Major hoof and musculoskeletal disorders of cart pulling mules with special reference to lameness in Bahir Dar town, northwestern Ethiopia
January 2024
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Bahir Dar town, Northwestern Ethiopia, to quantify the major hoof and musculoskeletal disorders of cart mules and identify their predisposing factors. Both physical examinations of 250 cart mules and a questionnaire survey of 174 volunteer cart owners or drivers were used. The overall prevalence of gait problems was 18.8%, of which 83% were lameness, 6.3% staggering gait, and...
Phenotypic and production characteristics of locally adapted pig ecotypes in South-Western Agro-ecological Zone, Uganda
October 2023
The study to document phenotypic characteristics of locally adapted pigs was carried out in South-Western Agro-ecological Zone (SWAEZ) Uganda. 784 households were included; keeping a total of 3032 pigs including piglets. Only one adult pig in each household was used for recording of phenotypic characteristics. These included 252 males and 1032 females totalling 1284 pigs. Piglets (0-3 months old) constituted a slightly...
Characterization of goat production systems in two agro-ecological zones of Burkina Faso, West Africa
October 2023
Improving the management of goat in rural areas and enhancing its ability to alleviate smallholder poverty requires a better understanding of the existing production systems. This study has been undertaken to characterize the diversity of goat farming systems and identify major constraints and opportunities for their sustainability in two agro-ecological zones of Burkina Faso, namely Sudano-Sahelian and Sudanian, as...
Entomological inventory of bovine trypanosome vectors in the locality of Logone Birni, Far North Cameroon
September 2023
In order to identify the vectors of bovine trypanosomiasis in the locality of Logone Birni, inventories were carried out from March to June 2020 in six sites. The purpose of this work is to contribute to the evaluation of the seroprevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis, to identify trypanosome vectors and to inventory the vector control methods already implemented in this area. Forty cattle were sampled for...
Incorporation of functional feed ingredients to substitute antimicrobials in animal nutrition: Opportunities for livestock production in developing countries
June 2023
Livestock including cattle, goats, sheep, pigs and poultry are kept under traditional farming systems producing manure, supporting crop production, insurance and financing emergency cash needs, and improving social status. The livestock feed resource base is mostly natural graze and crop residues whose quality and supply are dependent upon unreliable rainfall patterns. Due to rising demand for cropland, overgrazing,...
Evaluation of improved sheep breeds in pastoral areas of Yabello district, Southern Oromia, Ethiopia
May 2023
This study was conducted at Yabello district of Borana zone with the objectives of evaluating the productive performance of the 25% Dorper crossbred and the local blackhead Somali sheep under agro pastoralists’ conditions, creating awareness, improving pastoralists’ knowledge and skill. The training was given to the selected pastoralists, development agents, and experts on the importance and management of...
Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in cattle kept under pastoral management system in selected districts of Borana zone, Ethiopia
May 2023
The present study was conducted in three districts (Arero, Moyale and Yabello) of Borana zone, from October 2016 to June 2018, with the aim to determine the prevalence, identify the species and detect the risk factors of GIT parasites. For this cross-sectional study, a total of 383 faecal samples were collected directly from the rectum of the animal and examined using flotation and sedimentation techniques according to...
Moist feeding in Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) nutrition: Influence on growth performance and carcass characteristics
April 2023
This study was aimed at investigating the influence of different proportion of water to dry meal, to give a moist feed form in feeding Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) and assess the influence of these different feed forms on growth performance and carcass characteristics. A completely randomized design of fifty-four one to two weeks old ducklings weighing 64 to 67 g were randomly distributed into 3 treatments with three...
A review on differentiation of goat populations in Ethiopia based on husbandry practices, breeding and morphological traits: The primary step for conservation
March 2023
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the differentiation of goat population in Ethiopia based on husbandry, breeding practices, and morphological traits of goats. Ethiopian goats have long been known for their extensive production methods, which have been reared in all agro-ecological zones. Rather than competing for fodder with cattle and sheep, goats complement them. The major feed resources for...
Distribution and relative abundance of pig breeds in South-Western Agro-ecological Zone, Uganda: Status of locally adapted pigs
March 2023
A cross-sectional study was conducted in five districts in South Western Agro-Ecological Zone (SWAEZ), Uganda, to map pig breed distribution and determine their abundance and population structure. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to identify pig farmers whose pigs were included in the study. Pig breeds were identified using the NAADS user guide on pig husbandry. The breeds that were properly identified...
