INTRODUCTION

Animal Production Department was an integral part of the Department of Animal production and Fisheries Technology established in 1986, and housed in the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology. The Department started with only one academic expatriate staff. The staff strength grew gradually to eight (8).

At the same time the non-academic staff serving the two units consisted of one – two Technical officers (Livestock and Fisheries) one Livestock Assistant, one Livestock attendant, one Fisheries Assistant, one Typist and Messenger.

When in 1992, the Animal Production Department became a full-fledged Department it had an academic staff strength of eight (8) including one staff on Sabbatical. The non- academic staff were five (5), consisting of one Technical Officer two Livestock assistant, one Typist and one Laboratory attendant/Messenger. Currently the Department has 28 academic staff (all on seat), and seven (14) non-academic staff.

Progress in the acquisition of facilities for both the farm and laboratory has been slow due to financial constraints in the past, some equipment, mainly for the Laboratory, were supplied through the World Bank assisted programme, while some were provided by the University. The Department has a poultry unit, a moderate herd of Cattle, a flock of sheep and goats, a rabbitry located on the farm at the main Campus of the University. The Department has a cow shade, feedlot pen and a feed mill all located at the main campus.

VISION

The vision of the department of Animal Production is to make the department a center of excellence in animal production studies, research and development, multi-disciplinary practical approach to research training (impact knowledge) on the development, utilization, conservation of animal resources.

MISSION

In order to meet the requirements of the national policy on education minimum academic standard laid down by the NUC to raise creative capacities and capability of the student so as to enable them explore and effectively transform animal production. The development orientation of the programme towards production technology implies a pragmatic application of scientific and technological knowledge as well as raising the level of organizational efficiency towards creating tools for optimal production.

PHILOSOPHY

The Department is designed to raise the creature capacities and capabilities of students and staffs, through appropriate learning skills which will enable them to produce Animals/products for the Nation and also be job creators rather than job seeking. The Department is also established to develop and provide academic and professional programmes that would award diploma and degrees in Animal Production with the aim of producing socially matured men and women, who would fully grasp, use and adapt existing technology, as well as improve on it and develop new ones. Basic and applied research, especially into local field problems the development and acquisition of appropriate skills consultancy and general services to the public among others, are also fostered and emphasized within the overall contest of the University's objectives and overall natural development.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES

(i) Academic Programmes:

(a) B. Tech. Agric. (Animal production and Food Science and Nutrition options)

(b) PGD Animal Production

(c) M.Tech. Animal Production.

(d) Ph.D. Animal Production.

(ii) Graduation Output Statistics.

(iii) Conference/Workshop Hosted.

RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS:

(i) Research.

(ii) Publications.

(a) Tsado D.N, T.Z. Adama, B.A. Ayanwale, and E.L. Shiawoya (2011). Body weight measurements and correlation relationship in Savanna Brown Goats as influenced by age at castration, sex and type of birth. Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and the Social Science 9:1 273

(b) Alemede, I.C., Egena, S.S A. And Garba, U. (2011). Effect of cross breeding and reciprocal crossing on the reproductive performance of rabbits in Minna, Nigeria Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and the Social Science 9:1 249

(c) E.L. Shiawoya and Tsado D. N. (2011). Forage and Fodder Crop Production in Nigeria: Problems and prospects. World Journal of Life Sciences and Medical Research.1:4

(d) E.L. Shiawoya and Tsado D. N., Adebayo, A.R., Ibrahim, M.O. and Ishola, S (2011). Performance of Local (Yankasa) Rams fed diets containing varying levels of Gmelina arborea leaves (GL) and Desmodium forage (DF) supplemented with concentrate.Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and the Social Science 9:1 232

(e) E.Z. Jiya, A.T. Ijaiya, K.O. Oguche, F. O. Afolayan, B. Abdulkadir and B.M.Shehu (2011). Growth performance and nutrient utilization of weaned rabbits fed with diets in which palm kernel cake (PKC) was replaced with cooked tallow (Detarium microcarpum) seed meal. Continental Journal. Animal and Veterinary Research 3 (1): 7 - 10,

STAFF DEVELOPMENT: Academic

The total number of staff in the Department is forty four (44), with thirty academic staff (30) and fourteen (14) non academic staff.

(i) Academic Staff, Mr. Jiya, E.Z., S.Y. Kudu, S.S.A. Egena, Ocheme, O.B., Chinma C.E., Ogunbajo S., Dikko A.H., Abdulganiyu A.M. are all pursuing their Ph.D. programmes with University Study Fellowship Award.

(ii) Academic staff, Dr. B.A. Ayanwale was promoted to the rank of Professor.

(iii) Most academic Staff attended the 16th Annual Conference of Animal Science Association (ASAN) of Nigeria. 12-15th September, 2011 at Kogi State University, Faculty of Agric Lecture Theatre, Anyigba, Kogi State.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Members of the Academic Staff were resource persons and active participants in an Awareness Campaign organized for poultry farmers in Minna titled: “The poultry industry in Nigeria and the use of commercial feeds: benefits of TOPFEEDS to farmers.” It was held at Gidan Matasa on 20th January, 2011.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

1. The Animal Production Department, at its Teaching and Research Farm in Bosso, successfully accomplished the rearing of Japanese quails obtained at two weeks’ old from National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, Plateau State.

2. The Farm has launched into full scale turkey rearing, with a starting stock of 20 toms and 30 hens to be used as parent stock for future large scale production of turkey eggs for sale to the University Community.

3 In the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT), the Academic Staff of the Animal Production were rated to have the highest attendance of professional Conferences and Seminars in 2011. The HOD, Dr. Abdulmojeed T. Ijaiya, was particularly sponsored by the University to attend the All Africa Poultry Summit in Abeokuta in February, 2011.

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