X WS). The mating groups were used to generate snails whose body and egg weights were compared with that of their parents. Results from the study showed that all the mating groups (BS X BS, WS X WS and BS X WS) expressed positive body weight at hatch and at the juvenile stages of growth (1 wk to 4 wk). The heterotic values for body weight were 38.89 %, 37.01 % and 53.59 % for BS X BS, WS X WS and BS X WS mating groups respectively at hatch. The heterotic value for the crossbred (BS X WS) mating group was significantly (P<0.05) different from the values of the purebred mating groups (BS X BS and WS X WS). Similarly, all the mating groups recorded positive heterotic values for egg weight at lay. The crossbred (BS X WS) mating group expressed the highest value of 60.77 % and was significantly (P<0.05) different from the values expressed by the purebred mating groups, 59.39 % for BS X BS and 54.26 % for WS X WS. The results of this study suggest that hetrosis (hybrid vigour) can be exploited to improve snails’ reproductive and growth traits if appropriate selection programme is applied. We therefore recommend the continued crossing of the black- and white- skinned snails for the production of better offspring and preservation of their genetic potentials. Keywords: Heterosis, body, egg, weight, snai

The role of prostaglandins in livestock production

Prostaglandins belong to the family of lipid. Soluble unsaturated hydroxyl acid containing twenty carbon (c) atoms and based on the prostanoic acid skeleton. There are two main types of Prostaglandins (PGs), the E and F series each having 3 members E1, E2, E3 and F1σ, F2σ, F3σ. The other PGs are known as secondary PGs and are products of enzymic or chemical dehydrations of PGEs e.g PG+2, PGA2, PGD2 and PGB. Prostaglandins are probably the most important regulators of female productive functions (ovulation, uterine receptivity, Implantation and parturition) and associated with pathologies (pain, fever, and inflammation), apart from sex steroids. Prostaglandins are not stored in tissues but are synthesized and released in response to a given stimulus. Prostaglandins are produced by all nucleated cells of the body and act locally in a paracrine (locally active) or autocrine (acting on the same cell from which it is in a synthesized) fashion. Prostaglandins are therefore regarded as essential mediators of female reproductive processes, hence, this paper seeks to review the role of Prostaglandins which is exploited in livestock production especially oestrus synchronization and induced parturition.KEYWORDS: Prostaglandins, Production, Role, Livestoc

Peer educators’ perception of the ‘100% Young’ peer education training programme

Text in EnglishPreventing teenagers’ pregnancies and improving teenagers’ reproductive health are important as pregnancies in teenagers still represent an important health challenge in Cameroon. The purpose of this dissertation of a limited scope was to describe the perception of peer educators who underwent the ‘100% young’ peer education training and the effect it had on their own sexual behaviour. A qualitative descriptive, explorative and contextual research design was conducted. Data collection was done using in-depth interviews. Fifteen peer educators were purposively selected. Two questions were asked namely; please describe how you perceived the peer education training that you underwent and, describe how this training affected your own sexual behaviour. Findings revealed that participants had a positive education experience, positive personal growth and for many, that was enough to become mentors for their peers and build awareness. Recommendations propose that interventions such as the ‘100% young’ are urgently required to prevent teenage pregnancy.Health StudiesM.P.H