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The production and productivity of small ruminant in humid West Africa is being limited by feed constraints, which are largely due to non-strategic utilization and combination of available feed resources to develop an efficient production feeding system, rather than absolute non availability. Farmers under semi-intensive system commonly offer feed supplements to their animals in the morning before grazing fibrous grasses all day. However, results of rumen degradability studies suggested that this system should be the opposite. This study was designed to investigate the effect of changing the sequence and interval of feeding concentrate supplement (CS) and roughage on performance of Yankasa weaner rams. A 90-day feeding trial was conducted using twenty eight 5-6 months old Yankasa weaner rams with average body weight of 14.96 ± 1.10 kg. The rams were randomly assigned to four treatments (CB1: CS fed 1 h prior to feeding grass hay (GH); CB2: CS fed 2h prior to feeding GH; GB1: GH fed 1 h before feeding CS; and GB2: GH fed 2 h before feeding CS) using a 2x2 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The rams were fed woolly finger grass (Digitaria smutsii Stent) hay and CS at the rate of 2.4% and 1.6% of body weight, respectively, and offered water ad libitum. Blood collection was done at four weeks interval pre- feeding and 4 h post- second feeding. Rumen fluid was collected pre- feeding and 3 h post-second feeding during the last week of feeding trial. Parameters measured include dry matter intake (DMI), total weight change, Average daily gains (ADG), Total volatile fatty acids (VFAs), ruminal pH values, and Blood creatinine levels. DMI was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the interval of the feeding. The total weight change of GB2 and CB2 rams was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that of CB1 and GB1 rams. ADG among treatments were affected (P < 0.05) by feeding interval. VFAs and ruminal pH values of the rams 3 h post-feeding were affected (P< 0.05) by the interval of feeding CS and GH. Pre-feeding blood creatinine levels and 4 h post-feeding, were also significantly (P< 0.05) affected by interval of feeding GH and CS. It is concluded that, even though, feed intake and growth rate of Yankasa rams were not markedly affected by the sequence as much as interval of feeding CS and GH, the GB2 rams had higher ADG and better feed efficiency. La production et la productivité des petits ruminants en Afrique de l'Ouest humide sont limitées par des contraintes alimentaires, qui sont en grande partie dues à une utilisation non stratégique et à une combinaison des ressources alimentaires disponibles pour développer un système d'alimentation de production efficace, plutôt qu'à une indisponibilité absolue. Les éleveurs sous système semi-intensif offrent couramment des compléments alimentaires à leurs animaux le matin avant de faire paître des herbes fibreuses toute la journée. Cependant, les résultats des études de dégradabilité dans le rumen suggèrent que ce système devrait être le contraire. Cette étude a été conçue pour étudier l'effet de la modification de la séquence et de l'intervalle d'alimentation du supplément concentré (SC) et du fourrage grossier sur les performances des béliers sevrés Yankasa. Un essai d'alimentation de 90 jours a été mené sur vingt-huit béliers sevrés Yankasa âgés de 5 à 6 mois et pesant en moyenne 14,96 ± 1,10 kg. Les béliers ont été assignés au hasard à quatre traitements (CB1 : SC nourris 1 h avant l'alimentation avec du foin d'herbe (GH) ; CB2 : CS alimentés 2 h avant l'alimentation avec GH ; GB1 : GH nourris 1 h avant l'alimentation avec CS ; et GB2 : GH nourris 2 h avant d'alimenter SC) en utilisant un arrangement factoriel 2x2 dans une conception en bloc complet randomisé (CBCR). Les béliers ont été nourris avec du foin et du SC à raison de 2,4 % et 1,6 % du poids corporel, respectivement, et ont reçu de l'eau à volonté. La collecte de sang a été effectuée à quatre semaines d'intervalle avant l'alimentation et 4 heures après la deuxième alimentation. Le liquide du rumen a été recueilli avant l'alimentation et 3 h après la deuxième alimentation au cours de la dernière semaine de l'essai d'alimentation. Les paramètres mesurés comprennent l'apport en matière sèche (AMS), le changement de poids total, les gains quotidiens moyens (GQM), les acides gras volatils totaux (GVT), les valeurs de pH ruminal et les niveaux de créatinine sanguine. Le DMI était significativement (P < 0,05) affecté par l'intervalle d'alimentation. Le changement de poids total des béliers GB2 et CB2 était significativement (P < 0,01) supérieur à celui des béliers CB1 et GB1. Le GQM parmi les traitements a été affecté (P < 0,05) par l'intervalle d'alimentation. Les valeurs de GQM et de pH ruminal des béliers 3 h après l'alimentation ont été affectées (P < 0,05) par l'intervalle d'alimentation de CS et de GH. Les niveaux de créatinine sanguine avant l'alimentation et 4 h après l'alimentation ont également été significativement (P< 0,05) affectés par l'intervalle d'alimentation GH et CS. Il est conclu que, même si la prise alimentaire et le taux de croissance des béliers Yankasa n'étaient pas nettement affectés par la séquence autant que par l'intervalle d'alimentation

