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Smoked fish quality depends on the fuel used for smoking. This study aimed to improve smoked fish quality using fruit peels, rice husks, and palm kernel charcoal (PCH) as fuels. Thirty fish (15 Atl...

Rural poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa remains a huge challenge despite the successive agricultural development policies, most of which have failed to involve stakeholders actively. The present rise of pork demand in Benin calls for an assessment of the swine value chain (VC) to envision its development. A participatory approach is here proposed to join this assessment to a stimulation of innovation among stakeholders. The approach is divided in four stages: i) identification of actors and direct links along the VC, ii) characterisation of innovation practices, iii) identification of bottlenecks and opportunities using innovation system framework, and iv) measurement of agreement among VC actors about constraints and value-added sharing, using proportional piling tool. A second survey, two full years after the first one, assessed the impact of actions conducted with VC actors. A typological analysis of innovation practices was conducted to define “innovation profiles” among each of the three main categories of actors: swine stockbreeders (n = 134), pork butchers (n = 45) and input suppliers (n = 25). Three innovation profiles were retained for each category, which may be understood as covering 2 distinct innovator profiles and one non-innovator profile. The profiles qualified as “innovators” accounted for 82%, 84%, and 76%, respectively in stockbreeders, pork butchers and input suppliers. The lack of professionalisation appeared to actors as the main constraint. The Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W) indicated that actors agreed to state that pork butchers gained the most part of the value-added, followed by input suppliers. The second survey showed favorable impacts of the approach and follow-up activities on exchanges and organisation within the VC. It is here advocated that the present participatory method, while characterising the value-chain in a rapid way, further sets the basis for the dialogue between actors and the stimulation of innovation along the VC, which can be further sustained through an exchange platform.

Horse mackerel and Atlantic mackerel are species often imported and sold in Benin in frozen form. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the break in cold chain on the technological and organoleptic qualities of these fish in south Benin. Thus, it was carried out from June to December 2016 in the Department of Atlantic and Littoral. For the study, fish samples (120 Atlantic mackerel and 120 Horse mackerel) were taken for laboratory analyzes. It appears that the weight of the whole fish, the weight of the eviscerated fish and the weight of the remains were significantly higher for the breaks of 6 hours than for the breaks of 3 hours and 12 hours. The fillet weight of fish at 6 hours (140.4g) of cold break was significantly higher than that at 3 hours (112g) of cold break. No influence of break in cold chain was observed on the yield, fillet yield, water content and pH. Whatever the break duration, the different weights recorded were significantly higher in Horse mackerel than in Atlantic mackerel. The various weights recorded in Atlantic mackerel with 3 and 12 hours of break were higher than those recorded with 6 hours of break. The red index was higher for the 6 hours of break than for the 12 hours of break (P

Objectives: The study aimed to search for E. coli O157 and non-O157 in milk, meat and faeces of cattle, sheep and pigs slaughtered in Cotonou. Methodology and Results: One hundred and Seventy-Five (175) samples including 25 meat, 25 faeces per species and 25 milk from cattle were analysed for E. coli O157; O26 and O111 and the virulence genes were identified by PCR. The SAS software (1998) and the bilateral Z test were used to calculate and compare the identification frequencies. E. coli O157 was identified in 4% of cattle faeces, 4% of sheep faeces, and 20% of beef and, in 20% of milk samples. E. coli O26 was identified in 12% of cattle faeces and, in 8% of beef samples. E. coli O111 was identified at frequencies of 8%, and 12% in faeces of sheep and pigs, respectively. The eae gene was detected in 4% of beef, ovine meat, milk, pig faeces and in sheep faeces. stx1 was detected in 8% of milk, and in 4% of bovine and sheep faeces. The strains possessing the gene were all of E. coli O157 with the exception of one from pig faeces identified as O111. Conclusions and application of findings: The presence of these serogroups of E. coli with virulence genes poses a real food safety problem in Benin. This study findings must be taken into account for risk assessment and management related to the consumption of food of animal origin. Keywords: Benin, E. coli O157, O26, O111, faeces, meat, milk

