Assessment of biometrics and stress indicators of the adult Village Weaver birds () during breeding and post-breeding seasons in Jos, Nigeria.

In this era of climate change, some biological conservationists' concerns are based on seasonal studies that highlight how wild birds' physiological fitness are interconnected with the immediate environment to avoid population decline. We investigated how seasonal biometrics correlated to stress parameters of the adult Village Weavers () during breeding and post-breeding seasons of the Weaver birds in Amurum Forest Reserve. Specifically, we explored the following objectives: (i) the seasonal number of birds captured; (ii) whether seasonal baseline corticosterone (CORT), packed cell volume (PCV), and heterophil to lymphocytes ratio (H:L) were sex-dependent; (iii) whether H:L ratio varied with baseline (CORT); (iv) whether phenotypic condition (post-breeding moult) and brood patch varied with baseline (CORT) and H:L ratio; and (v) how body biometrics co-varied birds' seasonal baseline (CORT), (PCV) and (H:L) ratio.

Serosurveillance of antibody in food animals and role of slaughterhouse workers in spread of infection in Southeast Nigeria.

Aim: The study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of antibody in slaughter cattle and goats; and the role of slaughterhouse workers (SHWs) in spread of infection during slaughterhouse operations in Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: Rose Bengal plate test was used to screen for antibody in 484 cattle and 340 goats slaughtered for human consumption in the state. Structured and pretested questionnaire was used to elicit information from randomly selected SHWs, on socioeconomic characteristics, awareness of brucellosis and involvement in practices that aid dissemination of infection during slaughterhouse operations.