Victoria O. Chimezie

• Ph.D Animal Production
• Senior Lecturer at University of Ilorin

Vernonia amygdalina has a unique nutritional and phytochemical property with numerous physiological, biochemical and morphological benefits due to its anti-oxidative and anti-helminthic properties. This study evaluated the effects of Vernonia amygdalina leaf meal (VALM) on follicle stimulating (FSH), luteinizing hormones (LH) and testosterone regul...

A study was conducted to determine the effect of divergent selection for 35-day body weight on fertility and hatchability, egg weight loss, and hatch weight of Japanese quail eggs. Eggs for incubation were obtained from a total of 1,500 chicks obtained from the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, Plateau State as the base population from...

The egg parameters of Yoruba Ecotype Chicken (YEC), Sussex (SS) and their cross-bred chickens in the humid tropical region of Nigeria were assessed using principal component analysis. The study used 223 eggs, of which 124 YEC and 99 Sussex eggs were collected. Weekly data on the internal and external egg qualities of the hens were gathered using a...

The effects of Phyllanthus amarus supplemented diet on Japanese quail egg production and egg quality traits were studied in a five (5) week trial period. A total of 48 female Japanese quail birds were randomly allotted into 4 dietary treatments: A- {Basal diet + zero antibiotic with 0% Phyllanthus amarus (Negative Control)}, B- {Basal diet + Antibi...

Yoruba Ecotype Chicken (YEC) is characterized by hardiness, and better adaptation to prevailing tropical environment. However, its poor egg production has hindered its utilization for commercial production. Crossbreeding is a major tool used in improving desired traits in animals. The objective of the study was to evaluate egg production and qualit...

Yoruba Ecotype Chicken (YEC) is characterized by hardiness, and better adaptation to prevailing tropical environment. However, its poor egg production has hindered its utilization for commercial production. Crossbreeding is a major tool used in improving desired traits in animals. The objective of the study was to evaluate egg production and qualit...

A total of 200 one week old Japanese quail chicks constituting of 100 brown and 100 white plumage color were used to evaluate the correlation between bodyweight and morphometric measurements. The two quail color lines where kept in battery cages. Feed and water where provided adlibitum throughout the experimental period. All birds were allotted to...

Principal component analyses were used to evaluate sexual dimorphism and the relationship among morphometric traits of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 153-day old quails (92 males and 61 females) were used in the study. The birds were housed in a wooden cage and fed ad-libitum. Data on body weight, body length, body girth, s...

The research was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of Telfairia occidentalis leaves on egg production traits and egg quality traits of Japanese quail. A total of forty eight (48) six weeks old female Japanese quail were randomly selected from an existing flock and distributed into 4 treatments (A,B,C,D) of 12 birds each...

The effects of Phyllanthus amarus supplemented diet on Japanese quail egg production and egg quality traits were studied in a five (5) week trial period. A total of 48 female Japanese quail birds were randomly allotted into 4 dietary treatments: A-{Basal diet + zero antibiotic with 0% Phyllanthus amarus (Negative Control)}, B-{Basal diet + Antibiot...

The suitability of any goat breed for dairy purposes depends on its assessment of milk-related traits. This study evaluates the influence of parity and lactation stage on somatic cell count (SCC) and cheese-making variables of West African Dwarf (WAD) goat milk. A total of 48 lactating WAD does of three different parities (the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd) we...

Moringa oleifera seed meal is a novel feed ingredient that has attracted the attention of many researchers as it affects the utilization since it thrives well in almost all ecological zones. However, it is ascertained that there is variation within and across different genotypes of chickens. The study aimed to determine the genotype-diet effect on...

An experiment to determine the relationship between egg weight, hatch weight and subsequent body weight of the Japanese quail was conducted. A total of 607 eggs collected over 6 days from an existing flock at the Animal Pavilion of the University of Ilorin were used for the experiment. Eggs were individually numbered, weighed and grouped into small...

Survival is a general measure of an animal's fitness. In commercial poultry production, mortality can result from a range of conditions (disease, physiological stress, environmental condition and aggressive behaviour. This study was aimed at evaluating Yoruba Ecotype Chicken (YEC), Sussex (SS), Goliath (GG), Marshall (MM) and their crossbred offspr...

Moringa oleifera seed meal (MOSM) offers a lot of potentials as a feedstuff which could be included in poultry nutrition. The experiment assessed the comparative influence of dietary MOSM on the sperm characteristics (semen volume, semen colour, mass activity, sperm motility, sperm concentration, testicular weights, epididymal weights, sperm reserv...

In a study to investigate the influence of Human Menopausal Gonadotropin (HMG) on egg production in Guinea hens, five doses of HMG (0, 6, 12, 18 and 24 IU) were administered to the hens in two phases during the dry and rainy seasons and the effects monitored during the administration and post administration periods. Birds were individually housed i...