L’objectif de l’étude a été de décrire les critères de choix et de réforme des reproducteurs porcins au Bénin. Une enquête a été réalisée auprès de 65 éleveurs porcins. L’analyse factorielle des correspondances a été utilisée pour identifier des groupes d’éleveurs en fonction de leurs pratiques au niveau de chaque sexe. Le groupe 1 était composé en majorité de personnes non scolarisées élevant principalement des porcs locaux en liberté. Le groupe 2 était composé majoritairement d’éleveurs de niveau du primaire ou du secondaire. Le groupe 3 comprenait des éleveurs non scolarisés et de niveau du secondaire. Les éleveurs des groupes 2 et 3 utilisaient des races améliorées et des animaux croisés, en claustration. Les critères les plus utilisés pour le choix des mâles dans les élevages ont été l’état de santé, la conformation et les testicules très développés, le nombre de tétines, l’absence de défaut génétique, et la croissance. L’absence de défaut génétique a été plus utilisée dans les groupes 2 et 3, puis les testicules développés dans le groupe 1. Les critères les plus utilisés pour le choix des femelles dans les trois groupes ont été l’état de santé, la taille de la portée, les liens de parenté et la croissance des porcelets. La plupart de ces critères ont été moins utilisés dans le groupe 1. Les critères les plus utilisés pour la réforme des verrats ont été l’âge et la perte de libido. Les principaux critères de réforme des femelles âgées dans tous les groupes ont été le rang de portée et la baisse de la taille de la portée. Cette dernière a été plus utilisée dans les groupes 2 et 3. Pour conclure, les éleveurs disposaient de bons critères de choix et de réforme des reproducteurs qu’il faudrait améliorer afin d’augmenter leur productivité.

L’élevage porcin est très pratiqué au Sud-Bénin et implique une diversité de races ou de populations. L’objectif de l’étude était de caractériser les différents porcs sur le plan morphométrique et phénotypique. Ainsi, les données phénotypiques ont été collectées sur 149 porcs, dont 14 améliorés, 91 croisés et 44 locaux. Les porcs de type génétique local ont présenté des mesures morphologiques significativement inférieures (p < 0,05) à celles des porcs améliorés et des animaux issus des croisements entre les porcs améliorés et les porcs locaux. Les poils des porcs locaux étaient significativement plus courts (p < 0,05) que ceux des porcs améliorés et des croisés. La couleur de la robe a varié d’un type génétique à l’autre. La couleur la plus rencontrée a été le blanc uniforme, suivi du noir uniforme chez tous les types génétiques. Le profil de la tête était plus rectiligne chez les porcs locaux, et plus concave chez les porcs améliorés et chez les croisés. Les oreilles dressées étaient moins observées chez les croisés. Elles étaient orientées vers l’avant chez les porcs améliorés et chez les croisés alors qu’elles étaient dressées et orientées vers l’arrière chez les porcs locaux. La queue en tire-bouchon a été significativement (p < 0,05) plus présente chez les porcs améliorés que chez les porcs croisés, et elle a été plus présente chez ces derniers que chez les porcs locaux. La ligne dorsale droite a été davantage observée chez les porcs locaux et chez les croisés que chez les porcs améliorés chez lesquels la ligne était plus creuse. Les porcs croisés ont présenté une grande similarité avec les porcs améliorés.

Objetivou-se avaliar o perfil fermentativo, as perdas e a composição química da silagem de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã com diferentes aditivos. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições por tratamento e cinco tratamentos com diferentes aditivos, como segue: T1- controle sem aditivos; T2 - inoculante microbiano SiloMax Centurium (Matsuda); T3 - inoculante ênzimo microbiano Sil All C4 (Alltech do Brasil); T4 - fubá de milho (100 g kg-1 na matéria natural) e T5 - glicerina bruta (100 g kg-1 na matéria natural), totalizando 20 silos experimentais. A adição de fubá de milho elevou os teores de matéria seca (MS) e carboidratos não-fibrosos (CNF) com diminuição na fibra em detergente neutro (FDN). A maior perda de MS total (124,7 g kg-1) foi observado para a silagem sem aditivos, enquanto que a adição de fubá de milho reduziu as perdas de MS total (32,2 g kg-1). Os menores valores de pH foram observados nas silagens com fubá de milho e acidez titulável e os mais elevados nas silagens com glicerina bruta, bem como uma maior produção de ácido láctico. Recomenda-se a inclusão de fubá de milho em 100 g kg-1 de matéria natural, uma vez que fornece um melhor perfil fermentativo e composição química, além de reduzir as perdas de MS. Além disso, a inclusão de glicerina em 100 g kg-1 de matéria fresca mostrou-se como um aditivo com potencial de utilização.

