Clinical records of small ruminant (Sheep and Goat) diseases treated were collected from the veterinary clinics, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources of three Local Government areas in Edo state, for a period of five years (1997-2002). To identify the disease occurrence and prevalence as it militates against the growth of these animals in these sub-humid areas. The total numbers of small ruminants treated were 316 having 25 cases of Sheep and 291 cases of goats. Diarrhoea accounted for 20 & 12.4%; helminthiasis 20 & 13.4% and Pneumonia 16 & 20.3% for sheep and goat respectively. Pneumo-enteritis, mange, anorexia, wound and kata were common among goat while, pneumo-enteritis; helminthiasis and wound were among sheep. Goat diseases prevalence showed much occurrence of pneumonia, helminthiasis and diarrhoea. While, sheep was more of diarrhoea, helminthiasis and pneumonia respectively. The statistical analysis of the clinical treatment data using a threefactor analysis of variance revealed that animal type and disease were significant (p<0.05), while, the diseases occurrence due to the local government area was not significant (P<0.05). The disease occurrence strictly depended on the type of disease and species of the small ruminant. Profitable and efficient animal development in these local government areas and other areas with similar conditions, call for re-sensitization towards adequate small ruminants' health care management programmes especially semi-intensive method with regular deworming; both governmental and non governmental contribution by funding research on the improvement of indigenous breed.

The upsurge of population and industries around Asejire area necessitated a study into the fish species diversity and abundance for managerial purposes to determine the trend in the availability of fresh water fisheries resources in Asejire Reservoir within boundary of Oyo and Osun States in Nigerian

A 56-day growth performance trial was conducted using Moringa oleifera meal (MLM) inclusion as a partial replacement of premix to determine hematological parameters of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (juveniles). Four isonitrogenous 40% crude protein rations containing replacement of premix by Moringa Leaf Meal (MLM) treatment I, Control (0% MLM)treatment II (0.5% MLM inclusion), treatment III (1.0% MLM inclusion) and treatment IV (1.5% MLM inclusion) were fed as 5% body weight biomass to triplicate treatment of 30 each of C. gariepinus Juvenile (12.5 ± 0.03g).Treatment IV had the best hematological parameters result, was not significantly different (P>0.05) from other treatments in packed cell volume (PCV) 25.83±1.21; Haemoglobin (Hb): 8.53±0.41 and Red Blood Cell (RBC): 2.79±0.44. Treatment I also had good haemotologicalindices: PCV: 25.17±2.85; Hb: 8.20±0.99; RBC: 2.77±0.13, Platelet: 125.50±8.18. Treatments II and III had higher levels of White Blood Cell (WBC) which ranged from 18.31±1.23 to 18.65±1.83. Hematological parameters results were within the recommended ranges for fish health. This study revealed that moringa leaf meal (MLM) was suitable as replacement forpremix, it enhanced the hematological performance of Clarias gariepinus juveniles. It is therefore recommended at 1.5% inclusion for successful practice of aquaculture due to its vitamin and mineral components.

No abstract

A study was conducted on commercially important fish species of heavy metals in water bodies. The primary objectives were to find out the amount of heavy metals concentration in the fish species, sediments and water samples at the deep and shallow part of the river, to determine the toxicity and relationship between the collected samples and the rate at which it pollutes the water. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) evaluates their wholesomeness for human consumption. Four heavy metals (lead, cadmium, copper and zinc) were analyzed and only copper and zinc were found to be present in the digested samples. The concentration of copper in the fish (flesh) was 0.09 mg/l and that of zinc was 0.25 mg/l. In the bone samples, copper was found to have 0.17 mg/l and zinc 0.22 mg/l. In the water samples analyzed, the concentration of copper is 0.035 mg/l while that of zinc is 0.047 mg/l. In the sediment sample, the amount of copper is 310.0 mg/kg while that of zinc is 2050.0 mg/kg. This however signifies that the fish species in the Ogun River as well as the water is suitable for consumption which was found to be less than the World Health Organization (WHO) maximum recommended acceptable limits in the food.