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Background and Aim: Understanding the phenotypic characteristics of indigenous livestock breeds is essential for their utilization and conservation. This study aimed to characterize indigenous chicken breeds in Indonesia based on phenotypic traits. Materials and Methods: Data on eight qualitative and 12 quantitative traits were recorded for 250 chickens from six breeds: Black Kedu, Gaga, Merawang, Nunukan, Pelung, and Sentul. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance to test the effect of breed on observed traits. Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted separately for each chicken breed. Data on quantitative traits were subjected to Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin, which was computed to test the sampling adequacy and the pattern of correlation among the traits, and Bathlett's tests were used to assess the validity of the factor analysis of each of the datasets and determine whether the partial correlations among traits were small. Results: We found considerable phenotypic variation in both qualitative and quantitative traits among indigenous chicken breeds. Multicolored plumage (96.40%), wild plumage (39.20%), gold feather flick (51.20%), yellow shank (36.80%), single comb (80.80%), red comb (94.80%), red earlobe (77.60%), and orange eyes (61.60%) were the most common features in the indigenous chickens. In addition, breed had a significant effect on all the quantitative traits that were analyzed (p

The physical charactersstics of 338 indigenous helmeted guinea fowls at 28 and 52 weeks of age were described. Four main colour types or varieties recognised were Ash (Lavender), Black, Pearl (Grey) and pure White. Body weights averaged 1.15 ± 0.03kg and l.34 ± 0.05kg at 28 and 52 weeks of age respectively for the guinea cocks and 1.07 re 0.04kg and 1.29 re 0.06kg at 28 and 52 weeks respectively for the guinea hens. The overall mean body weight for the entire population was 1.1 ± 0.4kg at 28 weeks of age and 1.31 ±0.07kg at 52 weeks of age. Body weights were significantly (P < .05) bigger at end of laying (52 weeks) than at point of Jay. The males at each age and in each variety also had larger body weights than the females. The guinea cocks had slightly longer body ( 43.1 vs 42.6cm), keel (14.8 vs 14.4cm), wing-(20.3 vs 20.2cm), sha11k (8.4 vs 7.9cm), drum stick (13.1 vs 12.4cm), thigh (9.9 vs 9.6crn), toes and claws, wattle (3.0 vs 2.6cm), jhelmet (3.7 vs 3.2cm), beak (2.7 vs 2.Scm) and larger body girth (30.3 vs 29.4cm) than the guinea hens. About. 21.14 and 24.16% of the neck of the males and females respectively were devoid of feathers. Colour of the naked portion of the neck was bluish-black and bear long hair like filoplumes on the dorsal region. The colour of the beak was light brown in all the birds. All the Black and White birds had light brown shanks while 28.9 and 37 .5% of the Ash and Pearl birds, respectively had partly brown and partly grey shank. 62.5 and 28.6% of the Pearl and Ash birds respectively, had brown shanks while 42.6% of the Ash birds ha dgrey shank. The colour of the wattle was red in all the birds. The great variation in the various parameters measured and weighed suggests that they can probably be used in selection and hence genetic improvement of the local helmeted guinea fowl. Keywords : Guinea fowls, body weight, plumage, conformation.

Data on coat colour pigmentation and incidence of wattle were combined with production records of 1407 West African dwarf goats to study their influence on litter traits and body weight. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference among coat colours for litter size at birth and at weaning and birth weight. Basic white coloured goats were significantly (P

Records on 1344 West African dwarf goats collected between 1982 and 1992 were used in this study. The records were used to describe determine the mode of inheritance for certain qualitative traits in the breed. All the goats have the stiff, short and straight hair coat type. The goat colour was very variable, irregular and this include white, black brown, pied and mixed colours. Nonetheless basic black colour predominate (53.3%). Basic white and brown goats account for 6.8% and 39.9% respectively. All goats studied irrespective of sex were horned. The goats also have a pair of teats observed. Possession of beard is common in all breeding bucks, nonetheless, 11.6% of the females have beard. About two-thirds of thegoats were wattled which could be bilateral (63%) or unilateral (6.2%) but no sex difference was observed. The mean lengths of body hair, ruff on bisket, wattle, beard in males and females were 2.90±0.80cm, 10.90±3,30 cm, 2.40±0.70 cm, 7.40cm±3.20cm and 9.20±2.7cm, respectively. Gene frequencies of 0.66, 0.08, 0.33and 1.0 were obtained for presence of wattle, albinism, black pigmentation and non polled respectively.

Respiratory diseases have emerged as a great challenge to poultry industry and result in severe economic losses. Infectious coryza caused by Avibacterium paragallinarum (A. paragallinarum) affects upper respiratory tract. In the present study the pathological and molecular diagnosis of infectious coryza was carried out in commercial chicken from the Andhra Pradesh region. Samples were collected from the suspected birds of different poultry farms. Out of 20 pooled samples collected, 18 (90%) samples were found positive for infectious coryza by PCR, in which 2 samples were also found positive for E. coli on bacteriological examination. The affected birds showed respiratory symptoms like open mouth breathing, coughing, sneezing. Unilateral to bilateral edema of wattle and combs were observed in severely affected birds. In infectious coryza sinusitis, tracheitis, laryngitis, mild airsacculitis and pneumonia were noticed. In complicated cases of A. paragallinarum and E. coli severe sinusitis, tracheitis, laryngitis, airsacculitis, pneumonia, perihepatitis and pericarditis were noticed. From this study, it is concluded that PCR is an early, rapid, accurate and highly sensitive diagnostic technique which replace the conventional cultural examination and can be used as early diagnostic tool to prevent the economic losses associated with the disease.

In South African forest plantations, white grubs (Scarabaeidae larvae) can contribute to high transplant mortality following re-establishment. Currently registered insecticides are considered highl...

This study was carried out to investigate the haemoglobin genetic types and their association with qualitative traits in West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep. The Modified Stratified Sampling Technique (MSST) was used to select the sampling sites within the selected state and animal samples within the sampling sites. A total of 280 adult sheep comprising 140 rams and 140 ewes aged 4 years were used for the study. Data were collected on Mendelian traits such as the horn status, wattle status and hair length on sex basis. Blood samples were collected from the animals for haemoglobin genetic types’ determination. The results showed that in ewes, the f(HbAA), f(HbAB) and f(HbBB) were 0.36, 0.28 and 0.36, respectively and the f(HbA) and f(HbB) was 0.50 in both alleles. In rams, the f(HbAA), f(HbAB) and f(HbBB) were 0.68, 0.14 and 0.18, respectively and the f(HbA) and f(HbB) were 0.75 and 0.25, respectively. In the pooled data, f(HbAA), f(HbAB) and f(HbBB) were 0.68, 0.14 and 0.18, respectively and the f(HbA) and f(HbB) were 0.625 and 0.375, respectively. The estimated heterozygosity was 0.47 and the estimated local inbreeding coefficient was 0.054. The hair length indicated sexual dimorphism with 12.79 to 12.98 cm in rams and 4.79 to 4.98 cm in ewes but was not dependent on the heamoglobin genetic types. The result shows that the status of wattles is not influenced by sex. The WAD sheep used had three haemoglobin genotypes under the control of two alleles at the haemoglobin locus. Key words: Ewe, haemoglobin genetic type, inbreeding coefficient, Mendelian traits, ram.

