IFEANYI UZOCHUKWU | University of Nigeria, Nsukka (original) (raw)

Papers by IFEANYI UZOCHUKWU

Research paper thumbnail of Optimizing feed utilization and reducing deterioration of African catfish feed with sodium propionate supplementation

Research paper thumbnail of Semen Characteristics and Hematology of Nigerian Local Cocks Fed Varying Dietary Levels of Ethiopian Pepper Fruit Meal

Journal of Applied Poultry Research, 2019

This study evaluated the effect of Ethiopian pepper (Xylopia aethiopica) fruit meal (EPFM) on the... more This study evaluated the effect of Ethiopian pepper (Xylopia aethiopica) fruit meal (EPFM) on the semen quality and hematology of Nigerian light ecotype local cocks. A total of 90 mature cocks (weighing about 1.4 ± 1.00 kg) were randomly assorted into 5 treatments groups: T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 with 18 cocks per treatment in a completely randomized design. The birds in T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 were fed basal diets containing EPFM at the levels of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 g/kg diet, respectively. Semen was collected twice per week using the abdominal massage method, while blood samples were collected at the eighth week of study for hematological analysis. Sperm concentration, sperm motility, live sperm cells, normal sperm cells, and total sperm count were higher in birds fed 2 and 4 g EPFM compared to the control group. At and above 6 g/kg diet, EPFM was observed to significantly decrease semen quality. The hematology results showed no significant differences among the different treatments in...

Research paper thumbnail of Effective biotechnologies for revolutionalizing the livestock industry in Nigeria after COVID-19 pandemic

Agro-Science, 2021

COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe health and hunger challenges both in developed and developing... more COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe health and hunger challenges both in developed and developing economies of the world thereby posing a serious threat to the economies and food security issues particularly of vulnerable regions of the world. Currently in Nigeria, there is a great increase in the market prices of crops and livestock products occasioned by the prevailing clashes between crop farmer and livestock herders. There is thus a huge gap in the demand and supply of available essential agricultural products leading to the high inflation rate being witnessed in the country today. With the current population of over 200 million which is expected to double by 2050, the task of feeding these Nigerians is daunting and very challenging. To overcome these challenges, the livestock industry in Nigeria needs to be transformed accordingly. FAO report of 2019 had advised African livestock producers to work to expand the scope of their operations and to invest in productivity-enhancing t...

Research paper thumbnail of Livestock—crop interaction for sustainability of agriculture and environment

Research paper thumbnail of Availability and utilization of digital marketing tools among fresh African catfish marketers in Omambala Region of Anambra State, Nigeria

Journal of Agricultural Extension, May 18, 2022

This study examined the availability and utilization of digital marketing tools among fresh Afric... more This study examined the availability and utilization of digital marketing tools among fresh African catfish marketers in Omambala region of Anambra State, Nigeria. Frequency count, percentage, mean score and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data collected from 120 respondents. Social media marketing (84.2%), video/YouTube marketing (79.2%), websites (71.7%) and mobile applications (55.0%) were the digital marketing tools available to them in the study area. Perceived benefits of digital marketing included easy access to unlimited geographical location and information, its less expensive nature, convenient store hours, and increased customer base, sales, and profit. Level of utilization of digital marketing tools amongst the fresh African catfish marketers showed that there were high levels of utilization of social media marketing, video/YouTube marketing, Mobile applications, and websites, with social media marketing being the most utilized. High cost of mobile phones and laptops, inadequate

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of dietary Centrosema pubescens leaf meal on growth and reproductive traits of Archachatina marginata snails

Journal of Applied Animal Research

Research paper thumbnail of Biomarkers for pollution in caged mussels from three reservoirs in Bulgaria: A pilot study

