A study was carried out to evaluate the viability of extended cattle semen, without freezing, under different storage conditions. The semen was collected from Holstein Friesian bulls using artificial vaginas. The semen was extended and stored in a 3-by-4 factorial design (storage system × ice change). The storage media were ice boxes, buckets, and refrigerator. The ice in these media was either replaced daily, on the first and third day, first day only, or no ice at all after the semen collection. Results showed an overwhelming evidence of the effect of storage medium and ice change on sperm viability (P<0.0001). Individual motility before processing was highest in the refrigerator with averages of 44.5%, 39.5% in ice boxes, and 10% in buckets during the 8-day experiment. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in progressive motility after processing in the refrigerator (34%) and in ice boxes (33%) but significantly higher (P<0.01) to the 10% obtained in buckets. It was shown that spermatozoa in the ice box retained 45% individual motility up to the sixth day after semen was collected on the condition that the ice was changed on the third day. Progressive motility after processing in the ice box was 40% up to the sixth day with the ice changed on the third day while the spermatozoa were well preserved up to the fourth day in the same medium if the ice put on the first day was not changed. This study shows that, if farmers plan to inseminate cows within the first day after semen collection, they can use buckets with ice for the transportation of the extended semen ampoules from the artificial insemination center. Otherwise, the semen needs to be kept in ice boxes and the ice changed on the third day after collection and this semen could be used within a week.
The reproductive status (RS) of 2,103 cows slaughtered at the Ngaoundere Municipal Slaughter House (NMSH) in view of highlighting potential losses resulting from the slaughtering of pregnant cows (PC) were assessed. Concurrently, 390 of the cows evaluated for RS were randomly selected for a detailed identification of the possible causes of infertility from the gross reproductive pathologies (GRP) observed in the reproductive tract. Data were collected between July and December, 2004 and analyzed using SAS program (1991). Of a sample of 2,426 animals slaughtered, 2,103 (86.6%) were cows. The prevalence of PC slaughtered was 37.3%. Majority (83%) of the cows slaughtered were below 9 years of age. The PC slaughtered (7.5 years) were significantly (p<0.001) older than that of the non PC (6.9 years). Thirty-three percent of the slaughtered cows were infertile. The common GRP observed were ovarian inactivity (24.8%), metritis (5.1%) and vaginometritis (0.8%). Although the prevalence of metritis was found very low, it may be useful to identify its causes together with those of ovarian inactivity which were the principal factors that justify the slaughter of some cows below 9 years in the Region. However, there is need to check for pregnancy in all cows before slaughtering in all national abattoirs to minimise economic losses related to pregnancy losses and to contribute to the growth of the cattle industry.
Heritabilities of and genetic correlations between body weight, shank length, keel length and breast width in a population of Nigerian local chickens at 6 weeks of age were estimatedusing a total of 170 chicks of both sexes obtained from 5 sires each mated to 4 dams by artifical insemination in a nested fashion. Average body weight, shank length, keel length and breast width at this age were 114.97g, 3.48cm, 3.35cm and 3.22cm, respectively.Genetic correlations between the traits were positive and high, ranging from 0.99 to 1.51. The moderate to high heritabilities (hs2) of these growth traits at 6 weeks point to the existence of an appreciable amount of additive genetic variance in the local chicken population and indicate that improvement in these traits can be brought about by intrapopulation selection. The high genetic correlations indicate the pleiotropic action of genes controlling these traits and that, by direct selection for any one of them, genetic improvement in the others will be realized as correlated responses.
Apparue dans les années 1970 au Nord Cameroun, la traction asine est aujourd’hui utilisée par 25 000 « petits » agriculteurs. La capacité de travail de l’âne est juste suffisante pour les travaux agricoles. Le maintien dans un état nutritionnel correct est déterminant pour garantir une endurance à l’effort acceptable. Cette condition est loin d’être satisfaite. Dans cette étude, l’état nutritionnel des ânes de trait du Nord Cameroun a été caractérisé au moyen d’une grille de notation de l’état corporel. Une note de dos et une note de flanc, sur une échelle de 1 à 4 (émacié, maigre, moyen, bon) ont été attribuées à vue selon l’aspect du bassin, de la colonne vertébrale et du côté. La moyenne des deux notes, arrondie au demi-point supérieur, a donné la note globale. La corrélation des notes entre différents notateurs a été voisine de 80 p. 100, ce qui est un bon indice de reproductibilité. Un suivi de 41 mâles et 34 femelles a montré que durant la saison sèche, la note 3 a largement dominé (50 à 70 p. 100). D’octobre à janvier, les animaux maigres (note 2), ayant profité du changement de saison et d’environnement pathologique, ont reconstitué leurs réserves, tandis que les animaux bons (note 4) ont maigri avec les premières rigueurs de la saison sèche. De janvier à juin, la raréfaction progressive des ressources alimentaires a provoqué un amaigrissement généralisé, femelles gravides exceptées. Chez les mâles, la proportion des notes 2 est passée de 10 à 20 p. 100 entre le début et la fin de la saison sèche. Chez les femelles, cette proportion a été importante et constante tout au long de l’année (30 à 40 p. 100). Des actions d’amélioration de l’alimentation doivent être ciblées sur les femelles.
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