The effect of dietary inclusion of mango (Magnifera indica L.) fruit waste on feed intake, growth and feed efficiency of Cobb-500 broiler chickens

Animal response trials aimed at investigating the effect of different levels of mango fruit waste (MFW) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Cobb-500 broiler chickens were carried out. One-hundred sixty day-old chicks with similar body weight were randomly distributed to four treatment diets each with four replications. The four treatments were T1 (100% maize + 0% MFW), T2 (90% maize + 10 % MFW), T3 (80% maize + 20% MFW) and T4 (70% maize + 30% MFW). The experiment was conducted for 7 weeks, during which feed intake and body weight were measured. At the end of the experimental period, 2 chicks from each replication were randomly selected and slaughtered to evaluate the effect of MFW on carcass yields. The average individual daily feed intake was 65.3, 65.6, 70.8 and 66.9 g for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. At the age of 7 weeks, chicks fed on T1, T2, T3 and T4 diets had individual body weights of 1178, 1165, 1066 and 860 g, respectively. Average daily individual weight gain for the respective T1, T2, T3 and T4, was 21.0, 17.6, 16.0 and 13.7 g. The feed conversion ratio (g feed/g gain) was 3.49, 3.96, 4.50 and 5.23 g for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. The dressing percentage of T1, T2, T3 and T4 was 58.6, 62.1, 65.1 and 65.9, respectively. No significance differences were observed in all carcass traits between chickens fed on control diet and treatment diets. Chickens fed on control diet had significantly higher abdominal fat than those of treatment diets. Higher mortality rate was noted in T1 (10%) followed by T2 (2.5%). No mortalities were observed in those chickens fed on T3 and T4 diets. Mango fruit waste can be incorporated up to 20% of the diets of grower broiler chickens without affecting nutrient intake and growth.Keywords: Mango Fruit Waste; Maize; Cobb-500 Broiler Chickens; Growth Performance; Carcass Trait

The effect of Aspergillus niger on the nutritive value of water hyacinth as fish feed using solid state fermentation

Water hyacinth typically has high moisture content, low protein profile and high crude fiber content. Its value as a feed resource can be improved through solid-state fermentation with the fungi species, Aspergillus niger. This study was conducted with the aim of producing environmentally friendly and nutrient rich fish feed at low cost from water hyacinth. Water hyacinth leaf and whole plant were collected, dried, milled, sterilized and subjected to incubation with Aspergillus niger for a period of eight weeks. Fermentation resulted in an increase (p<0.05) in crude protein and ash contents, a decrease (p<0.05) in dry matter, crude fiber, nitrogen free extract and fat contents of fermented water hyacinth leaf and whole plant. The results suggested that water hyacinth with six weeks fermentation period contained the highest level of crude protein of both leaf and whole plant. Hence, biological treatment of water hyacinth using Aspergillus niger improved its nutritive value, and this finding might be used to produce fish feed and to reduce environmental pollution