The objective of this study was to compare the growth performance of two Nguni ecotypes and its crosses (Nguni x Landim) raised under the same feedlot conditions at the Posto Fomento do Impaputo, in southern Mozambique. Live weight feedlot data, from entry to marketing, were collected every fortnight between 1999 and 2009 from 453 oxen of the Nguni and Landim male ecotypes, as well as the crosses. Year-season of birth had significant effects on live weight at entry in the feedlot and at marketing age. Overall means for average age at entry in the feedlot was 31.8 ± 4 months, with the Landim being younger than the Cross (p=0.07). The average live weight at entry in the feedlot was 390 ± 42.5 kg, with no differences between ecotypes (p>0.05). Males born in dry year-seasons were heavier than males born in wet years-seasons (p<0.0001 to p<0.05).The average age at marketing of the Nguni ecotypes was 34.4 ± 5.08 months, with the Landim being younger (p<0.05) than the Cross. The average live weight at marketing was 446 ± 42.2 kg. The average live weights at entry and at marketing were higher in dry years-seasons than in wet years-seasons. There were no differences between ecotypes for average daily gain (0.89 ± 0.79 kg) in this study. Growth rates for the feedlot in the Nguni cattle obtained in this study were substantially lower than that obtained for the Ngunis in South Africa albeit they entered the feedlot at a much older age. This study demonstrates that in Mozambique feedlot industry is still underdeveloped with main constraints on feed resources, especially concentrates.

This study was conducted in the rural kebeles around Dire Dawa for designing a simple, yet, feasible breeding scheme in the context of community-based management of animal genetic resources. Range of participatory rural appraisal tools, including focal group discussions and participatory mappings, were employed to study the local community’s Indigenous knowledge and practices in managing the goat gene pool. The breeding objective and local trait preferences were defined in a participatory manner through own-flock ranking experiments. The community generally practices selective pure breeding where by the own flock and flocks in the neighbourhood were the units of selection for bucks. There are social regulations in the community against sale of breeding does outside the community while encouraging communal use of outstanding breeding males. Goats are kept for multifaceted purposes ranging from products like milk, meat and live-sale to functions in socio-cultural, financial and ritual state of affairs. The breeding objective is to ensure improved milk production, through increased daily yield per doe and increased fertility per flock, and increased net income per flock, through increased number of marketable animals. Traditional criteria such as conformation, behaviour and adaptation were as important as most “production” traits in selecting breeding animals. The breeding goal traits considered were, accordingly, milk production, conformation and reproductive traits. Based on these findings, village breeding schemes, where-by flocks and breeding groups in a village are taken as focal points, is recommended as way forward in genetic improvement. The framework for a feasible implementation of such genetic improvement scheme is outlined based on the rationale of utilizing available social regulations, indigenous knowledge and traditional systems of breeding as well as future market prospects.

Aquaculture, a sub-component within the fisheries sector is a vital economic activity and livelihood component of rural communities living beside rivers and river floodplains in East Africa. It provides a good alternative source of income and proteins for rural communities. This study aimed to characterize fish production and marketing practices in smallholder farming systems under a national Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) in the Eastern province of Kenya, and to determine the traits of economic importance to the farmers. Information was collated from 198 farmers, 13 traders and three key informants within Meru District of Eastern Province. The predominant species of fish reared was the Nile Tilapia, followed by the African Catfish and in some instances a combination of the two species were reared under polyculture. Good growth rate and survival of fish were noted to be the most important traits of economic importance to the farmers. Fish produced was mainly sold to the local community and within local markets. Traders, however, indicated that the demand for fish was much higher than the supply, hence also sourced fish from Lake Victoria in Nyanza for sale. It was also indicated that the taste of fish differed greatly depending on the source, with wild fish strains from Lake Victoria having a “sweeter” taste than the farmed strains. Strains of fish selected for improved growth and reproduction were not available for aquaculture. Feeds and feeding management of farmed fish was also a challenge. It was evident that there is a great need for supportive research on environmental impacts, productivity and quality of fish reared, and marketing of fish products within the riverine environments of Kenya. Key words: aquaculture, fish marketing, traits of economic importance

Bioethanol can be used for food production and to partially replace fossil fuel. Bioethanol is mainly produced from renewable biomass that contains sugars, starch or lignocellulose. The main raw materials for production of bioethanol are cereals, maize (Zea mays), sugarbeets (Beta vulgaris sacccharifera) and other plant species. During the trial that took place in State Stende Cereals Breeding Institute during a three year period (from 2009/2010 to 2011/2012) we examined the suitability of grain from winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), triticale (×Triticosecale Wittm) and rye (Secale cereale L.) for the production of bioethanol. Three varieties of each species were used in the trial. During the trial period the grain yield, the ethanol outcome (L tE-1) and the ethanol yield (L haE-1) were determined. It was established that during three years wheat and triticale provided the highest starch content (more than 700 g kgE-1) of the grain as well as the highest ethanol outcome (L tE-1). These species provided both high grain yield (more than 9 t haE-1 on average) and the highest ethanol yield (3300 – 4665 L haE-1). The choice of variety was also important as both the grain starch content and the grain yield depend on the genotype of the variety.

