IMPROVEMENT OF CLAY SOIL CHARACTERISTIC USING RICEHUSK ASH AND LIME

Salihu Andaa Yunusa¹, Benjamin Adejoh² & Usman Ahmad³

Department of Civil Engineering,

Kaduna Polytechnic, Nigeria

Email:salihu.andaayunusa@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The characteristic of clay soil was improved in this research work. This was done in order to check the issue of strength variation, high plasticity, moisture absorption which affects the performance of clay when used for construction purposes. This research was confine to moisture content, specific gravity, C.B.R, compaction, consistency and compressive strength of clay soil. In this research different percentage of rice husk ash and lime were added as stabilizer for improving the characteristics of clay. 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% of rice husk ash and lime were added respectively. The laboratory test results revealed 6.0%-12% moisture content, 1.0-2.9 specific gravity, 37.83%-60.90% C.B.R, 71.66KN/m²-139.55KN/m² share stress, 21%-42% liquid limit, 9.7%-27.4% plastic limit, 10.4%-13.3% shrinkage limit, 7.2%-32.2% plasticity index, 1.52g/cm3-1.73g/cm3 maximum dry density, relationships which corresponded with the following percentage of additive 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%. For better performance the clay soil of rice husk ash and lime should be used as stabilizer in order to ensure good stability and workability of clay soil.

EXTENSION TEACHING OF MELON FARMERS HOW IMPROVED FARM PRACTICES SHOULD BE USED AND ADOPTED UNDER THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL FARM LOCATION AND RESOURCE AVAILABILITY IN YAKURR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

¹Adinya I. B. and ²Mahmood, H. U.

¹Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Cross River University of Technology, Obubra Campus

²Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Taraba State University, Jaligo

 E Mail: dradinyaignatius@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The study analyzes extension teaching of melon farmers how improved farm practices should be used and adopted under their own individual farm location and resource availability in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State. Data were collected from 76 respondents in the study area using proportional sampling techniques and the 76 respondents were picked from the list of farmers in extension agents’ list that covers the study area. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The rankling of sources of information regarding new innovations in melon production in the study area saw extension agent (47.36%) as major source of information regarding to new technologies in melon production. The radio (22.36%), television (19.74%). friends / neighbour (9.21%) and internet / website information (1.32%) were ranked second, third, fourth and fifth respectively. The result of the test of hypothesis shows that there is significant different in yield of melon farmers that were trained by skilled extension agents and yield of melon farmers that were not trained. It was recommended that government should train more extension agents and post them to rural areas were melon farms were established this would enable more farmers to adopt innovation that would lead to increased productivities and increased standard of living in rural communities.

Table of Contents

Environmental Effects of Using Fertilizer in Cassava Production in Aguata

Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria

Uche Okeke                                                                                                                             1 – 18

Socio-Economic Analysis of Broiler Production in Aguata L.G.A. of Anambra

State, Nigeria. Implication for Entrepreneurship Development in

a Developing Economy

Uche Okeke                                                                                                                             19 – 32

Impact of HIV/AIDS on Crop Farming in Benue State

Abua, T., Ekele, G.E. & Agbulu, O.N.                                                                                        33-52

Climate Change Crisis: A Review of Solutions

Ndor, D.C., Zarmai D.U. & Dalokom D.Y.                                                                               53-59

Carcass and Gut Characteristics of Broiler Chicken Fed Varying Levels

of Partially Sprouted Bambaranut

A. Umar, U.D. Doma, & K.M. Bello                                                                                          60-70

Assessment of the Management Practices and Perceived Training Needs

of Small Ruminant Farmers in Two Selected Local Government in Southern

Zone of Taraba State, Nigeria        

Mufwa J.B.; Christiana W. & Adamu F.                                                                                                71-90                                                              

Assessment of the Microbial Contamination of some Frozen, Smoked

and Canned Fish Sold in Kaduna North L.G.A. with Listeria Species

Musa, M. A., Bello, M., Kwaga, J. K. P., Idi-Ogede, A. M., Onimisi, H.U.,

Nda, A. A. & M. Sabo                                                                                                               91-102

ASSESSMENT OF THE MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION OF SOME FROZEN, SMOKED AND CANNED FISH SOLD IN KADUNA NORTH L.G.A. WITH LISTERIA SPECIES

¹Musa, M. A., ²Bello, M., ²Kwaga, J. K. P., ¹Idi-Ogede, A. M., ³Onimisi, H.U., ¹ Nda, A. A. & ¹M. Sabo

Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Federal University, Gashua

Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, Ahmadu Bello University. Zaria.

