Sexual Activity of Local Sahel Goat Breed in Niger

Aims: In Niger, the Sahel goat breed counts for around 80% of the national goat herd. However, it is scientifically little or not known. Thus, one of the aims of its zootechnical characterization is the control of its sexual activity, a fundamental physiological basis of reproductive function. Study Design: For this purpose, a sample of 47 Sahel goats in two phenotypically different sub-samples: from the Tahoua region (22) and Tillabéry region (25) was installed and monitored for heat control in order to characterize female sexual activities. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted for a period of 9 months (January to September) at the experimental station of University of Niamey Faculty of Agronomy. Methodology: Heat controls by using harnessed males with a non-marking protective apron were carried out twice daily (8 am and 5 pm). Results: A total of 146 heats and 100 cycles were observed. It appeared that heat starts and ends mostly in the morning (76% and 70% respectively). Annual sexual activity has gone through two phases. A phase of an almost total rupture of heat from February to April and a phase of regular sexual activity from May to September and by extension the rest of the year. The mean duration of estrus and sexual cycle are respectively 35.75 ± 15.72 hours and 20.9 ± 9.7 days with strong individual variations (12 to 132 hours and 4 to 55 days for respective estrus and sexual cycle). The “T” test showed that there are no significant differences in these parameters between the two sub-samples (Tahoua and Tillabéry). Conclusion: Ultimately, the estrus and sexual cycle of Niger Sahel goat are common to those of the goat species in general.

CULTIVATION AND INGESTIBILITY OF ANGOLE PEAS (CAJANUS CAJAN) IN SAHEL GOAT IN NIGER

This study was conducted on the experimental site of the Faculty of Agriculture of Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey. Objective of the work is to study the culture of species Cajanus cajan while determining its applicability to the Sahel goat. Germination test was carried out in petri dishes. Experimental set-up consists of 360 pockets distributed in three blocks each containing four plots of which three plots received urea, three received the NPK, three others received the manure and in the end three were kept as controls. Time between the establishment of grain culture in petri dishes and first appearance of radicle is one day and the staggering of germination is four days. The emergence of seedlings was observed 7 days after sowing in pockets. The seeds have a germination rate of 67.14%. At the first harvest, biomass production is 78.84; 89.42 and 79.87kg / ha respectively for plants treated with urea, NPK 15-15-15 and for plants treated with manure. Production of control plants is 50.45 kg / ha. Species Cajanus cajan has a higher appetence rate (80%) compared to species Leuceuna lecocephala and Gliricidia sepium which have respectively 66.66 and 46.66%.

The First Seroprevalence Investigation of Peste Des Petits Ruminants Virus among Sahel Goat in Yobe State, Nigeria

Peste des petits ruminants is among the most common viral disease conditions of small ruminants, whose status has not yet been reported in Yobe State, Nigeria. Thus, this study was aimed at determining the seroprevalence of this disease among Sahel goats in Yobe State, Nigeria, using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). Out of 460 serum samples collected, 255/460 (55.4%) were positive for PPR antibodies. Seroprevalence rates of 56.1%, 55.4% and 54.6% were recorded in Bursari, Bade and Nangere Local Government Areas (LGAs) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) observed in the PPRV seroprevalence rates among the three LGAs. Sahel goats older than 18 months had a significantly higher (p<0.0001) Sero-prevalence of 65.2% compared to the 35.3% observed among younger ones (<18 months). The sex-wise distribution of the Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) seroprevalence rate showed that female Sahel goats had 60.0% and the males had 44.6%. The detection of the PPRV among Sahel goats from all the LGAs sampled suggests that PPRV is endemic in the study area. It is therefore recommended that PPR vaccination be instituted in the study areas.

