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Occurrence and levels of aflatoxin contamination in poultry feed ingredients and layer mash in farms and feed mills in Ghana
No full textThe study assessed the incidence and contamination levels of total aflatoxins (TAF) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in feed ingredients and compound layer mash from six regions in Ghana. Thirty-five facilities comprising commercial poultry farms and feed mills were used in the study. There was 100 incidence of TAF and AFB1 in the samples of layer mash and feed ingredients (maize, soybean meal and wheat bran). The TAF of layer mash, maize and soybean meal (55.2, 54.0 and 47.6 µgkg-1, respectively) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than TAF of wheat bran (28.6 µgkg-1). Most of the layer mash, soybean meal and wheat bran samples had TAF concentrations exceeding the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) maximum limit of 20 µgkg-1. Mean TAF concentrations in layer mash and maize samples were strongly and positively correlated (r = 0.50; P < 0.018). Layer mash, maize and soybean meal had significantly higher (P< 0.05) AFB1 concentrations (33.0, 35.1, 26.5 µgkg-1, respectively) when compared to wheat bran (13.8 µgkg-1). Most layer mash and maize samples exceeded the European Commission's maximum limits of 20 and 50 µgkg-1 respectively for AFB1. Mean AFB1 concentrations in layer mash and maize samples were strongly and positively correlated (r = 0.54; P = 0.01). High aflatoxins contamination of poultry feed is a persistent problem in Ghana. The use of toxin-binders, education of poultry farmers and feed millers on the implication of aflatoxins contamination in poultry feeds and the enforcement of regulation by Ghana's food and drugs authority is recommended
Behaviour of Fly-Ash Geopolymer Mortar in Simulated Environments
No full textConcrete and mortar usually found themselves in normal and harsh environments. The environment has great influence on the mechanical and durability behaviours of the concrete. In this study, fly ash was processed using circular economy concept and subsequently used as precursor for geopolymer mortar. The fly ash from Morupule power plant station has previously been characterized for its physical, chemical, and microstructural properties. Based on its suitability, the fresh and mechanical properties of the geopolymer mortar were carried out, and afterward, the durability behaviour is investigated in this study. The geopolymer mortar was formulated from the mixture of fly ash, sand and alkaline activators and cured thermally at 70°C. The behaviour of the geopolymer mortar in sulphuric acid solution, sodium sulphate solution, water absorption and fire resistance properties were simulated, and their loss in compressive strength and weight were determined. The laboratory experiment indicated that geopolymer mortars are highly resistant to sulphate attack, water absorption with moderate resistance against sulfuric acid and fire resistance. The effects of varying other parameters on the performance of concrete can be looked into in the future studies
Estimation of Water Demand for the Rural Population in the Angolan Part of the Iishana System
No full textThe Iishana is a shallow, low-slope channel system located in the Cuvelai basin (Southern Angola and Northern Namibia), characterised by drought and flood cycles due to erratic climate variability. The knowledge gap regarding the actual water needs in the area, the number of residents within the system, the seasonal influence of cattle migration, and poor socio-economic conditions, make the population even more vulnerable to droughts. The main objective of this study is to estimate the water demand by the rural population on the Angolan side of the Iishana system, attempting to fill the knowledge gap. To reach the demand estimates, a mathematical procedure within a GIS environment was used, in QGIS 3.32.2 software, relating population gridded and meteorological data to make the necessary calculations. In 2023, it estimated consumption for intake and personal hygiene of 4.7 Mm3, 6.3 Mm3 for 2033, 8.4 Mm3 for 2043 and 11.3 Mm3/year for 2053. In recent years there have been rainfall records throughout the Iishana system, at an average of 518 mm/annum, but high temperatures accelerate water evaporation. Due to the topographical conditions, the waters are drained by gravity to the south of the basin (Republic of Namibia), causing a greater shortage in the dry season on the Angolan side, the study targets the estimation of water demand and the concept of rainwater harvest and sustainable water infrastructure to supply safe drinking water to equalise water demand and reduce vulnerability to climate change. These early findings may provide a basis for developing sustainable water infrastructure and use plans to improve the livelihoods of the resident population within the basin
Biosecurity Compliance and Its Applications in Poultry Production Sectors
No full textPoultry farming has been recognized as one of the most vital sectors for the economy and revenue generation in many countries. For the production of high-quality freshly hatched chicks, effective cleaning and sanitation of the hatchery environment and hatching eggs were crucial components of proper management and hygiene in chicken hatcheries. The current review aimed to assess the efficient ways of mitigating the risk of disease introduction (external biosecurity) and its subsequent dissemination (internal biosecurity) within and between poultry farms and hatcheries. In addition to identifying the variety of risk categories that are applied to various biosecurity industries, this article clarified the equivalent tools, including checklists and/or questionnaires, that can be used to assess biosecurity compliance. The checklist was aimed to evaluate numerous biosecurity protocol categories, including the farm's infrastructure, employees, their education and training, access control mechanisms, cleaning and disinfection procedures, handling of litter and waste, chick control, registrations, and pest management. In conclusion, external biosecurity was critical to preventing infections from entering hatcheries and poultry farms. Questionnaires or checklists were effective instruments for gathering information on biosecurity and evaluating compliance in poultry farms
