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Probiotics are live microorganisms, and when administered in sufficient amounts they grant health benefits to the host. This study was designed to determine the effects of a graded dose of probiotics on packed cell volume (PCV) live body weight and semen characteristics of the rabbit buck. Twelve healthy adult rabbit bucks were purchased and kept in the Laboratory Animal Research Unit of the Large Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri. The animals were randomly grouped into four A, B, C and D. Groups A, B and C rabbits were supplemented in their feeds with probiotics at the dose of 300 g, 200 g, and 100 g respectively. Group D, served as control and fed only a basal diet without probiotics throughout the research period. Drinking water was provided ad libitum throughout the study period. Thereafter, blood samples were collected aseptically via the ear vein once every week for six weeks and the live body weight of each rabbit in all the groups was measured with weighing balance once every week for six weeks. At the end of the six weeks, the rabbit bucks were aseptically prepared for orchidectomy and their testes were used for evaluation of gonadal and extragonadal sperm reserves. The results reveal that the (PCV) and the live body weight were significant (P ˂ 0.05) among the treated groups when compared to the control (group D). However, the Gonadal morphometric gonadal and extragonadal sperm reserves were not significant (p ˃ 0.05) among the treated groups when compared to the control (group D). In conclusion, Probiotics have the potential and influence on the (PCV) and live body weight of the rabbits in a dose-dependent manner, with no significant effects on the semen characteristics of the rabbits bucks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Trypanosoma evansi the cause of Surra is an important haemoprotozoan disease of economic importance that affect wide range of host. The study aimed at assessing the prevalence of T. evansi in cattle in Borno and Gombe states, Nigeria. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 455 apparently healthy cattle in the study areas and examined for T. evansi using thin stained blood smears and haematocrit centrifuge techniques. Results: An overall prevalence rate of 11.8 % and 9.0%, were detected in Gombe and Borno States, respectively. Yamaltu Deba local government area recorded higher prevalence of 6.9% than 2.0% in Gombe (LGA) of Gombe State, while Konduga LGA recorded higher prevalence of 4.2% than the 1.6% in Jere LGA of Borno State. The White Fulani breed had higher prevalence of 11.1% compared to 0.7% for Bokoloji in Gombe State. While in Borno State, the Red Bororo recorded higher prevalence of 6.1% than 2.9% in Wadara. Based on age, the adult recorded higher prevalence of 8.4% and 7.6% in Borno and Gombe States, respectively, compared to the younger ones. Moreover, the prevalence of T. evansi based on sex of cattle revealed higher prevalence rate in male (15.2%) compared to the female (9.0%) in Gombe State, while higher in female (12.4%) compared to male cattle (6.3%) in Borno State. The association between breed, age, sex and the prevalence of infection was not significant (p > 0.05). Significance: This study will assist in providing reference data on the prevalence of T. evansi in cattle in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease of sheep and goats with as high as 90% morbidity and 80% mortality rates. Although, its substantial economic consequences are reported in goats worldwide, there are currently little information regarding abortion cases in PPR endemic areas in Nigeria. This study investigated occurrences of abortion among PPR infected goats in Yola North and Askira Uba local government areas of Adamawa and Borno States respectively. The study involved analysis of clinical case records of two thousand Sahel goats (n = 2000) procured as part of a livestock restocking program by a government agency. The goats were purchased from local markets and held in quarantine for 2 weeks during which PPR infection was monitored. In the study, a fast spreading infection characterized by severe dehydration, respiratory difficulty, pyrexia, depression, anorexia, nasal and ocular discharges and death of many infected goats informed a suspicion of PPR infection. The number of abortions, mortality and age of the animals were recorded during the investigation. Data were organized in a 2×2 contingency table and analyzed using Chi-square. The overall mortality in both populations was 42% and the occurrence of abortion was 1% and 3% in Yola North and Askira Uba holding sites respectively. The proportion of abortions did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between both populations but there was a positive association indicated as r = 0.4264 and 0.4638 between the occurrence of abortion and mortality in Yola North and Askira Uba holding sites respectively. In addition, the severity in clinical manifestation of the disease appeared higher in younger goats (< 1 years) than the adult ones. These findings suggest that PPR infection could be associated with abortions in goat