Browsing by Author "Alabi, Olayinka Olubunmi"

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    Applications of Myostatin in Poultry and Aquaculture - A Review
    (Department of Animal Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2022-05-25) Shoyombo, Ayoola John; Yakubu, Abdulmojeed; Alabi, Olayinka Olubunmi; popoola, Mustaph Ayodele; Okon, Ekemini Moses; Arije, Damilare Olaniyi
    Polymorphism is an important component of animal genetic improvement. As a result, myostatin gene is largely involved in muscle formation and growth and is a great candidate gene for increased growth of muscle in animals. Myostatin negates the growth of muscle cells and is found across species. Literature shows various applications and importance of myostatin in poultry and aquaculture production. In poultry, variations in the myostatin gene have been linked to growth characteristics. In aquaculture, myostatin influences the enhancement of the muscle tissues of fish. Besides, myostatin plays a role in increasing the lipid content of muscle, lowering circulating glucose levels, and hepatosomatic index in fish. Studies on zebrafish as a model species have confirmed myostatin involvement in the muscle development of fish. Its expression is not limited to skeletal muscle but also occurs in the liver, brain, and other organs. In the myostatin-b-deficient zebrafish, the size of visceral adipose tissues shrank, and more lipids have been observed to accumulate in skeletal muscle than in wild-type fish. The inhibition or complete depletion of functional myostatin is known to cause the “double-muscled” in several cattle breeds and similar traits in other species. However, the “doublemuscled” animals have captured the attention of breeders and researchers due to the enhanced muscular tissues; associated with productivity issues. For instance, the effect of myostatin inhibition has been associated with egg production. When compared to wild-type, myostatin homozygous mutant birds had a significantly delayed commencement of egg production in layers. It is therefore imperative to increase the knowledge of myostatin molecular genetics and bioactivity in various tissues in the poultry and aquaculture sector. This will enable improved productivity and enhanced contribution of animal-sourced proteins from both sectors of animal production.
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    Comparison of five mathematical models that describe growth in tropically adapted dual-purpose breeds of chicken
    (Department of Animal Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2021-06-14) Akinsola, Oludayo Michael; Sonaiya, Emmanuel Babafunso; Bamidele, Oladeji; Hassan, Waheed Akinola; Yakubu, Abdulmojeed; Ajayi, Folasade Olubukola; Ogundu, Uduak; Alabi, Olayinka Olubunmi; Adebambo, Oluwafunmilayo Ayoka
    ABSTRACT Mathematicalmodels provide valuable information for livestock improvement programmes. In this study, we evaluated the ability of five mathematical models (3P and 4P Gompertz, 3P and 4P logistic and neural network) to predict the growth of six tropically adapted dual purpose (TADP) chicken breeds (Fulani, FUNAAB Alpha, Kuroiler, Noiler, Sasso and Shika-Brown) under on-station and on-farm in Nigeria. Data for body weight were collected every 14 days from 1939 birds reared on-station, and every 28 days from 58,639 birds reared on-farm. Parameters used to evaluate the growth models were the adjusted coefficient of determination (AdjR2), Akaike’s information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and root mean square error (RMSE). The AdjR2 for Gompertz 3P was higher than or equal to the AdjR2 for logistics 3P, Gompertz 4P and logistics 4P but was equal to or lower than the AdjR2 for the neural network (NN) for all TADP chickens raised on-station. Based on the goodness-of-fit criteria, Gompertz 3P had the best predictive values (AdjR2 = 0.989–0.998) for TADP chickens raised on-station, while logistic 3P was the best-fit model for TADP chickens raised on-farm. In conclusion, non-linear models and NN models yielded a good fit with the age-weight data of TADP chickens on-station and on-farm.
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    Production performance and survivability of six dual-purpose breeds of chicken under smallholder farmers’ management practices in Nigeria
    (Department of Animal Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2020-09-23) Yakubu, Abdulmojeed; Ajayi, Folasade Olubukola; Bamidele, Oladeji; Hassan, Waheed Akinola; Ogundu, Uduak; Alabi, Olayinka Olubunmi; Akinsola, Oludayo Michael; Sonaiya, Emmanuel Babafunso; Adebambo, Oluwafunmilayo Ayoka
    Abstract. Chickens kept under free-range, backyard or semi-intensive systems in the developing countries have more diverse use and benefits to rural households. Their use varies from region to region and from community to community within a region. The study investigated growth, laying performance and survivability of six improved dual-purpose breeds in five agroecologies of Nigeria represented by the following states: Kebbi (Sudan savanna/ northern Guinea savanna); Kwara (northern Guinea savanna/southern Guinea savanna); Nasarawa (southern Guinea savanna/derived savanna); Imo (lowland rainforest/swamp); and Rivers (freshwater swamp/mangrove swamp). On-farm data were obtained from 2100 smallholder poultry farmers that received an average of 30 birds (mixed sexes) of any one of the following dual-purpose breeds (Fulani, FUNAAB Alpha, Kuroiler, Noiler, Sasso and Shika-Brown) randomly allocated to them. The farmers used the backyard, scavenging system of management. Body weight and mortality records for cocks were taken for 18 weeks, while body weight, mortality, egg production and egg weight data were collected for hens up to 72 weeks. Compared with the local cocks (680 g), Kuroiler (1391 g), Sasso (1398 g) and Noiler (1461 g) had over 200% body weight at 18 weeks. Hen day egg production (HDEP) was higher in Shika-Brown (45.9%), FUNAAB Alpha (45.8%) and Kuroiler (45.7%) compared with the other breeds. Fulani, FUNAAB Alpha and Shika-Brown had higher survivabilities (p < 0:05) than Noiler, Sasso and Kuroiler. Ranking of the breeds for growth, laying performance and survivability was as follows: Shika-Brown/Sasso>FUNAAB Alpha/Noiler>Kuroiler>Fulani. The performance of the breeds was significantly (p < 0:05) influenced by the agroecologies. The cock body weights for Fulani (1121.1 g), FUNAAB Alpha (1502.4 g) and Noiler (1459.2 g) were highest in Kebbi, while for Kuroiler (1561.0 g), Sasso (1695.9 g) and Shika-Brown (1131.6 g) cock body weights were highest in Imo. Across the states, Imo had the highest HDEP (62.8%). Overall, the lowland rainforest/ freshwater swamp agroecologies supported the highest production performance of the breeds.