A comparison of several methodologies of selection index for productive and reproductive characteristics in Egyptian buffaloes.

Data on Egyptian buffalo first lactation records (n = 1167) available at Mehalet Mousa Farm (between 2002 and 2015) of the Animal Production Research Institute (APRI), Cairo, Egypt, were used to analyse the genetic parameters of total milk yield (TMY), lactation time (LP), and age at first calving (AFC). Additionally, four selection indices were created by using a single phenotypic standard derivation as relevant economic values. The data were evaluated using multiple-trait derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood (MTDFREML). The estimated heritabilities for TMY, LP, and AFC were 0.22, 0.17, and 0.08 respectively and the phenotypic and genetic correlations between TMY and LP were 0.76 and 0.56, respectively, and between AFC with TMY and LP were nеgаtivеs. Using a selection index that incorporates TMY, LP, and AFC (RIH = 0.68) looks to be optimum for increased genetic gain and a shorter generation interval; as a result, selection should thus be exercised near the end of the first lactation.

Characterization of the cecal microbiome composition of Nigerian indigenous chickens.

Poultry cecum microbes are dynamic and complex. They play important roles in disease prevention, detoxification of harmful substances, nutrient processing, and ingestion harvesting. It may be possible to increase poultry productivity by better understanding and controlling the microbial population. We analyzed the composition and function of Nigerian hens' cecal microbiota using high-throughput sequencing methods. Using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes (V1-V9) hypervariable regions, the cecal microbiota of three Nigerian indigenous chicken genotypes (Naked neck, Frizzle, and Normal feather) was described and compared. A total of two phyla were represented among the three genotypes (Firmicutes and Proteobacteria). Microbiological diversity was found in the community, with naked neck having the most evenness, followed by normal feather, which had the least. There were a lot of similarities between the naked neck and frizzle feather chicken groups when it came to genetic diversity between them. For example, the bacterial cecal microbiota of the naked neck chickens was more diverse, with a higher concentration of motility proteins, two-component systems, bacterial secretion systems, and the formation and breakdown of secondary metabolites. More understanding on gut microbiota roles and interactions will help Nigerian poultry farmers improve their methods and give valuable data for the study of bacteria in the chicken gut.

Genetic evaluation of semen traits in Friesian bulls raised in Egypt.

A total of 14696 semen records were collected from Friesian bulls, kept at International Livestock Management Training Center belonging to Animal Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Cairo. Traits studied were volume, motility, livability and sperm concentrates in other to construct selection indexes by using all combination between different traits of semen to improve semen traits in a herd of Friesian bull cattle. Data were analysed by using four traits repeatability model and includes effects of the following fixed factors: the age of animal at semen collection, the combined effect of the month and year of semen collection, and the number of times semen were collected per month. Semen motility, volume and livability were highly influenced (p < 0.001) by all the fixed factors. Heritability estimates for semen traits were moderate and ranged from 0.29 to 0.33. All phenotypic and genetic correlations between different traits are positive and ranged from 0.09 to 0.67 for phenotypic correlations and from 0.02 to 0.68 for genetic correlations, while permanent environmental correlations ranged from -0.69 to 0.12. Estimated Breeding Values ranged from -0.68 to 0.78 ml for semen volume, from -13.17 to 7.34% for motility, from -259.42 × 10-6 to 239.64 × 10-6 for concentrates and from -6.83 to 6.09% for livability. Eleven selection indexes were calculated, selection Indexes not including livability showed a reduced accuracy. This study demonstrated that selection index (I3) which includes sperm volume, motility and livability or selection index (I8) which includes sperm volume and livability are the best and both are recommended for Friesian bulls' selection.

Genetic parameters, phenotypic and genetic trends of litter size on different breeds of goats in Egypt.