Heliyon

The mussel-watch concept was firstly proposed in 1975, which was later adopted by several interna... more The mussel-watch concept was firstly proposed in 1975, which was later adopted by several international monitoring programs worldwide. However, for the very first time, a field experiment with caged mussels was performed in three reservoirs in Bulgaria to follow the harmful effects of sub-chronic pollution (30 days) of metals, trace, and macro-elements, as well as some organic toxicants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers and chlorinated paraffins. Therefore, we studied the biometric indices, histochemical lesions in the gills, biochemical changes in the digestive glands (antioxidant defense enzymes, such as catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase; metabolic enzymes, such as lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase, and the neurotransmitter cholinesterase), in addition to the DNA damage in the Chinese pond mussel, Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) in Kardzhali, Studen Kladenets and Zhrebchevo reser- voirs in Bulgaria. Significant correlation trends between the pollution levels, which we reported before, and the biomarker responses were established in the current paper. Overall, we found that both tested organs were susceptible to pollution-induced oxidative stress. The different alterations in the selected biomarkers in the caged mussels compared to the reference group were linked to the different kinds and levels of water pollution in the reservoirs, and also to the simultaneously conducted bioaccumulation studies.

Research paper thumbnail of Climate Change and Agricultural Sustainability in Nigeria

Handbook of Research on Climate Change and the Sustainable Financial Sector

Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. H... more Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. Hence, taking cognizance of the relevance of agriculture to man's survival, it has become important to interrogate the effect of climate change on agricultural sustainability. This work therefore embarks on a sub-sectorial assessment of the agricultural sector in the face of rising threats due to climate change. Majorly, the agricultural sector is divided into four sub-sectors.

Research paper thumbnail of Egg Yolk and Serum Cholesterol Reducing Effect of Garlic and Natural Cocoa Powder Using Laying Birds as Model

World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Growth, lipid profile and methane production by sheep fed diets containing yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae)

A twelve-week study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary inclusion of yeast (Sacchar... more A twelve-week study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary inclusion of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on growth performance, lipid profile and methane production by West African dwarf sheep. Twenty four (24) lambs(12 males and 12 females) were randomly allotted to six treatment diets in a 3x2 factorial arrangement involving grass (Panicum maximum) hay, grass/ legume mixture (50:50) hay and legume (Centrosema pubescens) hay either without or with S. cerevisiae supplementation (1.5g/ kg diet). Result showed that the average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain and final body weight were significantly higher for sheep fed legume diet with S. cerevisieae supplementation than those fed other diets. Sheep fed grass diet without supplementary yeast had significantly higher methane emission than those fed other diets. Based on the results, the addition of S. cerevisiae to legume diet was recommended to improve feed intake, daily weight gain, feed efficiency and methane...

Research paper thumbnail of Hematological and Biochemical Indices of West African Dwarf Sheep Fed Diets Containing Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Grass, Grass/Legume (50:50) and Legume

Pakistan Journal of Nutrition

Research paper thumbnail of Climate Change and Agricultural Sustainability in Nigeria

Handbook of Research on Climate Change and the Sustainable Financial Sector

Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. H... more Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. Hence, taking cognizance of the relevance of agriculture to man's survival, it has become important to interrogate the effect of climate change on agricultural sustainability. This work therefore embarks on a sub-sectorial assessment of the agricultural sector in the face of rising threats due to climate change. Majorly, the agricultural sector is divided into four sub-sectors.

Research paper thumbnail of Climate Change and Agricultural Sustainability in Nigeria

Handbook of Research on Climate Change and the Sustainable Financial Sector

Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. H... more Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. Hence, taking cognizance of the relevance of agriculture to man's survival, it has become important to interrogate the effect of climate change on agricultural sustainability. This work therefore embarks on a sub-sectorial assessment of the agricultural sector in the face of rising threats due to climate change. Majorly, the agricultural sector is divided into four sub-sectors.

