International Journal of Agricultural Sciences

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (3), pp. 001-007, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Affordable Management of Poultry Waste Using a Basic Plastic Digester

K. A. Yongabi¹, P. L. Harris^² and D. M. Lewis³

¹Phytobiotechnology Research Foundation, P.O Box 921, Bamenda, Cameroon.
²School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia.
³School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia.

Accepted 13 February, 2025

Abstract

Poultry faeces collected from the research farm of the school of Agriculture, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria, was anaerobically digested for five weeks retention time using a plastic type digester constructed at the FMEnv/ZERI Research Centre and a follow up system set up in Cameroon at the compound of the National Polytechnic Bambui, Bamenda in the North West part of the country with 200 L poultry faeces collected from a private farmer in Bambui village who reported that composted poultry faeces used to fertilized his plantain field generated stem and root rot disease. Following anaerobic digestion of poultry faeces for 37 days in Nigeria, the raw slurries with a very high mean bacterial counts too numerous to count (estimated as above 10,000 cfu per ml) reduced drastically to only 180 cful ml while mean coliform and Escherichia coli counts too numerous to count reduced drastically to 130 and 87 cful ml, respectively. The difference in mean microbial counts from the raw to treated slurries was far more significant than the raw slurry kept on bench and analysed at the end of five weeks as control. Cyst of Eimeria spp and ova of Ascaridia detected in the raw slurries were absent in the anaerobically digested slurry. Seven species of soil pathogenic nematodes detected in a compost pit and from stem and root rot of plantain trees fertilized with the manure at a local farm in Cameroon were not detected after the poultry faeces was anaerobically digested in a pilot plastic digester in a five week retention time. Biogas produced at the end of the process was used as cooking fuel and burnt for 3 h daily for 5 days. The findings showed that the plastic type digester was efficient in disinfecting contaminated poultry faeces while providing biogas and sterile mineralized fertilizer.

Key words: Plastic, anaerobic, digester, simple, cheap, poultry, faeces.
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (2), pp. 001-009, February, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

High Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli from Nigeria: The Impact of Antibiotic Reliance in Poultry Production

Chijioke A. Nsofor¹, Isaac O. Olatoye^2,4, Elizabeth A. Amosun³, Christian U. Iroegbu¹, Margaret A. Davis⁴, Lisa H. Orfe⁵ and Douglas R. Call^4,5*

¹Department of Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
²Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
³Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁴Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
⁵Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.

Accepted 12 September, 2024

Abstract

To assess the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in Nigeria, single Escherichia coli isolates were collected from a geographically diverse panel of fecal samples collected from human clinical and non-clinical donors (n=77), livestock (cattle, swine, and goats) and chickens (n=71 total). There was no difference in the proportion of isolates resistant to ≥1 antibiotics from human clinical and non-clinical samples, but overall, this was significantly higher for human (85.7%) compared to animal (53.5%) isolates (P<0.0001). The average number of resistance phenotypes per isolate was significantly higher for human (5.0), goat (4.0), and poultry (3.4) compared with cattle (2.4) and swine (2.0) (P<0.05). There were 25 different resistance phenotypes with more diversity from animal compared with human isolates. A survey of management practices at 30 poultry farms in the vicinity of Ibadan found that all respondents self-milled feed and most (87.7%) routinely added antibiotics to feed. Tetracyclines were the dominant antibiotics of choice followed by tylosin and gentamicin and some use of chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin. If this pattern of antibiotic resistance and use is repeated across the different sectors of food-animal production and in multiple developing countries, then trade and travel are likely to disseminate resistance traits to other countries potentially negating local policies that are designed to limit selection for antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Key words: Antibiotic resistance, Escherichia coli, growth promotion, poultry, chloramphenicol.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (2), pp. 001-006, February, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Health Education Interventions: A Strategy to Improve Avian Influenza Prevention Knowledge and Practices among Bird Handlers in Sokoto, Nigeria

M. O. Oche¹, A. U. Junaidu², A. S. Mainasara³* and M. A. Ndakotsu³

¹Department of Community Health, Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
²Department of Veterinary Public Health, Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
³Department of Pathology/Microbiology, Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.

Accepted 10 September, 2024

Abstract

Zoonotic diseases are under-reported in most parts of the world particularly in developing countries. Approximately 75% of emerging diseases are zoonotic which include avian influenza (AI), Lassa fever and toxoplasmosis. The persistence and spread of avian/fatal avian influenza A (A/H5NI) in poultry and people in Asia, Europe and Africa has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to state that the world is now in a pandemic alert phase. For these reasons, an integrated and cross-sectorial plan was needed which ensures that Nigeria was prepared to address both the causes and consequences of avian and human influenza pandemic. This study was conducted to assess the impact of educational intervention on the knowledge and practice of prevention of AI among bird handlers in Sokoto. A total of 100 male bird handlers in Sokoto metropolis were enrolled for the quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-intervention components in the same group. A set of comprehensive and pre-tested questionnaire was administered to the respondents for information on the socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and practices regarding AI. The pre-intervention phases involved the application of the questionnaires to the respondents. The intervention measures instituted included health education on causes of AI, clinical features, communicability, prevention, morbidity/mortality patterns and a demonstration session. One month after the intervention, the same set of questionnaires were administered to the study subjects. Scores obtained for knowledge were subsequently graded as adequate (≥50%) and inadequate (<50%). At baseline, 51% of the respondents scored ≥50% with a mean knowledge score of 64±7.0, while at post-intervention, 86% of the respondents scored ≥50% with a mean knowledge score of 91±17.64 (p<0.0001). The commonest form of protection adopted by the study subjects was the use of protective clothing, including face masks.

