Influence de la farine des feuilles de Leucaena leucocephala sur les performances de croissance des lapereaux

Quarante (40) lapereaux locale âgés de 8 semaines environ et pesant en moyenne 1000±200 g ont été utilisés pour évaluer l’effet de la substitution de 0, 5, 10, 15 et 20% de tourteau de coton par la farine des feuilles de Leucaena leucocephala dans la ration, suivant un dispositif complètement randomisé. Les animaux étaient logés individuellement et nourris ad libitum. Il ressort des résultats de cet essai que la consommation alimentaire a augmenté significativement (P.0,05) avec le niveau  d’incorporation de la farine de L.leucocephala. Cette consommation a été de 90,98 ; 86,08 ; 93,00 ; 107,27 et 116,64 g (MS) respectivement pour les rations à 0, 5, 10, 15 et 20% de farine des feuilles de Leucaena leucocephala. Le niveau d’incorporation des feuilles de Leucaena leucocephala n’a eu aucun effet significatif ni sur l’évolution du poids vif, ni sur le gain moyen quotidien et les indices de consommation pendant toute la durée de l’essai. Cependant, la ration contenant 20% de farine des feuilles de L. leucocephala, s’est avérée plus économique. D’une manière générale, les résultats obtenus laissent penser que le taux d’incorporation de 20% de L leucocephala donne de meilleures performances et pourrait être recommandé. Toutefois, d’autres investigations sont nécessaires pour déterminer le niveau optimal d’incorporation de L. leucocephala, en évitant les effets néfastes de la mimosine que contiendraient ces feuilles.Mots clés : Croissance, Leucaena leucocephala, lapereaux

Effect of dietary energy level on growth performance and morphometric parameters of local barred chickens at the starter phase

An experiment was conducted to determine the influence of dietary energy level on the growth performance and morphometric characteristics of local barred chicks. The experiment lasted for 12 weeks. Three hundred and twenty day-old barred chicks were assigned to four different dietary treatments, having four replicates of 20 chicks each. Treatments consisted of D0, D1, D2 and D3 containing 2700, 2800, 2900 and 3000 kcal/kg of metabolisable energy respectively. The highest BW (868 g) and BWG (830 g) were recorded with treatment D1 and D3 (844 g and 804 g respectively). These values were significantly (P<0.05) higher compared to D0 and D2. The feed conversion ratio were significantly (P < 0.05) higher with  treatments D0 and D2 as compared to treatments D1 and D3. Feed cost per kg of body weight was significantly (P<0.05) lower for treatment D1 as compared to other treatments. Thus, metabolisable energy requirement of local barred chicks between 1 to 12 weeks is 2800 kcal/kg.Keywords: Barred chickens, dietary energy, starter phase

Performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed boiled cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L Walp) and or black common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) meal diets

A total of 256 broiler chicks were used to evaluate the effect of replacing meat meal with boiled cowpea and/or black common bean on the performance and carcass characteristics of broilers. At the starterphase, boiled cowpea and or black common bean meal constituted 11% of S1, S2 and a 1:1 ratio of boiled cowpea and black common (S3) diets replacing 100% of meat meal and 25% of fish meal. For thefinisher phase, 14% boiled cowpea (F1), 14% boiled black common bean (F2) and an equal proportion (1:1) of boiled cowpea and black common bean meals (F3) were used to replace 100% meat meal and25% fish meal. During the starter period, feed intake and weight gain were significantly (P 0.05)difference was observed between treatment groups for feed conversion ratio and feed cost for the production of 1 kg live body weight. At finisher, broilers started with the control starter diet and finishedwith any of the test diets significantly (P < 0.05) consumed more feed and acquired heavier weights compared to the other dietary combinations. Feed cost was significantly (P < 0.05) lower for birdsstarted the control starter diet and finished with either the control finisher diet or boiled cowpea diets. Carcass yield was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for birds finished with boiled cowpea diet compared tothe other treatments. Cowpea and black common bean boiled for 30 min under uncontrolled temperature and pressure could not be recommended for broiler's diet formulation