flocks found in these PPR endemic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semen collection in birds was initially achieved either via post-mortem drainage of the vas deferens or by cloacal retrieval after natural mating. Current techniques do not exclude stress and risk of injury during restraint or milking, especially in domestic turkeys. The present study was designed to develop more convenient methods of semen collection in turkeys. It involved five (n = 5) matured turkey toms weighing approximately 12 - 15 kg and two (n = 2) turkey hens. In the improved collection method, toms were stimulated by exposing them to hens, covered using a locally constructed wooden box. They were allowed to mount until there was evidence of ejaculatory response, demonstrated by increased abdominal pressure and cloacal contraction. After mounting, the tail feathers were lifted, and a collection vial was placed immediately below the cloaca to collect the ejaculates. In the modified abdominal massage, the turkey toms were restrained on sterna recumbency while the ejaculatory response was initiated by gently massaging the soft part of the abdomen and backward massage of the tail feathers. This is continued by rubbing either side of the cloaca till erection is achieved and semen is milked into a collection vial by gently squeezing the cloaca. Collections were made twice a week for four weeks using each method independently. The mean semen volume in the improved collection method was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the modified abdominal massage. There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in motility, abnormalities and concentration between both methods. The results from this study suggest that both collection methods were satisfactory for practical use and may offset some challenges associated with the most widely used abdominal massage technique of semen collection in turkeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semen characteristics of Uda sheep and the effects of the egg yolk and coconut milkbased extenders on the quality of semen preserved at 4 0C and -196 0C were evaluated. Semen was collected from six Uda rams using an electro-ejaculator twice a week for ten weeks. Fresh semen samples were pooled and analyzed macroscopically and microscopically. The pooled semen was divided into 2 aliquots. One aliquot was extended in OviPlus® and egg yolk. The second aliquot was extended with OviPlus® and coconut milk. Each of the aliquots was further subdivided into 2 parts and evaluated microscopically. One part was chilled at 4 0C and evaluated for the same parameters after extension at 24, 48 and 72 hours. Second part was loaded into 0.25 ml plastic straws for cryopreservation at -196 ℃ and analyzed after 24 hours. The post thaw spermatozoa motility, livability and morphological abnormalities were determined at 24, 48 and 72 hours. The motility and concentration of freshly collected Uda semen were 81.7 ± 1.7 % and 3.2 ± 0.3 ×109/ml respectively. After extension, the motility decreased significantly (P < 0.05) from 82 % at 3 hours to 17 % at 72. The percentage live spermatozoa of the chilled semen did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between the two extenders. Post thaw spermatozoa motility and livability were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) between the post-thaw proportions of morphological abnormalities, between semen preserved at 4 0C and the frozen-thawed semen. In conclusion, semen motility, livability, and morphological abnormalities of Uda ram are equally preserved in coconut milk and egg yolk-based extenders at 4 0C up to 24 hours post extension. However, semen motility and livability were significantly reduced in the Uda semen earlier cryopreserved at - 196 0C after thawing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey production is an important and highly profitable business in agricultural industry with a rising global demand for its products. However in Nigeria, turkey production remained at the smallholder level, receiving little attention compared to other birds such as chicken. The objective of this study therefore, was to assess the level of turkey production, management practices, breeding characteristics, consumption pattern and associated challenges in Maiduguri and its environs. A total of two hundred (200) turkey farmers were randomly selected, interviewed and served with structured questionnaire within the study areas. It was observed that high cost of feed negatively affects farmers in venturing into turkey production. However, diseases particularly turkey pox was also a major challenge militating against turkey production amongst the interested individuals. The result further indicates that semi-intensive management system was the predominant method of management adopted by small-scale turkey keepers in the study areas. Most of the respondents within the study areas have little or no knowledge of artificial insemination techniques in turkey breeding, but they are interested in the assisted reproductive technology. Those involved in turkey farming were mostly young to middle aged people that require technical and financial