Preservative Effect of Newbouldia laevis (Boundary Tree) Leaf Extract on Shelf-Life of Fresh Chicken Meat under Tropical Conditions

The shelf life of chicken meat has been rapidly reduced as a result of high environmental temperatures prevalent in the tropics which favored the activities of spoilage micro-organisms, and reactive oxygen species that function in oxidative damage. Newbouldia laevis (N. laevis) possess valuable antioxidant and antibacterial properties. However, information on the effect of aqueous extracts of dry and wet leaves of N. laevis on preservation of fresh chicken meat under tropical condition is scanty and thus, investigated. Broiler chicken meat (10kg weight) was obtained immediately after slaughter and were randomly allotted to three treatments (T1- control; T2- aqueous extract of wet leaves of N. laevis; and T3- aqueous extract of dry leaves of N. laevis) in a Randomized Complete Block Design. Tropical plant, such as Newbouldia laevis with relatively high resistance to heat stress, possesses viable bioactive compounds that can lower the growth of spoilage micro-organisms and activities of reactive oxygen species on fresh chicken meat under tropical conditions for 48 hours. Hence, poultry farmers in developing nations with fluctuating power supply can adopt the quick meat shelf life enhancement technique, while commercial poultry farmers across the globe can embark on product fortification using extracts of Newbouldia laevis

Effect of Metabolic Excesses from Dietary Proteins on Blood Profile of Heat-stressed Broilers

Although, dietary proteins play a crucial role in poultry profit maximization, through the sustenance of birds` welfare, growth and development, yet metabolic excesses from crude protein (CP) degradation is detrimental to broiler chickens (BC) affected by heat stress. This study evaluated the effect of dietary protein levels on blood profile of heatstressed BC at starter phase (SP) and finisher phase (FP). Arbor Acre BC (n=288) were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments (T1- 23% CP; T2- 21% CP; T3- 19% CP; and T4- 17% CP) with six replicate groups in a completely randomized design. Data were subjected to descriptive analysis, analysis of variance (p=0.05) and correlation statistics. Protein intake (PI) was not significantly affected by varying CP in diets at SP, but not at FP, where PI significantly increased with increasing dietary CP. PER had a negative correlation with PCV (r= -0.89, p<0.01), Hb (r= -0.88, p<0.01), RBC (r= -0.93, p<0.01) and PI (r= -0.78, p<0.01). Metabolic excesses including heat dissipation from dietary proteins influenced PCV, Hb, platelets and glucose of heat-stressed broilers