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Tazegzawth: Characterization of an Algerian Sheep Breed. This paper aims at, firstly, highlighting the morpho-biometric characteristics of the Tazegzawth sheep breed, and, secondly, describing the sheep farmers profile and their farming practices. The study was carried out in Kabylie (Algeria) which is the breed cradle of Tazegzawth sheep. The survey concerned 16 breed farmers located in the Wilayas of Bejaia and Tizi-Ouzou. Each of the 85 sheep (24 rams and 61 ewes) was characterized and profiled. The study indicated that sheep farming is a diversification activity and not a specialized activity. Other breeds and species are kept by the farmers. Due to the sharing of grazing areas between farmers, anarchic matings occurred contributing to the Tazegzawth breed's decline. Farmers involved in this study were male having on average 12.13±3.84 livestock heads per household. All the farmers used local resources as supplement feeding: organic waste, crop leftovers, hay and olive foliage, ash, elm, oak and fig foliage. Average live weight of males (68.48±1.12 kg) were highly significantly higher (p-value

Effects of genetic and non-genetic factors on growth performance in Azawak cattle in Niger. Description of the subject. The effects of both non-genetic factors and of genetic parameters on the growth traits of Azawak cattle in Niger were estimated from performance data collected on animals raised in the Toukounous animal breeding station. Objectives. Following on from the results obtained, a model to predict breeding values of breeding stocks is to be developed. Method. The influence of non-genetic factors and of genetic parameters was estimated using a fixed effects linear model and a multi character animal model (REML), respectively. Results. Sex, season and year of birth, and their interactions had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on weight from birth to 20 months and average daily gains from birth to 12 months (ADG12) and to 18 months (ADG18). Heritability was moderate for birth weight (0.20) and for weight at 12, 14 and 20 months (0.15 to 0.43), whereas it was higher for weight at 13 months (0.61), ADG12 (0.58) and ADG18 (0.44). Genetic correlations between weights and gains were low to high, and they decreased gradually as the interval between weighing increased. All genetic correlations were positive except those between ADG12 and weight at 17 months and between ADG12 and ADG18. Environmental correlations followed the same trends as genetic correlations. Conclusions. Heritability of weight and gains was moderate to high, indicating that an improvement in meat production could be obtained from selection according to growth performance.

Description of the subject. Dietary fiber is largely used in pig production but some contradictions appear in the literature regarding the effects on performance and health. Objectives. This paper aims to contribute to the clarification of the effects of a diet rich in sugar beet pulp on animal behavior, growth performance, carcass quality and gut health of fattening pigs. Method. Two successive batches of 24 fattening pigs were each divided into two groups fed ad libitum either a standard diet based on cereals (STD, 19% NSP [non-starch-polysaccharides]) or a fibrous diet based on 23% sugar beet pulp (HFD, 31% NSP). Results. Pigs activity rate and feeder occupancy duration were increased by 57% and 165% for group fed HFD, respectively (P < 0.05). The fecal bacteria counts showed increases with HFD for Lactobacillus (10.21 vs 9.84 log10 of cfu·g-1 of feces dry matter, P < 0.05) and Bifidobacterium (9.49 vs 8.88, P < 0.01) but decreases for Enterobacteriaceae (4.85 vs 5.97, P < 0.001). Reductions of the average daily gain (788 vs 876 g per day, P < 0.001) and the dressing percentage (75.7 vs 78.9%, P < 0.001) were observed with HFD. Gastric lesion score was decreased with HFD (0.82 vs 1.55, P < 0.05). For pigs fed HFD, the proportion of surface area occupied by goblet cells was increased in the jejunum (10.06 vs 7.99%, P < 0.01) and the number of CD3 lymphocytes was increased in the colon (1.24 vs 0.90·mm-², P < 0.05). Conclusions. HFD contributes to strengthen the gut health of fattening pigs, but it impairs growth performance and carcass traits.

