Volume 17, No 1 , 2016

Distribution, sex ratio, abundance of various ovarian stages of development insemination rate, age composition and diurnal activity were studied in sweepnet catches of Musca domestica L. Collections were made from different location: house, refuse dump, market, cafeteria and poultry between 07.00h and 14.00h from October to December, 2003. Diurnal activity was also investigated by making sweeps at 07.00h, 12.00h and 17.00h from cafeteria. Market and cafeteria harboured the bulk of the population of M. domestica.

A Study was conducted on fleas of common domestic mammals in Benin City from April 2001 to April 2002, using handpicking and combing methods. Two species were recorded, Ctenocephalides canis (dog flea) and Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea) amounting to 2,662 specimens; 50.5% (1345) from dogs, 24.9% (662) from cats and 24.6 (655) from goats. 75.4% (2006) of the total flea collected from goats, cats and dogs were Ctenocephalides canis while 24.6% (656) Ctenocephalides felis occurred on cats only.

The diversity and abundance of fish species was studied in a sampling site on the Lake Kainji over a period of three months. A total number of four hundred and thirteen (413) fish from forty (40) species and fifteen (15) families were recorded during the study. The family bagridae dominated the catches with 18.37% in terms of abundance by number followed by Mochokidae with 13.5%% while Channidae had the lowest with 0.24%. The highest number of different species (8) was from bagridae followed by Mormyridae (6), then Characidae (5) and Mochokidae (4).

The cost of acquiring a fingerling for stocking had always been haphazardly fixed to the detriment of the fish farmer because the cost of acquisition has no economic consideration of its cost of production. More often that not the fish farmer pays more far above the cost of production. This paper looks into the economics of producing one fingerling in two separate outdoor culture systems aerated and unaerated.

The effect of feeding frequency on the growth and feed efficiency of Heterobranchus bidorsalis was investigated at two feeding rates (10% and 40% of body weight) in a 2x2 factorial experiment. The study was conducted in twelve 2x2x1m outdoor concrete ponds supplied with aeration with three replicate ponds for each treatment. Fish averaging 80 ± 4.5 mg were fed either two times or four times daily at two different feeding rates using practical diets for ten weeks. The percentage weight gain ranged from 55.25% to 95.13%.

The nematode specimens from Clarias species were confirmed to be the larval forms of nematode Eustrongytides africanus that occurs in a wide diversity of fish-eating aquatic animals. And its effective third- and fourth-stage larval development was also described. The physical presence of this parasite in Clarias species is manifested by swellings or undulations on skin surfaces as grub-like.

This breeding experiment is divided into three trial groups. The first trial group consist of 2 males and 3 females Clarias gariepinus which were injected with a calculated amount of synthetic hormone (Human chronic Gonadotropin) according to their measured weight. In the second trial group, there are also 2 females and 3 females C. gariepinus which were injected with a calculated amount of natural hormone (Pituitary extract). The third trial group consist of 2 males and 3 females C. gariepinus which were not injected with anything and therefore serves as control.

It has been increasingly recognized that enteric protozoan parasites are important in immunocompromised individuals. These pathogens tend to aid disease progression or otherwise in such individuals. The association between intestinal parasites and HIV seropositive subjects in IDH was evaluated using fresh stool samples from 106 patients and 3op controls. Samples collected included both male and female in age ranges of 15-50. Stool samples were examined microscopically for consistency, presence of blood, mucus and adult worms.

This study aims at documenting the awareness, approach and use of contraception amongst women and female youths in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. 100 respondents; 60 female youths and 40 women aged within 18-45 years were cross-examined using a structured questionnaire and informal dialogues. Data gathered were analyzed using appropriate statistical tools. Results show that respondents between ages 23 and 27 (female youths and young married women) attending higher institutions were most represented in this study.

The markets in Benin City are currently ‘saturated’ with processed powdered foods from several sources which include wheat, maize, tubers et cetera. The demand for these products are also on the increase. It was against this background that ten adult powdered foods were purchased from the open markets in Benin City to evaluate their nutritive values. Consequently, the proximate analysis of the foods was determined. Additionally, the micro- and macro- mineral contents were determined with the AOAC and AACC methods.