Mammalian and reptilian species expected and observed in roadside wildlife markets of southwest Nigeria and the implications for conservation

Wildlife provides both consumptive and non-consumptive utilities to human beings around the world. Under wild animal utilization as food and medicine, some wildlife species have been overharvested. Coupled with environmental degradation affecting wildlife species in their habitats, the need to evaluate wildlife populations in Southwest Nigeria is therefore essential. Twenty-three wildlife markets along five highways in Southwest Nigeria were surveyed for two years to determine the pattern of mammalian and reptilian species occurrence; wild animal species assessed were freshly dead and roasted ones. The species named by literatures were tagged Expected while those found in the sales points were referred to as Observed. The names of species found were matched with literatures that established them. Indirect method of species of identification was questionnaire use among stakeholders of wildlife marketing (hunters, traders and farmers) selected through Systematic Random Sampling (Odd Method). This approach firstly identified the wildlife species being sold in the markets and their vernacular (Yoruba) names. These names were linked with literatures that confirmed their scientific names. Results revealed that twelve mammalian and three reptilian species were absent in all road markets. Implication of results is that mammals and reptiles which were absent in all market Roads are those whose populations have reduced in the wild. Recommendations for Government sensitisation on animals absent in the Sales Points about hunting pressure reduction through print and electronic media were first made. Conservation education among forest exploitation professionals, campaign against forest degradation and establishment of more forest reserves and National parks by Nigerian Government were made too

Sickness and agricultural productivity: evidence from arable-crop farmers in Southwest, Nigeria

Literature argued that investments in the health programs for labour to prevent sickness in farming operations enhances agricultural productivity. This paper estimates a stochastic production function using 240 primary data to analyze the relationship between farmers’ dietary-pattern, health-status and agricultural production efficiency. Study indicated that workdays lost to sickness influenced poor farm-income and productivity and the effect is considerable. Sound dietary-patterns and health status enhances human productivity and farm-profit levels. Moreover, the incapacitating effects of sickness on farm-labour leads to diminishing effects on farmer’s efficiency level. Average value of technical efficiency per-unit of input tends to be higher for healthy farmers than for those affected by sickness. About 79.1% of the respondents spent 85.6% of their farm-proceeds on medical expenses, while 66.8% of the respondents were unable to meet medical expenses from farm-proceeds. Hence, expenditures on health upsets affect the availability of disposable cash income as household financial resources are diverted to pay for medical treatment. Thus, deny farmers inability to procure agricultural inputs that can improve agricultural productivity. Regression results confirm the negative effect of health barriers on farmers’ agricultural production-efficiency. Results suggest that one workday lost to sickness increase farmers’ inefficiency by 0.4%

Track D Social Science, Human Rights and Political Science

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138414/1/jia218442.pd

Effects of drying Temperatures on the Quality of Three Tilapia Fish Species

The effects of dryingtemperatur es on the quality of three tilapia fish species were reported. The fresh fish samplesobtained from local markets in Ibadan, Nigeria were dried in a convective fish dryer at 60°C , 90°/ 60°C( 90°C at initial stage and later at 60°C) and 90°C drying temperatures. The average microbial load ( Total viable bacteria,total coliform and total fungal counts) obtained from dried Mackerel, Pilchard and Herring for 8hrsduration ranged from 0.15 x 104 to 2.4 x10 4 Colonies per gram sample (cfug - 1 ). Th e Organoleptic analysis revealed that t he attributes (flavour, texture and colour ) of the three species dried at 90°/ 60°C were more appropriate and acceptable. The shelf – life obtained from the dried samples of Mackerel, Pilchard and Herring were 1, 2 and 2weeks; 2, 3 and 5 weeks and 1, 1 and 2 weeks at 60°C , 90°/ 60°C, 90°C drying tempera tures respectively. The results therefore suggested 90°/ 60°C drying temperature for fish drying

Effect of addition of multi-enzyme and varying levels of toasted African yam bean seed meal on carcass characteristics and internal organs of broiler starter

African yam bean seed is one of the underutilized legumes and a prospective feed ingredient in poultry diet. This study was carried out to examine carcass characteristics and internal organs of broiler starter fed partial replacement of toasted African yam bean seed meal supplemented with multi-enzyme (TAYBSM+E). There were five treatments: treatment one (T1) served as control without TAYBSM+E while T2, T3, T4 and T5 contained 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% TAYBSM+E, respectively and supplied experimental broiler birds for four weeks. Each treatment was randomly assigned to one of the five experimental diets in a completely randomized designed. Two hundred birds were allotted to five treatments replicated four times with 10 birds per replicate. At four weeks of age, experimental birds were starved for 12 hours; one bird was sacrificed per replicate (four per treatments), defeathered and cut into different parts. Carcass cuts and vital organs were carefully collected and weighed with sensitive scale. All parameters in the carcass cuts and internal organs weight examined were not statistically (P>0.05) influenced except intestine, lungs and thigh that significantly (P<0.05) different. It is concluded that toasted African yam bean seed meal supplemented with multi-enzyme is a good source of protein that can be used in broiler feeds safely up to 80% inclusion level to give satisfactory results

Sickness and agricultural productivity: evidence from arable-crop farmers in Southwest, Nigeria

Literature argued that investments in the health programs for labour to prevent sickness in farming operations enhances agricultural productivity. This paper estimates a stochastic production function using 240 primary data to analyze the relationship between farmers’ dietary-pattern, health-status and agricultural production efficiency. Study indicated that workdays lost to sickness influenced poor farm-income and productivity and the effect is considerable. Sound dietary-patterns and health status enhances human productivity and farm-profit levels. Moreover, the incapacitating effects of sickness on farm-labour leads to diminishing effects on farmer’s efficiency level. Average value of technical efficiency per-unit of input tends to be higher for healthy farmers than for those affected by sickness. About 79.1% of the respondents spent 85.6% of their farm-proceeds on medical expenses, while 66.8% of the respondents were unable to meet medical expenses from farm-proceeds. Hence, expenditures on health upsets affect the availability of disposable cash income as household financial resources are diverted to pay for medical treatment. Thus, deny farmers inability to procure agricultural inputs that can improve agricultural productivity. Regression results confirm the negative effect of health barriers on farmers’ agricultural production-efficiency. Results suggest that one workday lost to sickness increase farmers’ inefficiency by 0.4%