The perception and preference of consumers for local poultry meat in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana

The study examined the preference for and perception of consumers concerning the locally produced poultry meat in the Kumasi metropolis in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Fifty consumers were randomly selected. The results demonstrated that most consumers preferred the local poultry meat to the imported meat. The logit estimates indicated that factors such as age, gender, cold store, cut parts, and healthiness significantly influence consumers’ preference for the locally produced poultry meat. Age, gender and healthiness positively influence consumer’s preference, while cold store and cut parts negatively associated with consumer preference for local poultry meat. On the perception, 68 per cent of the consumers strongly agreed that local poultry meat is tough, while 58 per cent alleged that imported poultry meat is rather tough. In terms of affordability, 46 per cent of the consumers disagreed that local poultry meat is affordable, while 52 per cent strongly objected to the idea that imported poultry meat is relatively cheaper. In terms of availability, 54 per cent of the consumers admitted that local poultry meat is not readily available, while 58 per cent indicated that imported poultry meat is readily available and can be obtained at anytime. Sixty per cent of the respondents were of the opinion that local poultry meat taste better, while 46 per cent of the respondents indicated that imported poultry meat do not taste better. This was probably due to long period of refrigeration, which reduced its freshness and taste and made it less healthy for consumption. It is suggested that the government should subsidize the cost of inputs for the local poultry industry, since the results indicated that high cost was the major factor that influenced consumers’ purchasing decision

Effect of water treated and urea treated neem (Azadirachta indica) kernel cake as protein supplement on haematological, biochemical and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens

In a study to evaluate the carcass haematological and biochemical characteristics of broiler birds fed graded levels of water and urea-treated neem kernel cake (NKC), 300 day-old broilers (Cobb, 500) were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments for 56 days. Water and feed were fed adlibitum. The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous to replace soya bean meal at 0 per cent neem kernel cake (NKC), 5 per cent water treated neem kernel cake (WNKC), 10 per cent WNKC, 5 per cent water and urea treated neem kernel cake (WUNKC) and 10 per cent WUNKC for diets 1,2,3,4, and 5, respectively. The results showed that average daily feed intake (ADFI), average body weight gain (ABWG), average daily water intake (ADWI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feed cost kg-1 live weight gain were significantly (P = 0.05) different across dietary treatments. With the exception of the red blood cell (RBC), globulin and total protein, all the haematological parameters (white blood cell, haemoglobin, PCV, MCH, MCHC and MCV) and biochemical parameters (albumen, cholesterol, HDL, LDL and TGS) measured were not significantly (P = 0.05) different across the dietary treatments. Results on carcass parameters were significantly (P = 0.05) different among the dietary treatments. Liver, gizzard, heart, dressed weight, and intestinal weights of birds on the test diets were significantly (P = 0.05) different from those on the control diet

Effect of Ficus exasperata leaf meal on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of three-weeks-old Coturnix coturnix japonica (Japanese quails)

five-week experiment was conducted to determine the effect of Ficus exasperata leaf meal (FELM) on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of three-weeks-old Japanese quails. Ninety-six (96) Japanese layer quails were randomly allocated to four (4) dietary treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 with 0%, 2%, 4% and 6% of FELM partially replacing similar amounts of soy-bean meal respectively, and with 3 replicates per treatment. T1 served as the control diet (No FELM). Eight (8) quails were allotted to each replicate under completely randomised design. Growth performance were measured during the feeding trial and afterwards, carcass characteris-tics were evaluated. Data collected were analysed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) as de-scribed by Minitab (version 18.1). The means were compared using Tukey’s pairwise comparison with a confidence level of 95%. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences in the mean daily and total feed intakes, initial weights and final live weight among the various treatments. However, there were significant (p<0.05) differences in the daily and total weight gains across the various treatments, with T1 recording the highest weight gain, followed by T2, T3 and T4. There was a significant (p<0.05) difference in the mean feed conversion ratio among the treatments, with T4 being a poor converter of feed to gain. The feed cost per kilogram diet and the feed cost per kilo-gram weight gain decreased as the inclusion levels of FELM increased. There were significant (p<0.05) differences in the live, bled and eviscerated weights across the various treatment, with T2 recording the highest weights, followed by T1, T3 and then T4. Shank, drum stick, thigh and breast muscle weights also recorded significant (p<0.05) differences among the various treatment, with a similar trend as mentioned above, T2 recording the highest weights followed by T1, T3 and T4. The remaining carcass parameters recorded no significant differences across the various treat-ments. The results indicate that FELM may be fed to quail birds up to 4% of the diet without any adverse effects on their growth performance and carcass characteristics

