Analysis of microbiological and chemical quality of poultry meat in the vicinity of the Mbeubeuss landfill in Malika (Senegal)

A total of 100 samples of poultry meat were collected in poultry farms in the vicinity of the Mbeubeuss landfill in the Niayes (Senegal) for microbiological and chemical analysis. Fifty-four (54) samples were collected in farms located less than 1 km from the landfill and 46 samples were collected in farms located a bit further (more than 1 km from the landfill). Microbiological quality was determined using techniques recommended by Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR). Lead and cadmium concentration in poultry meat was measured by flame spectrometry while total mercury was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Three percent (3%) of the samples’ quality were unsatisfactory for E. coli, 1% for Staphylococci and 7% for Salmonella spp. Poor meat quality was found either in farms located less than 1 km of the landfill or in farms located at more than 1 km of the landfill. Except for Salmonella, only meat samples from poultry receiving drinking water from well showed unsatisfactory microbiological quality. The samples were free of cadmium and lead but were contaminated by mercury. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of the samples contained mercury with a high contamination level (>0.011 mg/kg) in 20% of the samples. No significant difference was found between the farms that were nearest to and further away from the landfill while the source of drinking water seemed to be the main cause of contamination of poultry meat by mercury.     

Short-term forecasting of daily crop evapotranspiration using the ‘Kc-ETo’ approach and public weather forecasts

Short-term forecasting of daily crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) is essential for real-time irrigation management. This study proposed a methodology to forecast short-term daily ET_c using the ‘K_c-ET_o’ approach and public weather forecasts. Daily reference evapotranspiration (ET_o) forecasts were obtained using a locally calibrated version of the Hargreaves-Samani (HS) model and temperature forecasts, while the crop coefficient (K_c) was estimated from observed daily ET_o and ET_c. The methodology was evaluated by comparing the daily ET_c forecasts with measured ET_c values from a field irrigation experiment during 2012–2014 in Yongkang Irrigation Experimental Station, China. The overall average of the statistical indices was in the range of 0.96–1.27 mm d^?1 for the mean absolute error (MAE), 1.53–2.55 mm d^?1 for the mean square error (MSE), 1.77–2.30 mm d^?1 for the normalized mean square error (NMSE), 27.5–29.4% for the mean relative error (MRE), 0.71–0.44 for the correlation coefficient (R) and 0.46–0.05 for the mean square error skill score (MSESS). Sources of error werewere K_c estion, temperature forecasts and HS model that does not consider wind speed and humidity, and.the largesourceof error is K_c determination, which suggested that care should be taken when forecasting ET_c with estimated K_c values in the study area.     

The status of marine biodiversity in the Eastern Central Atlantic (West and Central Africa)

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Can earthworms be used as bio-indicators of land-use perturbations in semi-deciduous forest?

The potential of tropical earthworms as bio-indicators of forest degradation by human-induced activities was assessed at a landscape level in the Ivory Coast. The study site covered 400 ha and was characterized by a set of land-use types along a gradient of perturbation from semi-deciduous forest, through reforestation, fallow systems to cultivated annual crops. Samples were taken on a grid at each sampling point and earthworms were hand-sorted from a 25 × 25 × 30-cm soil monolith. Results showed a potential increase in relative populations (number: +53.1%, biomass: +94.8%) of species in the earthworm communities following forest conversion. Furthermore, the impact of land-use change was higher in relation to land-use intensification in terms of earthworm populations and diversity in intermediate-disturbed systems (Multispecies plantations, old fallows). Earthworm diversity was the most sensitive response to land-use change. The species Dichogaster saliens Beddard 1893, Hyperiodrilus africanus Beddard 1891, Millsonia omodeoi Sims 1986, Dichogaster baeri Sciacchitano 1952, Dichogaster ehrhardti Michaelsen 1898, Agastrodrilus sp., Stuhlmannia palustris Omodeo and Vaillaud 1967 and, to some extent, Millsonia sp. appeared to be most sensitive to land-use change. More field and laboratory investigations are needed to find out the most efficient species to be used in bio-monitoring programmes aimed at preventing ecosystem degradation due to anthropogenic activities in the forest areas of Ivory Coast.     

Forecasting daily reference evapotranspiration using the Blaney–Criddle model and temperature forecasts

Accurate daily reference evapotranspiration (ET_o) forecast is essential for real-time irrigation scheduling. An attempt was made to forecast ET_o using the Blaney–Criddle (BC) model and temperature forecasts in this study. Daily meteorological data for the period 2000–2014 at five stations in East China were collected to calibrate and validate the BC model against the FAO56 Penman–Monteith (FAO56-PM) model. Temperature forecasts up to 7 days’ lead time for 2012–2014 were input to the calibrated BC model to forecast ET_o. It is found that the performance of the BC model for ET_o forecast is further improved at all stations after monthly calibration. Average accuracy of forecasted ET_o (error within 1.5 mm d^?1) ranged from 82.7% to 89.3%, average values of mean absolute error (MAE) varied between 0.73 and 0.82 mm d^?1, average values of root mean square error (RMSE) ranged from 0.95 to 1.08 mm d^?1, and average values of the correlation coefficient (R) and concordance index (d) were more than 0.75 and 0.89, respectively. Furthermore, the error in ET_o forecast caused by error in temperature forecast is acceptable. The encouraging results indicate that the proposed method can be an alternative and effective solution for forecasting daily ET_o in East China.     