Research paper thumbnail of Hepatic Histomorphological Changes and Oxidative Stress Profile of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) Juveniles Fed with Sodium Propanoate-Preserved Diets

Notulae Scientia Biologicae

Sodium propanoate is in the list of approved feed preservatives. However, there is dearth of info... more Sodium propanoate is in the list of approved feed preservatives. However, there is dearth of information on its biological effects on the C. gariepinus. The present study investigated the effect of sodium propanoate-preserved feed on the hepatic histomorphometric changes, oxidative stress and inflammatory parameters of C. gariepinus juveniles. One hundred juveniles of mixed sexes, assigned into 5 groups of 20 fish per group, with each group consisting of 2 replicates of 10 fish, were used for the investigation. Group A juveniles were fed basal diet, while groups B-E received basal diet incorporated with sodium propanoate at the rate of 25, 50, 75 and 100 g/15 kg of feed respectively. Treatments were done two times daily for 8 weeks. Samples (sera and liver) were collected on the last day for evaluation of a few biochemical parameters (malondialdehyde values, catalase activity, C-reactive protein levels) and histomorphometric alterations in the liver. Results indicated that fish in g...

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of dietary Centrosema pubescens leaf meal on growth and reproductive traits of Archachatina marginata snails

This study was conducted to determine the effect on growth and reproductive performance of supple... more This study was conducted to determine the effect on growth and reproductive performance of supplementing dried Centrosema pubescens leaf meal to Archachatina marginata snails. A total of 80 growing, medium-sized A. marginata snails were used. Twenty snails were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental diets as T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , and T 4 containing 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% dietary inclusion levels of dried C. pubescens leaves, respectively. Each diet constituted a treatment and each treatment was replicated four times with five snails per replicate. Results showed that snails under T 4 had the highest (P < .05) final body weight, average weight gain, and daily weight gain (346.89, 47.60, and 0.85 g, respectively) with the best feed conversion to meat rate of 2.12. The weekly feed intake and average body weight gain revealed the superiority of dietary T 4 in supporting the growth of snails more efficiently than other dietary treatments (T 1 , T 2 , and T 3) used in this study. The number of eggs laid, percentage fertility, and hatchability were highest (P < .05) for snails fed dietary T 4 with the least (P < .05) embryo mortality of 2.22%. Archachatina marginata snails fed 15% dietary inclusion of dried C. pubescens leaves (T 4) were the best in growth and reproductive performance.

Research paper thumbnail of Optimizing feed utilization and reducing deterioration of African catfish feed with sodium propionate supplementation

Research paper thumbnail of Semen Characteristics and Hematology of Nigerian Local Cocks Fed Varying Dietary Levels of Ethiopian Pepper Fruit Meal

Journal of Applied Poultry Research, 2019

This study evaluated the effect of Ethiopian pepper (Xylopia aethiopica) fruit meal (EPFM) on the... more This study evaluated the effect of Ethiopian pepper (Xylopia aethiopica) fruit meal (EPFM) on the semen quality and hematology of Nigerian light ecotype local cocks. A total of 90 mature cocks (weighing about 1.4 ± 1.00 kg) were randomly assorted into 5 treatments groups: T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 with 18 cocks per treatment in a completely randomized design. The birds in T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 were fed basal diets containing EPFM at the levels of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 g/kg diet, respectively. Semen was collected twice per week using the abdominal massage method, while blood samples were collected at the eighth week of study for hematological analysis. Sperm concentration, sperm motility, live sperm cells, normal sperm cells, and total sperm count were higher in birds fed 2 and 4 g EPFM compared to the control group. At and above 6 g/kg diet, EPFM was observed to significantly decrease semen quality. The hematology results showed no significant differences among the different treatments in...

Research paper thumbnail of Effective biotechnologies for revolutionalizing the livestock industry in Nigeria after COVID-19 pandemic

Agro-Science, 2021

COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe health and hunger challenges both in developed and developing... more COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe health and hunger challenges both in developed and developing economies of the world thereby posing a serious threat to the economies and food security issues particularly of vulnerable regions of the world. Currently in Nigeria, there is a great increase in the market prices of crops and livestock products occasioned by the prevailing clashes between crop farmer and livestock herders. There is thus a huge gap in the demand and supply of available essential agricultural products leading to the high inflation rate being witnessed in the country today. With the current population of over 200 million which is expected to double by 2050, the task of feeding these Nigerians is daunting and very challenging. To overcome these challenges, the livestock industry in Nigeria needs to be transformed accordingly. FAO report of 2019 had advised African livestock producers to work to expand the scope of their operations and to invest in productivity-enhancing t...

