International Journal of Agriculture and Animal Production

Production system of scavenging chicken strains in amuru district, western oromia, Ethiopia

Chala Feleke Kebede — 2025-08-13

This study was undertaken to assess the production systems of different scavenging chicken strains in Amuru District of Horro Guduru Wallaga Zone, Western Oromia, Ethiopia. A total of 171 households were randomly selected from three agro-ecological zones namely, highland, midland, and lowland to participate in the study. Survey data was collected using semi structured questionnaires; focus group discussions, and personal observations. The results revealed that type of management systems practiced by respondents in the study district was extensive and semi-intensive accounting for 97% and 3%, respectively. Women and children played significant roles in managing chickens. The most common constraints faced by producers included disease outbreaks, predator attacks, lack of improved breeds, poor housing, and limited access to veterinary services. Despite these challenges, indigenous knowledge and adaptive strategies, such as using ethnoveterinary medicine and traditional hatching methods, were widely practiced. The study concludes that while indigenous chicken production is culturally and economically important in the district, there is a need for targeted interventions focusing on health care, control of predator’s breed improvement, and management practices to enhance productivity and livelihoods.

Evaluation of some chemical and physical properties of the liquefaction plant in al-dibs district - kirkuk governorate

Omar Taha Mahmoud Altaie — 2025-08-30

This research to evaluate some chemical and physical characteristics of water in Al-Dibs district located in Kirkuk governorate, Iraq, from October 2023 to March 2024. Samples were collected from different water sources including the Zab River, Dibs Liquefaction Plant and public supply networks during different seasons to ensure accurate representation of seasonal conditions. Total Suspended Substances (TSS) values in drinking water were recorded within a range of 0.22-1.42ppm. Total alkalinity (TA) - ranged from 100 to 140 ppm. The results for total hardness (TH) showed variation between 120 and 230 ppm. The calcium (CaH) and magnesium (MgH) hardnesses were recorded in the range of 85-165 and 25-65 ppm, respectively. Chloride ion (Cl) concentrations ranged between 5.68 and 31.24 ppm. As for nutrients, the total nitrogen (TN) concentration was between 0.1% and 0.2%, while the available phosphorus (TP) concentrations were very low and ranged from insignificant values to 0.11 ppm. The results of analysing the drinking water in Dibs district showed that the water is generally fit for use, but contains some high values in hardness and nutrients, indicating the need for continuous monitoring and simple improvement in treatment to ensure its quality and safety.

Socioeconomic determinants of small ruminant production: a study of smallholder goat producers in agro-pastoral areas of ethiopia

Kutoya Kusse Gemede — 2025-10-10

Raising goats is a common practice in Ethiopia's pastoral and agro-pastoral regions, serving as a significant source of income for the community. However, the small-scale goat farming sector does not sufficiently improve food security measures due to numerous factors. Nonetheless, limited research has been carried out to determine the factors affecting small-scale goat production in the Bena-Tsemay district. Focus groups, interviews with key informants, and a semi-structured interview schedule were used to collect primary data. The study analyzed the factors influencing smallholder goat production using OLS regression. In the OLS regression model, the gender of the household head, occurrence of drought, feed problems, and access to veterinary services all have a significant negative impact on goat production at a significance level of (p < 0.01). Age, household size, previous experience in goat farming, and availability of credit all have a significant positive impact on goat production at a significance level of p < 0.01 among the 14 identified independent variables. Further comprehensive research is required, on diseases that impact goat production in the study area.

Natural product-based nanoparticles: phytochemical insights, bioactivity profiling, and biomedical applications

Apurwa Singh — 2025-11-06

PDNPs serve as a bridge between natural product chemistry and nanomedicine. It is their unique physical and chemical properties that render PDNPs capable of targeting intractable infectious diseases, inflammation, cancer, and drug-resistant pathogens. This will dedicate most of the efforts to summarizing recent publications and researches on the extraction methods and bioactivity, and production of PDNPs and their applications in biomedicine. Polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenoids rich plant extracts serve both as a reducing and capping agent epitomized in most cases to nanoparticle synthesis utilizing green methods. The biosynthesized nanoparticles fabricated in this manner, display significant antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and immune-modulatory prowess. Key characterization techniques with emphasis on UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, SEM/TEM, and DLS techniques and their relevance to evaluation of the nanoparticles for stability, shape, and size distribution are outlined. The bioactivity of PDNPs elicits positive responses on resistant pathogens and inflammatory mediators. This is evident in both the in vivo and in vitro studies. Investigational PDNP studies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), wound healing, drug delivery, and cancer diagnostics and therapeutics have been met with mounting enthusiasm. The new role of plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicles and vesicle-like nanoparticles in precision medicine is also discussed. Standardization, toxicology studies, and feasible research are emphasized based on data from over 35 recent research studies. Targeted delivery, regulatory harmonization, and sustainable development in nano-phytomedicine are among the future directions.