A university don and professor of Animal Science, Grace Jokthan, has disclosed that the application of Artificial Intelligence in the analysis of feed is a master-stroke that will offer more cost and time efficient strategy in feed evaluation for ruminant animals.
She stated this on Thursday, March 3, 2022 while presenting聽the 水果派 of Nigeria鈥檚, (NOUN)聽18th Inaugural Lecture held at the university headquarters, Jabi, Abuja.
The lecture, with the topic:聽鈥淚ndigenous Feed Sources: Increasing Animal Protein Supply for Improved Livelihoods,鈥澛燼lso aligned the country鈥檚 realisation of the United Nation鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieving rapid livestock production in Nigeria.
Jokthan, who is a one-time Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences,聽highlighted the relevance of feeds and feeding, stressing that the knowledge of livestock feed resources and how they are utilised are critical factors in successful animal husbandry.
She said there was the need for artificial intelligence in animal agriculture as it is the future of feed evaluation.
鈥淚nformation and Communication Technologies (ICT) are currently being utilised in all spheres of life; this is no less so in animal agriculture. Artificial Intelligence is currently being used in the analysis of feeds. Algorithms are being developed that will model the association between vitro gas production and chemical composition of tropical browse forages using artificial network,鈥澛爏he said.
The lecturer stated that to achieve the needed rapid livestock growth and reduce poverty, policies should focus on expanding the contribution of the sector in the economy, increasing the pace of livestock growth and the participation of smallholder farmers and the poor in that growth.
She called for the聽increase in聽producers鈥櫬燼ccess to factors of production like land and finance, in order to improve the ability of workers to imbibe the need for multiple streams of income in the face of high inflation, the downturn of the economy and unavailable government jobs.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, who presided over the聽first inaugural lecture under his reign, assured聽in his opening remarks, that the lecture would聽be an engaging and interesting one to listen to.
While applauding Jokthan for a well delivered lecture聽in his comment afterwards,聽the VC noted that researches in agriculture are聽important, and, therefore, urged聽people to go into poultry business and recommended Jokthan鈥檚 book as a guide 聽for their feeds and care.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor,聽Academics, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, in his vote of thanks, he said聽inaugural聽lecture is an academic staple, where academics show what they have been working on.
While thanking聽everyone for coming, Uduma equally disclosed that about five more similar lectures have been lined up within this year.