support, encouragement and special training on contemporary turkey farming and artificial insemination. Few farmers in the study area consumed turkey meat, while majority sold the bird and others consumed the eggs. In conclusion, turkey farming is relatively a new poultry enterprise in the study area. Those involved in turkey farming were mostly young to middle aged people that require technical and financial support, encouragement and special training on contemporary turkey farming and artificial insemination. Problems of disease management and prevention together with lack of capital and high cost of feed were observed to be the major factors limiting turkey production in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study compares the number and diameter of the corpora lutea (CL), plasma progesterone concentrations and follicular development in PGF2α and CIDR synchronized estrus cycle, their subsequent estrus cycles, and in unsynchronized, naturally cycling Boer x Feral crossbred goats. The PGF2α group was synchronized with a double intramuscular injection of 125 µg cloprostenol 11 days apart, the progesterone group was synchronized with CIDR left in place for 17 days, while the third group was not synchronized and served as control. All the estrus synchronized goats ovulated and formed normal CL while 25% in the subsequent estrus cycle and 50% of the naturally cycling goats did not ovulate and hence might be a cause of reduced fertility in the goats. The diameter of the CL, and the plasma progesterone concentration between the PGF2α synchronized (11.9±0.5 mm; 3.51±0.19 ng/ml) and their subsequent estrus cycle (12.0±0.4 mm; 3.22±0.71 ng/ml), as well as between CIDR synchronized (12.3±0.4 mm; 5.98±1.11 ng/ml) and subsequent estrus cycle (12.5±0.8 mm; 4.25±1.37 ng/ml) were not significantly different (P>0.05) but were higher than in the unsynchronized goats (9.3±3.8 mm; 2.99±s1.64 ng/ml). The day of emergence and duration of follicular waves, as well as the maximum diameter attained by the largest follicle in the follicular waves was unaffected irrespective of whether PGF2α or CIDR was used for estrus synchronization. This indicated that the morphology and function of the CL did not influence these aspects of follicular development in non-seasonally polyestrus Boer crossbred goats in the humid tropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the present study were to determine presence of immunoreactive progestins in feces, correlate fecal progestins with plasma progesterone (P4) concentrations and subsequently assess the role of fecal progestins in monitoring estrous cycle in Kedah Kelantan (KK) beef cows. A total of 12 cycling cows were subjected to blood and matched fecal sampling twice a week for 9 weeks. The concentrations of plasma P4 and fecal progestins extracted using a modified technique, were determined by a P4 radioimmunoassay (RIA) kit. There was a significant positive correlation between the concentrations of fecal progestins and plasma P4 (r = 0.6, P<0.01), as tested for the whole group except one animal. High performance liquid chromatographic separation of fecal extracts and subsequent radioimmunoassay revealed presence of four immunoreactive progestins against the P4 antibodies. These results imply that the non-invasive measure of fecal progestins using a DSL-3900 RIA kit can be used to monitor the ovarian activity in beef cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve Boer goat semen quality during cryopreservation process, the influence of sugar supplementation on semen characteristics of sperm were investigated. Three experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of (a) addition of two monosaccharides (fructose and glucose) and two disaccharides sugars (trehalose and sucrose) (b) sugar combination (fructose and trehalose, sucrose and trehalose, glucose and trehalose), and control (glucose without trehalose) (c) different concentrations of trehalose on cryopreservation using Tris based extender. The total motility, forward motility, viability, normal spermatozoa, acrosome integrity and membrane integrity were assessed subjectively. Differences were not detected among monosaccharides, but glucose increased (P<0.05) sperm forward motility in post-thaw goat semen compared to trehalose or sucrose supplementation. Semen quality did not differ (P>0.05) among disaccharide sugar supplementation. Combination of glucose and trehalose significantly improved the characteristics of Boer spermatozoa after cryopreservation (P<0.05). Supplementation of trehalose (198.24mM) into the glucose extender significantly increased total motility, forward motility, live spermatozoa, acrosome integrity and membrane integrity following cryopreservation (P<0.05). In conclusion, glucose had the better ability to support Boer sperm motility and movement patterns. Combination of monosaccharide (glucose) and disaccharide (trehalose) improved semen quality following cryopreservation. Trehalose supplementation at the concentration of 198.24mM to the glucose extender conferred the greater improvement of semen quality for Boer semen cryopreservation., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)