Browsing by Author "Ladokun, A.O"

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    Bioprediction of Body Weight from Zoometrical Traits of Nondescript Goats using Linear and Non-Linear Models in North Central Nigeria
    (Department of Animal Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2011-04-15) Yakubu, Abdulmojeed; Ladokun, A.O; Adua, M.M
    Data on body weight and four zoometrical measurements – rump height, withers height, heart girth and body length of 135 Non-descript goats were used to develop linear, quadratic and allometric equations to predict body weight. The animals were extensively managed in north central Nigeria. They were stratified into two groups on the basis of dentition. Goats that were between 1.0–14.3 months old (milk teeth age) were classified as kids while those between 19.4–30.6 months old (animals having between 2–8 permanent incisors) were categorized as adults. Animals were also classified on the basis of incidence of wattle into wattled and non–wattled goats. Highly significant (P<0.01) coefficients of determination (R2 = 0.38–0.95) were recorded, showing the inter-relationship between body weight and the linear body measurements investigated. However, body weight was better estimated in kids (pooled data for males and females) than adult (does) goats (R2 = 0.84–0.94; MSE = 0.01–1.55 versus R2 = 0.41–0.92; MSE =0.005–16.80). Withers height appeared as the highest single prediction variable in kids (R2 = 0.91–0.94; MSE = 0.01–0.88), while in adult goats, heart girth was found to account more for variation in the body weight (R2 = 0.91–0.92; MSE = 0.005–2.54). Among the prediction equations tested, the allometric model seemed to give a better fit, closely followed by the quadratic and linear models respectively. The wattle gene impacted mostly on adult parameters where prediction accuracy appeared to be better in wattled adults compared to their non-wattled counterparts. The present findings could be exploited in designing appropriate management and selection programmes
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    EFFECTS OF FEED RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE, CARCASS YEILD, RELATIVE ORGAN WEIGHTS AND SOME LINEAR BODY MEASUREMENTS OF WEANER RABBITS
    (Department of Animal Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2008-04-14) Yakubu, Abdulmojeed; Salako, A.E; Ladokun, A.O; Adua, M.M; Bature, T.U.K
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    Haematological and Serum Biochemical Indices of Naked Neck and Normally Feathered Nigerian Indigenous Chickens in a Sub Humid Tropical Environment.
    (Department of Animal Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2009-04-21) Ladokun, A.O; Yakubu, Abdulmojeeb; Otite, J.R; Omeje, J.N; Sokunbi, O.A; Onyeji, E.
    Haematological and serum biochemical indices of Nigerian indigenous chickens of two genetic groups were evaluated. One hundred and twenty (120) cocks with average weight of 1.10kg, corresponding to sixty (60) naked neck (NaNa) and sixty (60) normally feathered (nana) were utilized in the study. On the basis of feather colour, the normal plumage cocks were subdivided into two equal phenotypic groups. Each genetic group was divided into four replicates of fifteen birds each in a completely randomized design. There were no significant (P>0.05) differences between the genotypes in the mean values of white blood cells(WBC), mean corpuscular volume(MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration(MCHC). However, naked neck cocks were significantly superior in packed cell volume (PCV) haemoglobin (Hb) and red blood cells(RBC) compared with their normally feathered counterparts(41.00 vs 35.90%; 13.68 vs 11.60 g/dl; 4.84 vs 4.21x106/ml; p>0.05). With the exception of PCV which was significantly (p>0.05) higher in brown cocks than white coloured cocks (38.30 vs 33.50%), plumage colour had no significant effect on the variables estimated. No significant differences were observed in total protein, albumin, urea, glucose, cholesterol, serum alanine amino transaminase (SALT) and serum aspartate amino transferase (SAST) of the genetic groups. The normally feathered cocks, however had significantly (P<0.05) higher globulin content (1.53 vs 1.15 g/dl) and lower creatinine value (0.88 vs 0.95 mg/dl) compared to the naked neck cocks. Plumage colour did not significantly (P>0.05) affect serum biochemical parameters suggesting that the two colour variants might not be true representation of genetically distinct subpopulations. The present result on blood parameters of both naked neck and normally feathered cocks could serve as a baseline data, which could be exploited in the improvement of local stock.