Clarias gariepinus catfish is an important fish farmed in West African. However, the successful culture of this fish is hampered by the ever-increasing cost of feed. Study was conducted to exploit the compensatory growth patterns that has been reported in fish and to determine the effects of intermittent feed deprivation and refeeding on the production performance of juvenile Clarias gariepinus. One hundred and sixty (160) juvenile fish (80 ± 23 g; 23.55 ± 7.31 cm) were randomly distributed into four 200-liter aquaria labeled A, B, C and D. Fish in group A (the control) were fed continuously; fish in group B, were subjected to a 3-days feed deprivation and 3-days refeeding regimen; fish in group C, were subjected to a 5-days feed deprivation and 5-days refeeding regimen; and fish in group D were subjected to a 5-days feed deprivation and 7-days refeeding regimen. Growth parameters were measured in all groups for 98 days. Results shows that there were no significant variations (p > 0.05) in the final weight gained by fish in group B compared to fish in group A. Fish in groups C and D exhibited compensatory growth and had significantly higher weight gains compared to fish in group A. Fish in group B exhibited the highest compensation coefficient of 2.348 compared with 2.212 and 1.287 for groups C and D respectively. It is concluded that juvenile Clarias gariepinus can be produced following a feed deprivation and refeeding regimen, without significantly affecting its growth and production performance. The economic implication of this strategy is that production can be maximized while significantly reducing the cost of feeding. It is recommended that a 5-days feed deprivation and 5-days refeeding regimen be employed as this results in high weight gain at a reduced cost.

It is known. that many of the advances which have been made in improving the feeding, fertility and health of livestock in developed countries would not have been possible without nuclear tech-niques. Nuclear techniques have been used by scientists to study and understand those biological processes which are responsible for growth, reproduction and disease resistance in animals. Tracer tech-niques based on isotopes have been used for tagging feed constituents, amino acids and other metabolites, whereby their fate .can be fol-lowed within the digestive system and other parts of the body. This forms an integral part of the armoury used by animal nutritionists to establish the nutri-tional value of all the materials potentially available to feed animals. The development and use of highly sensi­tive immunoassay methods, to measure the minute quantities. of reproductive hormones in the blood enables us to determine when. animals are ready- for breeding, check whether animals have been inseminated at the correct time, diagnose pregnancy early enough, and devise corrective measures for reproductive disorders and improve the efficiency of artificial insemination and embryo transfer programmes. Radioisotopic methods have been used to study the immune system. to examine infec­tious agents and how they Stimulate this system, and to develop specific and sensitive methods for development of veterinary vaccines and diagnostic tests.

The prevalence and seasonality of animal health problems encountered in Sokoto Gudali cattle over a 10 year period (1988- 1998) is reported. Out of a total of 304 cases observed, Streptothricosis accounted for (15.1%), Gastroenteritis, 37 (14.5%), Pinkeye 14 (13.5%), Helminthosis 37 (12.2%) traumatic injury 37 (12.2%) Recumbency 21 (6.9%), Retained placenta 14 (4.6%) Footrot 8 (2.6%) and Abscesses 7 (2.3%). Notable among the conditions that showed remarkable seasonality in prevalence are streptothricosis, footrot, pinkeye, heartwater, helminthosis and trypanosomosis which occurred during the rainy season, while cases of gastroenteritis, foot and mouth disease, pneumonia, abscesses and recumbency occurred during the dry season. This study gins an indication of some of the common animal health problems usually encountered under a semi-intensive cattle production system and the need for effective animal health care. Keywords: Health problems, seasonality, prevalence, Sokoto Gudali.