Email musamusa25@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT This study was carried out to investigate theoccurrence of Listeria species in frozen, smoked and canned fish in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Nigeria. A total of one hundred and eighty (180) fish samples comprising of 60 frozen, 60 smoked and 60 canned were purchased from the fish mongers at the three major markets in Kaduna North L.G.A (Kawo, Abubakar Gumi and Unguwar Rimi markets). Sampling was done once a weekly. Listeria species were isolated using pre-enrichment selective medium and were identified by conventional biochemical tests and confirmed with Microbact ID-System. Results shows that from the 180 samples, 24 (13.3%) were found to be contaminated with Listeria species. Out of the 24 isolates, Microbact 12L –ID system showed that 9(37.5%) of L.grayi and 15 (62.5%) of L. ivanovii were positive isolates respectively. Distribution of the occurrence of Listeria spp by sample type showed that smoked fish had the highest occurrence of 19 (31.7%) when compared with frozen fish which had 5 (8.3%) whereas canned fish had 0 (0%). Distribution of Listeria isolates by location showed that Unguwar Rimi market had the highest 15 (25%) followed by Kawo market 5(8.3%) and the least contaminated was Abubakar Gumi market 4(6.6%).The prevalence of Listeria species in this study showed that there is a potential threat to health and safety of the public. Therefore it is recommended that good hygiene practices should be implemented

ASSESSMENT OF THE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PERCEIVED TRAINING NEEDS OF SMALL RUMINANT FARMERS IN TWO SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN SOUTHERN ZONE OF TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

Mufwa J.B.; Christiana W. and Adamu F.

Department of Animal Production College of Agriculture, Jalingo

E-mail: mufwa@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to assess management practices and perceived training needs of small ruminant farmers in southern zone of Taraba State, Nigeria. Interview schedule was used to collect data from sixty randomly selected farmers. Data was presented using descriptive statistics. Majority (68.3%) of the respondents were males. Fifty five percent of the farmers kept goats only. Majority (96.7%) kept their animal under the intensive system of management. About 63% of the respondents kept their livestock in cement block houses. Pennisetum purpureum and panicum maximum combination (61.7%) were the most commonly used forage fed to the animals. All the respondents had basic knowledge on how a healthy animal should look like. About sixty two percent indicated that diarrhea was the most frequently observed health problem in their flocks. Majority (71.7%) selected animals for breeding on the basis of fast weight gain while 65.0% on the basis of high rate of multiple births. Respondents indicated training needs in the areas of improve carcass quality (80.0%), ration formulation (75.0%), stock density (80.0%) and forage management (81.7%). Great potentials exist for small ruminant production in the area and this can be achieved through sound extension education to the farmers.

CARCASS AND GUT CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKEN FED VARYING LEVELS OF PARTIALLY SPROUTED BAMBARANUT

A. Umar, U.D. Doma, & K.M. Bello

Animal Production Programme,

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria

Email: malikhassan797@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The effect of feeding broiler chicken with varying levels of partially sprouted bambaranut on the carcass and gut characteristics was investigated. Five diets were formulated in which partially sprouted bambaranut was included at 0, 10, 20, 30 and  40% replacing soybean and coded as diets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively. Two hundred day old marshal unsexed broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design and each of the treatment was replicated three times. Results showed that live weight and carcass parameters such plucked weight, eviscerated weight and carcass weight all differs significantly (p<0.001) with diet 5 recording the highest weight, whereas dressing %,kidney, spleen, heart, gizzard, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine, abdominal fat, caecal, liver, head and leg weight did not differ significantly (p<0.05). The study therefore reveals that using partially sprouted bambaranut has no adverse effect on the carcass and gut characteristics of broiler chickens.