Dairy production and marketing systems in urban/peri-urban and rural dairy production systems in Bona Zuria district of Sidama Region, Ethiopia
September 2022
The study aimed to assess dairy production and marketing systems in Bona district of Sidama Region, Ethiopia. The district was stratified into urban/peri-urban and rural production systems based on the distance from the Woreda town, market orientation, improved breed availability, and production systems. Each production system was further stratified into Peasant Association where urban/peri- urban system had 7 while...
Factors affecting the hatchability of snail eggs (Archachatina marginata) in the Western Highlands of Cameroon
August 2022
A study to investigate the factors affecting hatchability of Archachatina marginata eggs, had 600 eggs collected from snail pens and incubated in treated substrates; moist soil/sawdust mixture (MSD), moist sawdust (MD), moist soil (MSb), dry sawdust (DD) and dry soil (DS) as well as in rearing pens (1 m × 1 m × 0.8 m) containing moist soil (MSp). Results showed that snail egg weights at ...
In situ conservation of boran cattle through community/cooperative bull scheme based breeding program in Borana, Ethiopia
May 2022
A community based breeding program was performed in the years 2012 to 2017 in Dubluk district of Borana Zone, with the objective to improve some productive traits and conserve Boran cattle breed through disseminating improved Boran sires to pastoral community of the district. Relevant performance data were collected to check the performance of the program to achieve the required goal. The data collected were number of...
Performance of weanling rabbits fed aflatoxin treated diets with sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) fruit peel
May 2022
The performance of twenty four 6-8 week old apparently healthy male and female weanling rabbits of mixed breed fed diets treated with aflatoxin, which contained 5% sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) fruit peel meal was evaluated in an 8 week feeding trial. Sweet orange peels were collected from orange sellers, sun-dried and milled. Fungal strain of Aspergillus flavus was cultured and inoculated into groundnut cake to...
Morphological and serum biochemical characterizations of local pig populations from three different agro-ecological areas of Cameroon
May 2022
A study was carried out to investigate the morphological and biochemical characteristics of local pig populations in three agro-ecological areas of Cameroon from June to September 2018. Morphological and morphometric parameters were measured in 300 pigs (147 males and 153 females) aged 6 to 8 months old. Phenotype characterization of local pigs showed diversity as follows: concave head profile, black coat colour type,...
Phenotypic response to mass selection for weaning weight and 18-month weight in Tswana cattle
February 2022
The objectives of this study were to identify the environmental factors that influenced growth traits and to evaluate phenotypic response of growth traits to selection at weaning (S1) and 18 months of age (S2) in Tswana cattle. Phenotypic analysis for average daily gains (ADGs) and growth traits were conducted using 7226 records of animals, which were born between 1995 and 2013 from 1662 dams and 188 sires in 54...
Environmental and genetic components influencing mature cow weight in Tswana cattle selected for early growth traits
February 2022
The objective of this study was to determine the environmental and genetic factors influencing mature cow weight (MCW) trait in Tswana cattle breed. Analyses of environmental and genetic effects for mature cow weight trait were performed using 19301 records of Tswana cows born between 1996 and 2010 from 610 dams and 137 sires in 54 contemporaries. Mature cow weight trait was analysed using repeatability model. The...
Analysis of environmental and genetic factors influencing reproductive traits and calf survival to weaning in Tswana cattle selected for early growth traits
January 2022
The objective of this study was to determine the environmental and genetic factors affecting reproductive traits and calf survival from birth to weaning in Tswana breed of cattle. Analyses of environmental and genetic effects for calf survival traits were done using 7223 records of animals which were born between 1996 and 2013 from 1659 dams and 188 sires in 54 contemporaries. Analyses of environmental and genetic...
Estimates of covariance components and genetic parameters for growth traits in Tswana cattle selected for increased weaning or eighteen-month weights
January 2022
The objective of this study is to estimate variance-covariance components and genetic parameters for growth traits in Tswana cattle. Genetic analyses for average daily gain (ADGs) and growth traits were conducted using 7223 records of animals which were born between 1996 and 2013 from 1662 dams and 188 sires in 54 contemporary groups. Both univariate and bivariate animal models were used. Heritability estimates for...
Economic loss associated with bovine campylobacteriosis in selected districts of Bangladesh
December 2021
Bovine campylobacteriosis is considered to be common disease in farmed female cattle of Bangladesh with various effects on animal productivity. However, no economic impact assessment labeling the burden of this disease has been conducted. Secondary data combined with the primary data on different financial parameters of livestock goods and associated parameters collected through stakeholder interviews were utilized in...
