The study was conducted in Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha and Bora districts from east Shoa zone as well as Kofele and Asasa from west Arsi zone of Oromia regional state. The objective of this study was to determine the best regression model for live weight estimation to be used by farmers without the use of weighing scale for indigenous sheep breed found in East Shoa and West Arsi zone of Oromia Regional State. Purposive and simple random sampling was employed to select the study kebeles and all the sheep for body weight and linear body measurements. Thus body weight and linear body measurements were assessed from 600 heads of sheep. Body weight of the rams and ewes varied across the age groups. Natural pasture, crop residues, crop aftermath local brewery wastes too are paramount importance. The regression analysis to predict body weight from linear measurements indicated body weight is influenced by morphometrical measurements which included body length, chest girth and the other leaner measurements. The body weight had highest correlation coefficient with heart girth (CG) around the chest (r > 0.80) compared with other body measurements. The stepwise regression models indicated that heart girth singly accounted highest variation (more than 90%) in body weight for all animals.

Cellular Prion proteins have a wide variety of function from the birth of a cell to its programmed death. Prion protein can be the cause for a number of lethal animal and human diseases when misfolded. Furthermore, prion infection is transmissible. Polymorphisms of prion gene at different loci are associated with prion diseases development, the onset of symptoms and incubation period. Indel polymorphism in the promoter region of PRNP gene is found to be accoaited to BSE in cattle while the haplotype ARR at positions 136,154 and 171 is resistant to scrapie in sheep. Taking into account the severity of prion disease and its potential entrance to the food chain, genetic and clinical studies continued to be conducted in a different course of time in many countries. Even though African countries in general and Ethiopia in particular, are highly dependent on animals and animal products as food and income source, there are neither epidemiologic nor genetic studies addressed prion diseases yet. Moreover, high animal product consumption and poor regular animal health inspection are among the many good reasons to study prion in Ethiopia. Prion disease survey and prion gene profiling boldly contribute to the provision of prion-free animals to the market for local consumption and for export. Thus, the main objective of this work is to uncover the extent of the importance of prion-related studies in Ethiopia considering livestock management, food quality safeguard and contribution of the work for further study.

This study investigated socio-economic determinants of utilization of manual screw press for cassava mash dehydration for gari production in four local government areas across the ADP zones in Kwara state, Nigeria. Using random sampling technique and a semi-structured questionnaire as research instrument, data for the study were collected from a sample of three hundred and eighty four (384) gari processors who use the screw press in the state. Multiple regression analysis show that a correlation (R=0.678) exist between utilization of the screw press and the independent variables which include age, household size, level of education, years of processing experience, extension visits, and income from gari processing. R2 value of 0.460 indicates that about 46% of the variation in utilization was explained by socio-economic variables included in the regression model. Three variables significantly influenced the decision of the respondents to utilize the manual screw press: age, level of experience, and income; the most important predicator being income with a Beta value of 0.699. Conclusively, it was recommended among others that research, extension, and policy makers consider the significant determinants identified in the study seriously if increased utilization is to be achieved by gari processors and others similar to them in the study area and the region.