Survey on Dermatological Disorders of Dogs during 2020-2022 in Rabat, Morocco
No full textDermatology is an important specialty in veterinary medicine, focusing on the skin and its appendages. Therefore, the present study highlighted the percentage of skin disorders, as well as their associated risk factors, from cases received at the Parasitology-Dermatology clinic of the Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (IAV Hassan II), Rabat, Morocco for two years. A total of 1561 dogs (1450 dogs were in 28 different pure breeds and 111 dogs were mongrels, 805 males, and 756 females, with an average age of 6.5 years old) were presented at the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (UVTH) of the IAV Hassan II from the end of October 2020 to the end of May 2022 (including vaccinations) and 125 dogs were assessed and 161 skin diseases were found (a few dogs had more than one skin disease). Dermatological examinations represented an average of 8.00% (125/1561) of all canine cases received at the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The most common clinical signs were pruritus, alopecia, erythema, onychogryphosis, and visible ectoparasites. Parasitic dermatoses were the most frequent, representing 44.10% of all dermatological cases, followed by allergic dermatoses (25.47%) and fungal skin infections (19.25%). Bacterial skin infections and dermatological manifestations of endocrine disorders were infrequent, representing 8.70% and 2.48%, respectively of all observed cases. Risk factors contributing to the occurrence of canine skin disorders included age and lifestyle for sarcoptic mange. An apparent predilection for the living environment was observed in the case of canine leishmaniosis, and an apparent predilection for sex regarding otodectic mange was also demonstrated. Similar results were found for the living environment and lifestyle concerning canine atopic dermatitis. Data reported herein fill gaps in knowledge of skin disorders and their associated risk factors in dogs in Morocco, demonstrating the dominance of skin diseases of zoonotic interest, including flea bite allergy dermatitis (FBAD), dermatophytosis, and canine leishmaniosis
The Integration of Geographic Information Systems and Building Information Modelling to Sustainably Manage Development Sites in Gaborone, Botswana
No full textFor many years, site development professionals and urban planners have worked in silos, yet they share a similar objective of providing a better built and natural environment. Moreover, there seems to be a stereotype in terms of focus areas; with urban planners more on the macroscale while their site development counterparts are more on the micro end. The two professional groups speak in different languages and use different instruments. For example, urban planners have introduced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) while site development professionals like architects, engineers, contractors, and facility managers advocate for Building Information Modelling (BIM). The increasing complexity of site development, their related environmental, geographical, and surrounding infrastructure is highly desired to support informed decision-making. Advancements in computer science and data technologies can make this integration easier. However, the understanding of GIS and BIM integration is still in its infancy, as innovative applications of their fusion is yet to be explored comprehensively. Therefore, this study investigates how GIS and BIM can be integrated to derive big data to support site development in Gaborone, Botswana. It will further propose a conceptual framework for integrating BIM and GIS for better site development and sustainable urban management in Gaborone
Evaluation of the Compressive Strength and Sorptivity of Pozzolanic Concrete Containing Calcined Termite Mound
No full textPozzolans have long been established as viable materials for the partial replacement of cement in concrete. However, the extent to which they can be used is still under investigation. Pozzolans do not in themselves have cementitious value but can react chemically with calcium hydroxide and moisture to produce cementitious compounds. Pozzolanic concretes have been reported to have varied properties in term of compressive strength and durability properties which need to be ascertained. This research focuses on Calcined Termite Mound (CTM) and its influence on the compressive strength and sorptivity of concrete. Several tests were carried out to ascertain the physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of CTM and conventional concrete constituents. Some of these tests include bulk density, setting time, aggregate crushing value (ACV), aggregate impact value (AIV), slump test, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), sorptivity, and compressive strength tests. Compressive strength tests results for concrete containing Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and CTM cement blends show that CTM has higher silica content compared to OPC and can be classified as Class-N pozzolans It is also richer in calcium oxide. The study also reveals that CTM has an optimum replacement level of 5% with strength of 13.4 MPa at 28 days, which is higher than the 12.4 MPa of control concrete. Also, the result of sorptivity test for OPC-CTM blended concrete gave lower resistance to sorptivity. Regression models were developed to predict the compressive strengths of OPC-CTM concrete as a function of % replacement level and curing age
