Impact of Boko Haram insurgency on poultry production in Mubi region of Adamawa State, Nigeria

This study was conducted to assess the impact of Boko Haram insurgency on poultry production in Mubi region of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Four local government areas namely: Mubi South, Mubi North, Madagali and Michika were purposely selected. Thirty (30) poultry farmers were randomly selected from each of the local government making a total of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents. One hundred and twenty (120) structured questionnaires were used to collect data through scheduled interview. The outcome of this study revealed that majority of the poultry farmers in Mubi South (56.67%), Madagali (53.33%) and Michika (60%) were males. Some proportion of the poultry farmers (26.67 to 36.67%) and (13.33 to 26.67%) had attained secondary and tertiary education (Colleges and Polytechnics) education respectively. Sizable proportion of the poultry farmers in Mubi South (63.33%), Mubi North (53.33%), Madagali (60%) and Michika (60%) kept poultry as source of income. Significant economic losses as a result of Boko Haram activities were recorded with greater losses recorded from layer chicken farms in Mubi South where the sum of ₦785,000 was lost and ₦895,000 in Mubi North respectively. Problem of finance (23.37 to 40%) and scare of reoccurrence of insurgence attack (23.33 to 43.33%) were observed to be the main constraints affecting poultry farming in Mubi region of Adamawa State. In conclusion, the activities of Boko Haram in Mubi region has negatively affected poultry farming and had led to significant economic losses. It is therefore recommended that government, non governmental organization and wealthy individuals should assist farmers with funds in order to revive the poultry industry in the area. Government should also enhance the security of Mubi area and restore back people’s confidence so that they can be encouraged to invest on poultry farming. Keywords: Impact, Boko Haram, Poultry production, Mubi regio

Laying performance and cost-benefits of feeding brown laying hens with raw or processed tropical sickle pod (Senna obtusifolia) seed meal based-diets

Abstract. . A feeding trial was conducted for 16 weeks to evaluate the effects and cost-benefits of feeding raw or processed Senna obtusifolia (S. obtusifolia) seed meal based-diets on the laying performance of ISA brown laying hens. Six experimental diets were compounded to contain 0% S. obtusifolia seed meal (T1) and 20% each of the raw, boiled, soaked, sprouted and fermented S. obtusifolia seed meals designated as T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively. One hundred and eighty (180) ISA brown laying hens aged 36 weeks were housed in battery cages (5 birds/0.95m2) and assigned to the six (6) dietary treatments in groups of thirty (30) birds in a completely randomized design. Each replicate cage contains 10 laying hens. Data were collected on feed intake, hen-day egg production (HDEP), hen-house egg production (HHEP), egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion ratio per egg mass, feed cost per kilogram, feed cost per egg mass and mortality. The results indicated that the group of laying hens fed raw S. obtusifolia seed meal based diet recorded the lowest HDEP (52.42%), egg weight (53.08g) and egg mass (2782.45g). Among the hens fed the processed S. obtusifolia seed meal based diets, the laying hens fed the fermented S. obtusifolia seed meal based diet indicated significantly (p<0.05) better HDEP (64.05%), egg weight (58.45g) and egg mass (3743.72g). On economic grounds, the use of raw S. obtusifolia is not cost effective because feed cost per kilogram egg was relatively high (N317.47 or $0.82) in the group of laying hens fed raw S. obtusifolia seed meal based diet. However, the processed S. obtusifolia seed meal based diets showed some economic advantage. In conclusion, 20% of fermented S. obtusifolia seed meal can be incorporated in the diets of laying hens with little or no depreciation in laying performance and economic-benefits

Laying performance and cost-benefits of feeding ISA brown layers with raw or processed tropical sickle pod (Senna obtusifolia) seed meal based-diets

A feeding trial was conducted for 16 weeks to evaluate the effects and cost-benefits of feeding raw or processed Senna obtusifolia seed meal based-diets on the laying performance of ISA brown laying hens. Six experimental diets were compounded to contain 0% S. obtusifolia seed meal (T1) and 20% each of the raw, boiled, soaked in water, sprouted and fermented S. obtusifolia seed meals designated as T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively. One hundred and eighty (180) ISA brown laying hens aged 36 weeks were housed in battery cages (5 birds/0.95 m2) and assigned to the six (6) dietary treatments in group of thirty (30) laying hens in a completely randomized design. Data was collected on feed intake, hen-day egg production (HDEP), hen-house egg production (HHEP), egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion ratio per egg mass, feed cost per kilogram, feed cost per egg mass and mortality. The results indicated that the group of hens fed raw S. obtusifolia seed meal based-diet recorded the lowest HDEP (52.42%), egg weight (53.08 g) and egg mass (2782.45 g). Among the laying hens fed the processed S. obtusifolia seed rneal based-diets, those fed the fermented S. obtusifolia seed meal based-diet indicated significantly (P&lt;0.05) better HDEP (64.05%), egg weight (59.75 g) and egg mass (3826.98 g). On economic grounds, the use of raw S. obtusifolia seed meal is not cost effective but the processed ones showed some economic advantage. In conclusion, 20% of fermented S. obtusifolia seed meal can be incorporated in the diets of laying hens with little or no depreciation in laying performance and economic-benefits. Keywords: Laying hens, laying performance, processed sickle pod, cost-benefit