Fibre Characterization of Cassava Peel Leaf Meal and Its Utilization by Broilers

One hundred and twenty ( n = 120) day old broiler chicks with an average weight (100.00\ub17.00g) were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments, with cassava peel leaf meal (CPLM) as replacement for maize at (starter and finisher phases).The trial was in three phases of adaptation (1-2week),starter (3-5week) and finisher (6-9week).Thirty broilers chicks were assigned to each of the four treatments, while was replicated three times at 10 chicks each. Performance of the chicks such weight gain, feed intake and carcass yield was evaluated and the proximate and fiber quality of the diets and CPLM were also determined. Data obtained for performance evaluated was analyzed using ANOVA, while significant means were separated by SAS of the same package. The outcome revealed that CPLM had (89.93%) dry matter, (18.93%) crude protein and (43.28%) NDF, with anon-significant (p< 0.05) variation in weight gain, enhanced (p< 0.05) feed intake and depressed (p< 0.05) feed to gain ratio as CPLM inclusion increased. Dressing percentage values (69.00-73.00%) were obtained on the treatments. CPLM inclusion (0, 15, 30 and 45%) as replacement for maize in the diets of broilers produced a favourable performance

Cancer Biomarker Discovery: The Entropic Hallmark

Background: It is a commonly accepted belief that cancer cells modify their transcriptional state during the progression of the disease. We propose that the progression of cancer cells towards malignant phenotypes can be efficiently tracked using high-throughput technologies that follow the gradual changes observed in the gene expression profiles by employing Shannon's mathematical theory of communication. Methods based on Information Theory can then quantify the divergence of cancer cells' transcriptional profiles from those of normally appearing cells of the originating tissues. The relevance of the proposed methods can be evaluated using microarray datasets available in the public domain but the method is in principle applicable to other high-throughput methods. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using melanoma and prostate cancer datasets we illustrate how it is possible to employ Shannon Entropy and the Jensen-Shannon divergence to trace the transcriptional changes progression of the disease. We establish how the variations of these two measures correlate with established biomarkers of cancer progression. The Information Theory measures allow us to identify novel biomarkers for both progressive and relatively more sudden transcriptional changes leading to malignant phenotypes. At the same time, the methodology was able to validate a large number of genes and processes that seem to be implicated in the progression of melanoma and prostate cancer. Conclusions/Significance: We thus present a quantitative guiding rule, a new unifying hallmark of cancer: the cancer cell's transcriptome changes lead to measurable observed transitions of Normalized Shannon Entropy values (as measured by high-throughput technologies). At the same time, tumor cells increment their divergence from the normal tissue profile increasing their disorder via creation of states that we might not directly measure. This unifying hallmark allows, via the the Jensen-Shannon divergence, to identify the arrow of time of the processes from the gene expression profiles, and helps to map the phenotypical and molecular hallmarks of specific cancer subtypes. The deep mathematical basis of the approach allows us to suggest that this principle is, hopefully, of general applicability for other diseases

Effect of Replacement Levels of Soybean Meal with Local Groundnut Cake Meal on Carcass and Organ Characteristics in Broilers Diet

A 56-day experiment was conducted to evaluate the response of broiler birds on fed diets with different levels of local groundnut cake meal (LGNCM) compounded to replace soyabean mean (SBM) at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% designated T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. Carcass and organ characteristics were evaluated. One hundred and twenty day-old Arbor acre broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five treatment diets with three replicates of eight birds each in a completely randomized design (CRD), where feed and water were provided adlibitum. The results showed that the diets had significant (P<0.05) effect on most carcass and organ values while drunckstick, heart, lungs and abdominal weight values were not affected. The birds placed on 25% LGNCM based diets consistently had higher relative carcass and organ weights than those fed control diet. The study therefore showed that the use of LGNCM in broiler diet should be encouraged as it gave promising results in terms of carcass and organ indices.Keywords: Broilers, local groundnut cake, soybean, carcass and organ traits

Effect of supplementation of cassava peel meal based diet with enzyme Maxigrain® on performance, apparent nutrient digestibility and economic indices of broiler finishers

A four-week experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of Maxigrain® enzyme supplementation on performance, nutrient digestibility and economic indices of broiler finishers fed soaked and sun-dried cassava peel meal (CPM) based diet. CPM was included in the diets replacing maize at 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% respectively on a weight for weight basis. Diets with 25%, 50% and 75% CPM were supplemented with Maxigrain® at 100mg/kg. Two hundred (200) Anak, day old broiler chicks were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD) with five replicates containing ten birds each after balancing for live weight. Feed and water were supplied adlibitumthroughout the 4 weeks period of the experiment.Data on the body weight and feed intake were collected on a weekly basis and that of weight gain and feed conversion ratio(FCR) were calculated fortnightly while data on apparent nutrient digestibility was collected towards the end of the experiments in a metabolic trial. Data on feed costanalysis were calculated using the prevailing current market priceof feed ingredients.The result shows thataverage weight gain and feed intake were significantly affected (P<0.05) by dietary treatments. Birds on 50% CPM enzyme diet had a significant (P<0.05) higher weight gain and feed intake followed by those on 75% CPM diet as compared to control group. Enzyme supplementation of the CPM diets produced a slight improvement in feed conversion ratio than the control diet. Feed cost/kg weight gain significantly (P<0.05) decreased with increasing levels of enzyme supplemented CPM. Profit margin generated were higher (P<0.05) in bird fed enzyme treated CPM diet group. Apparent nutrient digestibility of the birds revealed a significant (P<0.05) variation in all parameters with the exception of dry matter.Digestibility values of the birds were observed to increase as the inclusion level of enzyme supplemented CPM increased across the diet. Therefore, it is concluded that enzyme supplemented CPM could replace 75% of maize in broiler finisher diet without any deleterious effect however, supplementing CPM with enzyme Maxigrain® at 50% replacement level for maize resulted in a more profitable performance as well as improved nutrient digestibility and is hereby recommended for poultry farmers.Keywords: Cassava peel meal, enzyme, Maxigrain®, broiler finishers, performance