Considerando-se que a atual tendência do melhoramento florestal é a integração das técnicas clássicas com as de análise genética molecular, faz-se necessária a obtenção de protocolos de extração de DNA genômico ajustados a cada espécie estudada. O objetivo do trabalho foi determinar o efeito de diferentes adaptações no protocolo de extração de DNA genômico CTAB para acácia-negra. Foram testados diferentes componentes na fase de extração orgânica: clorofórmio, fenol e proteinase K, além da aplicação de RNase após a fase de precipitação e limpeza do DNA. Também, foi investigada a eficiência destes tratamentos em amostras de folíolos frescas ou armazenadas em baixa temperatura durante sete dias. Foi verificada a presença de DNA de todas as amostras submetidas à extração pelo protocolo de CTAB com os diferentes tratamentos. O tempo de armazenamento das amostras não influenciou na integridade do DNA, entretanto, foi possível observar que a adição de RNase melhorou a qualidade do DNA extraído. Deste modo, sugere-se a utilização do protocolo CTAB com uso de clorofórmio e RNase, com amostras frescas ou armazenadas em baixas temperaturas.

Adaptation of Nigerian indigenous chickens (NIC), FUNAAB-α (F-α) and Transylvanian naked neck chickens (TNN) raised during hot-dry season under humid tropical environment was compared during a 4-week period. A well-adapted NIC (n = 12; 6 males and 6 females), a newly developed F-α (n = 12; 6 male and 6 females) and a newly introduced TNN (n = 12; 6 male and 6 females) chickens aged 36 weeks were used for this experiment. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT) and skin temperature on comb (COM), wattle (WAT), breast (BRE) and under wings (WIN) were monitored between 13.00 and 14.00h twice a week for four weeks. Wattle temperature (p = .017) and BRE (p = .000) differ significantly among the genotypes. Transylvanian naked neck chickens recorded higher WAT than NIC, though not different from F-α. Nigerian indigenous chickens had lower BRE temperature than other two genotypes. Significantly higher WAT (p < .001) and WIN (p < .05) were recorded in cocks than in laying hens. In contrast, laying hens had significantly (p < .001) higher RR and HSI than cocks. There was interactive (p < .05) effect of sex and genotype on BRE. Nigerian indigenous cocks and hens exhibited lower BRE than others, except F-α cock. There were positive significant correlations between WIN and WAT in the three genotypes. In NIC, COM had positive correlation with WAT (r = .532) and WIN (r = .696). Heart rate was positively correlated with WAT (r = .608) and WIN (r = .697) in F-α, and WIN (r = .512) in TNN chickens. In conclusion, the three genotypes can adequately adapt to the prevailing conditions of humid tropics. Reduction of feather on the neck and breast and higher heat loss capacity in TNN chickens could help the birds adapt to hot-humid environment. The two sexes could adapt to the tropical region. Cocks lose body heat predominantly via non-evaporative means while hens employ evaporative heat loss mechanism.

Invasion by exotic woody species is a major concern in grasslands worldwide. Woody invasions pose a particularly serious threat to forest–grassland mosaics globally, but the factors influencing the success of woody species in these systems, including the role of disturbances such as fire, are not well understood. In this study, we evaluated the role of fire in influencing mortality and regeneration success of three globally widespread woody invasives, Acacia mearnsii (black wattle), Cytisus scoparius (scotch broom) and Ulex europaeus (gorse) in the montane forest–grassland mosaics of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India. Our results indicate that mortality and regeneration responses to fire are species-specific. Fire-induced adult mortality was highest in scotch broom and lowest in gorse, and high, but variable in wattle. Burning greatly increased the abundance of gorse and wattle seedlings, but only marginally increased scotch broom seedling abundance. Fire effects on invasive seedling densities were most pronounced at the edges of invasive patches. Overall, our results indicate that fires are likely to differentially affect invasion patterns of these three species, with fire potentially encouraging invasion by gorse and wattle and discouraging invasion by scotch broom.

The multiple products derivable from Acacia auriculiformis in terms of its soil nutrient augmentation by virtue of its nitrogen fixation capabilities are incontrovertible. This is in addition to being an ornamental, evergreen and shade providing tree, But its seed dormancy and dearth of knowledge regarding its growth rates in different soil types had hampered large scale production of its seedlings. Thus, an evaluation of the effects of some seed pre-sowing treatments on its seedling emergence (rates and percentages) and morphological growth parameters (external) in different soil types were investigated at the Screen House of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria for a period of 8 weeks. The experimental design was a 4 × 3 factorial experiment in completely randomized design comprising 4 different soil types, 3 pre – sowing treatment methods (replicated thrice). Seedling emergence (rates and percentages) and external morphological growth indices (plant height, collar girth, number of leaves and leaf area) were investigated. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was employed in processing the data collected by employing relevant statistical package (SPSS 20.0). Results indicated that seeds pretreated with concentrated sulphuric acid and sowed in sandy loam (a3b1) emerged as the best treatment combination in terms of seedling emergence rate and percentage, morphological growth indices (significant at P

Acacia × mangiiformis Maslin & L.A.J.Thomson, hybrida nova, is described. Its parents are Acacia auriculiformis A.Cunn. ex Benth. and A. mangium Willd., two well-known and important plantation species in Asia and elsewhere. Acacia × mangiiformis arose naturally in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea and in recent decades has become widely cultivated in southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam), India, and to a lesser extent in China and Taiwan. The tree has often been referred to as “Acacia hybrid” in forestry literature. Acacia × mangiiformis has morphological and other characteristics that are intermediate between its parents. Furthermore, it often has a faster growth rate, superior bole form and is more drought-tolerant than its parent species The hybrid is used primarily for pulp production but also has uses as solid wood products and fuelwood. The wood is similar to that of A. mangium but has a higher density and is more suitable for products where strength is important; it is also less susceptible to termite attack than are its parent species. Ten high-performing commercial clones of Acacia × mangiiformis have been developed in Vietnam and more are being selected. The formal naming of this important hybrid is dedicated to Professor Le Dinh Kha (formerly of Forest Science Institute of Vietnam), an outstanding researcher, supervisor, and authority on tree breeding who conducted much of the original research and promotion of Acacia × mangiiformis in Vietnam.

Understanding the drivers of biological invasions in landscapes is a major goal in invasion ecology. The control of biological invasions has increasingly become critical in the past few decades because invasive species are thought to be a major threat to endemism. In this study, by examining the key variables that influence Acacia mearnsii, we sought to understand its potential invasion in eastern Zimbabwe. We used the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) method against a set of environmental variables to predict the potential invasion front of A. mearnsii. Our study showed that the predictor variables, i.e., aspect, elevation, distance from streams, soil type and distance from the nearest A. mearnsii plantation adequately explained (training AUC = 0.96 and test AUC = 0.93) variability in the spatial distribution of invading A. mearnsii. The front of invasion by A. mearnsii seemed also to occur next to existing A. mearnsii plantations. Results from our study could be useful in identifying priority areas that could be targeted for controlling the spread of A. mearnsii in Zimbabwe and other areas under threat from A. mearnsii invasion. We recommend that the plantation owners pay for the control of A. mearnsii invasion about their plantations.

