THE EFFECTS OF THREE LEVELS OF UREA FERTILIZER AND THREE IRRIGATION SCHEDULES ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF GUINEA CORN (Sorghum bicolour (L) MOENCH) IN LAFIA, NIGERIA

¹Annu,U.J,   ¹NdorE. & ¹ Samuel,M

College of Agriculture Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Email: usmanannujibrin©gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Field experiment was conducted between February and April during the dry season of 2019, at the Research and Teaching Farm of College of Agriculture Lafia, Nasarawa state to “Asses the growth and yield response of an early sorghum variety using three levels of urea fertilizer and three irrigation schedule” The Red seeds of sorghum were sourced from Nasarawa Agricultural Development Programme, Lafia. (NADP).The treatments consisted of factorial combination of urea fertilizer at 3 levels (0 kg N, 40 kg N, 80 kg N), and three irrigation schedule,(1,2, and 3 days intervals). The treatments were laid out in split plot and were replicated two times. This was randomly arranged with each replication consisting of nine (9) plots. Each plot measured 1.5m². A space of 0.85cm was constructed between plots, with 1m inter plot boundary. Two seeds were planted per hole and were thinned to one plant per stand. Observations on growth and yield characters were taken and analyzed using Gemstat 12^th edition, and means were separated using DMRT. The result of the experiment revealed that the application of 40kg (1.2g) N (Urea) fertilizer alongside daily watering of the plants gave the best physiological growth, biomass weight, and seed yield. Higher interactions effect were found when 80kg (2.4g) N (urea) fertilizer was applied alongside daily application of water at vegetative growing stage

Keywords: Sorghum bicolor, Urea, Plant stand, irrigation schedule

SURVEY ON THE OCCURRENCE OF PORCINE HELMINTHOSIS IN SMALLHOLDER PIGS REARED IN WUKARI SOUTHERN SENATORIAL ZONE, TARABA STATE, NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA

Kontan, D.D¹, Nyiputen, T¹, Samson, H¹, Aleng, Z.J¹ andGlory, M¹

Department of Animal Health,

College of Agriculture P.M.B. 1025, Jalingo.  Taraba State, Nigeria

E-mail: dicksondicknwi@gmail.com 

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to determine the occurrence of porcine helminthosis in Wukari Local Government area of Taraba state, North-eastern Nigeria. Samples were collected from 203 pigs comprising of both young and adults of all sexes. The overall prevalence was 33.83%. A simple percentage analysis was carried out to ascertain the infection rates of these parasites. There was no significant difference in prevalence of infection. There was however, a significant difference in infection by sex. Male pigs (48.28%) had lower prevalence than the sows (51.72%). The study has a lot of health implications on the residents of the study area, because, a large proportion of them depend on pork as their main animal protein source. In this study, the adult pigs are found to be infected with a percentage positive of (56.16%) compared to their young ones that recorded an occurrence of (43.84%).The results also portend great economic loss by the pig farmers, who are mostly peasants. In addition, the farmers stand the risk of infection with A.suum, cysticercosis and could also serve as carriers of cysts and eggs. There is therefore, an urgent need for health education on the zoonotic nature of the disease by veterinarians and other Public Health stakeholders in the study area.

Keywords: Porcine, Helminthosis, Occurrence

PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER FINISHER CHICKEN FED GRADED LEVELS OF ZIZIPHUS-MAURITIANA FRUIT MEAL

B. J. Mufwa, Donald D. K, A. A. Maigari & I. D. Helen

Department of Animal Production

College of Agriculture Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria.

Email: mufwa@yahoo.com

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ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted to investigate the replacement of maize with Ziziphus-Mauritiana fruit meal in broiler finisher diet. One hundred and twenty anak 2000 broiler were used for the study, four diets were formulated using ZMFM at 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% in the diets respectively. The birds were randomly allotted to dietary treatment in a completely randomized design. Each treatment consists of thirty birds with ten birds per replicate. The experiment lasted for four weeks. Feed and water were given ad-Libitum. Data were collected on daily feed intake, average daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and carcass characteristics were also measured. Result revealed that broiler finisher fed 5% (ZMFM) were statistically higher (P˂0.05) in final weight than the birds fed 10% and 15% of the diet. The weight of the birds on control diet was slightly lower than that fed 5% diet. Result of average daily weight gain proved that at increasing levels of (ZMFM) the birds did not follow the trend of weight gain (P˂0.05) although the birds fed 5% (ZMFM) gained more weight. Results also showed that average daily feed intake did not differ (P˂0.05) significantly between the birds fed the different levels of (ZMFM) and the control diets. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broiler finisher differ (P˂0.05) significantly among the different6 treatment levels. However, no mortality was recorded. Results of carcass characteristics of broiler finisher fed graded levels of (ZMFM) revealed significantly (P˂0.05) differences in live weight, dressed weight, and thigh, drumstick and leg percent. However, the eviscerated weight, breast, back, wings, neck, head percent of live weight were not significantly (P˂0.05) different. Visceral organs of birds were statistically (P˂0.05) different in lungs percent of live weight, while all other visceral organs measured were not different. It was concluded that (ZMFM) can replace maize at 5% for better performance of broiler finisher.

