No abstract

Four hundred (400) adult black-skinned snails, two hundred (200) each of Archachatina marginata and Achatina fulica with weight ranging from 50.42 g to 198.84 g and from 100.10 g to 184.00 g for A. marginata and A. fulica respectively selected based on active appearance, number of whorls and no injury on the foot and/or shell of a base population from a population gathered in the wild within the Niger Delta region were used for the study. Data collected on the selected snails were used to evaluate phenotypic correlations and multiple regression functions which were used for predicting body weights from quantitative traits. Results obtained from the study showed that A. fulica snails with 4 whorls are genetically heavier than A. marginata snails with 4 whorls. This is because there was large and significantly different (P<0.001) disparity in values of measured quantitative traits (mean body weights) among the two breeds. The results of phenotypic correlations among quantitative traits of the two breeds indicated positive, strong and very high significant (P<0.001) correlation coefficients (r p ) between body weight and all body components studied. Whereas for A. fulica snails, there were positive but lower significant (P<0.05) phenotypic correlation coefficients (r p ) between body weight and some body components studied. In fact, there were no significant (P>0.05) phenotypic correlation coefficients (r p ) between shell length and shell 'mouth' width (r = 0.250) and between shell 'mouth' length and shell 'mouth' width (r = 0.187) for A. fulica snails. The prediction equations evolved for body weights of growing snails with 4 whorls using quantitative traits from A. marginata and A. fulica indicated that these quantitative traits, namely; shell length, shell width, shell 'mouth' length and shell 'mouth' width best predicted body weight for A. marginata and A. fulica snails with 4 whorls. The quantitative or phenotypic traits of the two breeds of snail studied could be chosen to differentiate as well as characterize growing snails in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

No abstract

No abstract

Data on hatchling body weights and morphometric traits (hatchling body shell length and hatchling body shell width) pertaining to two breeds of snails (A. marginata and A. achatina) from hatch to fourth (4 th ) week of age were analyzed. This was used to obtain correlation coefficient of morphometric traits and to generate prediction equations for live body weight of the animals. Strong, positive and significant correlations between hatchling body weight and body shell width (r=0.82) and between hatchling body weight and body shell length (r=0.80) for A. marginata as well as between hatchling body weight and body shell length (r=0.81) and between hatchling body weight and body shell width (r=0.86) for A. achatina were obtained. Low coefficients of determination (R 2 ) were obtained with the range from 4.73% to 41.30% and from 2.12% to 50.20% for A. marginata and A. achatina respectively. Morphometric traits (Hatchling body shell length and body shell width) best predicted hatchling body weights of A. achatina and not of A. marginata snails. Strong, positive and significant correlations imply that selection for these morphometric traits will lead to improvement of hatchling body weights.

Prostaglandins belong to the family of lipid. Soluble unsaturated hydroxyl acid containing twenty carbon (c) atoms and based on the prostanoic acid skeleton. There are two main types of Prostaglandins (PGs), the E and F series each having 3 members E 1 , E 2 , E 3 and F 1 σ, F 2 σ, F 3 σ. The other PGs are known as secondary PGs and are products of enzymic or chemical dehydrations of PGEs e.g PG+ 2 , PGA 2 , PGD 2 and PGB. Prostaglandins are probably the most important regulators of female productive functions (ovulation, uterine receptivity, Implantation and parturition) and associated with pathologies (pain, fever, and inflammation), apart from sex steroids. Prostaglandins are not stored in tissues but are synthesized and released in response to a given stimulus. Prostaglandins are produced by all nucleated cells of the body and act locally in a paracrine (locally active) or autocrine (acting on the same cell from which it is in a synthesized) fashion. Prostaglandins are therefore regarded as essential mediators of female reproductive processes, hence, this paper seeks to review the role of Prostaglandins which is exploited in livestock production especially oestrus synchronization and induced parturition.