SUMMARY At the end of the production cycle, laying hens are intended for industrial slaughter; however, they may be also being sold to small farmers and thereby transmit pathogens under uncontrolled production practices. This study was developed with the objective of evaluating the physical characteristics of laying birds in the final cycle and investigating Salmonella presence. A total of 22 flocks of commercial laying hens over 76 wk of age were evaluated. For each flock, 20 birds were randomly selected. A total of 440 birds underwent visual evaluation of the comb, wattle, leg spur, beak, and cloaca appearance and distance measurement between the pubic bones and between the pubis and keeled sternum. After euthanasia and necropsy, ovarian follicles, liver fragment, spleen, heart, colon content, and oviduct swabs were evaluated for their normal aspects and changes. Six organ samples collected from each of 4 birds were pooled, respectively, and 24 pooled samples per flock totaled 528. Salmonella spp. were isolated in at least 2 samples from 7 of the 22 flocks (31.8%) sampled and in most of the productive birds (up to 71%). A total of 31 isolates were distributed in this way: 29.1% Salmonella Gallinarum, 19.3% Salmonella Heideberg, 16.1% Salmonella Enteritidis, 12.9% Salmonella Schwarzengrund; 9.7% Salmonella Cerro, 6.5% Salmonella Thiphimurium, 3.2% Salmonella Johannesburg, and 3.2% Salmonella Montevideo. It is concluded that individual phenotypic evaluations in laying hens over 76 wk of age can be used before birds are discarded related to end of production and phenotypic changes. The disposed, unproductive birds should not be sold to small breeders, follow-up current legislation, because Salmonella serovars have been identified. There was no correlation between asymptomatic Salmonella spp. and phenotypic alterations evaluated for disposal.

A study was conducted to evaluate the characteristics of West African Dwarf (WAD) goat keepers and their trait preferences as part of a broader phenotypic characterisation work with the aim of providing information for improving the household management, conservation and productivity of the breed in Ghana. A total of 384 respondent households were selected from four agro-ecological zones in the middle belt and southern part of the country for questionnaire administration and direct observation of animals under field conditions. The results showed that there are slightly more women (54.2%) keeping WAD goats than men (45.8%) and fall within the economically active population of youthful and middle age categories (53.9%). A majority of these goat keepers were married (73.8%) and educated (87.3%) in one way or the other. They obtained their starter or foundation stock mainly from neighbours (80.5%) and the open market (16.0%). The average flock size from the households sampled was 7.9 ± 1.5, whereas the flock structure constituted 56.1% adult females, 27.5% adult intact males, 1.2% castrates and 15.2% kids of both sexes. Survivability, fast growth rate and larger litter size were the farmers’ most preferred quantitative traits, whereas most of these respondents preferred to keep WAD goats which do not have qualitative traits such as horn, wattle and beard. From the findings of the research, it was concluded that the favourable socio-economic characteristics of WAD goat keepers could sustain intensification and increase the productivity of the breed when given the necessary input assistance along the goat value chain. The primary objective of WAD goat farmers is to produce matured animals for various purposes and the breeding goal for a WAD goat breeding programme would be to increase survival, growth rate and litter size of light coat (white, grey and light brown) goats. Finally, most farmers lack knowledge on the significance of tropically beneficial qualitative traits such as horn, wattle, beard and light coat colouration on the survivability, climate adaptability or resilience and productivity of their goats. Educating farmers on the importance of conserving and inclusion of animals possessing such traits in their selection practices under the Government’s Rearing for Food and Jobs Initiative is therefore suggested.

Simple Summary A few highly selected commercial pig breeds have been developed and many different local breeds have been replaced by these modern breeds. With the aim to preserve rare local breeds, the necessity has arisen to find and create the conditions under which local breeds could be more widely used. Therefore, the performance and production qualities of local breeds should be evaluated and highlighted. As the quality of pig production is associated with breeds and effects of other different conditions, the objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of breed, gender, and feeding level in the finishing phase on the carcass and meat quality of Lithuanian White and Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle pigs reared indoors. Feed restriction during the finishing phase and gender both affected the growth and fatness of pigs. The breed and gender appeared to have an effect on the parameters of meat quality including fatty acid composition. The breed and gender effects on fatty acid composition showed more favorable lipid indices in relation to healthy nutrition in the ham muscles of Lithuanian White pigs compared with Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle pigs and also in the ham muscle and backfat of females compared with castrated males. Abstract The diversity of breeds is an important factor influencing carcass and meat quality traits that are also associated with other different effects. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of breed, gender, and feeding level in the finishing phase on the carcass and meat quality of Lithuanian White and Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle pigs reared indoors. After 60 kg weight, half of the animals from both breeds were fed a restricted diet of approximately 82% of average ad libitum feeding intake, and the other half of pigs were further fed ad libitum to the end of the experiment. Feed restriction during the finishing phase decreased daily gain and weight of pigs at slaughter, and backfat thickness at the tenth rib (p ˂ 0.001, p ˂ 0.01, and p ˂ 0.05, respectively). Lithuanian White pigs demonstrated higher (p ˂ 0.001) growth rate, live body weight at slaughter and carcass weight, and had a higher (p ˂ 0.01) length of carcass and loin area and lower (p ˂ 0.05) backfat thickness at the last rib and at two points at the lumbar area compared with Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle pigs. The semimembranosus muscle of Lithuanian White pigs had relatively (8.1%) lower (p ˂ 0.001) proportions of saturated and 41.2% higher (p ˂ 0.001) proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids compared with the pigs of the Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle breed, whereas in the longissimus muscle and subcutaneous tissue, the breed only affected the n-6/n-3 ratio (p ˂ 0.01 and p ˂ 0.001, respectively). Gender showed an effect on saturated fatty acids in all the studied tissues, however, the effects on polyunsaturated fatty acids were found in the semimembranosus muscle and subcutaneous tissue (p ˂ 0.05 and p ˂ 0.001) and the effects on monounsaturated fatty acids was found only in the semimembranosus muscle (p ˂ 0.01). These differences in the fatty acid composition of the semimembranosus muscle and subcutaneous tissue of females exhibited more favorable lipid quality indices compared with castrated males (p ˂ 0.001). The semimembranosus muscle of Lithuanian White pigs also showed more favorable lipid quality indices in relation to healthy nutrition compared with Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle pigs (p ˂ 0.001). This study is one of the steps toward the development and utilization of endangered breeds. The obtained information can be used to increase choice in pork production and consumption, and provides new insights for research into the conservation of local breeds.

A powdery mildew was found associated with the coastal wattle, Acacia sophorae, at Tullymorgan, in northern New South Wales, Australia. Morphological characterisation identified it as belonging to the genus Erysiphe, while internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing and phylogenetic analysis confirmed it as Erysiphe quercicola, a pathogen with a worldwide distribution and a broad host range. This is the first record of E. quericola infecting A. sophorae, and the first powdery mildew infection recorded for this native Australian plant.

The present case is an unusual report of cutaneous fowlpox with an atypical appearance and incidence in broilers. Gross skin lesions were noticed in 41-day-old commercial broilers during the veterinary inspection at a processing plant in the north of Iran. The skin lesions were only observed on feathered skin areas of the broilers and remained unnoticed until slaughter. Round, nodular or coalescent, elongated, reddish-brown proliferative lesions were mainly located on the back, thighs, and proximal areas of the neck of broilers. Nonfeathered skin, including the wattle, comb, eyelids, and legs, were not affected. This condition incurred high losses due to a 5.3% condemnation and trimming of carcasses. Cutaneous lesions were sampled for histopathology and molecular virology for further investigations. Histopathology revealed multifocal necrotic dermatitis with epidermal eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in the skin lesions. Molecular investigations confirmed the presence of fowlpox virus (FWPV) in the proliferative lesions, with further investigations identifying two FWPV genome populations, one carrying a portion of the reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) and the other a nearly complete REV provirus. Furthermore, the 4b core protein gene-based molecular analysis clustered the field virus into clade A of the genus Avipoxvirus.