Improving calving management to further enhance reproductive performance in dairy cattle

The aim of this study was to develop a system for the monitoring of calving to both reduce perinatal morta1ity and improve dairy cow fertility by preventing the majority of post-partum reproductive pathologies. Eighty dairy cows were assigned to the protocol of calving monitoring using GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technology. The application of GSM technology and the proper management of calving facilities comprise reliable approaches for calving assistance and improvements in reproductive efficiency and neonata1 viability. Based on the results of this study, we advocate the use of GSM technology on large farms for intensive mi1k production.     

The onset of the rainy season and farmers’ sowing strategy for pearl millet cultivation in Southwest Niger

A multi-year (2004-2009) field survey of on-farm sowing practices in 10 villages located in south-west Niger close to Niamey, is analysed to investigate the relationships (i) between rainfall and the sowing date of pearl millet and the risk of sowing failure, (ii) between sowing and meteorological/agro-climatic onset dates, (iii) between sowing/onset dates, and simulated and observed yield/biomass at the end of the season. Even if some villages sow without any synchronous or anterior rainfall, most parcels (73% out of the 1551 available cases) are sown during and just after a 2-day wet spell receiving at least 10 mm. In fact, there is a strong correlation (r = 0.82-0.95 depending on onset definition) between the spatial averages of onset and of sowing dates. Most of the failed sowings (≈22% of total sowings) are related to dry spells lasting at least 7 days after an initial 2-day wet spell receiving less than 10 mm. Simulations with the “Système d’Analyse Régionale des Risques Agronomiques - version Habillée” crop model show that the ideal sowing date, retrospectively computed as the one maximizing simulated yield, is on average about 6 days later than the observed one. Despite the large inter-village variance and the relatively weak inter-annual signal in onset dates and seasonal amounts, there is a tendency for weaker yields and especially weaker amounts of biomass for late onset. But crop simulations show that sowing very early, as for example during or just after the first wet spell when at least 90% of rainfall stations receive simultaneously at least 1 mm in two consecutive days (i.e. meteorological onset), does not necessarily maximize simulated yield because of the high risk of long-lasting post-onset dry spells. The farmers’ strategy, that is sowing their field during or just after the first significant wet spell, is combined with the use of photoperiodic varieties to provide the best-suited response to the temporal and spatial variability of onset of the rainy season.     

Remote monitoring system as a tool for calving management in Mediterranean Buffalo heifers (Bubalus bubalis)

Buffalo breeding is common in Southern Italy. Dystocia compromises dam's and newborn health and welfare. Difficult parturition could be solved through prompt calving assistance, even if the identification of the beginning of delivery is challenging. Herein, we aimed to evaluate a remote calving alarm system in 15 Mediterranean buffalo heifers. An intravaginal probe was placed close to the external cervical os once premonitory signs of delivery were observed. No vaginal discharge nor signs of discomfort were notified in the days following the insertion of the probe. Heifers calved from 48 to 72 hr after the alarm was activated. The system correctly warned the farm personnel at the beginning of stage II of parturition, except for 2 cases. In the former, the intravaginal probe was expelled but the poor carrier network coverage negatively affected phone's signal quality; in the latter, recurrent vaginal prolapse was responsible for non-retention of the probe. Overall median expulsive phase was 68 ± 8 min, while the expulsion of a female calf took 54 ± 22.0 min and 90 ± 34.0 min in males, with significant difference (p =.02). Deliveries were homogeneously distributed across a 24-hr interval. No retention of foetal membranes nor metritis was identified at postpartum clinical examination. The calving alarm system used in this work was well tolerated in buffalo heifers. The introduction of smart technology in buffalo farming could contribute to the overall farm net return by reducing calf losses, especially for calves born from sexed-sorted semen, and by increasing animal welfare through quick resolution of dystocia. Further studies will be necessary to evaluate the net return in buffalo farms which will implement a remote calving alarm system on a wider population.     

New algebraic formulations of evapotranspiration extracted from gene-expression programming in the tropical seasonally dry regions of West Africa

Within hydrological nonlinear complex functions, taking only few parameters into the modeling process is still a challenging task. The present paper has for objective to investigate for the first time the predictive ability of the Gene-expression Programming (GEP) for modeling reference evapotranspiration (ETo) using routing weather data from the tropical seasonally dry regions of West Africa in Burkina Faso. The regions under study are located in three agro-climatic zones, Bobo Dioulasso in the Guinea Savanna zone, and Dédougou and Fada N’Gourma in the Sudan zone, and Ouagadougou in the Sudano-Sahelian Savanna zone. Several meteorological data combinations are used as inputs to the GEP to estimate ETo, and their performances are evaluated using R ² and RMSE. Statistically, it was found that GEP can be an alternative to the conventional methods, and its accuracy improves significantly up to R ² (0.979) and RMSE(0.108) when critical variables are taking into account in the model. The results revealed that GEP model is fairly a promising approach with the advantage to provide successfully simple algebraic formulas ease to use without recourse to the full set of meteorological data requirement for accurately estimate ETo in Sub-Saharan Africa regions.