Research paper thumbnail of Livestock—crop interaction for sustainability of agriculture and environment

Research paper thumbnail of Availability and utilization of digital marketing tools among fresh African catfish marketers in Omambala Region of Anambra State, Nigeria

Journal of Agricultural Extension, May 18, 2022

This study examined the availability and utilization of digital marketing tools among fresh Afric... more This study examined the availability and utilization of digital marketing tools among fresh African catfish marketers in Omambala region of Anambra State, Nigeria. Frequency count, percentage, mean score and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data collected from 120 respondents. Social media marketing (84.2%), video/YouTube marketing (79.2%), websites (71.7%) and mobile applications (55.0%) were the digital marketing tools available to them in the study area. Perceived benefits of digital marketing included easy access to unlimited geographical location and information, its less expensive nature, convenient store hours, and increased customer base, sales, and profit. Level of utilization of digital marketing tools amongst the fresh African catfish marketers showed that there were high levels of utilization of social media marketing, video/YouTube marketing, Mobile applications, and websites, with social media marketing being the most utilized. High cost of mobile phones and laptops, inadequate

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of dietary Centrosema pubescens leaf meal on growth and reproductive traits of Archachatina marginata snails

Journal of Applied Animal Research

Research paper thumbnail of Biomarkers for pollution in caged mussels from three reservoirs in Bulgaria: A pilot study

Heliyon

The mussel-watch concept was firstly proposed in 1975, which was later adopted by several interna... more The mussel-watch concept was firstly proposed in 1975, which was later adopted by several international monitoring programs worldwide. However, for the very first time, a field experiment with caged mussels was performed in three reservoirs in Bulgaria to follow the harmful effects of sub-chronic pollution (30 days) of metals, trace, and macro-elements, as well as some organic toxicants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers and chlorinated paraffins. Therefore, we studied the biometric indices, histochemical lesions in the gills, biochemical changes in the digestive glands (antioxidant defense enzymes, such as catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase; metabolic enzymes, such as lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase, and the neurotransmitter cholinesterase), in addition to the DNA damage in the Chinese pond mussel, Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) in Kardzhali, Studen Kladenets and Zhrebchevo reser- voirs in Bulgaria. Significant correlation trends between the pollution levels, which we reported before, and the biomarker responses were established in the current paper. Overall, we found that both tested organs were susceptible to pollution-induced oxidative stress. The different alterations in the selected biomarkers in the caged mussels compared to the reference group were linked to the different kinds and levels of water pollution in the reservoirs, and also to the simultaneously conducted bioaccumulation studies.

Research paper thumbnail of Climate Change and Agricultural Sustainability in Nigeria

Handbook of Research on Climate Change and the Sustainable Financial Sector

Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. H... more Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. Hence, taking cognizance of the relevance of agriculture to man's survival, it has become important to interrogate the effect of climate change on agricultural sustainability. This work therefore embarks on a sub-sectorial assessment of the agricultural sector in the face of rising threats due to climate change. Majorly, the agricultural sector is divided into four sub-sectors.

Research paper thumbnail of Egg Yolk and Serum Cholesterol Reducing Effect of Garlic and Natural Cocoa Powder Using Laying Birds as Model

World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Growth, lipid profile and methane production by sheep fed diets containing yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae)

A twelve-week study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary inclusion of yeast (Sacchar... more A twelve-week study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary inclusion of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on growth performance, lipid profile and methane production by West African dwarf sheep. Twenty four (24) lambs(12 males and 12 females) were randomly allotted to six treatment diets in a 3x2 factorial arrangement involving grass (Panicum maximum) hay, grass/ legume mixture (50:50) hay and legume (Centrosema pubescens) hay either without or with S. cerevisiae supplementation (1.5g/ kg diet). Result showed that the average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain and final body weight were significantly higher for sheep fed legume diet with S. cerevisieae supplementation than those fed other diets. Sheep fed grass diet without supplementary yeast had significantly higher methane emission than those fed other diets. Based on the results, the addition of S. cerevisiae to legume diet was recommended to improve feed intake, daily weight gain, feed efficiency and methane...

