ANIMAL REPRODUCTION RESEARCH PROGRAMME

The Objectives of the programme are to:
  • Evaluation of indigenous large and small ruminant and monogastric reproductive performances in their ecological zones.
  • Nutritional studies on growth and reproduction on livestock.
  • Evaluation of reproductive problems of livestock under different husbandry management systems.
  • Collaboration with other bodies in the dissemination of knowledge on matters concerning animal reproduction and the research conducted by the Institute.
  • Teaching and supervision of undergraduate and post-graduate students of the University.

RESEARCH THRUST
Biotechnology
Reproductive Physiology
Diseases and reproduction interaction
Nutritional reproduction interaction

RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Management interventions aimed at reducing the age at first conception and breeding interval have been developed.
  • Calving in the dry season has been found to result in shorter calving interval.
  • Calving interval for animals weaned at 3 months was shorter than those weaned at 6 months.
  • Heifers fed adequate protein mature earlier, had earlier ages at first parturition and longer productive life span than those fed low levels protein.
  • Findings identified breed characteristics in oestrus behaviour and duration and this has been used to advise farmers to accurately time the onset of oestrus and hence employ synchronizing agents for a successful insemination of cows.
  • Studies have shown that under good management and nutrition, synchronization of oestrus made it possible to have uniform lambing, increased number of lambs per year by 50 - 100 per cent over those obtained under the traditional and extensive systems.
  • Training workshop on the application of animal reproduction and artificial insemination techniques to livestock production in Nigeria.
  • Surveillance studies have been carried out on abortifient agents such as: Trypanosomosis, Brucellosis, campylobacteriosis, Dermatophylosis, Mastitis etc. They have been found to cause infertility and abortion in livestock.
  • Development of control methods for Haemonchosis and other 'spring' rise in the helminth egg output in sheep faeces on grazing ground and pasture fields. Treatment immediately after lambing or not later than one week of lambing greatly reduced or eliminated the occurrence of the periparturient rise in egg counts. Anthelmintic treatment immediately after lambing and a repeat treatment about 3-4 weeks after lambing is recommended.
  • Studies on reproductive pattern of indigenous cattle indicated that they are seasonal breeders with peak  activity during the rainy and pre-dry seasons. It was also documented that with adequate progestin compound can synchronize oestrus in Zebu cattle.
  • Establishment of artificial Insemination Service Unit. To facilitate procurement and retention of proven bulls (local and exotic) for the purpose of collecting their semen for distribution to all States of the Federation.
  • Determination of various methods of heat detection in cows. Cows also exhibited 'psychics' and length of oestrus cycle are affected by seasonal variation.
  • Management interventions on the bull exposure on fertility rates of Zebu cows and their crosses with other breeds showed that:
     Age at puberty of Bunaji heifers reared under agropastoral (on-farm) conditions is longer than those reared on-station.
  • Management interventions aimed at reducing postpartum anoestrus intervals have been developed through exposure of bulls and nutritional supplementation in suckled Bunaji cows.
  • Reproductive activities and associated progesterone profiles in Yankasa ewes exposed to or isolated from rams during the immediate postpartum period indicated that: Yankasa cows exposed to rams tended to initiate postpartum ovarian activity earlier than ram-isolated ewes (13 Vs 39 days). Most of the ewes exposed to rams resumed ovarian cyclicity before first observable oestrus.
  • Studies of the effects of Trypanosoma vivax infection on the various stages of pregnancy in Yankasa ewes and effects of Novidium® (Homidium chloride) chemotheraphy generated a  number of observations.
  • It was documented that heavy infections with gastroointestinal helminths may affect the full expression of the ewe's potential fertility by affecting it in a manner similar to undernutrition. Infected animals had long lambing intervals and high mortality. A pre-mating as well as post-lambing deworming to get animals to appropriate body weights and body  condition are recommended.
  • Development of qualitative and quantitative techniques on sheep, cattle, chickens and rabbits semen quality, sperm output at different ages and their reproductive performances.
  • Development of new preservation techniques for semen:
    Effect of seminal plasma on the mortility and fertility of ram semen stored at ambient temperatures.
  • Physiology of washed ram spermatozoa.
  • Development of an intensive sheep breeding system involving accelerated twice - yearly lambing and feedlot fattening. The main technical findings include:
    • The postpartum anoestrus period of 34.31.6 days in Yankasa ewes.
    • The re-breeding intervals is 42.51.5 days.
    • The optimum time to commence progestagen treatment in ewes is 2-3 week postpartum.
    • For optimum reproductive performance, dry season supplementary feeding of ewes is essential. Supplementation of ewes from late gestation resulted in higher lamb birth and weaning weights, lower ewe lamb mortalities up to weaning, and greater proportions of ewes bred within a short interval after lambing. Supplemented ewes also have larger litters than unsupplemented ones.
    • Twice yearly lambing resulted in a doubling of the number of weaned lambs produced per ewe per year by comparison with once yearly lambing.
  • Elucidation of factors affecting the interval between calving and resumption of ovarian activities in Bunaji cows. Suckling interfered with ovarian activities and thus conception during the postpartum period, resulting in a prolonged calving interval. It is possible to obtain a calf per cow per year from the Bunaji cows by early weaning of calves.
  • Studies on the effect of varying doses of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadothrophin (PMSG) on estrus parameters, ovulation rates and plasma progesterone concentrations in sychronized Yankasa  ewes. The treatment showed asynchrony of ovulation (i.e. two crops of ovulations). 500 i.u. PMSG is a recommended dose for causing mild superovualtion in order to increase fertility rates of Yankasa ewes.
  • Improvement of the productivity of indigenous breeds of sheep and goats under existing and improved management system and determining nutrient requirements for various reduction functions.
  • Effects of season on Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma congolense infections on male bovine genitalia showed:
    • various grades of lesions in the bovine male reproductive organ such as testes and epididymides.
    • chemotherapy is of little or no use when the lesions are very severe; thus causing permanent damage to the male reproductive organs and their functional integrity with particular reference to spermatogenesis and infertility and sterility of the bulls.
  • Development of radioimmunoassay techniques for plasma hormones.
  • Documentation of pathogens from milk and milk products.
  • Anaplasma marginale has been documented to cause infertility, abortion, affect oestrus cycle in cattle.
  • Documentation of diseases of reproductive importance in small and large ruminants, monogastrics, horses and donkeys.
  • Effect of scrotal cutaneous streptothricosis infection on bull indicated sterility due to the insulation effect on the testes.
  • The results of the study on ambient temperature storage of ram semen by flow dialysis indicated that smaller volumes of semen store better than larger one and the fertility determined by artificial insemination was low irrespective of volume of storage or insemination does.
  • The comparison of the effects of synchronization management systems and of prostaglandins. However conception rate was higher with a single injection of prostaglandin and single insemination at detected oestrus.
  • An inverse relationship was observed between skim milk progesterone levels and somatic cell counts in a study to determine the relationship of these two parameters during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
  • Observation of red Sokoto goats under an agropastoral farming system showed that the interval from kidding to conception was over 100 days.
  • Studies on Yankasa and West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep showed that both were susceptible to trypanosomiasis but WAD exhibited some degree of tolerance to the infection. Both were most susceptible to infection during the third trimester of pregnancy.
  • Tick control using local medications.
  • Determination of reproductive performance of Muturu cattle under the traditional management system in the sub-humid middle belt region of Nigeria.
  • Assessment of the effectiveness of vaccines and vaccination strategies against New Castle Disease in local (rural) poultry.
  • Development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedures for detection of antibodies to infections with Trypanosoma species and Brucella abortus in Nigerian livestock.