Browsing by Author "Msalya, George Mutani"
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Item Assessment of growth and population structure revealed sufficient genetic diversity among lambs of Mecheri sheep in Tamil Nadu, India(Elsevier, 2022-07) Thiruvenkadan, Aranganoor Kannan; Muralidharan, Jaganathan; Ramanujam, Rajendran; Msalya, George MutaniThis study was designed to evaluate various genetic parameters for growth characteristics, genetic progression, and to find out the genetic constitution of a population of Mecheri sheep, a tropical breed native to Tamil Nadu, southern India. Data for this study were various records from 2768 lambs, which were a result of mating of 110 sires and 748 dams during a period of 10 years, between 2010 and 2019. Among the evaluated traits included body weights at various stages of growth such as birth weight (BWT), as well as weight at weaning (WWT), at 6- months (6WT), at 9-months (9WT), and at one-year-old (12WT). Estimated genetic parameters included additive direct and maternal heritabilities and genetic correlations, genetic changes, inbreeding, and generation interval. Among the software required for various analyses were the ENDOG (version 4.8) and Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML). Mean ( ± SE) values of weight at birth and at 12 months were 2.37 ± 0.02 and 21.34 ± 0.34 kg respectively. Direct heritability values estimated at birth, six months, as well as 12 months were respectively 0.14 ± 0.05, 0.07 ± 0.03, and 0.08 ± 0.03. Maternal heritability value for BWT was 0.28 and whereas low and varied values between 0.03 and 0.05 were obtained for both weaning and post-weaning traits. Overall, genetic improvement was low at birth (− 0.0025 kg) and highest (0.1314 kg) around weaning age. Average inbreeding coefficient value was 0.16 % and the effective population size of founders was 100.35, while mean generation interval ( ± SE) was 3.44 ± 1.15 years. Effective number of founders was 18.01 % and indicates that Mecheri sheep have their origin from a moderate genetic base. The observed f e /f a ratio was 1.00 and is linked to presence of sufficient founding ancestors, less bottlenecks, and possibly implementation of rotational mating scheme at the farms. In summary, our study revealed that there are high correlations between WWT and post-weaning weights. Based on heritability values, the WWT could be used as an important trait which can facilitate improvement in body weight of Mecheri lambs. Further, the present genetic parameter values for different variables advocates that the genetic progress for body weight at various stages of growth is feasible in Mecheri sheep thorough genetic selection strategies. We conclude that sufficient genetic diversity is maintained within Mecheri sheep.Item Evolutionary Divergence and Rates of Base Substitutions Across Four Populations of Nigerian Zebu Cattle at Heat Shock Protein 90 Locus(Academic Letter, 2022-05) Onasanya, Gbolabo O.; Msalya, George Mutani; Thiruvenkadan, Aranganoor K.; Murali, Nagarajan; Ikeobi, Christian O.In this study, we attempted to examine the ability of Nigerian zebu cattle to cope with changing effect of climate especially thermal assaults/heat stress. Heat shock protein (HSP) 90 is a member of HSPs family that are upregulated when animals is expose to thermal conditions and they help animals to tolerate/survive thermal assault (Onasanya et al., 2020).Item Feedlot performance and profitability of Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu finished on local feed resources in Kongwa District, Tanzania(Science Publishing Group, 2022-10-11) Kimirei, Saning’o Gabriel; Chenyambuga, Sebastian Wilson; Mushi, Daniel Elia; Msalya, George Mutani; Mpenda, ZenaAn experiment was conducted for 90 days to assess the effects of diets formulated based on locally available feed ingredients on growth performance, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and gross margin of cattle under feedlot condition in Kogwa district, Tanzania. Fifty bulls belonging to Tanzania shorthorn zebu breed, with the age of three to four years and average initial weight of 130 kg were used. The bulls were allotted to five treatments (T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , T 5 ) in a completely randomized design. Animals on treatments T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 were kept under confinement, fed Cenchrus ciliaris hay and supplemented with concentrate diets formulated based on locally available ingredients while those on T 5 were grazed in natural pastures without being supplemented. The diet on T 1 contained maize bran as the sole energy source while T 2 comprised maize bran and rice polishing as energy sources, T 3 comprised maize bran and molasses as energy sources and T 4 had maize bran, rice polishing and molasses as energy sources. All diets contained sunflower seed cake and mineral pre-mixes as protein and mineral sources, respectively. The bulls subjected to concentrate supplementation (T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 ) had higher (P < 0.0001) weight gain and growth rate than those on T 5 . Among the bulls supplemented with concentrate diets, those on T 3 had the highest weight gain (107 kg) and growth rate (1.28 kg/d) and lower FCR (6.48), followed by those on T 1 (weight gain = 96.70 kg, growth rate = 1.07 kg/d, FCR = 6.509). Moreover, the bulls on T 3 had the highest gross margin (TZS 235,471). In conclusion, the diet on T 3 was found to be better than the other diets. Therefore, it can be used by farmers for fattening of indigenous cattle at an affordable cost and obtain large profit.Item Morphological Characterization of Selected Ecotypes of African Foxtail Grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) from