Animal Research International

1834 – 1839

Authors: MOHAMMADZADEH, S., KIANI, A., LORZADEH, N., MOHAMMADI, A. and RAFII, E.

Prolactin is a peptide hormone which is secreted from hypophysis. Prolactin concentration differs in male and female. Even though prolactin has lactotpope effect, it has disturbances effects on pulsatory secretion of gonadotropins as well as on ovulation. In spite of different plasma level of prolactin in different seasons, the effects of light regime on prolactin secretion still is unclear. Eighty Wistar rats were selected and divided into four groups. Each treatment was exposed in different photoperiod; natural light (control NL), 24 hours light (permanent light LL), 24 hours darkness (permanent darkness DD), and 12 hours light-12 hours darkness (light-dark LD). Blood samples from the heart were taken every 3 month during year. Prolactin concentration was determined using RIA. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and means were compared using Duncan multiple range test. Prolactin concentration in control (NL), dark (DD), light-dark (LD) and permanent light (LL) were 1.10, 1.00, 0.80 and 0.60 ng/ml, respectively. Light regime had a significant effect on prolactin concentration (p<0.05). Prolactin was significantly lower in permanent light than other treatments. Means of prolactin in permanent dark and light-dark weren’t differ with control (p>0.05). Permanent light will reduce the prolactin level. It seems to be one of the causes of short estrous cycles in permanent light is prolactin levels. These finding can be used as a model in human societies.

1851 – 1862

Authors: ALPHONSUS, Cyprian, AKPA, Gerald Nwachi, BARJE, Peter Pano, NWAGU, Bartholomew I. and ORUNMUYI, Modupe

Data from 13 primaparous and 47 multiparous Friesian-Bunaji (F1) crossbred cows were used to evaluate the reproductive performance of Friesian x Bunaji dairy cows. Four fertility traits; days to first insemination (DFI), days open (DO), Non-return rate 56 days after first insemination (NRR56) and numbers of insemination per conception (NIC) were analysed . The results revealed that the average days to first insemination (DFI), days open (DO) , number of insemination per conception (NIC), and non- return rate 56 days after first insemination (NRR56) were 122.29 days, 171.18 days, 1.64, and 61%, respectively. These traits were highly variability (CV = 54.01-80.90%). The effects of sire and sex of calf on the reproductive characteristics were not significant (p>0.05). The dam body condition score (BCS) had significant effect on all the reproductive characteristics. The DFI, DO and NIC decreased with increase in BCS. Dams with BCS of < 2.50 had longer DFI and DO, and required higher number of inseminations before conception (NIC), while those with BCS of >3.50 had shorter DFI and DO with minimum number of insemination per conception (1.00). Dam parity had no significant effect (p>0.05) on the reproductive characteristics except on NRR56 and NIC. However, the heifer had longer days to first insemination (DFI), and days open (DO) and required higher number of inseminations per conception than the older cows. Season of calving had no significant effect (p>0.05) on the reproductive characteristics except on NRR56. The cows that calved during the wet seasons (early and late dry) had higher NRR56 (69 – 71%), than those of the dry (early and late wet) seasons (40 – 59%). The reproductive performance of the cows depreciated significantly (p<0.05) within the 3 years (2010 - 2012) of this study; DFI increased from 88.47 to 131.49 days, DO increased from 80.39 to 269.14 days, NIC increased from 1.01 to 2.72, while the percentage non-return rate (NRR56) decreased from 86% to 42%.The heritability (h2) estimates for fertility traits was very low ranging from 0.014 to 0.087. Dam body condition score, parity, season and year of calving are important sources of variation in fertility traits of dairy cows. These results illustrate that environmental effects makes larger contributions to the variability of fertility traits than direct genetic effects, thus reproductive health and feeding management are very important determinant of reproductive performance of dairy cows.

