No abstract

Objective: This study on Japanese quails was undertaken to estimate heritability values for growth, body and egg traits as well as genetic and phenotypic relationships between these traits in Japanese quails reared in the Southern Guinea Savannah Zone of Nigeria. Methodology and Results: One hundred and sixty nine (169) pedigree-hatched day-old Japanese quail chicks from 10 sires were used for this study. The data obtained were subjected to variance and correlation analyses as appropriate. Results showed that heritability estimates of body weight at various ages ranged from 0.10±0.02 to 0.82±0.14 while those of body weight gain were mostly moderate (0.19±0.05 -0.42±0.02). Linear body parameters had moderate to high (0.23±0.13 -0.49±0.16) heritability estimates except body length which was 0.08±0.15 heritable. Age at first egg (AFE), Body weight at first egg (BWFE) and weight of first egg (WFE) had heritability estimates of 0.48±0.17, 0.56±0.21 and 0.38±0.18, respectively. Phenotypic correlations between body weights at various ages and egg traits were mostly positive and significant (p<0.01) while that of linear body traits were all positive and mostly significant (p<0.01). Genetic relationships between body weights at various ages were all high and positive. AFE correlated negatively with BWFE while WFE had positive correlation with AFE and BWF. Conclusion and application of findings: The moderate to high heritability estimates obtained for body weight at ages 1-3 weeks indicates that response to selection for body weight at these ages could be rapid while the low heritability estimates of body weight at week 5 and 6 imply that response to selection for body weight at the 5th and 6th week could be slow. It is recommended that selection for body weight or growth rate in Japanese quails should be carried out at early stages of growth, preferably 2-3 weeks of age.

The study was conducted using one hundred and fifty matured domestic pigeons to measure body linear parameters as well as external and internal egg quality characteristics in other to determine phenotypic relationships and predict body weight from body linear measurements. Data were collected on body weight, shank length, breast girth, body length, wing length, tail length and beak length at maturity. Two hundred eggs were collected and analyzed for both external and internal quality characteristics. The data obtained were analyzed using the correlation and regression procedure of SPSS Statistical software. The result obtained from this study body weight correlate positively with all other body linear parameters. However, the relationships between beak length and other body parameters except body weight were negative and mostly low. The strongest relationship in this study was between body weight and shank length. The coefficient of determination was highest for shank length (0.710), followed by wing length (0.680), breast girth (0.630) while tail length had the least coefficient of determination (0.360). It was suggested that the best equation for predicting body weight from linear body measurement could be: BW = 40.9+1.96BL-0.84WL+3.98BG+0.112SL. From the findings of this study, it was concluded that shank length is the most suitable body measurement that could be used for selection of domestic pigeon due to its strongest phenotypic correlation with body weight and other body parameters.

This study aimed at evaluating the comparative efficacy of amprolium and crude extracts of Prosopis africana (Iron tree) leaves in the treatment of West African dwarf goats infected with coccidial oocysts. The efficacy of amprolium, aqueous and methanolic extracts were tested using a total of 20 West African dwarf goats (WAD) of both sexes. The goats were randomly divided into five groups comprising of four goats each for amprolium, aqueous and methanolic extracts. Coccidial oocyst count reduction per gram of faeces was determined. Data collected were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure in SPSS software version 22. The ever increasing cases of coccidiosis in goat's especially young goats have continued to be a source of worry for rural livestock farmers. This is so because they could not afford the available synthetic anticoccidial due to high cost and the chemical residue concerned in animal products and environmental pollution have awaken interest in medicinal plants as an alternative anticoccidial. The result revealed the presence of flavonoids, Saponins and tannins in all the extracts but absence of alkaloids in fresh and dried aqueous extracts except methanolic extract and also absence of glycosides in all the extracts. Maximum percent oocyst count reduction of 93.54% and 99.38% on day six and day eight post treatments (PT) were recorded in goats treated with 100mg/kg b.w. of the fresh leaves aqueous extract and amprolium respectively. It was concluded that the leaves extracts of Prosopis afracana had anticoccidial efficacy that is comparable with the amprolium.         Cette étude visait à évaluer l'efficacité comparative de l'amprolium et des extraits crus de feuilles de Prosopis africana (arbre de fer) dans le traitement des chèvres naines d'Afrique de l'Ouest infectées par des oocystes coccidiaux. L'efficacité des extraits d'amprolium, aqueux et méthanolique a été testée sur un total de 20 chèvres naines d'Afrique de l'Ouest (NAO) des deux sexes. Les chèvres ont été réparties au hasard en cinq groupes comprenant chacun quatre chèvres pour les extraits d'amprolium, aqueux et méthanolique. La réduction du nombre d'oocystes coccidiens par gramme de matières fécales a été déterminée. Les données recueillies ont été soumises à une procédure d'analyse de variance à un facteur (ANOVA) dans la version 22 du logiciel SPSS. En effet, ils ne pouvaient pas se permettre l'anticoccidien synthétique disponible en raison du coût élevé et les résidus chimiques concernés dans les produits animaux et la pollution de l'environnement ont suscité l'intérêt pour les plantes médicinales comme anticoccidien alternatif. Le résultat a révélé la présence de flavonoïdes, de saponines et de tanins dans tous les extraits mais l'absence d'alcaloïdes dans les extraits aqueux frais et séchés à l'exception de l'extrait méthanolique et également l'absence deglycosides dans tous les extraits. Le pourcentage maximum de réduction du nombre d'oocystes de 93,54 % et de 99,38 % au jour six et au jour huit après les traitements (AT) a été enregistré chez les chèvres traitées avec 100 mg/kg de poids corporel de l'extrait aqueux de feuilles fraîches et de l'amprolium respectivement. Il a été conclu que les extraits de feuilles de Prosopis afracana avaient une efficacité anticoccidienne comparable à celle de l'amprolium.

Path analysis procedure is a statistical procedure that can be applied to evaluate direct and indirect contributions of independent variables to the dependent variables for better understanding of the relationships between egg quality traits. One hundred and twenty (120) eggs, collected from Shika Brown layers, were used to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of internal and external egg quality parameters on egg weight of Shika Brown layers using Path analysis procedure. Data obtained on individual egg include the following; egg weight (EWT), egg length (ELT), egg width (EWD), shell thickness (STK), shell weight (SWT), albumen weight (AWT) and yolk weight (YWT). Correlation coefficient results show that EWT had a positively significant correlation (P&lt;0.05) with ELT (0.715), EWD (0.758), SWT (0.460) and AWT (0.785). ELT had the greatest direct effect (0.360; P&lt;0.05) on EWT followed by EWD (0.345; P&lt;0.05) while the least of the direct effects on EWT (0.012; P&lt;0.05) was from STK. However, the highest total indirect effect (0.487) on EGW was realised largely via EWD. Therefore, EWT of Shika Brown layer strain had a high positive relationship with ELT, EWD and AWT. The path coefficient analysis revealed that ELT, along with EWD contributed highest direct effect on the EWT. This information could be used in selection programme for the improvement of EWT of Shika Brown layer chickens.