Production performance of blackhead persian sheep in an experimental flock in Tobago, West Indies

The effect of lambing season-year, sex and type of birth on lamb weights at birth, weaning at 56 days and 6-months, and daily gain and preweaning mortality was studied. Data were based on 131 lambs from 103 lambings by Blackhead Persian ewes in 1982-85 at the Blenheim Sheep Station in Tobago (West Indies). The effect of the lambing season-year on measures of ewe reporductive performance (number of lambs borm total, born alive and, weaned per ewe lambing) and total lamb weight weaned was also studied. The average values for lamb body weights at birth, weaning and 6-month, and daily gain mortality were: 2.57 kg, 10.9kg, 16.6kg, 147g and 14.6 percent respectively. The flock means for number of lambs born total, born alive, weaned and for total weight of lambs weaned at 56 days were 1.27, 1.24, 1.08 and 13.2 kg, respectively. The lambing season-year effects caused significant variation in body weights at birth and 6-month, and lamb mortallity only. Sex of lamb had no significant effect on any of the traits studied. The effect of type of birth was apparent for all traits except 6-month body weight and lamb mortality. Single born lambs. Ewes with twins weaned 54 percent more lamb than ewes with singles (16.0 vs. 10.4 kg). Lambs with below average birth weight had significantly higher mortality than those with above average birth weight (20.7 vs 8.5 percent)(AU)

Duration of maternal breast-feeding in the Dominican Republic

The study reported here explored the influence of maternal, health care, pregnancy, and child-related factors upon the duration of total breast-feeding (DTBF) in the Dominican Republic. The data for the study, which included 1984 mother-child pairs representative of the Domonican population, came in from the National HEalth Survey of 1991. The child in each of the mother-child pairs was the mother's last-born child who had been breast-fed and was less than three years of age at the time of the survey. Interviews with the mothers were used to collect information about the duration of breast-feeding and the factors studied (including maternal age, urban/rural residence, parity, mother's socioeconomic status, maternal education, maternal employment, mother's desire for pregnancy, type of delivery, the type of health worker attending the delivery, the child's sex, the child's birth weight, the time elapsed between delivery and initiation of breast-feeding, the child's age at complete weaning, and the child's age at the time of the survey)... According to the study results, the country's breast-feeding programs should give special attention to mothers with university educations, those giving birth in private health facilities, and those with low socioeconomic status giving birth to their first child, since these groups tended to breast-feed their children for relatively short periods of time. Also, breast-feeding promotion strategies should stress the importance of delaying the introduction of foods other than breast-milk into the child's diet, as this appears to be the one factor having the greatest adverse effect on the duration of breast-feeding (AU)

Weaning-food viscosity and energy density: their effects on ad libitum consumption and energy intakes in Jamaican children

The effects of weaning-food viscosity and energy density on consumption and energy intake were determined in 15 non-breast-fed Jamaican children aged 7-15 mo under standardized conditions. We tested whether feeding thick, energy intakes and whether amylase treatment to reduce viscosity offered any advantage. When a traditional liquid, low-density porridge (2.15 kJ/g) was fed, the mean (ñSD) daily consumption was 139 ñ 25 g/kg and the mean daily energy intake was 296 ñ 54 kJ/kg. When a semisolid high-density porridge (4.09 kJ/g) was fed, consumption was significantly lower (98 ñ 21g/kg) but the daily energy intake was significantly higher - 402 ñ 85 kJ/KG (P < 0.001). Amylase treatment of the thick energy-dense porridge did not increase intakes further. Meal duration for the thick porridge (12.9 ñ 4.0 min) was significantly longer than that for the low-density (7.4 ñ 2.6 min) or amylase-treated (6.4 ñ 1.8 min) porridges (AU)

The controversy of thin and thick porridges: does viscosity influence intake? - abstract

There is controversy concerning the best weaning foods for infants in developing countries with some promoting thick porridges while others claim viscosity reduction of thick porridges is necessary. We assessed the effects of viscosity and energy density on energy intake in fifteen children aged 7-15 months recovered from malnutrition. Three porridges were developed: thin-low energy (51 kcal/100gm viscosity 280-480 cP): thick-high energy (kcal/100gm viscosity 3000-4000 cP); and amylase-treated - high energy (97 kcal/100 gm viscosity 280-480 cP). Using a cross-over design, each porridge was fed ad lib four times daily for four days by specially trained feeders. The mean daily intake in grams of the thin porridge was significantly higher than that of the amylase-treated or thick porridges. However, the mean energy intake of the thin porridge was significantly lower than that of the amylase-treated or thick porridges. The mean daily energy intakes of the amylase-treated and thick porridges were similar and matched WHO/FAO recommended requirements. Meal duration was significantly longer for the thick porridge, which was fed by cup and spoon, than for the amylase-treated or the thin porridges. Feeding a thick porridge with an energy density of 100 kcal/100 gm four times daily therefore satisfied the recommended daily energy requirements for infants and young children. The only adventure of reducing the viscosity of the thick porridge was the shorter time spent feeding (AU)

Is viscosity reduction of energy-dense weaning foods necessary in developing countries?