Determinants of farmers’ access to microcredit from cooperative societies in Ondo state, Nigeria

The study examined the determinants of farmers’ access to microcredit from cooperative societies in Ondo state. A multistage sampling technique was used to obtain data from 100 respondents. Primary data was collected for the purpose of the study. We used descriptive statistics and logit regression model to analyses the data collected. Result showed that the farmers were mostly male farmers (64%) while majority of the farmers had a mean age of 44.10 ± 14.70. It was also revealed that consumer cooperative society, producer cooperative society, marketing cooperative society, cooperative farming society and credit and thrift cooperative society were the major forms of cooperative used by the farmers. The result also shows that age, marital status, farm size, farming experience, credit from another source and number of years in the cooperative significantly influenced farmers’ access to microcredit from cooperative society. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 11(2): 103-107, Dec 202

Preliminary Studies On Performance Of Cane Rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) At The Forestry Research Institute Of Nigeria (FRIN)

The study focused on the performance and reproductive traits of grasscutter being domesticated at the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN). Data was collected for a period of three years (2003-2006).Results revealed that elephant grass, which is the choice, feed for grasscutter is of low nutritional value, hence necessitating the use of formulated concentrates as supplement. Performance results showed that the mature bucks (male grasscutters) gained more weight than the does(female grasscutters) and also consumed more feed. The buck consumed 175.50+5.00g of concentrate per day while the doe consumed 150.80+7.50 per day. The average forage intake was 608.33+18.33g and504.00+5.10g for the mature bucks and does respectively. The result also showed that the average weight gain (g/animal/day) was greater in the buck (4.26+0.81g) while that of the female was (2.67+0.61g). Thefeed conversion ratio for the buck was 0.08+0.001 and 0.02+0.003 for the forage and concentrates respectively, while that of the doe was 0.005+0.0008 and 0.018+0.0007 for forage and concentratesrespectively. The cost of concentrate in Naira per kilogram is N 22 and the cost/ unit weight gain is N 0.90 and N 1.24 for the bulk and doe respectively. The doe had a gestation period of (151+3 days) and a littersize of (3.90+0.7). The litter ratio showed that the doe gave birth to more males than females and the male is heavier at birth than the female

Growth performance, haematological and serum biochemical indices of cockerel chicks fed ginger (Zingiber officinale) additive in diets

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of graded levels (0, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5%) of ginger in the diets of cockerel chicks on growth performance and haematological and serum biochemical parameters. Two hundred and sixty four-two week old cockerel chicks used for the trial were randomly allotted to four treatments (T1 T2, T3, T4) at 66 chicks per treatment, each treatment was replicated six times (11 birds per replicate). The diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous (2400kcal/kg M.E and 21%crude protein). The trial lasted for seven weeks. Results elicited that gingersupplementation at 0, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 % had no adverse effect on feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, haemoglobin count, white blood cell count and lymphocyte count. Packed cell volume (28.0 ± 3.0%), Red blood cell count (2.2 ± 0.4 (x 109/1) and urea (4.5 ± 1.7 mg dl-1) were significantly varied (P < 0.05); while the levels of creatinine increased significantly beyond 1.5% ginger inclusion level. Inclusion of ginger at 1.5 – 3.0% levels had no adverse effects on the growth performance and blood constituents of cockerel chicks. The use of ginger for cockerel diet is therefore advocated

Determinants of farmers’ access to microcredit from cooperative societies in Ondo state, Nigeria

The study examined the determinants of farmers’ access to microcredit from cooperative societies in Ondo state. A multistage sampling technique was used to obtain data from 100 respondents. Primary data was collected for the purpose of the study. We used descriptive statistics and logit regression model to analyses the data collected. Result showed that the farmers were mostly male farmers (64%) while majority of the farmers had a mean age of 44.10 ± 14.70. It was also revealed that consumer cooperative society, producer cooperative society, marketing cooperative society, cooperative farming society and credit and thrift cooperative society were the major forms of cooperative used by the farmers. The result also shows that age, marital status, farm size, farming experience, credit from another source and number of years in the cooperative significantly influenced farmers’ access to microcredit from cooperative society

Evaluation of Haematological parameters in pregnant Nigerian women with sickle cell anaemia

No Abstrac

Proximate and chemical composition of three species of snails in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

This trial was conducted to determine the proximate and chemical composition of three common species of snails in Nigeria. The species were Archachatina marginata (T1), Achatina achatina (T2), and Achatina fulica (T3). The three species constituted the three treatments and thirty-six adult snails were used for this trial (twelve snails in each treatment). They were randomly allotted to individual treatment and placed on a ration with 24% crude protein and 2600 kcal/kg M. E. for four weeks, for physiological stability and to minimize source effect. The outcome of the proximate and chemical analysis revealed no significant variation (p>0.05) in the proximate and chemical analysis parameters in the three species of snails (p>0.05), such as Dry matter, Crude protein, Crude fibre, Ether extract, Ash and Nitrogen free extract. Likewise mineral salts like Calcium, Iron and Phosphorus. The Sodium content of the foot and shell were significantly different from each other (