Data of 475 goats (242 Zaraibi, 84 Baladi, and 149 Damascus) kept at Sakha Farm, belonging to Animal Production Research Institute (APRI), Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt, from the period of 2011 to 2017 were used to estimate direct (additive) and maternal genetic effects for litter size at birth (LSB). Three animal models were used. Model 1 includes the fixed effects of breed, season, year of kidding, age of doe, and direct genetic effect. Model 2 is similar to model 1 beside the permanent environmental effect. Model 3 is similar to model 2 and includes the maternal genetic, covariance between direct and maternal genetic effects. The effects of breed, season, year of kidding, and age of doe were significant on LSB. Heritability estimates for LSB are 0.19±0.050, 0.19±0.160, and 0.06±0.007, as estimated from models 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Maternal heritability estimate using model 3 was 0.05±0.006. The removal of additive genetic maternal effect and covariance between direct and maternal effects from the model increased heritability of direct genetic effect by 0.13. Annual phenotypic trends for LSB in Zaraibi, Baladi, and Damascus goat breeds are negative. Annual genetic trends for LSB for the three breeds of goats are positive, significant, and being 0.10±0.01, 0.25±0.02, and 0.01±0.001 litter/year for Zaraibi, Baladi, and Damascus, respectively. The present results indicated that selection for LSB will take a long time. The speed and efficiency of selection is expected to increase by use of molecular markers in selection.

Contribution of social genetic effects in variance components estimation for body weight in Nigerian indigenous chickens raised in a tropical humid location.

Social interactions among chickens can have a great unfavourable effect on economic returns in a poultry farm. The purpose of this study was to use four models to examine the influence of social genetic influences on the variation in body weight of Nigerian indigenous chickens. Sex was treated as the fixed effect within the models. Direct additive genetic, social genetic, and family effects and covariance between direct and social genetic effects were used as random effects. Data were analysed using single-trait animal models which include or exclude social genetic effects. Model comparison revealed that inclusion of full-sib family effect in model 3 did not cause any change in residual and additive genetic variances relative to estimates obtained with model 2. In general, social genetic variance was lower than the estimate for additive genetic variance, but substantially added to the overall heritable variance. For direct hereditary, full-sib family, and residual effects, accounting for heritable social effect in model 4 had a marginal effect on the size of the variances measured. All the estimated residual, additive genetic, social genetic effect, and family variances increased in comparison with model 3. The relationship between direct and social additive effects was positive and not significantly different from 0 (P > 0.05), suggesting autonomy between the direct and social breeding values. In conclusion, the use of models that account for direct effect and social genetic effect of the individual on its group members would entail an optimal individual selection scheme to increase the body weight of chickens.

Use of discriminant analysis for the evaluation of coccidiosis resistance parameters in chickens raised in hot humid tropical environment.

Coccidiosis endemicity remains a major challenge in poultry production in the tropics and all over the world. In order to develop predictive tool for identification of chickens that are at risk of coccidiosis among Nigerian indigenous chickens, body weight gain (BWG) and hematological variables were determined for chickens infected with Eimeria tenella (female = 60, male = 63) and uninfected (female = 51, male = 45). The hematological variables analyzed include the following: packed cell volume (PCV, %), white blood cells (WBC, × 106/µl), and red blood cells (RBC, × 106/µl), as well as differential leucocyte percentages of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and eosinophils. Body weight gain was determined at days 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. Of the 12 variables analyzed, BWG at day 3, monocyte, PCV, and WBC in males and BWG at days 6, 9, and 12, PCV, and WBC in female chickens showed significant (P ≤ 0.01) difference between the infected and uninfected. Stepwise discriminant analysis evolved a model that could distinguish uninfected from Eimeria-infected chickens. Packed cell volume, WBC, BWG at day 3, and lymphocytes emerged the most discriminant between uninfected and Eimeria-infected chickens in male chickens. In female chickens, PCV, RBC, and BWG at day 3 were identified as most discriminant variables in separating the uninfected from Eimeria-infected chickens. Therefore, this study suggests that routine blood test and estimates of body weight gain could serve as a useful tool for identifying chickens that may be at risk of coccidiosis, enabling improvement of preventive measures.

Genetic differences in the body weight and haematological traits of Nigerian indigenous chickens infected with Eimeria tenella.