The authors wish to make the following correction to the paper [1]:The title of Table 3 “Amino acid (g/100 g dry weight) profile of four different species of wattle seeds” should be changed to “Amino acid (mol% dry weight) profile of four different species of wattle seeds” [...]

In April and November of 2018, multiple commercial laying hen flocks within the same company presented with a sharp increase in mortality and drop in egg production that persisted for several days. These flocks showed striking necropsy lesions consistent with systemic infection and responded to antimicrobial treatment in the feed. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) was the most frequently isolated organism from multiple tissues including comb and wattle lesions, lungs, liver, ovary, spleen, and bone marrow. Given such an uncommon presentation of SA, which is known as a secondary opportunistic pathogen, a challenge study was conducted to evaluate its role in these disease outbreaks. In the present study, laying hens of two ages (22 and 96 wk) were inoculated with SA via three routes: oral gavage, subcutaneous (SC) injection, and intravenous (IV) injection. Both young and old hens in the IV group showed a significant increase in body temperature and drop in body weight; however, the clinical signs observed in the naturally occurring outbreaks were not present. SA was reisolated at multiple time points postchallenge from all challenge groups except the negative control group. While the SC group showed localized necrosis at the injection site, microscopic changes were different from changes observed in birds from the natural outbreaks. Despite observed initial differences in route and age, the SA challenge strain was not capable of reproducing the disease on its own. The results of this study indicate that SA may have played a role in the increased mortality, clinical signs, and necropsy lesions reported with the naturally occurring outbreaks. However, SA should still be considered as a secondary opportunistic pathogen. Other factors that could have caused the initial insult are stress, immunosuppression, or other primary infectious agents. The results of this study may aid veterinary diagnosticians, clinicians, and all poultry professionals to include SA in their differentials list as a secondary opportunistic pathogen in similar cases. This is an uncommon presentation and further field observations and clinical studies are needed to better elucidate the pathogenesis of this disease, which will in turn help to prevent future outbreaks.

The aromatase enzyme is an enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. This means that by administering aromatase blockers, testosterone levels increase and estrogen levels decrease. The problem faced is how the spermatogenesis process occurs because estrogen is needed as well in the process. This study aimed to evaluate the histopathological features of the testes due to the administration of natural aromatase blockers (NAB). Fifteen male Bangkok chickens were divided into 5 groups, namely: control group (C); testosterone continues (Tc 0.4 mg/bird/day); natural aromatase blockers 33 (NAB 3.3 g/bird); natural aromatase blockers 66 (NAB 6.6 g/bird); zinc (Zn): 0.45 mg/kg body weight (BW). The oral treatment was given for 35 days. The results showed that NAB did not affect wattle growth, but significantly affected testicle weight (p-value < 0.05). The NAB 66 group had the heaviest testis weight, followed by zinc, continuous testosterone, NAB 33 group, and the control group. This results was confirmed by HE staining on the testes which showed the thickness of the thickest spermatogenic and spermatid cell layers in the NAB 66 group. It was concluded that giving NAB did not harm the spermatogenesis process.

The rational of conservation and sustainable use of indigenous chicken (IC) resources requires their morphobiometrical characterisation. This study morphobiometrically characterised the IC ecotypes in Rwanda. The morphological features and zoometric measurement data were randomly collected on 1670 mature IC of both sexes from five ecotypes of Rwanda. The nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U test were used in evaluating the effect of ecotypes on the qualitative morphological variables. Zoometric measurements were analysed with the PROC GLM of SAS. The findings showed that the feather morphology and distribution were mainly normal (98.3 and 84.40%, respectively) while feather colour was dominated with multicoloured (38.10%). The majority of the birds had red earlobe (49.20%), yellow shanks (53.80%) and single comb-type (71.70%). These parameters were different (p

Each class of livestock has some peculiar qualitative traits and in goats some of these are coat pigmentation, horned/polled, beard/non -beard, wattled/non -wattled. Since the impact of environment is important in phenotypic expression of qualitative traits, it becomes expedient to examine these features in West African Dwarf Goats (WADG) from every climatic region of the world. To accomplish this, a total of 623 WADGs aged between 3 and 4 years reared extensively in Ekiti state region of Nigeria were purposi vely selected from the three agricultural zones in the state for the examination. Data were collected on coat pigmentation, horns, wattle and beard on sex basis. The commonest pigmentation was black at 31.29%, 35.43% and 34.18% in the three zones and the least encountered was mixed pigmentation at 11.66%, 07.62% and 08.44% respectively. The number without wattles (57%) outnumbered those with wattles (43%). 88% had no beards and 87% were horned. 30% of does had wattles and 59% were horned as against 13% and 29%, respectively in bucks. In all, 2% of doe and 9% of buck had beards. The levels of variation in the traits surveyed in the three Districts indicated that WADGs in the region are predominantly black, not wattled, not bearded and horned .

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of five levels of condensed tannins (CT) from black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) in the diets of lactating dairy cows on intake, nutrient digestibility, ruminal microbial protein synthesis, milk production, composition, oxidative profile, and blood metabolites. Five Holstein cows (88 &plusmn, 26.8 days in milk) were allocated in a 5 x 5 Latin square design for a period of 20 days (14 days of diet adaptation and six for sampling). Treatments were the inclusion levels of CT at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g/kg of dry matter (DM) in the diet. There was no effect of CT on DM intake. The digestibility of DM and neutral detergent fiber changed quadratically, with the maximum values at 12.2 and 11.4 g/kg of DM, respectively. There was no effect on ruminal microbial protein synthesis and milk production, however, milk casein concentration was reduced linearly. There was no effect on the milk oxidative profile. Inclusion of CT at levels up to 20 g/kg of DM did not affect intake or microbial protein synthesis, however, added CT depressed the production of energy corrected milk and milk casein concentration.

Uromycladium acaciae is the cause of a severe wattle rust epidemic in plantations of Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) in southern Africa. Research on the biology of this damaging rust is assisting in the development of control strategies. One strategy under investigation is the identification and deployment of resistant lines of A. mearnsii. Selection of resistant families currently relies on large-scale, time-consuming and expensive field trials. In this study, we present a detailed artificial inoculation protocol for U. acaciae, which can be used to screen for resistance. The results of an experiment that used the protocol to screen the relative resistance of 12 families of A. mearnsii to U. acaciae are also presented. The developed artificial inoculation protocol can also be used to investigate several other aspects of this host–pathogen system.