Pastoral livestock farming in the Eastern Malian Sahel (Hombori): Survey on flows in two livestock markets
December 2021
Pastoral livestock farming is a major activity in the Sahel. In the eastern Malian Sahel, in addition to its contribution to the household economy, this type of livestock farming plays an important role in enhancing the value of an environment that is not very conducive to rain-fed crops because of its low rainfall. This study was conducted in the district of Hombori to assess marketed livestock production through the...
Assessment of the effects of Newcastle disease vaccination on chicken mortality and egg production rates in Machakos town sub-county, Kenya
December 2021
A study was done to evaluate the effects of the Newcastle disease vaccine on chicken mortality and egg production in Machakos Town Sub-County. Kola and Kalama wards were chosen, and the data was collected from rural poultry farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire and Women Empowerment Livestock Index (WELI). The sample size was determined using N= Z2 (1-P) P/L2 statistical formula. A total of 261 chicken household...
Husbandry practices and phenotypic characterization of indigenous sheep types in Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia
October 2021
The study was conducted to characterize the husbandry practices, phenotypic characteristics and determination of live body weight using morphometrical measurements of indigenous sheep types under smallholder management condition in highlands of Gurage zone, Southern Ethiopia. Two districts, Gumer and Ejha were selected purposely based on sheep population distribution, flock size and their contribution to the farmers....
Leafy feed supplementation, rabbit growth performance and meat quality: Case study of Ipomoea aquatica
September 2021
Thirty-six local young rabbits of 42 days old were used to evaluate their growth performances and sensory characteristics of their meats based on the type of feed. The rabbits were divided into three groups of twelve animals each, that were fed for 56 days with one of three diets: Commercial feed (Cfe), commercial feed supplemented with water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) (Cfw) and feed composed only of water spinach...
Morphological characteristics of indigenous Djallonké sheep in rural areas in the south of Mali
July 2021
This study aimed at evaluating some morphological traits in Djallonké sheep reared in four localities (Dioïla, Kolondiéba, Yanfolila and Kita) in the south of Mali. Two hundred and sixty sheep (40 males and 220 females) randomly selected from these localities were used for measuring the following traits: Coat color, presence of horns/wattles, height at withers (HW), and live body weight (LBW). Animals...
Inappropriate antibacterial use in layer poultry farms in Gombe Metropolis, Northeast Nigeria, may constitute public health challenges
July 2021
Antibacterial is extensively used in poultry to enhance productivity. Inappropriate use could yield unsafe edible poultry products. The study aimed to investigate the pattern of antibacterial use in commercial layer poultry farms in Gombe metropolis. Semi-structured questionnaire was designed and validated. The questionnaire was administered to 38 layer poultry farms to obtain information on poultry farm practices. Data...
Assessing thermal neutral zones in Sri Lanka for ten different dairy cattle breeds and crosses: An approach using temperature humidity index (THI)
June 2021
The magnitude of heat stress in dairy cattle is assessed using temperature humidity index (THI) widely in the world. The present study was conducted to assess the appropriateness of incorporating THI in recommending dairy cattle breeds to different areas of Sri Lanka. The study considered 10 different cattle genotypes commonly reared for milk production in the country. Daily THI values were computed by employing a...
Hemp seed cake increases fatty acids but does not transfer cannabinoids in eggs and tissues of laying hens
June 2021
Hemp seed and hemp seed products such as hemp seed cake (HSC) have been shown to increase unsaturated fatty acid (FA) profile in eggs, including linoleic acid, and α-linolenic fatty acids known to increase egg weight and better human health respectively. However, the use of hemp products in animal feed is still a concern due to the potential residues of the Δ-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive...
A Study on Morphological Characterization of Black Bengal Goat at three Villages under Bhaluka upazila in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh
June 2021
The study was carried out in a community goat breeding program at three villages of Bhaluka upazila in Mymensingh district to characterize Black Bengal goat (BBG) by coat color phenotype and morphological body measurements. Data on coat color and body measurements were collected among 200 BBG populations along with different ages and sexes from three villages and analyzed statistically by SPSS 17.0. Among the studied...
Grazing behavior, growth performance, carcass yield and economic analysis of steers supplemented with concentrate in an integrated crop-livestock system
April 2021
This trial evaluated concentrate supplementation on grazing behavior, growth performance, carcass yield and economic analysis of off-season steer production in an integrated crop-livestock system (ICL). A randomized block design with the pastures (modules) as blocks, with 4 treatments, 4 groups of animals per treatment and 3 animals per group (N=48, 395±16 kg) was used to evaluate increasing levels of concentrate...
