1,721,237 research outputs found
Use of Oxytocin and Milking Management of Buffaloes in (Urban) Peri-Urban Area of Faisalabad
No full textA study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of (urban) peri-urban production system in Faisalabad, third-largest city of Pakistan. Interviews with 145 milk-producing (urban) peri-urban households (HH) were carried out. Based on cluster analysis, four types of dairy farmers were identified, (i) semi-commercial smallholder mixed dairy-crop farmers (n=43), (ii) semi-commercial smallholder dairy farmers (n=30), (iii) smallholder commercial (n=53) and (iv) large-holder commercial dairy farmers (n=14). Of each type five HH were randomly selected for qualitative and quantitative on-farm monitoring of management of buffalo and cattle. Milking was done twice daily, exclusively by hand. Before milking intra-muscular injection of 2 ml oxytocin was practiced by 90% of the (urban) peri-urban dairy farmers to stimulate milk letdown in 61% of the monitored lactating buffaloes and 19% of the cattle whereas 36% buffalo and 48% cattle calves suckle their dams. There was significant difference (P<0.05) in use of oxytocin for buffalo and cattle among the four production systems. Oxytocin can be easily purchased for as little as 18-20 rupees/50 ml from local shops, even at village level. In general oxytocin was used for those animals whose calves had died, sold or were not accepted by dams. Some were injected once daily while most received oxytocin at both milkings. This study suggests that regular use of oxytocin for milk let down should be checked, should be prescribed on actual need and awareness should be created among farmers. Prolonged use of oxytocin interferes and inhibits the normal milk ejection reflex and causes fertility disorders such as poor estrus signs, low conception rate, high embryonic mortality, shortened lactation period, increased abortion, calf death and incidences of mastitis. These problems are currently being addressed in progeny-history interviews targeting each milking animal in the 20 monitored herds
Use of Oxytocin and Milking Management of Buffaloes in (Urban) Peri-Urban Area of Faisalabad
No full textA study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of (urban) peri-urban production system in Faisalabad, third-largest city of Pakistan. Interviews with 145 milk-producing (urban) peri-urban households (HH) were carried out. Based on cluster analysis, four types of dairy farmers were identified, (i) semi-commercial smallholder mixed dairy-crop farmers (n=43), (ii) semi-commercial smallholder dairy farmers (n=30), (iii) smallholder commercial (n=53) and (iv) large-holder commercial dairy farmers (n=14). Of each type five HH were randomly selected for qualitative and quantitative on-farm monitoring of management of buffalo and cattle. Milking was done twice daily, exclusively by hand. Before milking intra-muscular injection of 2 ml oxytocin was practiced by 90% of the (urban) peri-urban dairy farmers to stimulate milk letdown in 61% of the monitored lactating buffaloes and 19% of the cattle whereas 36% buffalo and 48% cattle calves suckle their dams. There was significant difference (P<0.05) in use of oxytocin for buffalo and cattle among the four production systems. Oxytocin can be easily purchased for as little as 18-20 rupees/50 ml from local shops, even at village level. In general oxytocin was used for those animals whose calves had died, sold or were not accepted by dams. Some were injected once daily while most received oxytocin at both milkings. This study suggests that regular use of oxytocin for milk let down should be checked, should be prescribed on actual need and awareness should be created among farmers. Prolonged use of oxytocin interferes and inhibits the normal milk ejection reflex and causes fertility disorders such as poor estrus signs, low conception rate, high embryonic mortality, shortened lactation period, increased abortion, calf death and incidences of mastitis. These problems are currently being addressed in progeny-history interviews targeting each milking animal in the 20 monitored herds
In vitro efficacy of selected medicinal plants from Cholistan desert, Pakistan, against gastrointestinal helminths of sheep and goats
No full textPrevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in pastoral sheep and goat flocks in the Cholistan desert of Pakistan
No full textSmall ruminants are a major source of cash for many rural populations, especially in semi-arid and arid regions of developing countries. Extensively managed animals often host gastrointestinal parasites, and even chronic infestations lead to economic losses. We evaluated the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in sheep and goats of the Cholistan desert, Pakistan, where livestock is the backbone of the regional economy. Fresh faeces (10 - 15 g) were collected from 500 sheep and 500 goats across five different localities. Standard parasitological techniques served to identify parasite eggs, and copro-culture enabled larval determination of specific nematodes. Overall helminth prevalence was 78.1% across the 1000 animals; pure nematode infestations were most prevalent (37.5%), followed by pure trematode (7.9%), pure cestode (2.6%) and pure protozoa infestations (0.8%). Mixed infestations with nematodes and trematodes occurred in 6.4% of all animals, mixed nematode-cestode infestations in 3.8%, and all three groups were found in 19.1% of the sheep and goats. In goats more males (81.1%) than females (77.0%) were infested, the opposite was found in sheep (73.6% males, 79.5% females). Parasites were especially prevalent in suckling goats (85.2%) and sheep (88.5%) and to a lesser extent in young (goats 80.6%, sheep 79.3%) and adult animals (goats 72.8%, sheep 73.8%). Given the high infestation rates, particular attention should be paid to management of suckling animals. A general means of reducing infestation rates might be the systematic testing of traditional plant-based remedies against helminths for cheap and regular deworming of the herds
Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in pastoral sheep and goat flocks in the Cholistan desert of Pakistan
No full textSmall ruminants are a major source of cash for many rural populations, especially in semi-arid and arid regions of developing countries. Extensively managed animals often host gastrointestinal parasites, and even chronic infestations lead to economic losses. We evaluated the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in sheep and goats of the Cholistan desert, Pakistan, where livestock is the backbone of the regional economy. Fresh faeces (10 - 15 g) were collected from 500 sheep and 500 goats across five different localities. Standard parasitological techniques served to identify parasite eggs, and copro-culture enabled larval determination of specific nematodes. Overall helminth prevalence was 78.1% across the 1000 animals; pure nematode infestations were most prevalent (37.5%), followed by pure trematode (7.9%), pure cestode (2.6%) and pure protozoa infestations (0.8%). Mixed infestations with nematodes and trematodes occurred in 6.4% of all animals, mixed nematode-cestode infestations in 3.8%, and all three groups were found in 19.1% of the sheep and goats. In goats more males (81.1%) than females (77.0%) were infested, the opposite was found in sheep (73.6% males, 79.5% females). Parasites were especially prevalent in suckling goats (85.2%) and sheep (88.5%) and to a lesser extent in young (goats 80.6%, sheep 79.3%) and adult animals (goats 72.8%, sheep 73.8%). Given the high infestation rates, particular attention should be paid to management of suckling animals. A general means of reducing infestation rates might be the systematic testing of traditional plant-based remedies against helminths for cheap and regular deworming of the herds
In vitro efficacy of selected medicinal plants from Cholistan desert, Pakistan, against gastrointestinal helminths of sheep and goats
No full textChallenges in Agile Software Maintenance for Local and Global Development: an Empirical Assessment
No full textYounas, Muhammad/0000-0003-4161-7843; Younas, Muhammad/0000-0003-4161-7843; Mishra, Alok/0000-0003-1275-2050; YAZICI, Ali/0000-0001-5405-802XAgile methods have gained wide popularity recently due to their characteristics in software development. Despite the success of agile methods in the software maintenance process, several challenges have been reported. In this study, we investigate the challenges that measure the impact of agile methods in software maintenance in terms of quality factors. A survey was conducted to collect data from agile practitioners to establish their opinions about existing challenges. As a result of the statistical analysis of the data from the survey, it has been observed that there are moderately effective challenges in manageability, scalability, communication, collaboration, and transparency. Further research is required to validate software maintenance challenges in agile methods
Body Measurements and Body Condition Scoring as Basis for Estimation of Live Weight in Nili-Ravi Buffaloes
No full textImplementation of management recommendations for the Nili-Ravi buffalo in small-and medium scale commercial dairy production systems in Pakistan is hampered by difficulties to determine body weight (BW) of the animal. A workable and reliable method of predicting BW of this breed by using body measurements and body condition scoring (BCS) was therefore explored. Nili-Ravi buffaloes (n=211) were divided into three age groups (1-3 years = G1; >3-8 years = G2; >8 years = G3). Animals were weighed on a mechanical scale and their heart girth (HG), body length (BL) and shoulder height (SH) were measured. In addition, BCS was performed using a 5 point scale. Recorded data were subjected to simple and multiple linear regression analysis. The overall mean values of BW, HG, BL, SH and BCS were 359 +/- 160.9 kg, 170 +/- 30.1 cm, 130 +/- 19.2 cm, 125 +/- 14.5 cm and 3.8 +/- 0.77. With correlation coefficients (r) of 0.97 (HG), 0.94 (BL), 0.93 (SH) and 0.43 (BCS), the relationship between the individual independent variable with BW were significant (P<0.01) in all cases. The multiple linear regression between BW and HG, BL and BCS was highly significant (P<0.001) for each of the three groups (G1: r(2) = 0.95, G2: r(2) = 0.86, G3: r(2) = 0.83). Buffalo farmers who lack mechanical or electronic scales to regularly determine BW of their animals can thus combine simple morphometric body measurements (HG, BL) with BCS or just rely on HG in order to calculate feed requirements, monitor growth, determine breeding age, marketing weight and estimate the animals' cash value. (C) 2013 PVJ. All rights reserve
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