This paper presents the results of a survey of sheep and goat producers in Anambra State, (present day Enugu and Anambra State), Nigeria. The sampled areas represent the agroclimatic and administrative zones of the oid Anambra State. A total sample size of 310 spread over 5 LGAS and 25 village areas was drawn. Only households which kept sheep and/or goats at the time of the study were sampled. Data generated included demographic characteristics of small stock owners, sheep and goat distribution by household, management practices and problems associated with current management systems, sources of feed by season and livestock disease profile. Results of analyses showed that ownership distribution of animals was skewed in favour of goats. The mean flock size per household was 2.4 and 6.2 sheep and goats respectively. About 22% of the households interviewed kept sheep alone, another 62% kept goats alone. Over 85% of respondents acquired their foundation stock from the open market, while others came from neighbours flocks. Most respondents expressed the desire to increase their holdings with more wishing to expand their goat herd size than sheep. However, feeding was most frequently mentioned as a limiting factor in increasing sheep or goat herd size. Household wastes and cut forages were the major sources of animal feed. There was a very low awareness level of agroforestry practices, Only 5.2% and 2.3% of the respondents had any knowledge of Intensive Feed Gardening (IFG) and Alley farming (AF) respectively. Reported Smallholder Sheep and Goats Management mortality was low less than 3.5% in all herds studied). Implications for improved small ruminant production in Nigeria's humid zone are drawn.

Twenty Bunaji bulls averaging 178.5kg live weight were blocked by weight and randomly allotted to four treatments (5 bulls per treatment) to determine the level of concentrate feeding on the performance of bulls grazing natural range and the practicability of fattening on range. The treatments consisted of four levels of concentrate feeding, i.e 0, 2, 3 and 4 kg/head/day. The concentrate was compounded as 60% maize offal and 40% cotton seed cake with a crude protein level of 17.6%. The trial lasted 105 days. Criteria investigated were live weight gain and body condition score of the animals, dry matter yield and nitrogen content of the forage from range grazed by the animals. Bulls receiving 4 kg/head/day (treatment 4) had the highest average daily gain (0.70kg/head/day). This was different (P0.05) in body condition score (BCS) between the treatments, bulls not given concentrate feeding (0 level) had the least BCS. There was no marked difference between DM yield of the forage grazed during the sampling period. However, there was a decline in DM yield in the later part of the trial. It is concluded from this study that bulls can be fattened on range with minimum supplementation. It is therefore recommended that bulls being fattened on range be given a minimum of 2kg/head/day of concentrate supplementation.Keywords: Bunaji, live weight, condition score

Animal carcasses vary in composition through genetic, age and sex of animal, nutritional and environmental effects. Twenty Bunaji bulls with average live weights of 196±0.5 kg and aged between 21/2 and 3 years were used for the trial. The bulls were divided to four groups of five animals balanced by weight with an animal as a replicate in a completely randomized design and were allocated to four dietary treatments consisting of 80: 20, 60: 40, 40: 60 and 20: 80% groundnut haulms: maize offal. Feed intake, live and carcass weights and weight of carcass components and offal were used to assess the carcass characteristics. Feed intake and final weight differed (P

The aim of this study was to evaluate fear condition responses in sheep and goat and to relate this to the neuroarchitecture of their amygdala. Forty adult sheep (Uda breed) and 40 adult goats (Red Sokoto breed) were fear-conditioned by associating the sound of a car horn (neutral stimuli) with water spray (aversive stimuli) and the fear response was determined by direct observation of the behavior of the sheep and goats and measuring their flight distances and escape time. Eight groups were studied, each comprising of 10 animals (five sheep and five goats). Goats and sheep were tested alternately in the morning of every day of the week for three consecutive weeks, in which 4 days was used for habituation and 3 days for testing. Histologically, neurons in the central and basolateral complex of the amygdala were studied and analyzed using Nissl and golgi staines. Behaviorally, goats elicited an active avoidance response expressed as flight with concomitant intense flight distances (p < .001) compared to sheep. Although, sheep had larger brain parameters, it showed attenuated basolateral amygdala cytoarchitecture consistent with reduced fear perception and response. Goats had significantly more densely distributed pyramidal and spiny stellate neurons in the basolateral amygdala while sheep showed more non-pyramidal and aspiny neurons. These results provide interesting practical perspectives on how adaptions in the amygdala coincides with alterations in fear conditioning in domestic animals and may be the basis for the higher incidence of the sheep in automobile accidents than goats in developing countries especially Africa.

