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The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of local chicken ecotypes from Burkina Faso using microsatellite markers. A total of 71 individuals representing local chicken populations from the Centre-East (18), Centre-North (17), Sahel (18) and South-West (18) were used to estimate genetic diversity indices, population structure and phylogenetic relationships using 20 selected polymorphic microsatellite markers. The number of alleles, mean number of alleles, mean of observed and expected heterozygosity and polymorphic information content were 127, 6.35, 0.391, 0.521, 0.539 and 0.541, respectively. The estimated overall fixation index between loci (F), among populations (FIS) and inbreeding coefficient within chicken ecotypes were 0.239, 0.267 and 0.243, respectively. Analysis of the molecular variance revealed that 77% of the total genetic diversity was attributed to within-population variation and the remaining 1% and 22% were attributed to among-regions differentiation (FST) and among-individual differentiation (FIT), respectively. The highest pairwise genetic distance (0.026) was found between the local Konde ecotype and those from the Centre-North region while the lowest distance was observed between local chickens from the Sahel and the Centre-North regions (0.003). Neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree and principal component discriminant analyses confirmed the observed genetic distances between populations. The results show that local chickens in Burkina Faso have a rich genetic diversity with little differentiation between the studied populations. This study provides important information on measures of genetic diversity that could help in the design and implementation of future genetic improvement and conservation programs for local chickens in Burkina Faso.

This study aims to assess the status of agriculture mechanization in the Hauts Bassins Region (HBR) of Burkina Faso and elicit demand levels for machine services via a survey of 946 farm households. Overall, animal traction remains the primary means of land preparation while small engines are widely used for threshing and winnowing. Labor saving from engine power is greatest for harvest activities. Willingness to pay (WTP) elicitation suggests that access to machines remains a key concern. The mean WTP for custom hire tractor plowing, 28,409 CFA ($48), was 36% higher than reported rental costs, and approximately 30% of the sample not using custom hire plowing services were willing to pay the prevailing price. Further, farmers in households with high proportions of women and children were least likely to use and demand tractor services, while irrigators had the highest stated demand.

Cette étude a eu pour objectif d’évaluer l’état corporel, la force et la vitesse de traction de bœufs de trait afin d’évaluer leurs conditions d’utilisation et proposer des pistes d’amélioration de la traction animale. Pour ce faire, deux villages ont été identifiés dans trois provinces de la Région des Hauts-Bassins (Houet, Tuy et Kénédougou), soit au total 6 villages. Dans chaque village, 8 paires de bœufs de trait en situation de travail ont été sélectionnées auprès des producteurs préalablement inclus dans l’enquête de base du projet mécanisation agricole appropriée (ASMC-USAID), soit au total 96 bœufs de trait. Nos résultats révèlent que 75 % des bœufs de la Région des Hauts-Bassins avait une force de traction pouvant réaliser le labour et les autres opérations culturales. Cependant, la vitesse de traction a été inférieure à la norme et a varié autour de 0,64 ± 0,03 m/s. Quant à la note d’état corporel (NEC), 71,9 % des bœufs de trait ont obtenu des valeurs comprises entre 3 et 4. Des efforts doivent être entrepris à l’échelle de la Région pour que la totalité des bœufs de trait ait une bonne NEC et une force adéquate pour le labour afin d’impacter positivement les productions agricoles., Evaluation of the traction force and speed of draught oxen using a digital dynamometer at the beginning of the agricultural season in Burkina FasoThe objective of this study was to evaluate the body condition score, traction force and speed of draft oxen in order to assess their conditions of use and propose ways to improve animal traction. Two villages in each province (Houet, Tuy and Kénédougou) of the Hauts-Bassins Region were identified, for a total of 06 villages. In each village, 08 pairs of draught oxen were selected from producers previously included in the baseline survey of the appropriate agricultural mechanization project (ASMC-USAID), for a total of 96 pairs of draught oxen. All oxen included in the experiment were currently working on field. Our results reveal that 75 % of the cattle in the Hauts-Bassins Region had a traction force capable of carrying out ploughing and other farming operations. However, the traction speed was below the standard values and varied around 0.64 ± 0.03 m/s. As for the body condition score (BCS), 71.9 % of oxen recorded values between 3 and 4. Efforts must be made at the regional level to ensure that all draught oxen had a good BCS and adequate ploughing force to have a positive impact on agricultural production

Objectif : L’objectif de l’étude était d’évaluer l’effet d’une complémentation stratégique valorisant les ressources localement disponibles, durant le pré et le post-partum des vaches, sur leurs performances de production laitière, l’évolution pondérale des veaux et la réduction de l’intervalle vêlage-vêlage des mères. Méthodologie et résultats : Trois traitements ont été réalisés avec un effectif total de 60 vaches dont 20 vaches complémentées avec du tourteau de coton, du son de maïs, des pierres à lécher et de l’eau de boisson ad libitum) avant et après vêlage (lot VCAAV), 20 vaches complémentées seulement après vêlage (lot VCAV) et 20 autres non complémentées (lot VNC). La production moyenne de lait trait a varié significativement d’un traitement à l’autre (VCAAV = 4,95 ± 0,70 litres; VCAV = 4,14 ± 0,50 litres; VNC = 3,42 ± 0,71 litres). A la naissance (PMN), le poids moyen des veaux issus du lot VCAAV était de 26,92 kg, tandis que celui des lots VCAV et VNC était de 18 kg, soit une différence moyenne de 09 kg. Enfin, les VCAAV sont revenues en chaleur trois mois en moyenne contre cinq mois et plus en moyenne pour les VCAV et les VNC. Conclusion et application des résultats : La production laitière des vaches peut être améliorée en saison sèche par une complémentation stratégique avant et après mise-bas avec des ressources alimentaires localement disponibles telles que le tourteau de coton, le son de maïs, les pierres à lécher et de l’eau de boisson ad libitum). La complémentation a permis non seulement une augmentation de la productivité, mais aussi une augmentation du poids des veaux avant et après vêlage et une réduction sensible de l’intervalle vêlage-vêlage. Ce qui est un objectif fondamental pour le producteur de lait qui veut toujours un veau par vache par an. Mots clés : Vaches, complémentation pré et post-partum, quantité lait, poids veaux, intervalle vêlagevêlage.