Incidence of Blood and Meat Spots in Eggs from a Commercial Poultry Farm

A study was conducted in two phases simultaneously in a commercial poultry farm to ascertain whether egg weight, temperature variation in pens, and proximity of birds to a noise source had an influence on the incidence of blood and meat spots in chicken eggs. Phase one involved the random sampling of 60 eggs per week for 15 weeks, making a total of 900 eggs from the pens of a 50-week-old layer strain. Phase two determined the effect of noise from a 3.3 kW electrical gasoline generator on the incidence of blood and meat spots. It lasted for 14 weeks and involved the random sampling of 10 eggs per week directly from two pens (i.e., A & D). Pen A and D were 4.7 m and 68 m away from the noise source respectively. A Chi-square test was conducted to establish the relationship between the parameters, whilst a Cramer’s V test was used to determine the extent of association where differences were deemed significant (p<0.05). Out of the 1040 eggs collected, 63% of the eggs had spots (32% blood spots and 31% meat spots). No association was observed between the occurrence of spots and egg weight, temperature variation, and proximity of birds to a generator

Spotting the Critical Service Quality Determinants in the Ghanaian Retail Banking: Importance and Effects

Critical of the areas in customer-centered marketing paradigms and philosophies, is ensuring that existing customers are satisfied to enable you maintain their loyalty, repurchase and to woo in new clientele. The study examined the critical influences of customer satisfaction in the retail banking of Ghana and its effects on customers’ purchasing behavior. The study included 791 clienteles drawn from the sampling population. A cross-sectional survey was used to examine the experience of benefiting from service quality elements, perceived service quality and customers purchasing behavior based on a customized 18 dimensions of SERVQUAL. By means of frequency and mediation analysis, estimates for the direct and indirect effects of benefiting from the service quality influences on perceived service quality and consumer purchasing behavior was assessed. The impacts of evidence of service quality factors on customers purchasing behavior, was partially-mediated by perceived service quality with statistically-significant indirect effect. The results prompted that the banks’ aesthetics, cleanliness, communication skills, competence, availability, access and security of their clienteles be prioritized areas they can’t afford to fail. Keywords: Service Quality, Determinants, Retail Banking, Customer Satisfaction, Behavioral intentions. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-27-08 Publication date:September 30th 201

Unpacking the ‘Emergent Farmer’ Concept in Agrarian Reform:Evidence from Livestock Farmers in South Africa

South Africa has historically perpetuated a dual system of freehold commercial and communal subsistence farming. To bridge these extremes, agrarian reform policies have encouraged the creation of a class of ‘emergent’, commercially oriented farmers. However, these policies consider ‘emergent’ farmers as a homogeneous group of land reform beneficiaries, with limited appreciation of the class differences between them, and do little to support the rise of a ‘middle’ group of producers able to bridge that gap. This article uses a case study of livestock farmers in Eastern Cape Province to critique the ‘emergent farmer’ concept. The authors identify three broad categories of farmers within the emergent livestock sector: a large group who, despite having accessed private farms, remain effectively subsistence farmers; a smaller group of small/medium-scale commercial producers who have communal farming origins and most closely approximate to ‘emergent’ farmers; and an elite group of large-scale, fully commercialized farmers, whose emergence has been facilitated primarily by access to capital and a desire to invest in alternative business ventures. On this basis the authors suggest that current agrarian reform policies need considerable refocusing if they are to effectively facilitate the emergence of a ‘middle’ group of smallholder commercial farmers from communal systems

The influence of encounter service quality on patient satisfaction : an empirical study in Chinese public hospitals

Purpose: This paper examined the association between perceived service quality and patient satisfaction of Chinese out-patients in the patronage of medical services. Design/Methodology/Approach: Utilizing by novelty specific departments in the hospital’s and logistics multiple regression investigation, the researchers tested and estimated the statistical effects of the department’s services (perceived service quality) as a predictor for out-patients satisfaction. Findings: The analysis shows that patients who exhibited content from the services of selected departments reported greater satisfaction, with it impacts suggesting a measurably noteworthy effect, even in a total medical seller market like China. Practical Implication: The study brings forth implications both for professionals and academics. It encourages more studies, and its findings and application can provide value as a management tool to consider and identify sources as linking the relationship between potential improvements in perceived service quality from as low as departmental levels and patient’s satisfaction to achieve advantage. Originality/Value: It encourages more studies, and its findings and application can provide value as a management tool to consider and identify sources as linking the relationship between potential improvements in perceived service quality.peer-reviewe

Drucker\u27s Insights on Market Orientation and Innovation: Implications for Emerging Areas in High-Technology Marketing

In 1954, Drucker boldly declared that organizations have only two basic functions, marketing and innovation. While true for any organization, this insight is particularly pertinent for technology-based businesses. The complicated environment surrounding high-tech companies creates a great need for sophisticated marketing, yet these companies continue to have under-developed competencies in marketing and in understanding customer needs. In its first two sections, this essay explores Drucker’s insights with respect to two particularly salient issues for high-tech companies: developing and implementing a market orientation, and sustained break-through innovations. We review Drucker’s insights and synthesize them with the scholarly research on these issues. In the third section, we discuss three emerging areas in high-tech marketing where academics and managers could build on Drucker’s insight to guide future research and practice: market-driving, customer co-creation, and corporate social responsibility. The illustrative examples provided by these emerging areas highlight that even today, Drucker’s writings continue to offer remarkable guidance to scholars and managers who are willing to take the time to reflect, understand, and incorporate these insights in the unique context of high-tech industries