International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences

The study was conducted with 200 dairy cows mostly the crosses between Local and Holstein Friesian (LxF), Local and Sahiwal (LxSL) and also between Local, Holstein Friesian and Sahiwal (LxFxSL) to improve milk production performance through nutritional interventions. Rice straw based feeding intervention was composed mainly of Urea Molasses Straw (UMS) without green forage in monsoon, reduced quantities of legume forage in winter and increased amount of non-legume forage in summer. Feeding UMS instead of rice straw increased DCP and ME intake and slightly increased feed cost in monsoon. In winter, legume forage supply was curtailed over that supplied traditionally and rice straw was increased which reduced DCP and ME intake and also feed cost slightly. The intervention in summer season was to reduce rice straw and concentrates and to increase the supply of green grass. Results showed that DM, DCP and ME intake were improved in summer and feed cost reduced. In all the seasons, the highest milk yield was observed in L×F (P

Keywords: Crossbred Cows, Feeding Intervention, Genotypes, Milk composition, Nutrient

The aim of the present investigation was to rank the exotic strains of commercial layers vis-à-vis their performance at different seasonal sub-divisions. It is believed that animals differ in their productivity when reared in different environmental conditions. The strains of birds under investigation were Isa Brown (IB), Bovan Nera (BN) and Dominant Black (DB), and the different seasonal periods were early rain, late rain, early dry and late dry seasons. Records of egg production, feed intake and mortality for individual strain were taken on daily basis between August, 2007 and September, 2008 (56 weeks). Analyzed results showed that there was significant strain by season interaction effects on egg production, mortality and feed efficiency. With regards to egg production, IB was superior to all the other two strains, that is, ranked first in all seasons, BN recorded intermediate mean values, while DB ranked third in performance. The study also revealed that IB recorded lower mortality in all seasons compared to BN and DB. This implies that IB still recorded first position and superior to other two strains in survivability. Similarly, IB has higher mean values in feed efficiency than BN and DB in all seasonal sub-divisions considered. The present study indicates that egg production, mortality rate and feed efficiency were breed and season dependent. IB strain appeared more productive, hardy, heat tolerant and feed efficient judging from its top performance in all seasons, that is, the strain ranked first in all the production traits regardless of weather conditions. For good and profitable business, IB genotype is recommended for farmers in this agro-climatic zone.

Keywords: Egg production, Layer, Mortality, Season, Strain, Trait

Sewage samples collected from Regina Caeli, Beacon, Ifebi and Divine Hospitals all located in Awka, Nigeria were subjected to bacteriological analysis using the cultural method. The coliforms, total bacterial counts as well as the identities of the isolates were established. Eight bacteria were isolated, characterized and identified on the basis of their morphological and biochemical characteristics. They were the species of Klebsiella, Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas and Bacillus. All isolates but Streptococcus were present in the sample from Regina Caeli hospital while Salmonella, Escherichia, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas species present in the sample from Beacon hospital. The species of Klebsiella, Salmonella, Escherichia and Bacillus were isolated from the samples from Ifebi hospital while the sample from Divine hospital had the species of Salmonella, Escherichia, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas and Bacillus only. Escherichia sp had the highest count of 4.4×103 cfu/ml and 3.7×103 cfu/ml in the samples from Regina Caeli and Divine hospitals respectively. Salmonella sp had the highest count 4.4×103 cfu/ml in the sample from Ifebi hospital while Staphylococcus sp had the highest count of 4.1×103 cfu/ml in the sample from Divine hospital. Some of these microorganisms are known to cause various diseases of man including diarrhea, dysentery and typhoid fever, therefore, adequate treatment and disposal of the sewage must be carried out to ensure that it did not constitute a health hazard to the people vwithin the hospital environment.

