Some nutritional and toxicological studies of Jatropha curcas seed meal in poultry nutrition

Combined physical, chemical and biochemical methods were used to process virgin seed meal of Jatropha curcas into Treated Jatropha Seed Meal (TJSM). 5 % TJSM processed by the various methods was included in test diets 2 to 6 which were fed to cockerel chicks at hatch compared to a maize-soybean conventional diet (diet 1). 144-olympiad cockerel chicks were used in a single factor design experiment and fed ad libitum the six experimental diets for a period of one month. Dietary performance traits gave no significant differences in feed consumption and weight gain on the test diets relative to the control diet (p > 0.05). However, significant difference was recorded on feed efficiency between the reference diet and the test diets whereby the test diets gave less efficiency compared with the control (p < 0.05). Highest mortality rate (83 %) was observed on the diet with JSM which was boiled, roasted and fermented. The biochemical determinants measured on the Jatropha based diets were comparable with those of the conventional diet (p > 0.05) except the value on the blood cholesterol level which was elevated on the Jatropha containing diets (p < 0.05). Also, no significant differences were recorded on AST and ALP activities between the control and test diets (p > 0.05) except the activity of ALT (p < 0.05) which increased on diets with the treated Jatropha. Parameters investigated on haematological parameters such as PCV, RBC and Hb were not significantly affected by dietary treated JSM compared to these values on the control diet (p > 0.05). Similar non-significant effect of dietary treated JSM was observed on the WBC differential counts (p > 0.05). It was established in this study that inclusion of 5 % treated Jatropha seed meal had no deleterious effects on poultry. Further researches are recommended to investigate the acceptability of treated JSM at higher inclusion levels in poultry or other livestock.Keywords: JSM, cockerels, performance, biochemical and haematological indice

Performances zoo-economiques en milieu reel des ovins Djallonke complementes par les Blocs Multi Nutritionnels (BMN) au Benin

L’expérimentation a été réalisée dans la commune de Gogounou au Bénin sur 24 ovins Djallonké répartis en 4 lots de 6 ovins dont un témoin nourris suivant les pratiques locales qui offrent une quantité variable de fourrages et de sous-produits aux animaux. Ceux des lots expérimentaux ont bénéficié en outre d’un complément en BMN (300 g par animal pendant 90 jours). Le lot 1 a été complémenté avec des BMN dont le liant est à base d’argile (BMN argile), le lot 2 avec l’amidon de manioc appelé goma (BMNgoma) et pour le lot 3, le liant est à base du remoulage de la farine de manioc dénommé garigo (BMNgarigo). Les BMN ont été ingérés à plus de 85% (jusqu’à 266,7 g/j/animal). Les BMNgarigo et BMNgoma ont permis d’enregistrer un GMQ de 58 g/j. Avec ces deux types de BMN, le rendement carcasse était de 45%. Le bénéfice net par animal est passé du simple (917 FCFA, pour un éleveur qui utilise les pratiques locales) au double (1 905 FCFA dans le lot BMNargile), au quadruple (3 645 FCFA, dans le lot BMN garigo) et même au quintuple (4 918 FCFA dans le lot BMNgoma en complément). En somme, cette étude démontre qu’en saison sèche, pour améliorer la croissance pondérale, le rendement carcasse et la marge bénéficiaire, il est intéressant de complémenter les ovins Djallonké avec des BMN à base d’amidon de manioc (goma).Mots clés: Blocs multi nutritionnels, liants, rendement carcasse, rentabilité, ovins Djallonké, BéninEnglish AbstractThe experiment was conducted in the municipality of Gogounou in Benin on 24 Djallonké sheeps divided into 4 groups of 6 sheeps fed according to local practices that offer a varying amount of forage and agro-industrial by-products to animals. In the experimental groups sheeps received 300 g of multi-nutritional blocks (MNB) per animal in addition to local practices. Group 1 was supplemented with MNB having clay as binder (MNB clay), group 2 with MNB based on cassava starch (BMN starch) and group 3 based on cassava flour called garigo . The MNB were ingested at more than 85% (up to 266.7 g / day / animal). The BMN garigo and BMN starch allowed recording a daily weight gain of 58 g/d. In BMN treatments, the carcass yield was 45%. Profit margins per animalpasted from simple (917 FCFA in farms using local practices) to double (1905 FCFA in farm using MNB clay), quadruple (3.645 FCFA, in farm using MNBgarigo) and quintuple (4918 FCFA in farm using local practices and MNB starch  supplementation). On the whole, this study demonstrated that in dry season, to improve the growth performances, the carcass yield and the profit, it is interesting to supplement Djallonké sheeps with MNBstarch.Keywords: Multi nutritional blocks, binders, carcass yield, profit margins, sheep, Beni