Influence of in ovo arginine feeding on hatching traits and post-hatch performance of FUNAAB-Alpha chickens in two housing types.

The demand for animal protein in Nigeria is so high that introduction of new management techniques to improve poultry production is relevant. This study investigated the effects of in ovo administration of arginine on hatching traits and post-hatch performance of FUNAAB-Alpha chickens in two housing types. A total of 528 hatching eggs of FUNAAB-Alpha chickens were used for the study for 11 weeks. Hatching eggs were sorted, balanced for weight and fumigated before setting in the incubator. On the 14th day of incubation 378 eggs were confirmed fertile and they were redistributed into 3 treatment groups (0, 11 and 22 mg of arginine/egg) each consisting 126 eggs, replicated 14 times (9 eggs per replicate). At the 18th day of incubation, in ovo injection of arginine was carried out and at the 21st day of incubation, resulting chicks were balanced for weight, assigned to treatments and assessed for post-hatch performance. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomised design. In the results, hatchability was 92.86% (control), 88.39% (injection with 11 mg of arginine) and 91.07% in birds resulting from in ovo injection of 22 mg of arginine. In ovo injection of 11 and 22 mg of arginine improved the development of duodenal villi in the birds. In ovo injection of 22 and 11 mg of arginine enhanced CMIR after 24 (0.300 mm) and 48 h (0.223 mm) of injecting phytohaemagglutinin type P (PHA-P) antigen. Birds on outdoor run had higher (0.282, 0.224 mm) CMIR after 24 and 48 h of injecting PHA-P relative to those raised in deep litter housing. Birds from in ovo injection of 22 mg of arginine had a significantly lowered daily feed intake (68.38 g/bird) relative to other treatments. Deep litter housing significantly (p < 0.05) improved daily weight gain (25.02 g/bird) of birds as against outdoor run (22.62 g/bird). It was concluded that in ovo injection of 11 or 22 mg of arginine numerically improved hatchability and cell-mediated immune response with enhanced duodenal villi development, while in ovo injection of 22 mg of arginine and raising resulting birds on outdoor run is suitable for achieving significantly lower feed intake with better feed conversion ratio in FUNAAB-Alpha chickens.

Implications of Ebola virus disease on wildlife conservation in Nigeria.

The recent Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in some West African countries spanning from late 2013 and currently on as of 13th March, 2015 is the most widespread and fatal with human mortality that has surpassed all previous outbreaks. The outbreak has had its toll on conservation of endangered species. This portends danger for the wild fauna of the country if proactive measures are not taken to prepare grounds for evidence-based assertions concerning the involvement of wild species. To this end, there is an urgent need for sweeping census of reserves, national parks and wetlands. As well as the creation of a system involving reportage by sectors like the industries (extractive and construction) including persons and organisations involved with wildlife related activities. This documentation of die offs and unusual events to collaborating institutions, will help in monitoring trends which hitherto would have gone unnoticed. The importance of bats and primates in agriculture and public health via consumption of vermin insects and seed dispersal cannot be over-emphasized. There is the need for caution on the tendencies to destroy indicator species which could be silent pointers to emerging or re-emerging health and environmental issues. Wildlife resources are still reliably useful and caution is advised in the use of blanket destructive policies like fumigation of caves, indiscriminate culling and poisoned baits to destroy supposedly Ebola Disease Virus wildlife reservoirs. This paper highlights the immediate conservation problems and likely future implications of Ebola saga in Nigeria. It tries to identify the gaps in wildlife researches and makes recommendations for probable workable conservation strategies.