Hunting and consumption of wild animals, colloquially known as “bushmeat,” is associated with health trade-offs. Contact with wildlife increases exposure to wildlife-origin zoonotic diseases yet bushmeat is an important nutritional resource in many rural communities. In this study, we test the hypothesis that bushmeat improves food security in communities that hunt and trade bushmeat regularly. We conducted 478 interviews with men and women in six communities near Cross River National Park in Nigeria. We used interview responses to relate prevalence and diversity of bushmeat consumption to household food security status. Animal-based foods were the most commonly obtained items from the forest, and 48 types of wild vertebrate animals were consumed within the past 30 days. Seventy-five percent of households experienced some degree of food insecurity related to food access. Bushmeat consumption was significantly associated with relatively higher household food security status. Rodents were more important predictors of food security than other animal taxa. Despite increased bushmeat consumption in food-secure households, food-insecure households consumed a higher diversity of bushmeat species. Results show that consumption of bushmeat, especially rodents, is uniquely related to improved food security. Reliance on a wider diversity of species in food-insecure households may in turn affect their nutrition, exposures to reservoirs of zoonotic infections, and impact on wildlife conservation. Our results indicate that food security should be addressed in conservation and public health strategies aimed at reducing human–wildlife contact, and that improved wildlife protection, when combined with alternative animal-based foods, would positively affect food security in the long term.

We hyposthesized that henna staining could provide an alternative to eosin when used as a counterstain to hematoxylin for understanding basic neurohistological principles. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the suitability of henna as counterstain to hematoxylin for the demonstration of the layer stratification and cellular distribution in the brain tissue. Henna stained nervous tissue by reacting with the basic elements in proteins via its amino groups. It stained the neuropil and connective tissue membranes brown and effectively outlined the perikarya of neurons with no visible nuclei demonstrating that it is an acidic dye. Henna as a counterstain to hematoxylin demonstrated reliability as a new neurohistological stain. It facilitated identification of cortical layer stratification and cellular distribution in brain tissue sections from Wistar rats. This was comparable to standard hematoxylin and eosin staining as morphological and morphometrical analyses of stained cells did not show significant differences in size or number. This study presents a method for staining with henna and demonstrates that although henna and eosin belong to different dye groups (anthraquinone and xanthenes, respectively) based on their chromophores, they share similar staining techniques and thus could be used interchangeably in neurohistology.

Leishmaniasis is a major health problem and it is estimated that 12 million people are currently infected. A vaccine which could cross-protect people against different Leishmania spp. would facilitate control of this disease as more than one species of Leishmania may be present. In this study the ability of a DNA vaccine, using the full gene sequence for L. donovani gamma glutamyl cysteine synthetase (γGCS) incorporated in the pVAX vector (pVAXγGCS), and a protein vaccine, using the corresponding recombinant L. donovani γGCS protein (LdγGCS), to protect against L. major or L. mexicana infection was evaluated. DNA vaccination gave transient protection against L. major and no protection against L. mexicana despite significantly enhancing specific antibody titres in vaccinated infected mice compared to infected controls. Vaccination with the LdγGCS protected against both species but only if the protein was incorporated into non-ionic surfactant vesicles for L. mexicana. The results of this study indicate that a L. donovani γGCS vaccine could be used to vaccinate against more than one Leishmania species but only if the recombinant protein is used.

The effects cotton seed cake (CSC) supplementation and urea-ammoniation on utilization of sorghum stover by Yankasa sheep was studied. Chopped sorghum stover was ensiled with fertilizer grade urea at 4% urea (w/w), the urea being dissolved in water to reconstitute the silage to 50% DM. The experiment was a 2x3 factorial design of unammoniated and ammoniated sorghum stover and three levels of CSC supplementation (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of the sheep body weight). The growth trial was conducted with 24 yearling sheep, averaging 18.2 kg liveweight and lasted for 60 days. Intake of sorghum stover by sheep was Improved (P0.05). Increasing the level of supplementation with CSC improved (P>0.05) stover intake by sheep fed the ammoniation of unammonlated stover, but resulted in decreased (P>0.05) intake of ammonlated by sheep. Sheep liveweight gains were improved by ammoniation and supplementation (P.05), but resulted in increase (P

Offal parts and carcass component data from 40 Bunaji bulls bought from open market and culled from the herds were slaughtered for beef at the meat laboratory of the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) were used to determine the carcass components and Offal yield of bunaji cattle. Dressing percentages of the cattle ranges between 53.05±1.44 and 51.03±0.23 for the bulls and cows respectively. The differences were not significant (P>0.05). The bulls have significantly (P

Vernonia amygdalina and Annona senegalensis, two plants used by local/smallholder livestock farmers in Nigeria as anthelmintic were screened for in vitro anthelmintic activity using Haemonchus contortus eggs. The extract of V. amygdalina did not show any significant activity at concentrations up to 11.2mg/ml. The extract of A. senegalensis showed significant (P

The spinal cord of the adult African Giant Pouched rat was studied using the rapid Golgi technique in order to get further clarification on the morphology of the neuronal cell types based on soma size, shape, dendritic density and aborization. Two main types of cells were observed to characterize the dorsal grey horn: Type 1 cells are the islet cells which were distinguished by triangulated or globular- shaped soma with one thick “axoniform” primary dendrite bifurcating into a Y or T secondary branches indicative of local integrating functions. They resembled the pseudounipolar cells of the dorsal root ganglion and were predominant in the cervical segments. Type 2 cells were stalked cells with several dendrites and round or polygonal soma and these were predominant in the thoracic and lumbosacral segments. The ventral grey horn demonstrated multipolar neurons with dendritic arborization arranged in a radiating or tuft-like manner. Some cells had sparse dendrites while some other cells demonstrated unique ...