1871 – 1880

Authors: IHEDIOHA, Thelma Ebele, OMOJA, Valentine Uneojo and ASUZU, Isaac Uzoma

This study evaluated the effects of methanolic stem bark extract of Cassia sieberiana (MSBECS) on fasting blood glucose (FBG) and serum lipid profile (SLP) of alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats. The extract was prepared by cold maceration and administered orally at the dose of 12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight to evaluate the effects on fasting blood glucose (FBG) of the diabetic rats, and at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight (bw) for the serum lipid profile (SLP) assay. A total of 78 male albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) of 12 weeks of age were used for the study; 42 were used to evaluate the effects of the extract on FBG, while 36 were used for the SLP assay. Data from the study showed that the optimum anti-hyperglycemic activity of the C. sieberiana extract on the diabetic rats was recorded in the rat group given 50 mg/kg bw of MSBECS, and this did not differ significantly (p>0.05) from that of glibenclamide-treated rats. Treatment of the diabetic rats with the extract at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg bw produced a significant (p<0.05) increase/improvement in the serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), while rat groups given 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg bw of the extract had a significantly (p<0.05) lower serum triglyceride and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDLC). It was concluded the administration of MSBECS at 50 mg/kg bw led to significant reduction in FBG of diabetic rats comparable to that obtained in the control group treated with a standard anti-hyperglycaemic drug (glibenclamide), while treatment at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg bw led to favorable effects on the lipid profile of the diabetic rats. These findings validate the traditional use of the stem bark of C. sieberiana in the management of diabetes mellitus and its dyslipidaemia complications.

1889 – 1898

Authors: IHEDIOHA, John Ikechukwu and DANIEL-IGWE, Gloria

The objective of this study was to develop an experimental albino rat (Rattus norvegicus) model for studies on sub-acute blood loss anaemia. A total of 160 albino rats of either sexes, between the ages of 10 and 12 weeks were used for the study. One hundred and thirty of the rats were randomly assigned into thirteen groups (groups 1 – 13) of ten each for the first experiment. Baseline values of the haematological indices were determined before the commencement of the study. Rats in group 1 were not bled and served as control. Blood (1 or 2 ml/100g body weight) was removed for specified periods of time from the remaining 12 groups (groups 2 – 13). At the end of the specified period of bleeding for each group, the haematological indices were re-assessed in order to select which group met the target of halving the red blood cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin concentration (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) with minimal stress. The selected group was tested for reproducibility in experiment 2 using the remaining thirty rats randomly assigned into three groups (A, B and C). Results showed that in experiment 1, the PCV, Hb and RBC counts of the rat groups that were bled (groups 2 – 13) decreased significantly (p<0.05) after bleeding to varying degrees across the groups based on the volume of blood removed and the duration. Among all the rat groups bled, males of group 12 which were bled 2ml/100g body weight every other day for 20 days ranked topmost among others with the highest reductions in the RBC counts (46.62%), Hb (55.25%) and PCV (46.20%), and no mortality. The results recorded for the two rat groups bled in experiment 2 did not significantly (p>0.05) differ from each other and from that recorded in experiment 1 for the group 12 male rats. Based on the results of the study, removal of 2ml of blood/100g body weight from 10 – 12 weeks old male albino rats every other day for 20 days was recommended for the induction of experimental sub-acute blood loss anaemia.

1905 – 1916

Authors: IBEMENUGA, Keziah Nwamaka and AVOAJA, Diana Akudo

This study assessed the quality of 60 groundwater wells within the Bombali District of Sierra Leone. Water samples from the wells were analysed for physical (temperature, turbidity, conductivity, total dissolved solids and salinity), chemical (pH, nitrate-nitrogen, sulphate, calcium, ammonia, fluoride, aluminium, iron, copper and manganese) parameters using potable water testing kit; and bacteriological (faecal and non-faecal coliforms) qualities. Results show that 73% of the samples had turbidity values below the WHO, ICMR and United USPHS standards of 5 NTU. The electrical conductivity (µS/cm) of 5% of the whole samples exceeded the WHO guideline value, 8% of the entire samples had values higher than the WHO, ICMR and USPHS recommended concentration. In terms of iron, 25% of all the samples had values in excess of WHO, ICMR and USPHS recommended value of 0.3mg/l. For manganese, 12% of the entire samples had values more than the WHO and ICMR standards. On the other hand, more water samples (22%) had manganese values above USPHS guideline value. For bacteriological quality, 28% of the wells were polluted by faecal and non-faecal coliforms. 60% and 40% of the entire samples had faecal and non-faecal coliforms respectively above the WHO standard. Remedial measures recommended include regular monitoring of the physico-chemical and bacteriological quality of water yield from these wells as well as teaching of the communities' basic sanitation and hygiene practices.