ASPIRATION, SLICING, AND FLUSHING MEDIUM TECHNIQUES IN COLLECTING OOCYTES OF SHEEP: SEARCHING FOR THE BEST METHOD
No full textThe aim of this study was to compare the effect of the techniques of aspiration, slicing, and flushing medium in collecting oocytes on the quantity and quality of oocytes, the average time used for collecting oocytes per ovary, and the volume of the medium used. The material utilized was 274 ovaries from ewes aged 2.5 to 3.5 years and body weight ranging between 25 and 35 kg. This study used a Completely Randomized Design consists of 3 treatments of techniques were aspiration, slicing, and flushing medium. The parameters measured included the average quantity, quality, and weight of oocytes per ovary (right/left), the effect of the techniques of aspiration, slicing, and flushing medium on the quantity and quality of oocytes, and the efficiency of use of medium and time spent to collect oocytes by using aspiration, slicing, and flushing medium techniques. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance. The results showed that the aspiration technique collected the highest percentage (P<0.01) of oocytes quality A (38.49) compared to the slicing technique (17.93), and the flushing medium technique (11.71). In terms of time, the aspiration technique was the fastest (8–10 minutes) compared to the slicing technique (10–12 minutes), and flushing medium technique (13–15 minutes); meanwhile, the aspiration technique was the most efficient technique (1–2 ml) compared to slicing technique (3–5 ml) and flushing medium technique (6–10 ml). In conclusion, the aspiration technique is the best one for oocyte collection from sheep ovaries. This technique proves to be efficient in terms of quantity and quality of the oocytes collected, time to perform, and medium to use. © The Author(s) 202
PROCESSING OF SLAUGHTERHOUSE BLOOD FOR ANTIANEMIC FOOD PRODUCTS
No full textCurrently, rational processing of blood from slaughterhouses remains as a waste fluid in many regions. Traditional approaches to use the blood for food are significantly limited because of specific and non-favorable organoleptic characteristics. Present study provides a comparison of various methods for modifying the red blood cell (RBC) mass of animals and a more in-depth study of acid hemolysis. The solution of ascorbic acid has been proposed as a hemolyzing agent. There has been established experimentally that the addition of equal volumes of RBC and a solution of an ascorbic acid with a concentration of 0.75 mol/dm3 can effectively destroy the stroma more up 90 of red blood cells within 15 minutes. By this, the hemoglobin oxidation degree to methemoglobin is about 50, which forms the desired color of the resulting hydrolysate. The dry semi-finished product has a neutral odor and brown color with high functional and technological properties. It also contains 0.9 organic iron with good biological value. Thus, the study shows that blood products can effectively use in various foods such as meat products, and also as a dietary supplement for various proposes. Consumption of these products has potent positive effect on hemoglobin levels and it is recommending for people with iron deficiency anemia. Open Access: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. © The Author(s) 202
EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTING CULTURED Cordyceps militaris MUSHROOM MYCELIA IN THE PREGNANT SOW’S DIET ON THE HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE OF THE MOTHERS AND THEIR SUCKLING PIGLETS
No full textPresent study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementing cultured Cordyceps mushroom mycelia (CMM) in the diets of pregnant sows on the productivity of the mothers and their suckling piglets during their first week of age. A total of 30 pregnant F1 (Landrace x Yorkshire) sows were randomly allocated to 5 dietary treatments with 6 replicates each: Control (sows fed the basal diet), and T30, T50, T100, and T200, where sows were fed the basal diet supplemented with 30, 50, 100, and 200 g of dried CMM, respectively. The animals were individually housed and fed twice daily. The performance and health status of the sows and their piglets were recorded accordingly. The results showed that the inclusion of CMM in the diets of pregnant and lactating sows affected the performance and health status of both the mothers and their piglets. For the piglets, the total number of piglets born and alive was higher in the T50, T100, and T200 groups compared to the control and T30 groups, but there was no effect on the survival rate at 7 days old. Daily gains per piglet were higher in the T30, T50, and T100 groups compared to T200 (P<0.05). For the sows, daily feed intake was lower in the T30 group compared to the other treatments (P<0.05). The values of gross energy in the milk produced by the sows were higher in the control, T30, T50, and T100 groups compared to T200 (P<0.05). Both the piglets and the sows on diets supplemented with CMM experienced fewer health problems than those on the control diet (P<0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of 50 and 100 g of CMM per day in the diets of pregnant and lactating sows improved litter size and health status but did not affect the performance of either the mothers or their piglets. © The Author(s) 202