Guinea fowl rearing constraints and flock composition under traditional management in Borgou Department, Benin

in Family Poultry (2007), 17(1&2), 3-14

A survey was conducted in Borgou department (northern Benin) to characterize Guinea fowl production systems in rural areas. A questionnaire was administered to 70 Guinea fowl keepers in order to collect ... [more ▼]

A survey was conducted in Borgou department (northern Benin) to characterize Guinea fowl production systems in rural areas. A questionnaire was administered to 70 Guinea fowl keepers in order to collect information about Guinea fowl management and husbandry practices in the region. This activity was practised according to traditional management in Benin where free range is the most common system of rearing. Birds scavenged during the day while at night, keets and surrogate hens were housed in poor, cramped coops whereas adult Guinea fowls roosted on trees. No rational feeding system was practised. Guinea fowls gleaned grass seeds, vegetable leaves, insects, worms, bones and eggshells. Poultry received a supplement consisting of cereals and their by-products, e.g. sorghum (30.4%), maize (25.0%), rice (14.3%), maize bran (7.1%), kitchen waste (5.4%), sorghum bran (3.6%), millet (1.8%) and complete food (1.8%). Adult body weight was 1121.3±100.2g at 6 months and maximum growth rate of 10.2g/day was reached at four months. Point-of-lay was between 7 and 9 months. Local hens were used to incubate Guinea fowl eggs, and hatchability was 72.9%. The survey revealed that Guinea fowl productivity is low because of high keet mortality. Average keet mortality registered from 0 to 6 months was 48% (range 3 to 100%). Moreover, 74% of interviewed farmers reported that keet mortality constituted the major constraint to Guinea fowl rearing. Others reported constraints, included keet weakness, poor quality of eggs, egg losses hidden under brush, keets predation, poor housing and infestations. The size of the keet populations varied over the year with the highest proportion in June-July while the proportion of growers increased from September to January. [less ▲]

Inclusion of cereals, hay and straw naturally enriched in selenium by use of fertilizers in horses diets: overtime effects on antioxidant markers

in 11th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (2007)

Grass nitrogen nutrition index and nitrate residues in pastures grazed by dairy cows and fertilised with mineral fertiliser, pig slurry or cattle compost.

in Book of Abstracts of the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for Animal Production (2007)

Milk urea content as influenced by geographical area and season in Wallonia

in Permanent and temporary grassland plant, environment and economy, A De Vliegher an L. Carlier editors, Book of abstracts of 14th Symposium of European Grassland Federation (2007)

Influence of the geographical area and the season on the milk urea content in Wallonia

in Book of Abstracts of the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for Animal Production (2007)

Effect of iodised fertilisation on iodine content in grass and on thyroid hormones concentrations in dairy heifers.

in Permanent and temporary grassland plant, environment and economy, A De Vliegher an L. Carlier editors, Book of abstracts of 14th Symposium of European Grassland Federation (2007)

Influence of progesterone concentrations on secretory functions of trophoblast and pituitary during the first trimester of pregnancy in dairy cattle

in Theriogenology (2007), 67(9), 1503-1511

The essential role played by progesterone in the maintenance of pregnancy is unequivocal; however, the effects of progesterone on the secretory patterns of placental and pituitary molecules during the ... [more ▼]

The essential role played by progesterone in the maintenance of pregnancy is unequivocal; however, the effects of progesterone on the secretory patterns of placental and pituitary molecules during the gestation period are not well defined. The objective of this study was to describe pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) concentrations (measured by RIA-497 and RIA-Pool) in pregnant females with progesterone concentrations lower (low-P4 group, n = 20) or higher (high-P4 group, n = 17) than the mean of 8.74 ng/mL on Day 21 (AI = Day 0). Luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin concentrations were also measured in both groups. Throughout the study period, blood samples were collected on Days 0, 21, 45, 60, and 80 from 37 females that were confirmed to be pregnant. PAG concentrations measured by both RIA-497 and RIA-Pool tended to be higher in high-P4 group than in low-P4 group from Day 30 until Day 80. On Day 80, plasma PAG concentrations that were measured using RIA-497 were observed to be higher (P < 0.05) in the high-P4 group than in the low-P4 group (10.2 +/- 8.7 ng/mL versus 6.9 +/- 13.8 ng/mL). Concentrations of LH on Day 60 and prolactin on Day 80 were observed to be significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the high-P4 group. There was a tendency for the concentrations of LH (Days 45 and 80) and prolactin (Days 30, 45, and 60) to be lower in cows in the high-P4 group than in the low-P4 group. Our results suggest the existence of a relationship among the concentration levels of progesterone, PAG, LH, and prolactin during early pregnancy. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [less ▲]