Keywords: Awka, Bacterial flora, Hospital, Nigeria,
Sewage

The Ameliorative effect of panchagavya on clinical manifestation of Newcastle disease in layer chicken was assessed. Panchagavya was incorporated in the basal diet at three levels (0.5, 0.6 and 0.7 per cent) and fed to six groups (T3 to T8) and two groups (T1 to T2) were served as controls. Vaccination against Newcastle disease was carried out in 4 groups (T2, T6, T7 and T8) and the remaining four groups (T1, T3, T4 and T5) were not vaccinated. The mean HI titre values at 16 wk of age in Panchagavya fed and vaccinated group (T6, T7 and T8) showed significant difference with vaccinated group (T2). The unvaccinated control (T1) and Panchagavya fed and unvaccinated groups (T3, T4 and T5) showed nil titre. All these groups were challenged with virulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV) at the age of 17th week. The incubation period was short in unvaccinated control group (T1) compared to other groups (T2 to T8). The birds of unvaccinated control group (T1) and Panchagavya fed and unvaccinated groups (T3, T4 and T5) showed dullness, depression, loss of appetite, gasping, inhalation through half opened mouth, ocular-nasal discharge, partial or complete closure of eyes, greenish watery diarrhea and sudden death. In vaccinated control group (T2), dullness, depression and anorexia with greenish watery diarrhea were observed in nine out of twelve birds where as in Panchagavya fed and vaccinated groups (T6 and T7), showed similar symptoms in two out of twelve birds. Highest (100%) and lowest (8.3%) mortality were observed in unvaccinated control (T1) and Panchagavya fed and vaccinated groups (T6 and T7), respectively. No mortality was observed in T8 as compared to 16.6 per cent mortality in T2 group. The haemagglutination activity in pooled organ samples from dead birds of different groups revealed high titre in vaccinated (T2) as well as vaccinated and panchgavya supplemented groups (T6 and T7) compared to other groups. From the above experiment, it was concluded that Panchagavya minimized the clinical manifestation and severity of Newcastle disease in layer chicken when used along with Newcastle disease immunization programme.

Keywords: Clinical manifestation, Layer chicken, Newcastle disease, Panchagavya

Antiviral activity of the crude extracts of Gynostemma pentaphyllum on Poliomyelitis virus was evaluated. The dried and powdered leaves of the plant –Gynostemma pentaphyllum were extracted with methanol, water and petroleum ether using standard methods. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was evaluated using the end-point Cytopathic effect assay on L20B cell lines. Phytochemical evaluations of the extracts were also carried out. The Poliovirus was titrated and determination of the 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID 50) done on L20B cells. The 50% tissue culture infective dose was later calculated using standard methods. The antiviral properties were determined against the three sero-types of Poliovirus (SL1, SL2 and SL3) using the end-point Cytopathic effect assay on L20B cell lines. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of saponins, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, carbohydrates, reducing sugar, resins, fats and oil, acidic compounds and proteins. Poliomyelitis viral infectivity was inhibited by the extracts giving a range of specificity indices of 25-150. This shows that the extracts selectively inhibited the virus and that their activity against the virus was not just a consequence of toxicity to the cells. The research has shown that the plant possesses potent antiviral potentials and could serve as a possible source of lead antiviral drug against Poliomyelitis since the disease has no known drug for treatment.

Keywords: Antiviral activity, Cytotoxic activity, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Phytochemical analysis, Poliovirus

The 12-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the productive and haematological performance of growing pullets fed diets in which fermented sweet orange fruit peel meal (SOFPM) substituted maize at 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% in the experimental diets coded 24F0 (control), 24F10, 24F20, and 24F30 respectively. One hundred and twenty growing pullets were assigned to the diets in a completely randomized design, with each treatment comprising of 3 replicates of 10 birds per replicate. Treatment effect on feed intake was not significant and varied from 64.85g to 65.53g/bird at between 8 to 20 weeks of age. Weight gain was depressed linearly with increase in SOFPM, it varied from 7.60g to 5.65g at between 8 to 20 weeks of age. FCR significantly worsened from 8.54 to 10.86 as the substitution level of maize with SOFPM increased. Final body weight of birds was depressed with percent increase of SOFPM. PCV, Hb and RBC values, though within reference ranges for healthy birds, were depressed as maize substitution increased. Observed WBC, MCV, MCH and MCHC values of the treatment groups were statistically similar to the control. The economic implication of feeding fermented SOFPM indicated that feed cost/ 25kg and feed cost/bird significantly reduced linearly from N1992.75 to N1721.50 and N436.17 to N407.19, respectively. Feed cost/kg gain was not significantly affected by diet; however, it increased from N684.45 to N804.54 with inclusion of SOFPM. Poultry farmers may substitute dietary maize with SOFPM fermented for 24 hours in growing pullet diets at not more than 10% for optimum performance.