In an effort to shed more light on the tolerance of indigenous chickens to coccidiosis, we compared the body weight, faecal oocyst load and haematological parameters based on sex and genotypes of Eimeria tenella-infected chickens. Three hundred chicks from three genotypes (normal-feathered, frizzle-feathered and naked-neck) of Nigerian indigenous chickens which comprised 100 birds per genotype were raised for 6 weeks. At 3 weeks old, each chick was weighed and faecal, and blood samples were collected before inoculation. Subsequently, the birds were weighed and faecal samples collected at days 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 post-inoculation. Blood samples were collected from 50 chicks per genotype at 3 and 5 weeks post-inoculation. Blood parameters were determined and faecal samples subjected to McMaster egg counting technique. Results showed genotype, and sex had significant effects on body weight from day 1 to 15 post-inoculation. Normal-feathered chicks had the highest body weight while frizzle-feathered chicks showed lowest body weight at post-inoculation. E. tenella was identified in caecal and lower intestinal mucosa of the genotypes, but genotype had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on the lesion score. There were no significant differences in haematological values among genotypes (p > 0.05) except for lymphocytes where naked-neck chicks had the highest lymphocytes' count (1.83 ± 0.02 %), followed by normal-feathered (1.79 ± 0.02 %) and the frizzle-feathered (1.68 ± 0.02 %). The present values of body weight, faecal oocyst and haematological parameters obtained seemed not to be convincing enough to suggest that the genotypes were different in terms of tolerance to coccidiosis.

Prevention of dental caries: knowledge, practice and opinion of paediatricians in Lagos.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries is the most prevalent oral disease in children and this is preventable. Paediatricians are the first professionals whom children visit and are in good position to begin the process of prevention of dental caries if they recognize and encourage good preventive habits. OBJECTIVE: To determine the knowledge, practice and opinion of pediatricians in prevention of dental caries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional survey was undertaken among pediatricians in Lagos. Questionnaires were administered to pediatricians practicing in Teaching hospitals, general and private hospitals in Lagos. The questionnaire assessed their personal details, knowledge about caries, practice guidelines and opinion towards its prevention. RESULTS: Less than one-third (27.7%) of the pediatricians knew that bacteria causing caries can be transmitted from mother to child. Only about one-third (30.8 %) of the paediatricians examine children's teeth for dental caries. Majority (87.7%) were of the opinion that paediatricians have a role in promoting oral health. A total of 59% of the paediatricians had moderate knowledge, while (71%) of them had poor practice and their opinion for prevention of dental caries was positive in more than two-thirds of them (71%). CONCLUSION: We concluded that most paediatricians in Lagos had moderate knowledge, poor practice and lacked proper awareness about prevention of dental caries. Recommendation: we recommend that preventive dentistry topics in oral health promotion and prevention of dental caries be part of their postgraduate curriculum, continued dental health education programme for paediatricians, referral of related cases to paediatric dentists and oral health related topics be published in paediatric medical journals.

Knowledge and attitude of some nigerian school teachers on the emergency management of avulsed permanent incisor.

BACKGROUND: Tooth avulsion has been known to be the most severe of all dental injuries. The immediate action taken at the accident site will determine the prognosis of the tooth. Replantation of an avulsed tooth is the treatment of choice. AIM & OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge and attitude of primary and secondary (Basic educational) school teachers on the emergency management of avulsed permanent incisors. SETTING: Twenty public and private basic educational schools were randomly selected from Lagos State. SUBJECTS & METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study. A 23 item self administered questionnaire was distributed to teachers to determine their knowledge and attitude on the emergency management of avulsed permanent incisors. Data was analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences), Version 21.0. The responses obtained were tabulated and expressed as frequency distributions and then computed in percentages. Chi-square was used to test the association between knowledge of the schools teachers regarding the emergency management of avulsed permanent incisors and their socio-demographic variables. Multivariate analysis was used to adjust for confounding variables. The level of significance was set at P ≤0.05. RESULTS: A total of 320 teachers answered the questionnaires. Most of the teachers were female (63.1%). Only (30.9%) had received first aid training which included emergency management of dental trauma. Forty- two percent (134) didn't know that an avulsed permanent tooth could be replanted. Twenty teachers (44.4%) would clean an avulsed tooth with toothbrush and toothpaste. A greater proportion of the respondents 130 (40.6%) would transport an avulsed tooth using a clean white handkerchief. The overall knowledge of the school teachers was poor (84%).There was a statistically significant association between the knowledge of the school teachers and the inclusion of emergency management of dental trauma in the first aid training of the teachers P=0.05. Predictors of teachers' level of knowledge of emergency management of avulsed teeth were receipt of advise on management of traumatic dental injuries (OR= 2.5, CI=1.19-4.28) and type of school (OR=0.93, CI=0.206-0.750). CONCLUSION: The school teachers had insufficient knowledge about the emergency management of avulsed permanent teeth. School oral health campaigns with regards to emergency management of avulsed teeth will help improve teachers' knowledge and modify their behaviour.