Browsing by Author "Yusuf, O."

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Effects of maize cob on fish feed floatation, nutrient utilization and growth performance of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings
(Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, 2011) Olukunle, O.; Yusuf, O.
This study was carried out to determine the effects of maize cob on fish feed floation, growth performance and nutrient utilization of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings as a replacement for wheat bran. Triplicate groups of 30 fish per treatment were stocked in 3 plastic bowls each containing 15 litres of water. The initial average weight of fish was 2.43 ± 0.01. The fish were fed with 5 different test diets. The control contained 100% wheat bran (treatment 1). The wheat bran was partially replaced with 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% maize cob in treatment 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. The treatments were fed to each group of experimental fish at 3% body weight. The feeding trial lasted for six weeks and the growth performance were recorded weekly. There were significant differences in most of the growth performance measured. The mean weight gain of the treatment 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were 1.54g, 1.75g, 2.15g, 1.24g and 1.22g respectively. The fish fed treatment 3 had the highest percentage weight gain (PWG) value of 88.48% while those fed treatment 5 had the lowest value of 50.21%. The highest specific growth rate (SGR) was observed in fish fed treatment 3 (0.47), followed by treatment 2(0.33), treatment 1(0.23), treatment 4(0.15) and treatment 5(0.10) respectively. Fish fed treatment 3 had the highest protein efficiency ratio (PER) of 0.038 and the lowest was observed in treatment 5(0.026). The feed conversion ratio observed in treatment 5 was significantly higher than those fed with other treatments and the lowest was observed in treatment 3. There were significant differences in the nutrient utilization amongst the treatments at P<0.05. Treatments 1 and 3 had 20% floatability at the end of 10 minutes while treatment 2 had 10% floatability, treatment 4 and 5 had 0% floatability at the end of 10 minutes. This experiment shows that 20% inclusion level of maize cob has a greater potential as a partial replacement for wheat bran. This was because fish fed treatment 3(20% inclusion) had the highest growth parameters followed by treatment 2, treatment 1, treatment 4 and treatment 5 respectively. However fish fed treatment 3 and treatment 2 were observed to have better growth indices than the control treatment while the fish fed treatment 5 performed poorest. This further confirmed the better potential of maize cob over wheat bran which is commoner in Nigerian market.
World approaching extinction: bio-diversities, human security and the amazon rainforest wildfires
(2020-02) Isola, O. O.; Yusuf, O.
Fire outbreaks have long played an important role in the formation of vegetation types in the Amazonia where the high moisture contents and dense canopies have historically made the Amazon rainforest extremely resistant to fire spread. However, the fires of 2019, which caused massive deforestation, have left the Amazon rainforest massively depleted of its biodiversity. While scholars have examined the propensity for the fire to spread, there is scanty literature on the long-term human security consequences of the fire on the environment and on humans. The fires were largely triggered by anthropogenic causes but spread as a result of climate change. In addition, the political dynamics of Brazil has accommodated and promoted agricultural and mining practices, which exacerbated and sustained the fire. The direct and indirect effects of the fire include loss of vegetation, loss of biodiversity, reduction in carbon stocks of the forest with potential consequences for global carbon cycle, eco-imbalance and threat to human security. To find a viable long-term solution to deforestation and achieve sustainable development in the Amazon, the underlying causes of the fires must be addressed. Affirmative actions are needed to be taken at both national and international levels while sensitization drive on the human insecurity consequences of forest fires must be pushed