A study was conducted to determine the effects of plumage colour on hatchability traits and growth performance of Japanese quails raised for six weeks. A total of 360 eggs (120 eggs/ variant) were obtained from established random-bred pure variants of Japanese quail in the animal pavilion of the Department of Animal production University of Ilorin....

The need for increased animal protein is a driving force for research in under-exploited livestock species like rabbit. A total of 60, seven week old, mixed sex New Zealand White (NZW) and Chinchilla (CHC) weaned rabbits were used for the study. Data collected on the rabbit kits were used to evaluate the effects of breed, sex and weaning weight gro...

Native de-oiled and treated castor seed meal was subjected to proximate analysis and quantification of anti-nutrients (phytochemicals). Seed cake was treated by biochemical technique of solid state fermentation with Aspergillus niger and addition of calcium oxide (CaO) to give treated castor seed meal (TCSM). One hundred and twenty Japanese quails...

Egg laying performance of guinea hens reared on two production systems, floor and cage, was evaluated using 60 guinea pullets for either production systems. The birds were randomly selected from an existing guinea fowl population reared at the Teaching and Research Farm. Parameters monitored were age at sexual maturity, body weight at first egg, eg...

A study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary interventions of vitamins A and C, methionine and lysine singly and in combination on broilers challenged with Aspergillus flavus. The interventions were Vitamins A+C (A+C), Methionine+Lysine (METH+LYS) and Vitamins A+C+METH+LYS. The experiment which was conducted for 8 weeks employed a comp...

This study was carried out to determine the consumption pattern and preference for quail eggs by consumers in Nigeria and also to determine the factors affecting quail eggs consumption in Nigeria. Area of study was Kwara State and data used for the study was collected from one hundred and twenty urban dwellers using a three-stage random sampling te...

Forty does and eight bucks of West African Dwarf (WAD) and Red Sokoto goats were mated to produce pure and reciprocal crossbreds (WADxRSG, RSGxWAD) kids whose records were used to estimate heritability of body weight at birth, weaning and yearling stages. Heritability was estimated using variance components due to sire, dam and combine sire-dam eff...

A total of 108 two-weeks-old Japanese quail chicks were used to study the relationship between body weight and linear measurements and to predict body weight from linear measurements of body length (BL), body girth (BG), wing length (WL), shank length (SL), shank diameter (SD) and drum stick (DS).The results showed that the mean quail birds’ body w...

A Nutrigenetic study of the effects of graded levels (0%, 5% and 10%) of undecorticated undefatted Moringa oleifera Seed Meal (UUMOSM) on the biological growth programme of 48 young broilers of two genotypes (Marshall and Arbor Acres) was conducted. Rates of change (%) of Body Weight (WTR), Length (BLR) and Girth (BGR), and Lengths of Shank (SLR),...

The climate risk analysis model provides the framework for any programme and innovation planning in climate change that is to result into a successful effort. Analysing and revealing the climate risk management strategies by small-scale agricultural entrepreneurs is a requisite to good planning in agricultural production and innovation. This will l...

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of soymilk on spermatozoa and its use as an extender. Twelve Yankasa rams between 12-48 months old were used for the study. The semen was collected with an electroejaculator, evaluated for sperm concentration and percent sperm motility, live spermatozoa and sperm abnormakties. The best semen samples wer...

Selection for high (H) and low (L) body weight (BW) at 35 days of age in Japanese quail was practiced for 2 generations. The base population was a random bred population obtained from the National Veterinary Research Institute in Jos, Nigeria. Realized heritability for BW at 35 day of age for H and L males in the 2nd generation was 0.43 and 0.35 re...

The study analyzed the economics of using cocoa bean shell (cbs) as feed supplement in rabbit production. Data used for this study was collected from an experimental study of performance of rabbits fed graded levels of various treatments of CBS as feed supplement. Gross margin and dominance analysis were used to analyze the data. The study showed t...

A study was conducted to determine the response of day-old cockerel chicks to graded levels of Alphamune G (0.00, 0.04, 0.05 and 0.06%). The experiment which was conducted for 8 weeks employed a completely randomized design. Feed intake and nutrient retention were not significantly influenced (p>0.05) by dietary inclusion levels of Alphamune G. How...

A study was conducted on 120 day-old broiler chicks fed graded levels of Alphamune G (0.00, 0.04, 0.05 and 0.06%) in a Completely Randomized Design. The experiment was conducted for 8 weeks. Feed intake and weight gain were significantly influenced (p<0.05) by the inclusion levels of Alphamune G. Broiler chicks fed 0.04% inclusion level of Alphamun...

Gene frequencies and influence of four major genes on body weight and body size parameters were studied in populations of adult local chickens in Nigeria. The major genes studied were Naked-neck (Na), frizzle (F), polydactyly (Po) and ptylopody (Fsh). Body size parameters measured were body length, body girth, wing length, keel length, shank length...