No abstract

No abstract

Agriculture is the main stay of Kenyan economy and its importance is highlighted by its enormous contribution to the countries' industrial product and exports (FAO, 2012). Although pig sector contribution to Kenyan economy is small, the sector possesses a huge potential which can be exploited (Behnke and Muthami, 2011). The main hindrances to the growth of pig sector in Kenya include poor infrastructure, unreliable feed availability, poor sanitation, in adequate veterinary services as well as poor husbandry practices (FAO, 2012). There are three pig production systems in Kenya; Free range traditional systems, small scale intensive system and large scale intensive commercial systems. Free range traditional systems are also known as extensive system because pigs are allowed to roam freely and feed on a variety of feeds including crop residue, kitchen left over, by products of crops as well as grazing on grass (Eshitera et al., 2012). Free range traditional system is mostly found in Nyanza, western Kenya and slums in urban areas (FAO, 2012). It is characterized by few animals kept, poor feeding system, disease challenges, few

Taenia solium is an important food-borne pathogen worldwide and is emerging as a serious public health risk in both rural and urban communities where pigs are raised and consumed. Adult tapeworms are found in the intestines of humans while the developmental larval forms occur in the muscles and organs constituting cysticercosis of pigs and humans. Cysticercosis has a worldwide distribution, mainly related to poor hygiene and sanitation and consumption of infected pork. Pigs get infected through consumption of food and contaminated with human faeces containg eggs. In recent years pork consumption has increased with the opening up of pork eating centres. Porcine cysticercosis has previously been reported in Kenya, however, there are scarce data on the occurrence of the disease, as well as on the risk factors for transmission, in key production and consumption areas including Thika. The purpose of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis in slaughtered pigs and associated risk factors for occurrence of the disease in selected abattoirs in Thika. Systematic random sampling was used to select a total of 276 pigs. The source of the slaughter pigs was derived from the movement permits, the breed, sex and estimation of age was done at ante mortem examination. The slaughter and meat inspection processes were carried out by the slaughter house personnel and the investigators only observed and received the outcome of the inspection. Blood samples were collected from each identified pig at slaughter, processed and analyzed using purified Taenia solium antigen ELISA commercial kit. The results meat inspection showed that none of the pigs in this study had any visible cysts whereas 4.35% of the pigs were seropositive which poses public health risk.

Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) is a natural organic acid in the body that acts as a precursor of creatine which plays the role of energy carrier in the cell This study was conducted to determine the effects of supplementing broiler chicken feed with GAA on carcass characteristics. Two hundred-and forty, day old Cornish breeds were kept under a deep litter system. Six treatments with four replicates of 10 birds per replica were used. The experimental diets comprised of six treatments with varying levels of feed additive (GAA) supplemented in the diets D1 (control) with no GAA, D2 was supplemented with (0.003% GAA/kg), D3 (0.006% GAA/kg), D4 (0.009% GAA/kg), D5 (0.012% GAA/kg), and D6 (0.015% GAA/kg). The treatments were laid down in a complete randomized design (CRD) with four replicates. Carcass characteristics were determined in the laboratory by analyzing the (abdominal fat, tissue protein, tissue fat and pH). There were statistically significant effects observed on abdominal fat, body tissue protein and body tissue fat of the carcass. The study concluded that GAA supplementation increased carcass characteristics, and provided better economic returns. The study recommends utilization of GAA supplementation at level of 0.12% GAA/Kg for rapid growth of broiler, enhanced abdominal fat, body tissue protein, body tissue fat, and utilization of GAA for better economic returns to the farmers.