Goat farmers’ production objectives and trait preferences in the North West province of South Africa: An approach to identify selection criteria for community-based breeding program
April 2021
Breeding practices and trait preferences are key to defining sound breeding objectives and designing genetic improvement programs at community level. The current study identifies these factors for village goats within a pilot community-based breeding program in Pella village, North West province, South Africa. Thirty-five farmers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire survey to characterize goat...
Characterization of the Nutritional and Safety Properties of Hemp Seed Cake as Animal Feed Ingredient
April 2021
Although the nutrient composition of hemp products provides evidence that these potentially serve as valuable livestock feed ingredients and may enhance human health, the cultivation of hemp was prohibited due to the high content of the Δ-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Recently, regulatory changes by several countries allowed the cultivation of industry hemp under a license that permits plants and plant...
Antilipemic effect of Moringa oleifera leaf powder on blood serum cholesterol fractions in broiler finishers
March 2021
The effects of using Moringa leaf powder (MLP) as feed additive on the differential cholesterol profile of broiler chickens at finisher phase was investigated in view of the scientific urge to find means of reducing fatty compounds in common meat products. One hundred and twenty,4-weeks old Abor acre broilers were used for this experiment and allotted to four different treatment groups (T1-T4). The control group; T1 was...
Effect of breed, age and period of production on bovine semen quality used for artificial insemination
March 2021
Various factors are believed to influence quality of semen in breeding bulls. The main objective of this study was to evaluate how breed, age and time of semen production are relevant in the production of good quality semen used for Artificial Insemination. A total of 16,827 ejaculates from 187 bulls (Holstein Frisian = 114, Jersey = 35, Borena = 12, 50%HF × 50%Borena = 5, 75%HF × 25%Borena = 15 and Fogera =...
Influence of breed on motility and motion characteristics of fresh, chilled and frozen bull spermatozoa
March 2021
At present, frozen-thawed semen is used extensively for artificial insemination (AI) in Ethiopia. However, subjective semen quality assessment is still practiced by the semen processing organizations of the country. In this study, motility and motion characteristics of spermatozoa were assessed by using integrated semen analysis system (ISAS) to diagnose breed differences in quality of semen. Semen was collected from 14...
Phenotypic characterization (qualitative traits) of various strains of indigenous Tswana chickens in Kweneng and Southern districts of Botswana
February 2021
The aim of this study was to identify and describe qualitative traits of indigenous Tswana chicken populations in Kweneng and Southern districts of Botswana. The qualitative traits involved in the study included tail colour, breast colour, back colour, neck colour, comb type, shank colour, earlobe colour and head shape. Data were subjected to frequency and cross tabulation procedures of descriptive statistics in...
Effect of dietary hemp seed cake on the performance of commercial laying hens
February 2021
The cultivation of hemp was prohibited due to its high content of the psychoactive substance Δ-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Regulatory changes from several countries allow the cultivation of hemp that permits plants and plant parts with less than 0.3% Δ-9 THC. The concern of the levels of THC still remains; therefore, testing hemp seed cake (HSC) contributes new information about the effect of this...
Comparative study on efficiency of sexed semen and conventional semen on in vivo produced bovine embryo quality and quantity of Boran and Holstein -Boran cross bred in Bishoftu, Ethiopia
January 2021
The study was conducted from December 2019 to May 2020 to evaluate the efficiency of local convectional semen and imported sexed semen on in vivo produced bovine embryo quality in Boran and HB cross breed donor cows in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. In this study, it was hypothesized that the breed of donor cows and types of semen can influence the quality of in vivo produced embryo as well as the number of transferable embryos....
Performance and welfare of dairy cattle in an alternative compost bedded pack housing in a pasture-based system
January 2021
The objective of this study was to assess the performance and welfare (lameness, hock lesions, mastitis) of loose-housed dairy cattle managed under grazing or semi-grazing system. Data of thirty-two cows before and after changing to semi-grazing system during the rainy season (week 1 to 4; grazing, week 6 to 9; semi-grazing) and before and after changing to semi-grazing (week 11 to 16; grazing, week 18 to 23,...
Effect of garlic (Allium sativum) and onion (Allium cepa L.) extract chitosan nanoparticles on antioxidant enzymes activities and relative weight of visceral organs of rainbow rooster chicken
December 2020
Poultry meat is susceptible to oxidation but increased antioxidant enzyme increases its availability in muscle during processing and storage. In livestock, synthetic antioxidant has some side effects; plant polyphenols can enhance the level of antioxidant enzymes but they are in-active in the gut of chicken and therefore, nanotechnology can be of importance in augmenting the stability of polyphenols. In the study,...