Key words: Avian influenza, bird handlers, health education, preventive measures.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (1), pp. 001-014, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of shelf life of red chilli powder in bulk packaging for export 

Badal Dewangan* and Donal Bhattacharjee

R&D and Consultancy Department, Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Abstract

Accepted 17 December, 2024

Abstract

Red chilli powder is a shelf-stable product with low respiration rates, yet biochemical, microbial, and other decomposition activities can still occur depending on storage conditions. Effective oxygen and gas barrier properties are essential for preserving the quality and aroma of spices. To this end, we have introduced innovative liner combinations to assess their effectiveness in extending the shelf life of red chilli powder. A study was conducted to develop effective bulk packaging solutions for red chilli powder to address these challenges. The study involved testing various packaging materials, analyzing shelf life, and establishing specifications for export packaging. Spice samples were packed in ten different types of packaging materials and subjected to accelerated climatic conditions (38±1°C and 90±2% RH) for six months. All physicochemical parameters were measured in triplicate. Over the exposure period, moisture content and water activity of the red chilli powder showed a gradual increase. Notable degradation in colour, aroma, and increased microbial growth were observed in samples packaged in PP and paper woven bags without liners, highlighting the importance of effective packaging. However, no damage to the packaging materials was observed during transport worthiness tests. The longest shelf life of 405 days was recorded for paper woven bag with liners. The experimental results indicate that various packaging materials can effectively prevent the ingress of moisture and oxygen, thereby extending the shelf life of red chilli powder. The implications of this research are particularly valuable for manufacturers and suppliers in the food industry, as it highlights the importance of choosing appropriate packaging to safeguard product integrity throughout storage and distribution.

Keywords: Red chilli powder, Packaging Innovation, Shelf Life Extension, Export, Bulk.
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluating the Role of Satureja Essential Oils in Drinking Water on the Immune Response of Broilers Under Thermal Stress

Reza parvar*, Heshmatollah khosravinia and Arash azarfar

Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Lorestan, Iran.

Accepted 20 October, 2024

Abstract

Phytogenic feed additives, also called as phytobiotics or botanicals, are plant-derived compounds added into diets to enhance the productivity of poultry. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of administration of Satureja khuzestanica essential oils (SKEO) through drinking water on immune performance of broiler chicken using 720 one-day-old Arian chicks. The birds were raised under standard production practices up to 42 days of age. The birds continuously received drinking water treated with Tween 80 (Cont+; 500 ppm) or SKEO at 0 (Cont-), 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm. The mean hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) antibody titer was not significantly different among the treatments at 15, 21, 28 and 35 days of age (P>0.05). No significant differences were pointed out for relative weight of spleen, bursa and thymus at 21 days. Thymus weight reduced for the birds that received treated water but a difference was only significant for 400 ppm SKEO. The mean hetrophyle lymphocyte ratio was not significantly differing among the treatments. It is concluded that supplementation of broiler chicken drinking water with S. khuzestanica essential oils has no favorite impact on immune response of heat stressed broiler chicken.

Key words: Satureja khuzestanica, immune system, broiler chicken.
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Interactions Between Infectious Bursal Disease Virus and H9N2 Avian Influenza Pathogenicity in Broiler Chickens

Motamed, N.¹, Mayahi, M.¹, Seifi, M. R.² and Jafari, R. A.³

¹Poultry Research Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran.
²Depratement of Pathobiology School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran.
³School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran.

Accepted 10 July, 2024

Abstract

In this experiment, pathogenesis of H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV), experimentally infected with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) in broiler chicks was examined. Three groups of twenty were randomly selected. Day old chickens in group 1, were infected by 103 CID50 of IBDV intrabursaly, and in thirty days of age groups 1 and 2 were challenged with 106 EID50 H9N2, intranasaly-intraoculary. Chickens in group 3 remained as control (uninfected with neither IBDV or AIV). Tracheal and cloacal swabs, and tissue samples, were collected at 3, 7, and 11 days postinoculation (PI). Serum samples examined for antibodies against avian influenza virus (AIV) by hemagglutination inhibition test (HI). IBD caused lower H9N2 antibody level. IBDV infected chickens (g1) shed AI virus for a longer period than AIV infected birds (g2), from both trachea and cloac. IBDV was related with AIV in brain and liver. Isolation of AIV from trachea, conjunctiva, bursa and lung in IBDV infected group (1), prolonged till 11 days PI. Our study provides evidence that a previous history of IBDV infection in chickens may cause them to be more susceptible to H9N2 low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus infection and may alter its tissue tropism.

Key words: Infectious bursal disease, avian influenza, virus shedding, broiler chicks.