Carapa procera is a native tree which seeds are intensively used for oil extraction. So this study deals with the identification of secondary metabolites, the toxicity and cytotoxicity of C. procera hydroalcohol extracts and their estrogenic and androgenic activities. The chemical constituents of C. procera extracts were determined by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) methods. The toxicity and cytotoxicity were respectively evaluated by the OECD Guideline 425 “Up and Down procedure” (UDP) and the brine shrimp lethality test. Estrogenic and androgenic activities were evaluated by uterotrophic and Hershberger tests and also by in vitro tests, with the yeast assay and MVLN luceferase assay. The MeOH/H2O extracts of C. procera seeds revealed the presence of steroidal glycosides, triterpene, flavonoids and polyphenols. The DCM fraction revealed the presence of triterpene esters & steroid and carotenoids. The MeOH/H2O has, by in vivo tests, slight toxic effects with mice and shows a lethal effect against the crustacean larvae by in vitro test. The extracts of C. procera seeds also show, by in vivo and in vitro tests an estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities. The results show with the presence of flavonoids, polyphenols and glycosides steroids estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities. The seeds of C. procera contain some phytochemicals, which can disrupt or reinforce endocrine function.Keywords: Carapa procera, native oil tree, seeds, toxicity, estrogenic, antiandrogenic

In Burkina Faso as in several African countries, diabetes is becoming a very serious disease and public concern. Patients use both drugs and plants for treatment. Thus, Combretum molle and Pericopsis laxiflora have been identified as plants used in Burkina Faso for the treatment of that disease. The aim of the study was to assess phytochemical components and antioxidant activities of those plants in order to highlight why diabetes patients refer to them. The phytochemical analysis of water, ash quantification and screening were done using the standard methods; the antioxidant activities of the ethanolic extract against 2, 2-diphenyl-1- picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO) and hydroxyl radical were performed using colorimetric or spectrophotometric methods. The Inhibitory Concentration (IC) was determined using GraphPad Prism version 5. The results showed 6.76±0.076% and 7.52±0.015% of water contents in Combretum molle and Pericopsis laxiflora, respectively. The ash content was 3.41±0.35% for Combretum molle and 3.87±0.15% for Pericopsis laxiflora. The screening revealed the presence of tannins, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and saponins in both plant materials. However, alkaloids were found in Pericopsis laxiflora and hydrolysables tannins and heterosides cardiotonics in Combretum molle. The IC50 for the extract plant of Combretum molle was 42 μg/mL and that of the Pericopsis laxiflora was 44.15 μg/mL for DPPH radical. The antioxidant effect of the extract plant of Combretum molle was 216 μg/mL and the extract plant of Pericopsis laxiflora was 225 μg/mL on the nitric oxide radical. It was concluded that the presence of tannins, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, saponin, alkaloids and cardiotonic heterosides, explains why traditional medicine uses both plants together to treat certain diseases. However, further investigations of the pharmacological potential for diabetes treatment are needed.© 2015 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Phytochemical, antioxidant activities, Combretum molle, Pericopsis laxiflora, Burkina Faso

The overall aim of the present thesis was to improve milk production and milking routines in Burkina Faso. There is a long tradition of keeping livestock in Burkina Faso and there are large numbers of cattle in the country. However, Burkina Faso today depends on the import of meat and milk, and the domestic production is greatly in need of improvement. The first in this thesis study was a survey that aimed to investigate the current situation in dairy farming and milk processing in periurban areas of Burkina Faso. Two experimental studies and two field studies were designed to answer questions arising from the survey. Day-to-day variation in milk yield and milk composition was determined in ten multiparous Zebu cows. Three different hand-milking techniques identified in the survey were compared in twelve Zebu cows, milked by three different milkers. A milk recording pilot study was carried out on ten farms, with a total of 79 cows. Finally, milk hygiene was investigated along the dairy chain, from the cow to the dairy or market. The main constraints on milk production in peri-urban areas of Burkina Faso are low availability of feed and water, lack of selective breeding, milking management and lack of infrastructure. The milking routine was hand-milking and restricted suckling in both traditional and semi-intensive systems. The pilot milk recording data suggested it would be possible to improve milk production through selective breeding and that monthly milk recording would be useful for this purpose. The relative day-to-day variation in milk yield was much higher in hand-milked and restrictedly suckled cows (18-21%) than previously reported for machine milked cows (6-8%). Therefore, more frequent milk recording would be needed in order to use milk records for improving cow management. Three hand-milking techniques ("full hand grip", "thumb in" and "pull down") did not differ in their effects on teat treatment, milk yield or milk composition. However, different hand-milking techniques seemed to suit different milkers. Overall, low somatic cell counts were found in milk, which indicated good udder health. Milk was contaminated with bacteria directly after milking and the total bacteria count was dangerously high (10⁶-10⁷ cfu/ml) when the milk reached the consumers.