Keywords: Fermented sweet orange fruit, peel meal,
Growing pullets, Haematology, Productive performance

Genetic improvement is currently being focused on indigenous breeds because of their special attributes that make them adaptable to their local environments. The West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep is a very important breed in this category but the morphometrical indicators of dwarfism undermines its utility as a good meat type because it is short and small bodied. This study seeks to investigate the morphometrical indicators of this syndrome-dwarfism on the West African Dwarf sheep. Eleven body measurements (wither height, body length, foreleg length, thorax depth, horck length, rump length, face length, face width, rear leg length, Cannon bone length and shin length were determined by using 150 (94 males and 56 females) matured West African dwarf sheep and 120 (77 males and 43 females) Yankassa sheep for phenotypic comparison. All animals were aged between four and five years. Results revealed that all body measurements were significantly higher in the Yankassa sheep than in the West African Dwarf sheep except shin length where no significant differences exists. The West African Dwarf Sheep appear long bodied with a short stature, while the Yankassa sheep stood tall with a compact body size relative to its height; a characteristic common to desert animals. Body size reduction was more drastic in wither height (19.51%), fore leg length (23.01%),rear leg length (21.33%) and Cannon bone length (45.26%) than body length (12.36%), thorax depth (13.17%) and horck length (11.23%), revealing a pattern of disproportionate reduction which was more prominent in the limbs. Body indices values shows that the West African Dwarf Sheep has a higher depth index of 0.51 as against 0.47 in the Yankassa sheep but the Yankassa shows superiority in height index (0.875), area index (4489.34) and rump index (0.922) as compared to 0.837, 3167.13 and 0.922 in WAD, respectively. More effort is required as regards studying the activities of the dwarf gene and also environmental interaction on gene as it affects limb development in sheep.

Keywords: Body Dimensions, Dwarfism, West African Dwarf Sheep, Yankassa sheep

The aim of this study was to investigate the prerequisites for dairy production at smallholder farms in Ogoja Cross River State, Nigeria level. Data on milk production, routine management and heat stress were collected during farmer interviews and field observations on 120 smallholder dairy farms. Individual milk samples were taken from 360 cows. The average herd contained 12 animals (ranging from 2 to 17), dominated by lactating cows. The main dairy breeds were Holstein Friesian crossbreeds, mostly at F2, F3 and F4. The mean Temperature-Humidity Index was 81 (range 75 to 97) in the morning and 85 (range 72 to 104) in the afternoon and the mean respiration rates for cows were 54 (range 30 to 102) and 70 (range 35 to 116) breaths per minute, with mean rectal temperatures of 38.8°C (range 38 to 39) and 39.3°C (range 38.3 – 40.9). The milk somatic cell count (SCC) was high in all farms, averaging 1, 300, 000 cells/ ml. The strength of the dairy producers was their willingness for further education, as 80% of the farmers attended training courses, while poor udder health and heat stress were the most pronounced problems.

Keywords: Milk quality, Milk somatic cell count, Questionnaire, Smallholder dairy farms

An experiment carried out in Anthony Patience Farms in Atta – Ikeduru, Imo – State, Nigeria showed that the management of keets (young guinea fowl) at village level had an influence on their performance. Keets confined in a pen, receiving medicaments and commercial feed expressed better growth performance and survivability than keets subjected to extensive management system. The growth performance was almost similar (2.5 gm/d) during the first two weeks. It reached 5.5 gm/d during the third to the fourth week and the seventh to the eighth week for the keets under improved conditions. The growth rate slowed down between the third to fourth weeks and also between the fifth and sixth week for the extensively managed groups and improved groups respectively. The feed conversion ratio increased over the experimental period and ranged from 3.4 to 25.1 gm feed / gm body gain. The mortality was higher in the extensively managed group of keets than in the improved group, after six weeks of keeping. Supplemented keets subjected to improve the profitability in keets rearing under village conditions.

Keywords: Body weight, Extensive conditions, Feed conversion ratio, Growth rate, Guinea fowl keets, Improved, Mortality, Performance

Fermentation media formulation from some organic nutrient sources in partial or full replacement of nitrogen requirements is receiving attention as a means of backward integration. Submerged Culture fermentation was used to study the effect of nitrogen replacement of amylase fermentation medium using organic sources. Aspergillus niger isolated from the soil was used as the chemical factory while rice bran was used as the carbon source. The amylase activity of the nitrogen sources were low although. Cotton seed gave an amylase activity of 1.282 IU/ml which was the highest recorded for this work. Peptone had amylase activity of 0.962 IU/ml whereas Blood and Ground-nut cake (Kuli-Kuli) had an amylase activity of 0.713IU/ml and 0.512IU/ml respectively. Rice bran for this work appears to be a good carbon source and a good replacement for starch as the quality of enzyme produced compared well with starch substrate. Amylase production level was 33.1% higher in activity when peptone was replaced with cotton seed. Cotton seed may be used in full replacement of Peptone.

Keywords: Amylase, Nitrogen, Replacement, Submerged