Background Information on the morphometric character of indigenous sheep population in their habitat is prerequisite to set up the breed improvement under the farmer level in Ethiopia. Still, there is a long way to characterize, identify and document the existing indigenous sheep type. The study was conducted in Gamogofa zone of Southern Ethiopian with the objective of describing the morphological characterization of the indigenous sheep breed. Methods Purposive sampling techniques were employed to select target farmers. Qualitative, body weight and body measurement were taken from 736 sheep. All the collected data were analyzed using Generalized Linear Model procedure of the statistical analysis system (release 9.1, 2003). Results Plain black (34%) and red (19.6%) are the dominant color types with long thin tail (88.2%) in both ewe and ram sheep. Almost 99.3% of ewe’s and 100% of rams had no wattle. The majority (90.4%) of the sheep had a straight tail form at the tip, straight head profiles (88.7%) and also horizontal ear forms (51.2). Agroecology, sex, and age had a significant effect on body weight and linear body measurements. The mean body weight, whiter height, body length, chest girth, shoulder width, cannon bone width, tail length, and tail circumference for ram and ewe sheep were 28.1 ± 0.37 and 24.0 ± 0.18, 58.6 ± 0.32 and 56 ± 0.05, 65.5 ± 0.35 and 62.3 ± 0.17, 75.9 ± 0.47 and 71.0 ± 0.21, 16.95 ± 0.18 and 15.24 ± 0.09, 7.45 ± 0.06 and 6.5 ± 0.03, 27.44 ± 0.3 and 21.04 ± 0.26, 17.11 ± 0.42 and 9.56 ± 0.14 cm, respectively. Body weight and linear body measurements were higher in ram and increased with age. The correlation coefficient between body weight and most of the linear body measurement at different sex and age group were positive. The highest correlation coefficient was obtained between body weight and chest girth for both sex and age groups. Conclusion It was concluded that native sheep had a possible for the versatile role to generate income for livestock keepers. Therefore, genetic improvment program should aim at farmers need to cope with trait preference and existing traditional herding and breeding practice.

Birds obtained by embryo engineering are used to study embryo development and to produce transgenic birds. As this method of producing birds still generate strong emotions of the public opinion head ornaments, testes and semen characteristics of sex chimera roosters were examined to check whether they differ from chickens obtained by non-manipulated methods. Measurements of head ornaments, testes and semen were correlated with each other. Semen quality factor (SQF) was calculated, as well as the level of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of bilateral traits (wattles and testes). Positive correlation was found for comb width and wattle length and comb thickness and sperm concentration. Semen characteristics and FA did not exceed the level encounter in other chicken lines. Results obtained indicate that germline chimeras are similar in appearance of secondary sexual traits, and semen and testes characteristics to chickens produced in non-manipulated way.

The study was accomplished to identify the characteristics of village chickens’ (VCs) genetic resources in the Abu-Dhabi Emirate of United Arab Emirate (UAE) and to study factors affecting these characteristics. Each bird was individually observed, identified, measured and characterized of thirteen VCs pure breeds and crossbreds. The overall VCs had normal feather morphology (95.1%) and distribution (77%). Except for Fayomi chickens which were 100% mottled, no specific plumage pattern was found. Almost 52% of the VCs had white skins. Six different colors were reported for the shanks and maximized for white shanks (34.3%). Large breasts (46%) were more available. The predominant plumage color was mixed colors (37.5%). Face size tended to be small (42.8%) to medium (40.4%). More brown (48.9%) then orange (27.3%) eyes were found. Dark (49.7%) beaks were more available than white (28.6%) or yellow (21.7%) beaks. The distribution of wattle colors was similar to that of ear-lob colors with some variation. Small wattles (41.9%) were most available. Single comb (82.4%) is the most available; 11 other types and one with no comb were represented with low frequencies. In the whole sample, red and white combs (56.7%) were the most available; however, plain red (23.8%) and red and black (15.5%) were represented. Results of factors influence showed that body weight was high significantly (P < 0.01) influenced by the interaction between both breed and region and breed and sex. Significant (P < 0.01) influence of interaction was observed between breed and location on body length, wing span and shank length. The interaction between breed and sex only significantly (P < 0.01) influenced shank length. Though, all main effects of breed, sex and region significantly (P < 0.01) influenced continuous measures. Most morphological characteristics were significantly (P < 0.01) different among breeds. This study reported the morphological characteristics of the different VCs breeds kept in Abu-Dhabi Emirate, which considered the scientific base for future implementing of conservation and/or genetic improvement programs.

A study was conducted to characterize the West African Dwarf (WAD) goat populations in four agro-ecological zones of Ghana for some major qualitative traits. A total of 1,384 matured goats were sampled. The goat populations were characterized in terms of coat colour and colour pattern, presence or absence of wattle, horn and beard. The animals were individually observed for the presence of alleles for light coat colour (Ror), wattle (Waw), beard (Brb) and horn (Hoh). The frequencies of these alleles were obtained from a count of the proportion of recessives in the population using the Hardy-Weinberg rule. The observed allele frequencies were tested against the expected Mendelian values of 0.75 and 0.25 for dominant and recessive alleles using Pearson's chi-square test. The phenotypic differentiation was analyzed using frequencies of phenotypes while genetic diversity was studied using gene frequencies, heterozygosity and genetic distances. Results obtained showed the presence of varied coat colours and patterns among the goat populations studied. Again, with the exception of the allele for horn presence, the dominant alleles for wattle, beard and light coat colouration in all the four populations were found to segregate at low frequencies, hence the need to preserve these traits from the risk of extinction. Within population, heterozygosity ranged from fairly low to high for wattle, beard and light coat colouration respectively. Apart from the wattle loci which recorded comparatively higher genetic distance between the Transitional and the Rain forest zones, low genetic distances were obtained for the other traits.

The study was conducted to assess the prevalence of qualitative traits and their influence on morphometric traits. A total of 499 West African Dwarf (WAD) goats were used comprising of 113 and 386 males and females respectively. The qualitative and morphometric traits were identified and their associations were assessed. The distribution and frequencies of qualitative traits were investigated and scored for presence or absence of wattle (Waw or Wa+), beard (Brb or Br+), horn (Ho+ or Hop) were recorded. Four coat colours were observed, the white, white/black, black and mixed colour (white, black and brown). There was a high preponderance of white coat colour (56.51%) followed by white/black (31.06%), the frequencies of black and mixed colour were similar (6.21%). The frequency of wattle was low (0.4%), beard was present in both sexes although a higher frequency was observed in males (56.88%), horn was equally present in both sexes. The presence of wattle had no influence on morphometric traits, whereas goats with beard and horn were significantly (p < 0.05) superior in body length, heart girth and height at wither. Sex significantly (P

An experimental study was ascertained in birds to assess the toxicological effects of arsenic (sodium arsenate) and urea alone or in different combinations. After two weeks of acclimatization, all the birds were randomly divided into six equal groups (T0–T5) each containing 15 birds. Arsenic (A) and urea (U) was given to chickens (mg/kg body weight) daily for 39 days as follow: T1 (A10U0.5), T2 (A15U0.75), T3 (A20U1.0), T4 (A25) and T5 (U1.5). Various signs of toxicity such as depression, dullness, tremors, watery droppings, gasping, anemic comb and wattle were prominent in treated birds. Feed consumption and body weight of experimental birds treated with arsenic and urea decreased significantly. The absolute and relative weights of different visceral organs such as heart, liver, kidneys, spleen and bursa of treated birds were decreased significantly. Histologically, tissue sections of liver showed necrosis of hepatocyte, fatty degeneration and mild congestion. Microscopically, necrosis of renal t...

