Volume 50 (2017): Issue 1 (March 2017)

Effective country-wide preventive, control and eradication programmes require full knowledge of specific epizootiological situation. A description is given of a three-year international programme aimed at control of animal glanders, tuberculosis and brucellosis that was carried out simultaneously in all 16 Mongolian provinces by expeditions of veterinary staff of five countries. The objective was to discover all domestic animal herds affected by these infections transmissible to humans and to initiate particular control programmes. A total of 37, 608, 253 specific tests were carried out. Ratios of the investigations to population average (I/P) were as follows: tests for glanders in horses 2.43 and in camels 0.53; tests for brucellosis in cattle 1.42, in camels 0.69, in sheep 1.53, and in goats 1.37; tests for tuberculosis in cattle 1.53. The following results of testing were obtained: for glanders, from 5,046,070 allergic tests in horses 241,157 were positive, i.e. 4.78 %; from 332,684 allergic tests in camels 380 were positive, i.e. 0.11 %; from 126,960 serological tests in horses 24,760 were positive, i.e. 19.50 %. Results of serological testing for brucellosis, from 2,892,658 tests in cattle 192,601 were positive, i.e. 6.66 %, from 432,919 tests in camels 9,987 were positive, i.e. 2.31 %, from 19,533,637 tests in sheep 320,709 were positive, i.e. 1.64 % and from 5,834,450 tests in goats 136,222 were positive, i.e. 2.33 %. From 677,402 allergic tests for tuberculosis in cattle in two provinces 427 were positive, i.e. 0.06 %. This programme required an estimated 120,000 expedition person-working days and about twice as many assisting person-working days. Apart from local effects during these expeditions, the results created a basis for national long-term follow-up and preventive, control and eradication measures for these diseases.

Removal of seminal plasma by centrifugation (0 centrifugation, 1 centrifugation, 2 centrifugations, 3 centrifugations) and preservation in two different tris-extenders viz., avocado seed milk (ASM) and soy bean milk (SBM) based extenders were studied for their ability to support motility, in vitro capacitation and acrosome reaction of spermatozoa obtained from West African Dwarf (WAD) goat bucks during cryopreservation. Semen samples collected with the aid of artificial vagina were centrifuged for one, two and three times. The centrifuged samples were diluted with the two tris-extenders each containing 20 mL of avocado seed milk and soybean milk and cryopreserved for 30 days. The results showed higher (P < 0.05) sperm motility (P < 0.05) with increased centrifugation times. Spermatozoa that were centrifuged had higher (P < 0.05) percentage of acrosome reaction and capacitation with increased centrifugation times compared to the control. Optimal improvement in these parameters was obtained with increased centrifugation times. The findings revealed that removal of seminal plasma by centrifugation improved sperm quality of WAD goat bucks during cryopreservation and optimum improvement was achieved consistently with 3 centrifugations.

During the last decade, hatchery infrastructure and table fish production systems have been exclusively targeted towards catfish production in Nigeria. These efforts have not translated to sufficient domestic fish production. The shortfall in demand for fish fry and fingerlings by growing population of fish farms in Lagos State confirms the fish seed production deficiency. This study investigated the level of awareness of improved hatchery management practices among fish farmers in Lagos State. Using simple random sampling method, 150 fish farmers from 12 local government areas of Lagos State were selected and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The majority of the respondents were male (68 %) and married (76.6 %), with dominant age range of 41–50 years (55.3 %) and a farming experience of 5–10 years (68 %). Personal saving (46.7 %) and cooperative societies (31.3 %) were the respondents’ main sources of fund and fortnight visits by extension agent was of commonest frequency (86 %). Extension agents and research institutes ranked first and second, respectively, among the sources of information, and accounted for the main sources of information to the farmers. The farmers either strongly agreed or agreed on almost all the hatchery management practices, while they expressed their need for advisory and input support services from government and non-governmental organizations. The significant relationship which exists between age and marital status, and farmers’ awareness shows that greater communication of improved hatchery management practices will lead to adoption, thereby increasing the output of the farmers. Improved hatchery output will lead to greater availability of fish seeds for table size production as well as greater income to the fish farmers. In addition to more intensive extension efforts, other channels of information notably mass media should be revitalized in delivering improved management practices to the fish farmers.

The study examined the profitability and technical efficiency of pig production in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed in the selection of 80 pig farmers. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaire from the selected pig farmers. The data obtained from the farmers were analysed using descriptive statistics, cost benefit analysis and stochastic frontier production function. Findings revealed that majority (82.5 %) of the respondents were male, 40 % were within the active age of 35–46 years that can effectively withstand the rigors and stress involved in pig production, 76.25 % were married with a mean household size of 6people. The cost and return analysis showed that, in one production year, the gross margin was ₦694,592($3,484.44), while the rate of return on investment was ₦0.34 and the Cost Benefit Ratio (CBR) was 1.34 indicating that the enterprise is profitable since BCR is greater than 1. The result of stochastic frontier production function revealed that herd size (P < 0.05), quantity of feed (P < 0.01), capital (P < 0.01) and labour (P < 0.05) increase technical efficiency of the respondents, while inefficiency in the study area was reduced by age of the respondents (P < 0.1), educational level (P < 0.01), household size (P < 0.05), farming experience (P < 0.01) and breed of pig (P < 0.1) reared by the respondents. The mean technical efficiency was 0.86. Although the pig farmers exhibit high technical efficiency in the study area, efficiency could still be increased by 14 % through better use of available resources given current state of technology which could be achieved through farmers’ specific factors like age, education and farming experience.

Public Relations (PR) is a natural, vital as well as persistent component of human social relationship. It may involve a campaign designed to develop goodwill for an individual or an organisation. There are, however, few researches relating to public relations and delivery of forestry services. The aim of this study was to examine the role public relations play in the delivery of forestry services with Ghana as case study. In order to obtain the relevant information for this research, an interview schedule was developed and used to gather information from regional heads and a set of questionnaire administered to the rest of the participants through random sampling. The research further affirmed that PR increases consumer awareness and identified radio and television to be the commonest PR tools used by the Ghana Forestry Commission (GFC). The study concluded that PR to a greater extent is the foundation of an organisation and its activities influence the execution and delivery of services. GFC is, however, urged to explore other inexpensive yet effective PR tools and strategies in order to broaden their reach.

This study identified and compared the use of cooking energy among rural and urban households in Ogun State, Nigeria using a sample of 300 households. Empirical results indicate that electricity and gas are the least sources of cooking energy in rural area (RA) while firewood and electricity are least in urban area (UA). The level of education of the respondents was a significant (P < 0.05) factor influencing the probability of using charcoal and electricity in the RA relative to firewood, while there is a tendency towards positivity using charcoal, kerosene and gas relative to firewood with household size in UA. In addition, distance to energy source (P < 0.05), and household income (P < 0.01) significantly determine energy use in UA. Probability of using charcoal, electricity was also found to be significantly (P < 0.01) influenced by occupation and price of the cooking fuel, respectively, in a negative direction. In the UA, both income and price significantly influence the use of gas while only price influences its usage in the RA. There is therefore the need for price reduction and promotion of interventions that will enable low income earner to use cleaner and environmentally friendly energy source.