Research paper thumbnail of Hematological and Biochemical Indices of West African Dwarf Sheep Fed Diets Containing Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Grass, Grass/Legume (50:50) and Legume

Pakistan Journal of Nutrition

Research paper thumbnail of Climate Change and Agricultural Sustainability in Nigeria

Handbook of Research on Climate Change and the Sustainable Financial Sector

Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. H... more Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. Hence, taking cognizance of the relevance of agriculture to man's survival, it has become important to interrogate the effect of climate change on agricultural sustainability. This work therefore embarks on a sub-sectorial assessment of the agricultural sector in the face of rising threats due to climate change. Majorly, the agricultural sector is divided into four sub-sectors.

Research paper thumbnail of Climate Change and Agricultural Sustainability in Nigeria

Handbook of Research on Climate Change and the Sustainable Financial Sector

Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. H... more Climate change and agriculture are intertwined with one having significant impact on the other. Hence, taking cognizance of the relevance of agriculture to man's survival, it has become important to interrogate the effect of climate change on agricultural sustainability. This work therefore embarks on a sub-sectorial assessment of the agricultural sector in the face of rising threats due to climate change. Majorly, the agricultural sector is divided into four sub-sectors.

Research paper thumbnail of Hepatic Histomorphological Changes and Oxidative Stress Profile of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) Juveniles Fed with Sodium Propanoate-Preserved Diets

Notulae Scientia Biologicae

Sodium propanoate is in the list of approved feed preservatives. However, there is dearth of info... more Sodium propanoate is in the list of approved feed preservatives. However, there is dearth of information on its biological effects on the C. gariepinus. The present study investigated the effect of sodium propanoate-preserved feed on the hepatic histomorphometric changes, oxidative stress and inflammatory parameters of C. gariepinus juveniles. One hundred juveniles of mixed sexes, assigned into 5 groups of 20 fish per group, with each group consisting of 2 replicates of 10 fish, were used for the investigation. Group A juveniles were fed basal diet, while groups B-E received basal diet incorporated with sodium propanoate at the rate of 25, 50, 75 and 100 g/15 kg of feed respectively. Treatments were done two times daily for 8 weeks. Samples (sera and liver) were collected on the last day for evaluation of a few biochemical parameters (malondialdehyde values, catalase activity, C-reactive protein levels) and histomorphometric alterations in the liver. Results indicated that fish in g...

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of dietary Centrosema pubescens leaf meal on growth and reproductive traits of Archachatina marginata snails

This study was conducted to determine the effect on growth and reproductive performance of supple... more This study was conducted to determine the effect on growth and reproductive performance of supplementing dried Centrosema pubescens leaf meal to Archachatina marginata snails. A total of 80 growing, medium-sized A. marginata snails were used. Twenty snails were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental diets as T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , and T 4 containing 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% dietary inclusion levels of dried C. pubescens leaves, respectively. Each diet constituted a treatment and each treatment was replicated four times with five snails per replicate. Results showed that snails under T 4 had the highest (P < .05) final body weight, average weight gain, and daily weight gain (346.89, 47.60, and 0.85 g, respectively) with the best feed conversion to meat rate of 2.12. The weekly feed intake and average body weight gain revealed the superiority of dietary T 4 in supporting the growth of snails more efficiently than other dietary treatments (T 1 , T 2 , and T 3) used in this study. The number of eggs laid, percentage fertility, and hatchability were highest (P < .05) for snails fed dietary T 4 with the least (P < .05) embryo mortality of 2.22%. Archachatina marginata snails fed 15% dietary inclusion of dried C. pubescens leaves (T 4) were the best in growth and reproductive performance.