The aim of this study was to characterize the phenotype of the indigenous sheep population in central zone of Tigray. A total of 450 mature sheep were sampled randomly for collect qualitative data. Based on dentition adult sheep were classified into four age categories (from one pair of permanent incisor to four pair of permanent incisor). Coat colour, tail type, ear orientation and presence of wattle were significant (p

Wattle seed (Acacia spp.) is a well-known staple food within indigenous communities in Australia. A detailed investigation of the overall nutritional and sensory profile of four abundant and underutilized Acacia species&mdash, A. coriacea, A. cowleana, A. retinodes and A. sophorae&mdash, were performed. Additionally, molecular weight of protein extracts from the wattle seeds (WS) was determined. The seeds are rich in protein (23&ndash, 27%) and dietary fibre (33&ndash, 41%). Relatively high fat content was found in A. cowleana (19.3%), A. sophorae (14.8%) and A. retinodes (16.4%) with oleic acid being the predominant fatty acid. The seeds contained high amounts of essential amino acids (histidine, lysine, valine, isoleucine and leucine). A. coriacea is rich in iron (43 mg/kg), potassium (10 g/kg) and magnesium (1.7 g/kg). Pentose (xylose/arabinose), glucose, galactose and galacturonic acids were the major sugars found in the four species. Raw seeds from A. sophorae, A. retinodes and A. coriacea have the highest protein molecular weight, between 50&ndash, 90 kDa, 80 kDa and 50&ndash, 55 kDa, respectively. There was variation in the sensory profile of the WS species. This study showed that the four WS species have good nutritional value and could be included in human diet or used in food formulations.

Feather and skin diseases, especially parasitism, are common reasons for poultry owners to contact a veterinary surgeon. Feather and skin disorders are often accorded an importance out of proportion with their clinical significance. This chapter discusses the management of feather and skin disorders, including conditions of the wattle, beak, feet and claws.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of acacia tannin as a toxic metal adsorbent in the diets of broilers fed with the inclusion of golden mussel meal in substitution for calcitic limestone. In the first trial, 648 male 21-day-old animals were divided among six treatments and six replicates, with 18 birds per experimental unit, organized in a completely randomized design (DIC). The treatments were diets with different acacia tannin levels (0, 250, 500, 750, 1000, or 1250 g ton-1). The results indicated that 250 g ton-1 of tannin was not harmful to weight gain, final weight, or feed conversion. Tannin levels caused a decrease in carcass yield and fat deposition and an increase in liver size. For the second trial, 900 male broilers of 21 days of age were used and distributed in a DIC, with different levels of substitution of calcitic limestone by the golden mussel meal (0, 25, 50, 75, or 100 %) and supplementation or not with acacia tannins (250 g ton-1), with 5 replicates and each experimental unit being composed of 18 birds. The performance data show that the use of 250 g ton-1 of tannin is detrimental to bone performance and resistance and golden mussel meal can be used to substitute up to 100 % of the limestone in the diets without affecting the variables studied. Este estudo objetivou avaliar a utilização de tanino de acácia como adsorvente de metais tóxicos em dietas de frangos de corte alimentados com inclusão da farinha de mexilhão dourado em substituição ao calcário calcítico. No primeiro ensaio foram utilizados 648 animais, machos, de 21 dias de idade divididos em seis tratamentos e seis repetições, com 18 aves por unidade experimental, organizados em delineamento inteiramente casualizado (DIC). Os tratamentos foram constituídos por dietas com níveis de tanino de acácia (0, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250 g ton-1). Os resultados apontaram que o nível de 250 g ton-1 de tanino não foi prejudicial para ganho de peso, peso final e conversão alimentar. Os níveis de tanino provocam diminuição no rendimento de carcaça, deposição de gordura e aumento no tamanho do fígado. Para o segundo ensaio foram utilizados 900 frangos de corte machos de 21 dias de idade distribuídos em DIC, com níveis de substituição de calcário calcítico pela farinha de mexilhão dourado (0; 25; 50; 75; 100%) e suplementação ou não com tanino de acácia (250 g ton-1) e 5 repetições, sendo as unidades experimentais compostas por 18 aves. Os dados de desempenho demonstram que, a utilização de 250 g ton-1 de tanino é prejudicial para o desempenho e resistência óssea e a utilização do mexilhão pode ser realizada em até 100% em substituição ao calcário das dietas sem afetar as variáveis estudadas.

The abundance and distribution of whitegrub species that attacked black wattle seedlings during their establishment were assessed to determine their pest status and their contribution to the whitegrub species community structure patterns. Ten trials were planted on previous wattle sites. Monthly collections of whitegrubs that attacked seedlings were conducted during the first year of seedling growth. Very stressed or dying wattle seedlings and their surrounding roots were dug out and the soil was assessed to collect any whitegrub pests that caused seedling mortality. A multivariate analysis was used to rank the average abundance of the various whitegrub species that attacked wattle. The individual contribution of whitegrub species to the average similarity within a community and the dissimilarity between communities were tested with similarity percentages comparisons. The best two-dimensional (2-D) model obtained for each species pattern of distribution and relative abundance had a good ordination (stress value: 0.07). From a complex of 13 whitegrub pests found, six whitegrub species (Pegylis sommeri, Schizonycha affinis, Adoretus ictericus, Schizonycha fimbriata, an undescribed Maladera sp. 2 and an unknown species M8), with an average cumulative abundance of 96.4 %, were confirmed to have a high pest status. They accounted for the community structure pattern in the black wattle growing areas of KwaZulu-Natal. The remaining seven species, Heteronychus licas, undescribed Maladera sp. 1, and M5, M10, M11, M12 and M13 (all unknown species), contributed only 3.6 % to the average cumulative abundance and were considered to be minor pests within the whitegrub community structure.

It is estimated that each year over 19 million pullets in the United States have their combs partially trimmed at a young age to improve egg production and feed efficiency. A possible disadvantage of trimming is that the comb and wattles may be essential for thermoregulation during hot weather allowing for conductive cooling of the blood through vasodilation of superficial vessels in these integumentary tissues. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of partial comb and wattle removal, performed at 21 d of age, on the ability of White Leghorns to thermoregulate before, during, and after an imposed heating episode that averaged 34.6°C for 50.5 h. An increase in mortality at 20 h and body temperature at 48 h post initiation of the heating episode demonstrated that hens with trimmed comb and wattles were not able to cope with heat stress as effectively as controls. The increase in wattle temperature in controls as compared to trimmed hens during the heating episode and following heat stress provides supportive evidence that blood pools to the peripheral surface for conductive heat loss. During high temperatures typical of summer, trimmed hens attempted to compensate for their lack of ability to transfer heat from their comb and wattles to the environment through increased proportion of panting and wing spreading. Under less extreme conditions with lowered ambient temperatures, the trimming of the comb and wattles did not impair the ability of hens to thermoregulate, as body temperatures and behavior were similar to controls with no mortality. Egg weight was the only production parameter adversely affected by the trimming of the comb and wattles as compared to controls. The implication is that hens need their combs and wattles to thermoregulate effectively during periods of high environmental temperature. Pullets should not be subjected to a comb and wattle trim if they are housed in laying facilities that are not appropriately cooled during the summer.

This study was conducted in the Bismillah Poultry Farm and Orkid Poultry Farm, Sreepur, Gazipur to evaluate efficacy of sulfadiazine and trimethoprim, and enrofloxacin against infectious coryza and pullorum disease in commercial layer birds. A total of 300 birds affected with infectious coryza in the Bismillah Poultry Farm were treated with two commercial preparations of sulfadiazine and trimethoprim, Ativet (Acme) and Trimsul 80/400 (DutchFarm). Four hundred birds affected with pullorum disease in the Orkid Poultry Farm were treated with two commercial preparations of enrofloxacin, Enrovet (Acme) and Komibiotril (Komipharm). In case of infectious coryza, subsidence of facial swelling, decrease in serous nasal exudates and purulent ocular discharge, decrease in sneezing and dyspnea were excellent within 5 days of treatment with both Ativet (Acme) and Trimsul 80/400 (DutchFarm), and the recovery rate was 93.3% and 92%, respectively. In case of pullorum disease, subsidence of whitish to yellowish diarrhea and reduction of drowsiness were excellent within 4 to 5 days of treatment with both the antibiotics, Enrovet (Acme) and Komibiotril (Komipharm). However, reduction of paleness of comb and wattle was not so excellent within 5 days of treatment. The recovery rate for Enrovet and Komibiotril was 92.5% and 94.5%, respectively.