Laboratory evaluation, purpose of production and utilization of cattle manure in enset (Ensete ventricosum) based mixed production systems of Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia
November 2020
The study was conducted in four districts of Gurage zone in Sothern Ethiopia to determine the N, P, K, organic carbon and nitrogen of cattle manure. Seventy two households, 36 from highland and 36 from midaltitude were randomly selected from a total of 360 sample households selected for the study. Around 88.05% of farmers in the study areas were keeping cattle for high demand of manure to fertilize enset fields and for...
Metagenomic assessment of the rumen resistome, mobilome and stress response genes in smallholder dairy cattle in Kenya
November 2020
Smallholder dairy cattle rumen microbiotas are subjected to a wide range of antimicrobials as well as sudden fluctuations in diets. As such, they develop an enormous reservoir of resistant genes, mobilome and stress response genes. However, information on metagenomic reactions to such dietary variations, especially for cattle reared in the tropics, remains largely unexplored. This meta-analysis was conducted to assess...
Native chicken farming: A tool for wealth creation and food security in Benin
November 2020
Poultry is the second largest livestock in Benin (contributing to 22% of the total meat produced), and chickens are the most reared poultry in the country. The objective of this study was to assess the current trends of local chicken breeding and factors that influence their production performance, and thereby to deliver information for production improvement and sustainable use of indigenous chicken breeds. An...
Rabbit production practices in Kiambu County, Kenya
October 2020
To document current rabbit management practices in Kiambu County, a survey using structured questionnaire was undertaken in 45 farms identified using snow ball sampling technique. Data collected were subjected to descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that the majority of the respondents (57.8%) kept more than 10 does while the most prevalent breed was New Zealand White (82.2%). The main purpose of keeping rabbits...
Cattle crossbreeding for sustainable milk production in the tropics
October 2020
Crossbreeding has been used to improve milk production performance of local cattle in the tropics. Crossbreeding exploits additive and non-additive allele gene effects leading to improvements in lactation length, decrease in calving interval, higher milk yields and early age of calving of cows and potentially increasing producer incomes. Varying levels of success have been reported for various crossbreeding programmes...
Urban dairy production and waste management in Oromia special zone around Finfine, Ethiopia
October 2020
The survey was conducted to assess urban dairy production and waste management system in Oromia Special Zone around Finfinnee, Ethiopia. The three study towns (Burayu, Sululta and Sebeta) were purposively selected due to the high potential for commercial dairy production. A total of 90 commercial dairy producers 30 from each town who at least own 10 dairy cows were randomly selected. The farmers interviewed individually...
Assessment on artificial insemination service delivery system, challenges and opportunities of artificial insemination services in cattle production in Western zone of Tigray Region, Ethiopia
October 2020
The aim of the survey was to assess artificial insemination (AI) service delivery system and identify the challenges and opportunities of AI service in cattle production in Western Zone of Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Twenty Kebeles (lowest administrative units) and 353 respondents were purposively involved in face-to-face interview. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and mainly summarized by frequency and percentages....
An assessment of the role of proper health management in reducing goat mortality in Kraals: A case of Napak District in Eastern Uganda
September 2020
Poor animal health is reported as one of the major constraints of goat production leading to mortality in pastoral areas like Karamoja Sub-Region in Eastern Uganda. Based in Napak District, this study was aimed at gaining an understanding of the role of proper health management in reducing goat mortality in Kraals. Through convenience sampling, 312 pastoralists out of 388 who own animals in community kraals were...
Breeding of goats: An indigenous approach to enhancing opportunities for smallholder farmers in Inyathi, Zimbabwe
August 2020
In Zimbabwe, at least 97% of the national goat herd is owned by smallholder indigenous farmers. The farmers rarely breed the goats for commercial purposes despite the fact that the country has potential to export goat products. Common breeds in Zimbabwe include the Matabele goats, Mashona goats, Boer goats and the Kalahari goats. With this diversity of the goats’ population, there is need to move from subsistence...
Effect of nutritional flushing on reproductive and body weight performance of Abergelle goat does
June 2020
This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of flushing on the reproductive and body weight change on Abergelle breed does. The study indicated that a mix of 300 or 450 g wheat bran (WB) with 50 g noug seed cake (NSC) flushed per day improved the does’ conception rate (70 to 80%) and kidding rate (70%); while does flushed with low concentrate level (150 g WB plus 50 g NSC) or those not flushed had poor and reduced...
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