The offal is well appreciated by consumers in sub-Saharan Africa and viscera are sold at the same price as the carcass meat. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess on the offal components yield of Lagunaire, Borgou and Zebu Fulani bulls raised on natural pasture and to examine the macroscopic lesions associated with potential hazards for the consumer. Offal was collected from the slaughterhouse of Cotonou-Porto-Novo in 40 Lagunaire, 71 Borgou and 110 Zebu Fulani bulls. The Zebu bulls offal weight and offal components weight were significantly higher than those of the Borgou bulls (p

Le faible niveau de production de lait du betail et la non maitrise des facteurs qui agissent generalement sur cette production, sont les principaux goulots d’etranglement pour la securite alimentaire dans le domaine du lait et des produits laitiers en Afrique de l’Ouest. Ces facteurs sont d’ordres genetique et non genetique et meritent d’etre elucides dans le cadre de l’amelioration de la production du lait des vaches. Cet article passe en revue les effets des principaux facteurs non genetiques (stade de lactation, rang de mise bas, saison de mise bas, alimentation, etc.) et genetiques (race, selection, croisement, etc.) sur la production de lait des races bovines en Afrique de l’Ouest. La contribution de la biotechnologie animale a la diffusion du progres genetique a ete egalement abordee. Cette synthese ressort au prealable l’origine, l’aire de distribution geographique et les performances des principales races bovines exploitees pour la production de lait en Afrique de l’Ouest. Mots cles: Bovin, lait, facteurs genetiques, facteurs non genetiques, Afrique de l’Ouest Performances of milk production of West Africa cattle breeds The low level of livestock milk production and the uncontrol of factors that generally affect the production are the main handicaps of food security in the milk products field in West Africa. These factors are genetic and non-genetic orders and should be understood in the context of cows’ milk production improvement. This scientific paper examines the effects of the main non-genetic factors (stage of lactation, rank calving, calving season, feeding etc) and genetic (breed, selection, crossing, etc). The animal biotechnology contribution for genetic progress spreading has been tackled. This synthesis first spring origin, geographic range and performance of the main breeds used for milk production in West Africa. Keywords: Cattle, milk, genetics factors, non genetics factors, West Africa

An epidemiological survey was undertaken from March to September 2010 to assess the prevalence and zoonotic aspects of scabies in small ruminants in two agro-ecological zones in southern Benin. Small ruminant (n = 444) smallholders and 1,807 of their animals (1,233 West African dwarf goats and 574 West African dwarf sheep) were included in the study. The animals underwent physical examination and, when scabies-like lesions were found, crusts and integument scrapings were collected for microscopic parasitological tests. The samples collected in each survey were coded in accordance with the owner-animal pairings in order to assess the degree of correlation between mange cases in humans (smallholders) and their animals. The overall prevalence of scabies was 28.33% and 9.5% in animals and smallholders (human cases) respectively. Infestations were significantly (p < 0.001) more frequent in goats (39.6%) than in sheep. The uniqueness of the etiological agent (Sarcoptes scabiei), the very high predictive value of human scabies in infected farms (83.67%) and a very high odds ratio (OR = 2,019.25) indicate that small ruminant scabies has been transmitted to smallholders by their animals. Close contact between these smallholders and their animals was a determining factor in this interspecies communicability of sarcoptic mange. Um estudo epidemiológico foi realizado entre março e setembro de 2010, a fim de determinar a prevalência e aspectos zoonóticos de sarna em pequenos ruminantes em duas zonas agroecológicas no Sul de Benin. Pequenos criadores (n = 444) de ruminantes e 1.807 dos seus animais (1.233 cabras e 574 ovelhas Djallonké) fizeram parte da amostra para o estudo. Os animais foram submetidos a um exame físico e, quando detectadas algumas suspeitas de lesões da sarna, crostas e amostras cutãneas foram colhidas para exames parasitológicos por microscopia de luz. As amostras colhidas em cada inquérito foram codificadas tendo como referência os donos dos animais, a fim de estabelecer/avaliar o grau de correlação entre os casos de incidência nos humanos (criadores) e os seus respectivos animais. A prevalência de sarna foi, respectivamente, 28,33% em animais e 9,5% entre os criadores (casos humanos). Infestações foram significativamente (p