The amount of photosynthetic radiation intercepted by a crop is a function of the incident solar radiation on the plants, the leaf area index (L AI), and the light extinction coefficient (k). We quantified L AI and k in stands of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.) over a 7-year growth cycle at two locations in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Our study was conducted in commercial stands in agroecological regions with high densities of black wattle plantations. L AI was calculated as the ratio between the leaf area of a tree and its planting space, and k was derived from Beer’s law. L AI depends on the planting site and stand age. Between the two sites, the L AI was similar over time, the amount of variation differed. Values of k depended only on stand age, with the highest average observed for stands up to 5 years old. The trend of k during the plantation cycle was inversely proportional to L AI and was correlated with L AI, leaf area, leaf dry mass, canopy volume, height, branches dry mass, total dry mass, and crown diameter.

The current study aimed to assess egg production traits and egg quality measurements of brown eggs as compared to white ones for two commercial layer strains under Egyptian environmental conditions. Hy-line brown and Hy-line W-36 layer strains were used in this study. During the first 90 days from the onset of egg production. 663 laying hens were used in this experiment to determine egg production characteristics (447 brown Hy-line layers and 216 W-36 Hy-line layers). Results indicated that Brown Hy-line layers had significantly heavier body weight than the white ones. Concerning some body measurements brown Hy-line layers had highly significant shank length compared to the white ones. However, W-36 Hy-line layers had highly significant comb length and wattle length compared to brown hens. Regarding egg production traits, the brown layers reached to sexual maturity earlier than the white ones. The brown layers produced significantly heavier egg weight than W-36 Hy-line layers. Furthermore, the brown layers produced significantly higher egg mass than the white counterpart. However, strain had no significant effect on egg number and egg production mean. Concerning external egg quality, brown eggs recorded higher egg shape index, shell thickness compared to white eggs. Regarding internal egg quality, it could be noticed that the brown eggs had higher albumen percentage and yolk index compared to those estimated by white eggs. However, the white eggs had higher Haugh units and yolk percentage than the brown eggs. It can be concluded that brown Hy-line layers had higher body weight, egg weight, egg mass, yolk index, albumen percentage and shell thickness compared to white ones. However, white eggs recorded higher Haugh units and yolk percentage than brown eggs.

In this study, we aimed to characterise the genetic diversity of Italian pigeon breeds and describe the relationships among them and other European lineages, conjecturing which processes have led to actual breeds. We analysed the eight most diffused Italian pigeon breeds in addition to 11 foreign lineages that could have shared common ancestors or have been used in the creation of the Italian breeds. We analysed 12 autosomal microsatellite loci in 427 samples collected from 19 breeds belonging to six main groups of domestic pigeons (tumblers and highflyers, structure, owls, wattle, utility and hen). Genetic variability did not differ considerably among breeds, with an average observed heterozygosity (HO) of 0.550±0.072 (max=0.661 in breed Sottobanca; min=0.411 in breed Frillback). The 21.34% of total genetic variation found was partitioned among breeds. Italian pigeon breeds were assigned coherently to their respective groups of origin. The analysis supports the origin of homing pigeons from English Carrier and the existence of a close relationship between Old Dutch Capuchine and Italian Owl. Despite the differences in body size, pigeons of the breeds belonging to the hen group are genetically very similar. The sub-populations recognised by breeders inside Italian Owl and Triganino are not genetically supported and their identification as new breeds ought not to be yet proposed, although they are morphologically distinguishable. Consequently, it could also be discussed how the genetic characterisation of domestic lineages could give useful information in breeding and selection processes.

There is a paucity of knowledge of whitegrub pest species in black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) plantations, which hampers the development of integrated pest management programmes. This study determined the composition and community structure of the various whitegrub morphospecies that attacked seedlings during their re-establishment on 10 previous wattle sites in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Whitegrub specimens collected from these trials were examined in the laboratory to determine which morphospecies were present and their abundance. Morphospecies were separated on the basis of their species-specific raster patterns. Multivariate analyses were done using PRIMER (Plymouth Routines in Multivariate Ecological Research) as statistical package. The proportions of morphospecies at the different sites were evaluated by using the non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (MDS). Thirteen whitegrub pest morphospecies were found attacking A. mearnsii seedlings. About 98%of the total whitegrub abundance was represented by ...

This study was conducted in Sekela woreda in Surba Bifeta and Gisha Abay kebeles to characterize chickens phenotypically. A total of 226 chicken owner households were selected randomly. Ten qualitative traits from 446 local chickens and eleven quantitative traits from 48 local chickens were used. The overall predominant plumage color of chicken in the study area were red (34.4%) followed by gray mixture (17.7%) and brownish (17.3%). The commonest comb color observed was red color combs. The majority of chickens possessed comb shape was double shape (44.6%), followed by single (38.8%) comb shape. Double comb shape was predominant in male chicken in Surba Bifeta than Gish Abay Sekela. The result indicated that crest head shape were the common predominant observed head shape in Surba Bifeta both female (40.5%) and male (32.8%). while flat plain head shape were highest proportion observed in Gish Abay both female (86.5%) and male (91.2%), thus there was significancely (p

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Ceratocystis fimbriata isolates, obtained from Actinidia deliciosa (kiwifruit), on black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.) seedlings, the potential biological control exerted in vitro by Bacillus subtilis on C. fimbriata, and the in vivo effect of B. subtilis against C. fimbriata on black wattle seedlings. Isolates of C. fimbriata obtained and identified from kiwi plantations were used in pathogenicity tests on A. mearnsii seedlings. In vitro, the antagonistic potential of B. subtilis on the pathogen was analyzed by direct confrontation tests. To evaluate the effect of B. subtilis in vivo, black wattle seedlings were inoculated with Rhizolyptus® seven days before and after pathogen inoculation. On black wattle seedlings, C. fimbriata isolates caused 44,15% to 100% severity. Direct confrontation tests revealed that the strains were effective in the biological control of C. fimbriata isolates in vitro. In vivo, Rizolyptus® was not efficient in controlling C. fimbriata. RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento de isolados de Ceratocystis fimbriata obtidos de kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) em mudas de acácia-negra (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.), o potencial de biocontrole in vitro de Bacillus subtilis sobre C. fimbriata e o comportamento in vivo de B. subtilis contra C. fimbriata em mudas de acácia-negra. Isolados de C. fimbriata obtidos e identificados em plantios de kiwi foram utilizados em testes de patogenicidade em mudas de A. mearnsii. O potencial antagônico in vitro de B. subtilis sobre o patógeno foi analisado em testes de confrontação direta. Para avaliar o comportamento in vivo de B. subtilis, as mudas de acácia-negra foram inoculadas com Rizolyptus® sete dias antes e após a inoculação do patógeno. Nas mudas de acácia-negra os isolados de C. fimbriata exibiram percentuais de severidade que variam de 44,15% a 100%. Nos testes de confrontação direta as cepas mostraram-se eficientes no biocontrole in vitro sobre os isolados de C. fimbriata. In vivo, o produto Rizolyptus® não foi eficiente no controle de C. fimbriata.