The aim of the research was to evaluate the variability of milk yield and composition for goats with different kid suckling periods. The research was carried out in 2011 and 2012 on a farm where goats of Latvian breed were reared. In both years goats kidded in February and March. Each group included 10 animals. In the first group the kids were weaned on the first day of kidding (A1), in the second – on the 30th day (A30) but in the third – on the 60th day (A60) after kidding. The amount of the milk yield was measured in five successive days after the kid weaning. Milk samples were analysed in an accredited milk laboratory. The highest milk yield was obtained from the goats when kids were weaned immediately after the birth, and samples were taken starting with the 6th day of lactation (2.10 + 0.05 kg), but the lowest from the goats with suckling period of 60 days – 1.68 ± 0.03 kg. The average milk fat and protein content of the goats from the group A1 (53.6 ± 0.92 and 41.6 ± 0.66 g kgE-1), was significantly higher than from the groups A30 and A60 (p is less than 0.05). The average variability of milk yield proved to be from 4.9% in the group A1 to 10.5% in the group A30. The lowest fat content variability was observed for goats of the group A1 in both years – 8.9% and 10.7%, but the highest 20.5% in the group A60 in the first year. The highest variability of milk protein content was observed in the group A30 – 14.8%.

The aim of the present study was to estimate variance and covariance components and genetic parameters for birth, weaning and yearling weights. The data were collected from lambs who born in period from 2007 to 2010 years and located in 58 pure-bred sheep herds in Latvia. Records of 11310 lambs from 160 rams and 4180 ewes for birth and weaning weight and on 3194 lambs from 134 rams and 2058 ewes for yearling weight were used in this study. The total number of individual pedigree was 18932. The fixed effects in the model were sex and type of birth, birth year and month and age of dam, because all growth traits were significantly affected by these fixed effects (p is less than 0.01, p is less than 0.05). Genetic parameters for growth weights were estimated by Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) procedure fitting three animal models including various combinations of maternal and herd effects. Based on the most appropriate fitted model which included additive genetic, maternal additive genetic and herd effect, direct heritability’s were estimated to be 0.26 ± 0.01, 0.29 ± 0.63, 0.29 ± 2.63, but maternal heritability’s 0.14 ± 0.00, 0.04 ± 0.19, 0.04 ± 0.94, respectively for birth, weaning and yearling weights. The results showed maternal and strong herd influence in this study, therefore inclusion of maternal and herd effects into the model for growth traits is necessary.

The aim of the study was to analyze an occurrence of forelimb and hind limb conformation traits in the population of the Latvian warmblood carriage type broodmares accepted as appropriate for the breed’s genetic resources and an occurrence of these traits depending on the origin. The conformation traits of limbs were analyzed in the population of the Latvian warmblood carriage type’s broodmares accepted as appropriate for the genetic resources from 2004 to 2012 and registered in the Stud Book, the group consisted of 301 mare of which 104 mares had a description of the conformation in Stud Book or database. Based on common female ancestors the broodmares were divided in families, recognized as important for improving the breed, and other related groups. The quality of limbs in the population of broodmares included in genetic resources was compared to the quality of limbs in the population of their female ancestors. Good limb conformation was characteristic to 28.8% of broodmares. The most common conformation faults were toeing-in of forelegs and base-narrow position of forelimbs and hind limbs. The occurrence of conformation faults as sloping pasterns of forelegs and hind legs and sickle-hocks was rarer in nowadays population than in population of female ancestors. The occurrence of toeing-in of forelegs increased from 9.7% to 19.2%, a significant difference between contemporary population and ancestors was found (p is less than 0.05). A significant difference in limb quality between groups with different origins was not found.

Vegetarianism is a growing trend in Latvia but there is a lack of spread-like products for vegetarians. There are about 10 plant protein spreads commercially available in Latvia that differs very much in nutritional value and ingredients. Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) which are popular among Latvian consumers and rich in important macro- and micronutrients could be a great source of protein for vegetarians in spread-like products, however, are not represented in foreign or Latvian food company products yet. The aim of this research is to develop new vegetarian spreads using commercially available beans in Latvia and to subject the newly developed bean spreads to sensory evaluation. Four bean spreads were developed using white beans: classic, with basil, with curry, and with sun-dried tomatoes. Samples of bean spreads were packed in 200 g polypropylene (PP) containers and after 12 h storage in a refrigerator (3 ± 1 °C) subjected to sensory evaluation. Sensory evaluation was carried out in 3 different groups of panellists using hedonic scale and line scale. The hedonic evaluation showed that bean spread with sun-dried tomatoes has the highest overall preference compared to other bean spreads (p is less than 0.05). Significant differences among four bean spread samples in the intensity of their sensory properties – acidity, bean flavour, saltiness, and colour – were found (p is less than 0.05). Based on sensory evaluation data further research should be continued with classic bean spread and bean spread with sun-dried tomatoes.

The experiment was carried out in the Latvia University of Agriculture. The objectives of this research were to study changes of bean (Phaseolus) protein fractions occurring under the thermal treatment conditions and determine the critical temperature for Maillard reactions in beans. In these reactions lignified protein is made from amino acids and sugars, and it decreases the nutrition value of the food. If lignified protein exceeds 50% of crude protein content in food, then food is considered unsuitable for daily diet. In this experiment beans were milled and then heated at 50 ± 3 °C, 75 ± 3 °C, 100 ± 3 °C, 125 ± 3 °C and 150 ± 3 °C temperature in the drying oven for 20 h. As a control sample non heated beans were used, and they all were kept in a plastic jar at room temperature (20 ± 1 °C). Dry matter, crude protein, starch, sugar and lignified protein content were determined in heated beans and control samples. No significant changes of crude protein content were observed due to thermal treatment. It was from 24.3 ± 0.3 g 100 g-1 of dry matter. Similarly, no significant changes were observed in starch content, as it stayed averagely 47.1 ± 0.2 g 100 g-1 of dry matter. Medium high correlation was observed (0.64) between lignified protein content and sugar content for in different temperature treated beans. Lignified protein showed exponential growth if the samples were heated at a temperature of 100 ± 3 °C and higher, giving exponential change.