Influences of breed, sex and age on seasonal changes in haematological variables of tropical goat kids

The influences of breed, sex and age on seasonal changes in haematological variables of kids (1–4 months old) belonging to Red Sokoto (n = 60) and Sahel (n = 60) goats were studied at the peaks of the cold-dry, hot-dry and rainy seasons in a West Africa Guinea savanna climate. The results showed that, during the hot-dry season, Sahel goat kids had significantly higher (P < 0.05) packed cell volume (PCV) and red blood cell (RBC) count but lower (P < 0.05) mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and total leucocyte count than Red Sokoto kids. Similarly, younger kids of both breed had significantly higher (P < 0.05) PCV and RBC but lower MCV, MCH and MCHC compared with the older kids during the hot-dry season. Younger kids (1–2 months) of both breeds exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) high PCV and RBC but low MCH and MCHC during the hot-dry season as compared with the cold-dry and rainy seasons, with the magnitude of the change being greater in Sahel kids. More remarkable seasonal fluctuations in haematological parameters were observed in buck kids than doe kids of both breeds. Multivariate analysis revealed a clear distinction between the change in haematological parameters during the cold-dry as compared with the hot-dry and rainy seasons, with MCV having the strongest discriminating power (0.91*). In conclusion, breed, age and sex variations in haematological variables of goats were more pronounced in the hot-dry season, during which the seasonal changes were more dramatic in kids of Sahel goats, as well as in younger and male kids of both breeds. These findings may be useful in the management of tropical goat kids in different seasons.

Phenotypic homogeneity with minor deviance in osmotic fragility of Sahel goat erythrocytes in non-ionic sucrose media during various physiologic states

Background:Erythrocyte swelling in non-ionic sucrose media and the subsequent osmotic lysis are influenced by mechanisms of regulatory volume adjustment and osmotic water permeability. Kinetics of transmembrane water and ion fluxes in varied physiologic states may determine the phenotype of erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) and affect estimates of EOF.Methods:Effects of sex, age, late pregnancy (third trimester) and lactation on the haemolysis of Sahel goat erythrocytes incubated in a series of hyposmotic non-ionic sucrose media were investigated.Results:The fragiligram was sigmoidal in 72 (97%) out of 74 goats. Two male (3%) goats with low and high extreme median erythrocyte fragilities (MEF), had non-sigmoidal curves. The mean fragilities at osmolarities of 30–300 mosmol/L of sucrose and the mean osmolarities responsible for 10%–90% haemolysis (CHConclusions:Physiologic states of the goat did not affect EOF phenotype in non-ionic sucrose media. Sigmoidal fragility phenotype seemed to be homogeneously conserved by osmoregulatory mechanisms not partitioned by sex, age, late pregnancy or lactation, but a minor non-sigmoidal curve might have occurred due to altered erythrocyte osmotic behaviour that would require further investigation.

Phenotypic variations in osmotic lysis of Sahel goat erythrocytes in non-ionic glucose media

Erythrocyte osmotic lysis in deionised glucose media is regulated by glucose influx, cation efflux, and changes in cell volume after water diffusion. Transmembrane fluxes may be affected by varied expression of glucose transporter protein and susceptibility of membrane proteins to glucose-induced glycosylation and oxidation in various physiologic states.Variations in haemolysis of Sahel goat erythrocytes after incubation in hyposmotic non-ionic glucose media, associated with sex, age, late pregnancy, and lactation, were investigated.The osmotic fragility curve in glucose media was sigmoidal with erythrocytes from goats in late pregnancy (PRE) or lactation (LAC) or from kid (KGT) or middle-aged (MGT) goats. Non-sigmoidal phenotype occurred in yearlings (YGT) and old (OGT) goats. The composite fragility phenotype for males and non-pregnant dry (NPD) females was non-sigmoidal. Erythrocytes with non-sigmoidal curves were more stable than those with sigmoidal curves because of inflectional shift of the curve to the left. Erythrocytes tended to be more fragile with male than female sex, KGT and MGT than YGT and OGT, and LAC and PRE than NPD. Thus, sex, age, pregnancy, and lactation affected the haemolytic pattern of goat erythrocytes in glucose media.The physiologic state of the goat affected the in vitro interaction of glucose with erythrocytes, causing variations in osmotic stability with variants of fragility phenotype. Variations in the effect of high extracellular glucose concentrations on the functions of membrane-associated glucose transporter, aquaporins, and the cation cotransporter were presumed to be relevant in regulating the physical properties of goat erythrocytes under osmotic stress.