Objective. The objective of this research was to describe the qualitative morphology and phaneroptic of Sudán Colombian creole woolless sheep (OPC). Materials and methods. Six phaneroptic and seven qualitative morphological characteristics were evaluated in a total of 115 Sudán Bayo and Sudán Blanco ewes, from the departments Córdoba, Cesar and La Guajira. The data obtained were analyzed through the statistical program InfoStat®, relative and absolute frequencies were estimated for each evaluated trait. Results. Sudán Bayo OPC were distinguished by being yellow coat color. Sudán Blanco were white-and-chestnut spotted coat color, but white always predominated over chestnut. These ovines usually had black-rosy mucosae and in lesser amount there were individuals with rosy mucosae. Besides, they presented horizontal ears always, sub-convex profile in more than 80% of cases, generally medium-sized and scant muscled necks, usually inclined rumps, partially pigmented and depigmented udders as well. Likewise, they were characterized by showing marbled hooves mostly, but with a high percentage of clear hooves in Sudán Blanco sheep. Conclusions. This research has allowed to characterize specifically. Sudán OPC sheep from morphology and phaneroptic; thus, important information has been obtained to delimit the parameters of belonging to this group and for proposing the creation of a breed standard., Objetivo. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo describir la morfología cualitativa y faneróptica de hembras Ovino de Pelo Criollo Colombiano (OPC) Sudán. Materiales y métodos. Se evaluaron seis características fanerópticas y siete morfológicas cualitativas en 115 hembras Sudán Bayo y Sudán Blanco, de los departamentos Córdoba, Cesar y La Guajira. Los datos obtenidos se analizaron a través del programa estadístico InfoStat® y se estimaron las frecuencias relativas y absolutas para cada uno de los caracteres evaluados. Resultados. Los OPC Sudán Bayo se distinguieron por ser de un color de capa bayo amarillo. Los Sudán Blanco fueron de capa overo castaño, pero predominando siempre el blanco sobre el castaño. Estos ovinos se caracterizaron por poseer mucosas negra-rosadas y en menor proporción habían individuos con mucosas rosadas. Además, presentaron orejas horizontales siempre, perfiles subconvexos en más del 80% de los casos, cuellos generalmente medianos y poco musculados, grupas usualmente inclinadas, ubres parcialmente pigmentadas y también despigmentadas. Asimismo, se caracterizaron por ostentar pezuñas veteadas mayoritariamente, aunque con un alto porcentaje de pezuñas claras en las Sudán Blanco. Conclusiones. Este trabajo ha permitido caracterizar de manera específica a las OPC Sudán desde la morfología y la faneróptica, obteniéndose así información de importancia para delimitar los parámetros de pertenencia a este grupo y para la propuesta de creación de un estándar racial.

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N8 in two multi-age chicken flocks in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, is described. Diagnosis was made using tissue samples from the affected farms that were submitted to the Regional Lab for Animal Influenza and other Transboundary Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom. Pullets with broilers of 9 and 4 weeks of age respectively, from farm A (fA) and broilers, 4 weeks of age from farm B (fB) were submitted from flocks experiencing a drastic increase in mortality. The February 2019 outbreak resulted in10 – 60 % and 60 % mortality on fA and fB respectively. Clinical signs included anorexia, depression, hock sitting and sudden onset of increasing mortality. Gross lesions included edema of the head with cyanosis of comb and wattle; swollen abdomen due to ascites; generalized congestion of visceral organs with frank blood in the abdomen; congested mesenteric vessels with haemorrhages in the mucosa of small and large intestines; congested and frothy lungs with severe hemorrhagic tracheitis among others. In view of the clinical and gross pathology, HPAI was considered as the tentative diagnosis. Diagnosis of HPAI subtype H5N8 was confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and viral isolation in embryonated chicken eggs. The current outbreak has shown the presence of HPAI H5N8 in the country different from the H5N1 subtype that was introduced since 2006 in Nigeria. The co-circulation of these two subtypes if the current wave of infection is left unchecked will have adverse effects on poultry production, international trade and human health. Hence, the need for the re-evaluation and strengthening of the Government control policy to save the poultry industry from perennial economic loses.Keywords: Broilers, Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N8), Jos, Nigeria, Outbreaks, Pullets

The aim of this study was to determine the effect on the energy properties of different biomass components of Acacia mearnsii De Wild distributed in different plant spacings: 2.0x1.0 m, 2.0x1.5 m, 3.0x1.0 m and 3.0x1.5 m, in the 1st, 3rd and 5th years after planting. The experiment was performed in a complete randomized block design in three replicates. The following traits were determined: biomass (BIO), gross calorific value (GCV), basic density (BD), energy productivity (EP), energy density (ED), fixed carbon content (FCC), volatile material content (VMC) and ash content (AC) of different biomass components: wood, bark, branch and leaf. The effect of age significantly influenced all variables, providing an increasing distribution of BIO, EP, BD and ED. The four plant spacings provided different yields of BIO, EP, GCV and BD and the increased spacing caused a tendency to reduce BIO and EP values in all evaluated periods. In the 5th year, even being influenced by the spacing, the BD did not present a systematic increase or decrease over the provided living space. The three components of the trees induced a significant effect on the BIO, GCV, EP, FCC, VMC and AC variables.

Many birds have ornamental traits that are expressed in both sexes. Wattles—colorful fleshy structures that hang from the lower bill—are frequent among birds, but remain poorly understood and are generally presumed to be under sexual selection. The South Island saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus) is an endangered bird endemic to New Zealand in which both males and females possess wattles. We used behavioral observations, morphological measures, and a playback experiment to investigate the role of wattles in saddlebacks during territorial encounters. Wattles were monomorphic when controlled for body mass, and became engorged with blood in both sexes during visual displays. In a playback experiment using male song, wattle engorgement was significantly associated with territorial intrusions in males but not in females. However, female wattle engorgement was significantly more likely during playback experiments in the absence of their mate, suggesting wattles are used in territorial defense by both sexes. The markedly similar use of wattles by both males and females in visual displays as a response to territorial intrusions supports the hypothesis that these elaborate structures function in part as armaments.

Rearing environmental conditions are important for turkey production, because this bird is particularly sensitive to heat stress. This study aimed at measuring the wattle temperature response of turkeys of three different ages (61, 96, and 131 days old) exposed to different combinations of dry bulb temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed ranges, as an indication of their physiological responses. The experiment was conducted with 42 male birds housed in a controlled environment chamber and exposed to different combinations of two air speed (WS) ranges (WS1 = 0.3-0.6 ms-1, considered low, and WS2 = 1.2-1.6 ms-1, considered high), dry bulb temperature (DBT) between 22 and 34 °C, and relative humidity (RH) between 40 to 90 %. The statistical analysis showed that WS, DBT, and RH significantly influenced wattle temperature of 61-d-old turkeys, while only WS and DBT influenced this response when turkeys were 96 days old. Furthermore, DBT was highly correlated with both low and high WS. In 131-day-old turkeys, WT response was virtually the same at both wind speed ranges when high DBT was applied. Turkey wattle temperature was influenced by wind speed, and was dependent on both environmental dry bulb temperature and relative humidity, as well as bird age.