No abstract

No abstract

Twenty four (24) adult Nigerian local cocks comprising 8 naked-neck, 8 frizzle and 8 normal were subjected to two ejaculations per week for 14 weeks using the massage technique. Ejaculates were subjected to both physical and chemical evaluations. Results showed that naked-neck and frizzle cocks had higher (P<0.01) ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, total sperm, and sperm motility than the normal cocks. Semen colour and total abnormal sperm did not differ significantly (P>0.05) among the three genotypes. There were also no significant differences in most of the chemical parameters among the genotypes. From these results the naked-neck and frizzle cocks appear superior to normal cocks under the humid tropical environment in semen output and quality.

The aim of this study was to set up direct and indirect casual effects between body weight and biometric measurements of breeding gilts at growing and finishing stages of production using path analysis. Body weights of 50 crossbred (Landrace x Large White) female pigs were measured along with four biometric traits (body length, heart girth, flank-to-flank, height-atwithers) on each animal during growing and finishing stages of production. A computed mean of 1150 measurements per biometric trait taken during the entire study was subjected to path coefficient analysis using the correlation matrix approach. High positive and significant correlations (>84.3%) were observed between different biometric measurements. However, path analysis of these traits on body weight of pigs revealed that heart girth is the major contributor to the body weight of the pig with a higher amount of direct effect of 0.6539 (R 2 = 95.25). The direct effects of body length and flank-to-flank measurements on body weight of the pigs were less. These traits mostly affect body weight indirectly via heart girth. Finding of the present investigation demonstrated that heart girth was the most important contributor to body weight of grower and finisher pigs and thus was recommended for quick estimation of body weight of breeding gilts under field or market conditions than other biometric traits. In addition, it could also be used for the construction of selection index for breeding gilts at both phases of growth.

Twenty-four Large White × Landrace crossbreed primigravid pigs, aged 7.50 to 8.00 months weighing between 86.15 and 88.24 kg were used to study the effects of feeding graded levels of soya bean meal (SBM) replaced blood meal (BM) diets on serum biochemical profile in gestating pigs. The pigs were randomly allotted to four finisher diets formulated such that BM replaced SBM at 0.0, 50.0, 75.0 and 100.0 %, respectively. The diets were T1 (100.0 % SBM, 0.0 % BM), T2 (50.0 % SBM, 50.0 % BM), T3 (25.0 % SBM, 75.0 % BM) and T4 (0.0 % SBM, 100.0 % BM). Individual animal's daily ration of the test diets was 2.20, 2.00 and 2.50 kg at stages one, two and three of gestation. Blood sampling and analysis for the effects of the test diets on biochemical profile of the experimental animals were carried out prior to conception, at weeks 3, 7 and 11 of gestation, respectively. The result showed no significant (P ≥ 0.05) dietary treatment effects on total protein, albumin, globulin fraction, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine and urea profile of the pigs fed with BM diets when compared to the control fed with 100.0 % SBM. There was however a significant (P ≤ 0.05) variation in these biochemical indices in all the experimental groups at different stages of gestation. It was concluded that BM can replace 100.0 % of SBM in the diets of pregnant pigs in the tropical humid environment without any deleterious effect on their health.