INTRODUCTION

I have the honour and privilege to present the 12th in the series of this University's Inaugural lectures. In the College ofAnimal Science and Animal Production, I am the 4th Inaugural Lecturer and the 2nd from the Department ofAnimal Breeding and Physiology. ThisInaugural lecture is a debt I have owed this University and the scientific community since I assumed duty here as a Professor of Animal Physiology in June 2005. Today, I have the singular opportunity to pay my debt and be a free man.

Inaugural lectures mark the climax of events as one attains the highest level of achievement in the academia that is, attaining the rank of a Professor. I would like to specially thank our amiable Vice Chancellor, Prof. Hilary O. Edeoga, for keeping faith with this important academic culture. It is one we should not allow to die.

Distinguished audience, talking about death is not what an Animal Physiologist like me would like to do. Rather, as Physiologists, we are concerned more with life and the things that make it continue to function. We strive to keep animals alive, growing and reproducing and we leave disease and death to the Veterinarians to bother about.

While considering a suitable title for my lecture, my natural instinct went to the main focus of my work, essentially, investigating animal life and ways to sustain it. Talking about sustainability in animal agriculture entails issues relating to whatman does to the animals in order to ensure that while he meets his animal protein needs from his off-takes, there would still be animals to, not only meet his needs tomorrow, but also meet the needs of generations unborn. Ihave therefore titled my lecture, “UnendingSeeds andWatersofAnimalLife." This Inaugural lecture gives me the opportunity to educate my audience on the subject in which I am a Professor. I would discuss a few things that I have been occupied with on my journey as an academic and then make my conclusion.

The Field of Animal Physiology

Mr. Vice Chancellor Sir, permit me to throw a little light into the field ofAnimal Physiology for the benefit of those who may not be well acquainted with it. Animal physiology is the branch of science that takes on a broad study of animals, focusing on the processes and systems (such as the nervous, respiratory, digestive, circulatory, excretory, endocrine and reproductive systems) that keep them alive. As a field of study, it has frontiers with animal breeding, nutrition, biochemistry, etc.

Animal Physiologists study how animals do what they do with an end to manipulating them to do bidding of man. As a matter of fact, we are concerned with the efforts of man to produce, as much as possible, meat, milk, eggs and other products from farm animals. Even then, we are also concerned with the things that man does that limit the ability of the animals to produce these valuable products. We look into and try to influence the ways animals feed, grow, reproduce and nurture their young