Correlation between a proteolytic method and a radioimmunoassay for porcine serum pepsinogen concentrations

in Research in Veterinary Science (2006), 80(3), 260-266

The measurement of serum pepsinogen concentrations by enzymatic method and immunoassay provides diagnostic values and should be helpful in the detection of gastric diseases related to a rise of blood ... [more ▼]

The measurement of serum pepsinogen concentrations by enzymatic method and immunoassay provides diagnostic values and should be helpful in the detection of gastric diseases related to a rise of blood pepsinogen. In the present study, the correlation between a conventional enzymatic method and a recently developed radioimmunoassay (RIA) for serum pepsinogen A was investigated. A total of 123 sera samples of porcine foetuses (n = 28), adult healthy pigs (n = 56), pigs with parakeratosis (n = 25) and pigs with ulceration of the pars oesophagea (n = 14) were tested. Overall, there was a slight correlation between the two methods (r = 0.60). In relation to individual animal groups, the correlations (r) were 0.39 (P>0.05), 0.74 (P<0.001), 0.19 (P>0.05) and 0.34 (P>0.05) in foetuses, healthy pigs, pigs with parakeratosis and pigs with ulcers, respectively. In both methods, pepsinogen concentrations (means+/-SE) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in pigs with parakeratosis (1778 +/- 86.00 mUTyr/L; 690 +/- 53.00 ng/mL) and in pigs with ulcers (2026 +/- 153.00 mUTyr/L; 1747 +/- 94.00 ng/mL) when compared to healthy pigs (935 +/- 58.00 mUTyr/L; 275 +/- 35.00 ng/mL). The proteolytic method gave a significant increased activity (P<0.05) in foetuses (1150 +/- 82.00 mUTyr/L) vs. (935 +/- 58.00 mUTyr/L) in healthy adult pigs, indicating an additional proteolytic activity in the sera of foetuses or neonates. [less ▲]

Endocrinology of pregnancy in the cow: embryonic signals, placental hormones and proteins

in Annales de Médecine Vétérinaire (2006), 150(4), 212-226

The development, the establishment and the embryonic survival at early stages of gestation are depending on an intimate dialogue between the embryo and his mother. For the embryo part, it is especially ... [more ▼]

The development, the establishment and the embryonic survival at early stages of gestation are depending on an intimate dialogue between the embryo and his mother. For the embryo part, it is especially the trophoblast, or the future placenta, which plays a key role in initializing pregnancy. The placenta emits many signals of various chemical natures ( steroids, prostaglandins, peptides, proteins), some of them, e. g. the interferon tau, determine the maintenance of the corpus luteum at the beginning of gestation. Until now, although having raised many speculations, the earliest of these signals were not identified in peripheral circulation. Consequently, they cannot be used as a pregnancy diagnosis or to indicate embryonic mortality. However, since the eighties, the specific proteins "associated with pregnancy", produced by the trophoblastic cells are used as tool for breeding management. Most of these molecules are present in peripheral circulation. In this review, we will describe the major mechanisms associated with the maternal recognition of the gestation and their possible applications as pregnancy diagnosis tool in the cow. [less ▲]

Comparison of composition and quality traits of meat from young finishing bulls from Belgian Blue, Limousin and Aberdeen Angus breeds

in Meat Science (2006), 74(3), 522-531

Thirty-six young finishing bulls from three breeds (Belgian Blue, Limousin and Aberdeen Angus) were fattened over five months with finishing diets based either on sugar-beet pulp or on cereals ... [more ▼]

Thirty-six young finishing bulls from three breeds (Belgian Blue, Limousin and Aberdeen Angus) were fattened over five months with finishing diets based either on sugar-beet pulp or on cereals. Nutritional quality traits of meat - fat content and fatty acid composition with emphasis on the n - 6 and n - 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids - along with some organoleptic quality traits were measured. The Belgian Blue bulls had the lowest intramuscular fat content associated with lower saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid contents. The polyunsaturated fatty acid content did not differ to a large extent between the breeds, the Aberdeen Angus bulls showing slightly higher values. Relative to energy intake, the overall contribution of meat to the n - 3 fatty acid recommended intake was small, whatever the breed. By contrast, the contribution of meat to daily fat intake was of greater importance, especially for the Aberdeen Angus bulls. The quality traits of meat varied also according to the breed: compared to the Aberdeen Angus, the Belgian Blue bull meat had the stablest colour, the highest drip and the lowest cooking losses. The meat of Limousin bulls had intermediate characteristics for all the parameters. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. [less ▲]