Pigeon is a common domesticated bird in Nigeria, but is often times reared for shows and consumed only in rare occasions. The eggs of this bird are sizeable and proven to be nutritionally comparable with the eggs of chicken, duck, quail, etc, which are readily and widely consumed by Nigerians. This study was undertaken to evaluate the relationship (correlation and regression/prediction) between phenotypic traits of quail eggs. These could assist in the recommendation of strategies for improvement of pigeons and their subsequent inclusion in the menu of Nigerians. Two hundred freshly laid eggs of domestic pigeons were collected from 28 weeks old foundation stock raised intensively on cage system. The birds were fed 15% CPand 2700 KcalME/Kg ration and water was given ad libitum. The external egg quality traits measured were egg weight, shell length, shell thickness, yolk weight, yolk height and yolk width. Data collected were used to estimate descriptive statistics, phenotypic correlations and to predict egg and yolk weights. Results of correlation coefficients obtained for paired external egg quality traits were low, negatively significant (p<0.05) between egg weight and shell weight (– 0.609) and between shell weight and shell thickness (– 0.538). Whereas results of phenotypic correlations of internal egg quality traits expressed mostly non-significant (p>0.05) both positive and negative, low values with the exceptions of very high, negative significant (p<0.001) correlation coefficient between yolk width and yolk weight (– 0.806); high, negative significant (p<0.01) correlation coefficient between albumen weight and albumen height (– 0.627) and moderate, negative significant (p<0.05) correlation coefficients between yolk height and albumen height (– 0.506) and between yolk height and albumen width (– 0.523).The only positive, high significant (p<0.01) correlation expressed was between albumen height and yolk weight (0.632). The results on phenotypic correlations suggested that egg and yolk weights could be used as an index of egg quality in domestic pigeon. Egg and yolk weights were predictable with sufficient accuracy from both the external and internal egg quality traits.         Le pigeon est un oiseau domestique commun au Nigéria, mais il est souvent élevé pour des spectacles et consommé seulement en de rares occasions. Les œufs de cet oiseau sont de grande taille et se sont avérés nutritionnellement comparables aux œufs de poulet, de canard, de caille, etc., qui sont facilement et largement consommés par les Nigérians. Cette étude a été entreprise pour évaluer la relation (corrélation et régression/prédiction) entre les traits phénotypiques des œufs de caille. Ceux-ci pourraient aider à la recommandation de stratégies d'amélioration des pigeons et à leur inclusion ultérieure dans le menu des Nigérians. Deux cents œufs fraîchement pondus de pigeons domestiques ont été collectés à partir d'un stock de base de 28 semaines élevé intensivement sur un système de cage. Les oiseaux ont été nourris avec 15% de CPet 2700 KcalME/Kg de ration et de l'eau a été donnée à volonté. Les caractères externes de qualité des œufs mesurés étaient le poids des œufs, la longueur de la coquille, l'épaisseur de la coquille, le poids du jaune, la hauteur du jaune et la largeur du jaune. Les données recueillies ont été utilisées pour estimer les statistiques descriptives, les corrélations phénotypiques et pour prédire le poids des œufs et des jaunes. Les résultats des coefficients de corrélation obtenus pour les caractères appariés de qualité externe des œufs étaient faibles, négativement significatifs (p<0,05) entre le poids de l'œuf et le poids de la coquille (– 0,609) et entre le poids de la coquille et l'épaisseur de la coquille (– 0,538). Alors que les résultats des corrélations phénotypiques des caractères internes de qualité des œufs s'exprimaient pour la plupart non significatifs (p>0,05) à la fois positifs et négatifs, des valeurs faibles à l'exception d'un coefficient de corrélation très élevé et négatif significatif (p<0,001) entre la largeur du jaune et le poids du jaune ( – 0,806); coefficient de corrélation élevé, négatif significatif (p<0,01) entre le poids de l'albumen et la hauteur de l'albumen (– 0,627) et coefficients de corrélation modéré, négatif significatif (p<0,05) entre la hauteur du jaune et la hauteur de l'albumen (– 0,506) et entre la hauteur du jaune et la largeur de l'albumen (– 0,523). La seule corrélation positive hautement significative (p<0,01) exprimée était entre la hauteur de l'albumen et le poids du jaune (0,632). Les résultats sur les corrélations phénotypiques suggèrent que les poids des œufs et des jaunes pourraient être utilisés comme indice de la qualité des œufs chez le pigeon domestique. Les poids des œufs et des jaunes étaient prévisibles avec une précision suffisante à partir des caractéristiques de qualité externes et internes des œufs.

No abstract