In developing countries, weaning foods are often of low energy density. We examined ad lib, intakes of 3 porridges: thin, low energy density; semi-solid, high energy density; and amylases-treated low viscosity, high energy density. The study was conducted under controlled conditions on a metabolic ward. 15 children aged 7-15 months, recovered from malnutrition, received each porridge in a randomised sequence for 4 consecutive days 4 times daily. The quantity of thin porridge consumed was significantly greater than that of the semi-solid or amylase-treated porridges (p < 0.001), but the energy intake was significantly lower (p < 0.001). The energy intakes of both high energy density porridges were similar and matched recommended intakes. Therefore viscosity reduction of a semi-solid porridge offered no advantage in energy intake (AU)

Factors affecting weaning in rural and urban areas of south eastern Nigeria

A total of 512 mothers were interviewed in Anambra State, Nigeria to study factors related to weaning, using 254 (49 percent) from rural areas and an urban sample of 258 mothers (50.45). A validated pretested structured questionnaire was used to obtain background information, weaning patterns and health history. The results showed that most mothers (985) breastfed their infants but gave supplementary bottles simultaneously. Rural mothers (69.7 percent) breastfed infants longer (12-18 months) than urban mothers (37.6 percent) who breastfed for 0-6 months. The lower the income level and socio-educational background of the mothers, the longer the duration of breastfeeding. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.991) between amount budgeted for food and income level. Older mothers weaned infants earlier than younger ones; working urban mothers weaned infants earlier than non-working rural mothers. Mothers with smaller families weaned infants earlier than those with larger families. Urban mothers substituted other foods as a weaning method while rural mothers weaned by discouraging from breastfeeding. Urban mothers introduced protein rich food, fruit and vegetables earlier than rural mothers, who introduced starchy foods earlier. There was a high correlation between income level and introduction of protein foods (r = 0.846) and (r = 0.858), in urban and rural areas, respectively. High incidences of diarrhoea in most infants and inadequate water supplies in the communities were noted. (Au)

Breast-feeding patterns of Montserratian women

This article describes the breast-feeding patterns found on Montserrat by a survey that interviewed 69 mothers who delivered infants over a 13-month period, from March 1989 through March 1990. The results indicated that 94 percent of the women breast-fed these children for at least two weeks after delivery; that 70 percent were still breast-feeding at the time of the interview in March or April 1990; and that principal factors influencing early termination of breast-feeding were the age at which supplementary feeding was commenced and lack of maternal information about why babies appear to reject the breast. (AU)

Severe undernutrition in Jamaica - kwashiorkor and marasmus: the disease of the weanling

The syndromes of severe undernutrition, marasmus and kwashiorkor, have causes related to the interplay of social and medical considerations in the society. Kwashiorkor supervenes when the individual is exposed to a level of stress that exceeds the body's ability to cope. One final common pathway, through which a variety of environmental factors exert an effect, may be associated with oxidant damage to cells. In kwashiorkor there is a severe decrease in the level of both oxidised and reduced glutathione in the red cell. This could be caused by a decreased production, increased consumption or a combination of the two. This is discussed with specific reference to the metabolism of glycine and the possible causal relationship to the pathophysiology of the disease process.(AU)

Factors associated with nutritional status among young children in St. Vincent

A survey was undertaken in 1975 in St. Vincent, West Indies, among the mothers of nearly all children from one to two years old in two towns. The mean weight for age was 85 percent of the Boston Standard and the mean weight for height was 95.5 percent of the standard. Levels of malnutrition were similar to those found in a national survey eight years earlier. Using multiple regression analysis, the variable which had by far the greatest impact on nutritional status (weight for age) was economic level of living. Next in importance came length of breastfeeding, attendance at postnatal clinics, and (with a negative association) the number of siblings. Efforts to solve the EPM problem must seek to eradicate poverty, but should not neglect the importance of breastfeeding, child, spacing, and appropriate health care. (AU)

A comparison of the nutritional value of two weaning foods

The nutritional values of a traditional banana porridge and a new commercially produced porridge, Cerex, were compared in a feeding trial. The banana porridge contained banana flour, wheat flour, condensed milk and water. Cerex porridge was made from cerex (corn, rice, soya and fortified skimmed milk powders) made isocaloric to the banana porridge (100 Kcal/100g) with the addition of oil, sugar and water. The porridges were fed at libitum as the only source of nutrients to 8 children recovering from malnutrition for 10 days on each porridge in a cross over design. There were 5 girls and 3 boys, aged 6-16 months, all of whom were about 80 percent weight for height at the start of the study. Anthropometric measurements and the intakes of porridges were recorded. The protein and energy content of the porridges as fed were measured. The children gained weight at the same rate on both porridges: a rate comparable to that achieved on "high calorie milk" used as a routine for treating malnutrition in TMRU. The mean rate of weight gained on cerex porridge was 13.1 ñ 6.3 (SD) g/kg/d, for banana porridge 12.5 ñ 5.2 (SD) g/kg/d. This is 3 times as fast as a normal child of the same average weight and 13 times as fast as a normal child of the same average age. The mean food intakes of cerex (147 ñ 19 (SD) g/kg/d) and banana (156 ñ 16 (SD) g/kg/d) porridges were not significantly different nor was there a statistical difference in the mean energy intakes between cerex (159 Kcal/kg/d) and banana (161 Kcal/kg/d) porridges. Although cerex porridge provided more protein (5.39 > 3.73g/kg/d.p < 0.05), the protein in green banana porridge was more efficiently utilized for balanced weight gain as the energy cost of weight gain was the same on both porridges. At the projected retail price for cerex, that porridge provides more energy/dollar than green banana flour porridge based on the actual retail price of banana flour. However, the difference is outweighed by the advantage of utilizing a locally produced food, if the total cost from production at the farm, through cost to national budget, to cost to consumer is considered. The advantage of being able to grow the food in a backyard or small farm is considered for the rural population. We conclude that the traditional banana porridge should be acceptable and economically the use of indigenous foodstuff is desirable (Summary)