A study was conducted at Ido and Atiba Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Oyo State, Nigeria, to investigate the prevalence of Newcastle disease  (ND) using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) techniques. A total of 376 normal feathered local chickens were sampled by collecting 2 ml of blood from each bird. Sera that emanated from them were subjected to detection of ND antibodies using ELISA test kit. The data collected were analyzed by inferential statistics. The results showed that the prevalence of ND as 11.70% and 15.43% at Ido and Atiba LGAs, respectively. Adult males showed higher prevalence as compared to adult females in the two LGAs. Meanwhile the prevalence of ND in adults was higher than in the young in Ido but the reverse at Atiba LGA. Combined prevalence was averaged at 13.56% in the two LGAs. The combined results further showed that males (8.24%) were more susceptible to ND than females (5.32%) just like adults (7.45%) were more susceptible than the growers (6.11%). It can be concluded that ND is prevalent in the study areas. It can therefore be recommended that vaccination of local chickens should be vigorously  implemented since they are in the common environment/space with intensively managed birds to avert cross infection. Key words: antibodies, ELISA, local chickens, Newcastle disease, prevalence

Phyllanthus amarus is an important medicinal plant that is widely distributed in all tropical and subtropical regions of the planet and has the ability to prevent and treat several human and animal diseases but has been associated with pathological defects on various organs on dose-dependent pattern. This study was carried out to evaluate Phyllanthus amarus leaf meal (PALM) for hepato-nephro-protective potentials in broiler chickens. One hundred and twenty (120) day old marshal broiler chickens were used for the experiment that lasted for 56 days. The birds were randomly allotted to five treatments of T0 (control, no PALM), T1 (2.5g/kg PALM), T2 (5.0g/kg PALM), T3 (7.5g/kg PALM) and T4 (10g/kg PALM) in a complete randomized design (CRD). Each treatment was replicated thrice with 8 birds per replicate. The birds were fed with commercial Top® feed and water was given ad-libitum. At the end of the experiment, blood was aseptically collected via venipuncture from a randomly selected bird per replicate to determine the serum biochemical parameters and later was humanely sacrificed for organs harvest. The liver and kidney were carefully dissected out and fixed in buffered 10% formalin for histological study. The biochemical data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and statistical difference in means was separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The histo-pathological slides were interpreted by experts. ALT for T1 – T4 were statistically similar but differed significantly (P<0.05) from T1 . The ALP, however, showed T2 – T4 differing significantly (P<0.05) from T0 and T1 . The uric acid was highest in T4 and differed significantly (P<0.05) from other groups. The urea was highest in quantity in T3 and T4 and as well differed significantly (P<0.05) from other treatments. Therefore, the results showed significant differences (P<0.05) across treatment groups except for AST. PALM gradually increased the ALT, ALP, uric acid and urea in a dose dependent manner across treatments except urea that slightly decreased at T4 . The findings indicated that the PALM had varied time and dose dependent pathological effects on the liver and kidney of treated groups. It can therefore be concluded that PALM enhances serum biochemical parameters and has deleterious effects on the cyto-architecture of liver and kidney. It is recommended that PALM (crude) up to 2.5 g/kg should not be administered protractedly in chickens since it could constitute damage to visceral organs.

A study on the prevalence of fecal helminth parasites in adult WAD goats was carried out in five different areas of Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of fecal helminth parasites of goats in some areas including Gbekuba, Adabeji, Adifase, Owode and Lade-Owo as well as the genera distribution of faecal helminth parasites of goats in the study area. A total of 22 faecal samples per area were collected summing up to 110 samples from 110 goats. Simple floatation technique was used to identify eggs of parasites in the faecal samples and the eggs examined under light microscope for typing. Out of the 110 fecal samples, 78 (70.91%) of them were positive for helminth endo-parasites including five genera of nematodes: Ascaris spp (56.36%), Strongyloides spp (2.73%), Trichuris spp (0.91%), Nematodirus spp (2.73%) and Trichostrongylus spp (1.82%) and a genus of trematode: Fasciola spp (6.36%). The results showed that Ascaris spp was the most prevalent followed by Fasciola spp, Trichuris spp, Nematodirus spp, Strongyloides spp and Trichostrongylus spp. It is therefore recommended that routine deworming should be embraced using broad spectrum anthelmintics particularly against nematodes and trematodes to bring to minimal or possibly stamp out endo-parasites from the study area.

Fat contents of meat largely determine consumer's choice and the general acceptability by people. Thus, this research was carried out to compare the lipid profile of pigs with that of goats and cattle in the study area. One hundred and ninety two animals; 64 from each species, aged two to three years slaughtered at Nsukka Municipal abattoir were used. Samples of Rectus abdominus muscle, liver, kidney, brain, skin and large intestine were collected. Two g of each of the sample was grinded, centrifuged, decanted and the supernatants used to determine their cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high densitylipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride profile by enzymatic colorimetric method using reagents test kits. Result showed that although cholesterol profile in liver, kidney and intestine of the goats was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in pigs and cattle, its concentration was significantly (p < 0.05) higher inmuscle and skin of the pigs than goats and cattle. Highest concentration of cholesterol which ranged from 1205.34 to 1328.34mg/dL was from brain tissues of the animals. The HDL in muscles of the pigs and goatsshowed no significant (p >0.05) difference but were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of cattle. There was insignificant (p > 0.05) difference in LDL and triglyceride profiles in tissues/organs of the three animal species. It was concluded that Nigerian pig todays share similar lipid profile with goats and cattle.

Poultry production is gradually becoming a stable National economic development and as a protein source. The study explored the potential of A. indica leaf and A. barbadensis gel extracts as supplementary sources of vitamins and minerals in broiler growth performance, haematology and serum biochemistry. One hundred and fifty three (153) day old broiler birds were used. The birds of both sexes were randomly allotted into three treatment groups of 50 birds each, with each treatment replicated thrice in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD); T1= A. indica leaf, T2= A. barbadensis gel extract and T3= underground water. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the initial weight of the birds. However, results showed that birds exposed to A. indica and A. barbadensis were significantly (p<0.05) different in final body weight and feed conversion ratio. A. indica had the lowest feed conversion ratio (2.29) than the other groups. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in the haematology and serum biochemistry of birds tested for in all the groups. This showed that the level of A. indica and A. barbadensis gel extracts enhanced the growth performance of broiler birds.