Soybean meal is the main source of protein in laying hens' diet that is generally imported. This study aims to explore the yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) "TM", and curcuma effects on laying hens' performances, and physical and nutritional eggs quality. One hundred laying hens were divided randomly into 4 groups. The first group (Control) received a standard commercial diet (SCD), while test groups (TM, TP, and TM-TP) received SCD with respectively 5% TM, 0.50 % curcuma, and 5% TM and 0.50% curcuma. According to the results, Control and TM reduced significantly hen's bodyweight in the experiment end. However, the curcuma incorporation and TM (TP and TM-TP) kept the stability of bodyweight during the whole period. No effect of diet was observed on feed intake and egg laying rate. Diet had a significant effect on eggs physical parameters (weight, freshness, thickness and rupture force). The mixture of TM and curcuma permitted eggs with good physical parameters. For nutritional quality of eggs, all groups had the same content of ALA and DHA. However, eggs of group receiving a mixture of TM and curcuma had the lowest cholesterol content. Thus, TM and curcuma could reduce soybean importation dependence with improving eggs quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Genetic erosion has a great risk for local goat genetic resources around the world and in Algeria. This study is aimed to verify the homogeneity of Arabia goat through multivariate analysis. A total of 111 females aged three years or more were involved. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Classification Analysis (HCA) were conducted on 14 quantitative variables. Furthermore, 7 body indices were calculated. Through the PCA, the three first factorial components accounted for 60.50% of the total variability (31.02, 20.04 and 9.44%, respectively). HCA allowed classifying the Arabia population into three groups that differ significantly (p=0.05): the group 1 (n=30, 27.03% of the total) is constituted by the smallest goats, the group 2 (n=56, 50.45% of the total) is characterized by the highest values of body length, height at withers and chest circumference and finally the group 3 (n=25, 22.52% of the total) is characterized by the highest values of width measurements and canon circumference. Morphology indices calculated did not show a significant difference between the three groups for cephalic index, body index, body length index and thoracic development index. About body ratio, chest dactyl index, and canon thickness index, a significant difference was shown especially with group 3. This work highlighted the non-existent of morphometric similarity in Arabia breed of Laghouat region (Algeria). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanisation in developing countries entails deep changes in the livestock sector and the management of animal genetic resources (AnGR). Sheep breeding around Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) illustrates these changes and the need to coordinate genetic improvement in general and the use of crossbreeding in particular. For this, it is important to understand breeders' choices and improvement strategy, to accompany them within a national plan for AnGR management. In a context of missing market for breeding rams, a stated choice experiment was conducted with 137 farmers, together with a characterisation of herd management practices. This survey analyses farmers' preferences for breeding rams, estimating their willingness to pay (WTP) for different traits (attributes). Their practices were characterised by a high reliance on natural pastures (82% of farmers) and a minority of crossbreeding (23%). The highest WTP was observed for disease resistance. However, the subgroup of farmers practicing crossbreeding showed a tolerance to high susceptibility. A strong preference for the white colour was revealed. Although significant, the influence of sheep body size on decision-making showed a lesser importance, again with a distinct behaviour in the subgroup practicing crossbreeding. These results illustrate the need to take account of the diversity of goals and preferences among smallholder sheep keepers to gain their adhesion to a coordinated genetic improvement framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted between May 2013 and August 2014 in three provinces of Vietnam to investigate financial impacts of swine diseases in pig holdings in 2010-2013. The aim of the study was to quantify the costs of swine diseases at producer level in order to understand swine disease priority for monitoring at local level. Financial impacts of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome ( PRRS), foot and mouth disease ( FMD), and epidemic diarrhoea were assessed for 162 pig holders in two Red River Delta provinces and in one Mekong River Delta province, using data on pig production and swine disease outbreaks at farms. Losses incurred by swine diseases were estimated, including direct losses due to mortality (100% market value of pig before disease onset) and morbidity (abortion, delay of finishing stage), and indirect losses due to control costs (treatment, improving biosecurity and emergency vaccination) and revenue foregone (lower price in case of emergency selling). Financial impacts of swine diseases were expressed as percentage of gross margin of pig holding. The gross margin varied between pig farming groups ( P < 0.0001) in the following order: large farm ( USD 18 846), fattening farm ( USD 7014) and smallholder ( USD 2350). The losses per pig holding due to PRRS were the highest: 41% of gross margin for large farm, 38% for fattening farm and 63% for smallholder. Cost incurred by FMD was lower with 19%, 25% and 32% of gross margin of pig holding in large farm, fattening farm and smallholder, respectively. The cost of epidemic diarrhoea was the lowest compared to losses due to PRRS and FMD and accounted for around 10% of gross margin of pig holding in the three pig farming groups. These estimates provided critical elements on swine disease priorities to better inform surveillance and control at both national and local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]