Selected Areas of Tanzania(Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2021) Lutatenekwa, Dorice L.; Mtengeti, Ephraim Joseph; Msalya, George MutaniThis study was conducted to assess morphological variation of African foxtail grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) ecotypes in natural habitats from three selected districts namely; Kilolo, Mpwapwa and Kiteto in Tanzania. In each district two villages were selected and assessment of morphological traits was done at one site for each village. Three plots of 10 m diameter, 40 m apart were made in each site. Ten tussocks of African foxtail grass were randomly selected from each plot to assess height, tiller number, leaf number, leaf length and inflorescence length. Environmental characteristics like altitude, vegetation and soil types were also assessed because they affect morphological traits of African foxtail grass. The lowest altitude was in Kilolo (Malolo village) at 528 masl and the highest was at 1613 masl in Kiteto (Twanga village). The soil texture was primarily sandy clay, with pH ranging from moderate acidic of 5.6 to moderate alkaline of 8.3. The recorded average annual rainfall and temperature ranged from 643 – 1157 mm and 19.4 to 24oC respectively in study areas. The vegetation was influenced by anthropogenic activities mainly grazing and farming. The study found a significant variation for all morphological traits assessed across the selected ecotypes. Ecotypes from Kilolo and Mpwapwa districts had relatively higher mean values for all traits assessed except tiller numbers while ecotypes from Kiteto district had low mean values for all traits except tiller numbers. The study concludes that African foxtail grass is morphologically variant among and within ecotypes. Further assessment of these ecotypes when grown under similar environmental conditions is recommended to reaffirm the morphological variation.Item Quality of Milk from Norwegian Dairy Goats Bred and raised in Mgeta Division, Morogoro Region, Tanzania(TAJAS, 2021) Msalya, George Mutani; Urassa, F.E.; Kifaro, G.C.Milk from goats has uplifted the nutritional standards of many poor households in rural communities in developing countries. In Tanzania, consumption of milk in these communities has increased since introduction of dairy goats in 1960s. Nutritional composition including carbohydrate, protein, fat, minerals, and associated and quality attributes are important factors of milk for human consumption. Also, milk should be obtained from health animals in order to safeguard the health of consumers. These parameters are affected by many factors including management, production level, breed, parity and stage of lactation, as well as processing and handling conditions. We carried out this study to evaluate the composition of milk from the most famous dairy goats namely Norwegian Landrace (NL), mainly crosses with indigenous Small East African (SEA) goats which are bred and managed in Mgeta division, Morogoro region, Eastern Tanzania. We collected 75 milk samples considering various factors. These samples were analysed for somatic cell count (SCC), crude protein (CP), butterfat (BF), lactose, total solids (TS), solids- not-fat (SNF), Chloride (Cl) as well as milk density. We obtained averages of each parameter for each factor and made statistical decision using the general linear model procedures of the statistical analysis system. Averages for milk yield (MY), SSC, CP, BF, lactose, Cl, TS, SNF and milk density were 1.32 litres/day, 1.48x105 cells/ml, 3.65%, 4.34%, 4.20%, 0.15%, 12.29%, 7.95% and 27.98 respectively. Conclusively, values of parameters are within the recommended ranges and milk from NL goats is good for consumptionItem Vegetation Composition, Forage Biomass and Soil Seed Bank of a Continuously Grazed Rangeland Site in Tropical Sub-Humid Environment, Tanzania(SET Publisher (Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences), 2022-06) Mdegela, Tito Eleutery; Maleko, David Dawson; Msalya, George Mutani; Mtengeti, Ephraim JosephMost rangelands along the agro-pastoral villages of Tanzania are yearlong grazed and at various states of degradation. These rangelands contribute to over 60% of the meat and milk production in the country. An inventory was conducted to assess the status of grazing resources in a typical agro-pastoral village of Tanzania having communal rangelands. Systematic random sampling techniques were employed whereby line transects and quadrat frame were used following standard procedures to collect samples and undertake field measurements for both vegetation and soil parameters. The vegetation cover for desirable pasture species, undesirable pasture species and litter were 67.7%, 10.5% and 9.4%, respectively. The soil bare patches covered 12.3 % of the surveyed rangeland site. The most dominant grass species were Enteropogon macrostachyus, Bothriochloa insculpta and Heteropogon contortus. Forage dry matter (DM) yield was 806.8 kg DM/ha. Tree density was 1500 trees/ha and the total canopy cover was 63.49%. Combretum collinum was the most dominant tree species. Soil bulk density, pH, 3 organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were 1.4 g/cm , 6.3%, 1.14%, 0.09%, 0.89 mg/kg and 0.33 g/kg, respectively. A total of 11 dicotyledonous species mainly forbs and 9 monocotyledonous species including two perennial grasses were revealed from the incubated soil samples. The findings of this study demonstrate that the communal grazing areas have low pasture productivity, poor soil seed-bank and high cover of woody plants mainly bushes. In order, to improve forage biomass at the study site and elsewhere with similar environments selective bush clearing and re-seeding should be considered.