The data consisted of 369 lactation records for calvings over a sixteen-year period (1972-1987) and included only cows that had normal milk records. The data were analysed using a linear model containing the fixed effects of parity, year of calving and season of calving. The least squares means ± S.E. were 1,273±58.4 kg for milk yield, and for postpartum body weight (kg) at 2, 3 and 4 months after calving were 343.40±3.96, 346.10±4.10 and 352.54±4.26 kg, respectively. With the exception of season of calving, the effects of parity and year of calving were significant (P

Research findings on indigenous guinea fowl in Nigeria and the constraints on the local production are discussed. The most pressing problems include low hatchability, high mortality up to eight weeks, lack of reliable advice on veterinary and other problems and a shortage of sources of hatching eggs and young stock. In addition to early mortality, which may be as high as 60%, the characteristic timid, but very active, flighty and noisy temperament probably contributes to poor feed conversion efficiency through high energy output and feed wastage. Nigerian guinea fowl tend to be slow growing, weighing less than 1 kg at 8 weeks of age, and do not come into lay until about 1 year of age. Although monogamous in the wild, a sex ratio of 1:4 can give good fertility. Egg production is confined to the rainy season from April to October. Sex identification presents an enormous problem for most guinea fowl farmers. The nutrient requirements of native guinea fowl have not been established, making it impossible to be sure that balanced diets needed for optimum production are fed. The most important intestinal parasites are Eimeria sp., Ascaridia galli, Heterakis sp. and Capillaria caudiflata. The main external parasites are lice (Damalina sp. and Argas persicus).

Preliminary investigation of the in vitro and in vivo efficacies of different extracts from the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina (VA), a plant widely used in Nigeria was evaluated in Balb/C mice infected with a laboratory strain of Leishmania major (L. major). The ability of the methanol, hexane and aqueous extracts of the plant to suppress the infection rate and its cytotoxicity on macrophages and L929 cells were determined in the in vitro study. The in vivo study evaluated time course of infection, lesion progression and the histopathology of cutaneous lesions, liver and spleen after inoculation with metacyclic promastigotes. Methanolic extract of VA containing high levels of flavanoids, was the most potent extract as it showed the highest suppression on infectivity and viability of intracellular amastigotes at a concentration lower than that which elicited cytotoxicity on macrophages. Treatment of infected mice with methanolic extract of VA showed delayed onset of disease with a significant reduction in lesion size and attenuation of the histopathological outcome characterised by intact epidermis and less tissue destruction in skin, spleen and liver. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that VA has potent antileishmanial properties which warrants further investigation into the immunological mechanism.

A 6-year retrospective study (2000–2005) of animals slaughtered at the Zango abattoir in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria was carried out to determine disease conditions encountered in slaughtered animals. Records kept at the abattoir were analysed. A total of 69,307 cattle, 3,820 goats and 1,763 sheep were slaughtered for the period under study. Of the 69,307 cattle slaughtered for the period, 22,459 (32.41%) were males and 46,848 (67.59%) were females, while 1,763 sheep were slaughtered comprising of 506 (28.70%) males and 1,257 (71.30%) females, and 3,820 goats made up of 1,212 (31.73%) males and 2,608 (68.27%) were females. The major disease and/or pathological conditions were helminthosis (fascioliasis, haemonchosis and paramphistomosis) 16.20%, Streptothricosis 4.15%, Pericarditis 2.20%, liver cirrhosis 2.08%, abscesses 1.04%, pneumonia 0.14%, nephritis 0.05% and Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, Tuberculosis and Nocardiosis 0.01% each. Out of the 15,075 infected organs, 13,314 (88.38%) were partially salvaged while 1,751 (11.6%) whole organs were condemned. A total of 1,239 pregnant cows, 221 pregnant ewes and 637 pregnant does were slaughtered, representing a foetal wastage of 2.65% for cattle, 17.58% for sheep and 24.43% for goats. The result of this study apart from serving as an indicator of field disease condition also demonstrates cases of serious losses in production due to slaughter of pregnant animals especially for sheep and goats.