Keywords: Performance, Carcass, Ziziphus-Maritiana Fruit Meal, Broiler Finisher.

SURVEY ON THE OCCURRENCE OF PORCINE HELMINTHOSIS IN SMALLHOLDER PIGS REARED IN WUKARI SOUTHERN SENATORIAL ZONE, TARABA STATE, NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA

Kontan, D.D¹, Nyiputen, T¹, Samson, H¹,Aleng, Z.J¹andGlory, M¹

Departmentof Animal Health,

College of Agriculture P.M.B. 1025, Jalingo.  Taraba State, Nigeria

E-mail:dicksondicknwi@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to determine the occurrence of porcine helminthosis in Wukari Local Government area of Taraba state, North-eastern Nigeria. Samples were collected from 203pigs comprising of both young and adults of all sexes. The overall prevalence was 33.83%. A simple percentage analysis was carried out to ascertain the infection rates of these parasites. There was no significant difference in prevalence of infection. There was however, a significant difference in infection by sex. Male pigs (48.28%) had lower prevalence than the sows (51.72%). The study has a lot of health implications on the residents of the study area, because, a large proportion of them depend on pork as their main animal protein source. In this study, the adult pigs are found to be infected with a percentage positive of (56.16%) compared to their young ones that recorded an occurrence of (43.84%).The results also portend great economic loss by the pig farmers, who are mostly peasants. In addition, the farmers stand the risk of infection with A.suum, cysticercosis and could also serve as carriers of cysts and eggs. There is therefore, an urgent need for health education on the zoonotic nature of the disease by veterinarians and other Public Health stakeholders in the study area.

Keywords: Porcine, Helminthosis, Occurrence

PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER FINISHER CHICKEN FED GRADED LEVELS OF ZIZIPHUS-MAURITIANA FRUIT MEAL

B. J. Mufwa, Donald D.K,A.A. Maigari &I.D. Helen

Department of Animal Production

College of Agriculture Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria.

Email: mufwa@yahoo.com

­­­­­­

ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted to investigate the replacement of maize with Ziziphus-Mauritiana fruitmeal in broiler finisher diet. One hundred and twenty anak 2000 broiler were used for the study, four diets were formulated using ZMFM at 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% in the diets respectively. The birds were randomly allotted to dietary treatment in a completely randomized design. Each treatment consists of thirty birds with ten birds per replicate. The experiment lasted for four weeks.Feed and water were given ad-Libitum. Data were collected on daily feed intake, average daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and carcass characteristics were also measured.Result revealed that broiler finisher fed 5% (ZMFM) were statistically higher (P˂0.05) in final weight than the birds fed 10% and 15% of the diet. The weight of the birds on control diet was slightly lower than that fed 5% diet. Result of average daily weight gain proved that at increasing levels of (ZMFM) the birds did not follow the trend of weight gain (P˂0.05) although the birds fed 5% (ZMFM) gained more weight.Results also showed that average daily feed intake did not differ (P˂0.05) significantly between the birds fed the different levels of (ZMFM) and the control diets. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broiler finisher differ (P˂0.05) significantly among the different6 treatment levels. However, no mortality was recorded. Results of carcass characteristics of broiler finisher fed graded levels of (ZMFM) revealed significantly (P˂0.05) differences in live weight, dressed weight, and thigh, drumstick and leg percent. However, the eviscerated weight, breast, back, wings, neck, head percent of live weight were not significantly (P˂0.05) different. Visceral organs of birds were statistically (P˂0.05) different in lungs percent of live weight, while all other visceral organs measured were not different. It was concluded that (ZMFM) can replace maize at 5% for better performance of broiler finisher.

Keywords: Performance, Carcass, Ziziphus-Maritiana Fruit Meal, Broiler Finisher.

IN-SITU-TRANSESTERIFICATION OF COTTONSEEDS OIL (GOSSYPIUM SPP) USING CaO DERIVED FROM EGG SHELL AS CATALYST

Y. Ibrahim,Abba Maman Manirou & Surajo Ali

Department of Chemistry and Physics, Umar Suleiman College of Education Gashua

Community Health Department, College of Health and Technology Nguru, Nigeria.

Email:ibrazuby@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

In-situ-transesterification of cottonseed oil (Gossypium spp) was carried out with 5g calcium oxide derived from egg shell as catalyst using soxhlet extraction apparatus and 1:1 of n-hexane to methanol. All the transesterification reactions were carried out at 60⁰C for 2 hrs. The results produced a biodiesel with 35.75% yield, water and sediment content 0.08%, density 0.85g/cm³, specific gravity 0.85, saponification value 16.83mgKOH/g, acid value 0.79mgKOH/g, iodine value 59.22I₂/100g, cetane number 357.28, and high heating value 47.85MJ/kg. The GC/MS results indicated the presence of tetradecanoic acid methyl ester, hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, 11-octadecenoic acid methyl ester, 6-octadecenoic acid (z)-methyl ester, octadecanoic acid methyl ester, n-hexadecanoic acid oleic acid and 2-ethyl-2-hexanal. Thus, the processing of cottonseed oil into methyl ester using soxhlet extraction method is recommended as it required low energy input as compare to conventional method.

Keywords: transesterification; biodiesel, cottonseed; GC/MS.