Assessment of the nutritional quality of Sortex® rejected rice as a feed resource for monogastric animals: Physical characteristics, chemical composition and energy value

Sortex® rejected rice (SRR) was investigated for its nutritional quality as an alternative feedstuff to replace maize in monogastric animal diets. Sortex rejected rice meal was characterized with re-spect to physical composition, proximate, energy, fibre, mineral and amino acid profile. The physi-cal analysis indicated that SRR contained 58% broken rice, 34% full grain rice, 4% paddy rice, 3% soil and 1% other plant seeds. The dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, ash, nitrogen-free extractive and metabolizable energy contents were: 899.9 g kg-1DM, 888.2 g kg-1DM,118.6 g kg-1DM, 100.2 g kg-1DM, 26.3.g kg-1DM, 11.7 g kg-1DM, 641.5 g kg-1DM, and 14.68 MJ kg-1, respectively. The contents of NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and AIA were, in g (kg-1DM): 9.36, 8.83, 0.54 and 16.8, respectively. SRR was high in its contents of mineral elements such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium and therefore can serve as a valuable source of minerals for animals. In comparison with maize, SRR contained more protein, ether ex-tract, fibre, AIA, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and metabolizable energy but less of nitrogen-free extractive, ash, NDF, ADF and mineral elements, such as zinc, manganese, copper and iron. Based on the results obtained with the by-product tested in this study, SRR has potential as an alternative feedstuff for animals especially if contaminants, such as other plant seeds and soil particles could be eliminated. Growth trials are recommended with monogastric animals, such as poultry and pigs to evaluate the replacement value of SRR when incorporated into the diets of these farm animals

Effect of direct-fed microbial addition in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) diets on performance and health responses

Published online: 15 March 2018The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of intermittent use of direct-fed microbial addition (DFM-“RE3®”) on growth performance and health status of indigenous guinea fowls in northern Ghana. One-hundred and eighty day-old guinea keets were randomly assigned to 4 direct-fed microbial (DFM) treatments that included: control, daily, 3 consecutive days per wk (3CDW), and 7 days repeated every other wk (7DREOW) at 1.5 ml/L through water from day 1 to 56 days. Feed intake, body weight gain, and blood hematological and serum biochemical properties were recorded. The treatments had no effects (P > 0.05) on the hematological or serum biochemical properties recorded. Birds on DFM treatments appeared to consume less feed (range: 1,584 to 1,824 g/d) compared to the control (1,870 g/d/head). Birds on DFM treatments daily and 3CDW gained more (P 0.05) by DFM supplementation. Supplementing birds with 1.5 mL of RE3®/liter of water daily can improve body weight. Further research on immune competence from the spleen, thymus, and bursa fibrosis for evidence of increased immune competence in probiotic administered birds is recommended

The performance of broiler chicken fed diets containing varying levels of Sortex® rejected rice

This study was conducted to determine the performance of broiler chicken fed diets containing varying levels of Sortex® rejected rice (SRR), a by-product of rice milling. A total of 400 Ross 308 broiler day-old chicks were procured and out of this 360, after brooding, were randomly subjected to four levels of SRR inclusion as replacement for maize (T0 = 0%, T1 = 25%, T2 = 50% and T3 = 75%) in a complete randomised design. Birds were placed on the treatments from 4 to 8 weeks af-ter being fed the same start diet for 4 weeks. Each treatment had six (6) replicates with 15 birds per replicate making 90 birds per treatment. The birds had ad libitum access to feed and water. Weekly feed intake and weight gained were recorded throughout the experimental period. The data ob-tained were used to calculate the feed conversion ratio (FCR). Four (4) birds from each replicate were randomly selected for carcass studies. The data obtained were analysed using the SAS Proc. GLM. The results of the study revealed non-significant (P > 0.05) differences in the weights gained, feed intake and FCR between treatments. The dietary treatments did not exert any signifi-cant influence on the carcass parameters measured including the dressed percentage. At the end of the study, no significant (P>0.05) differences were seen in the blood parameters measured except the platelets (PLT) and White blood cells (WBC). The partial inclusion of SRR up to 75% for maize resulted in economic savings of up to Gh¢0.47per kg of feed. It can be concluded that the SRR is a potential alternative for replacing maize as a major ingredient in broiler diet during the finisher stage and reduce the cost of broiler production

Qualitative mutant traits within the indigenous chicken population in selected ecological zones of Ghana

A study was carried out to find out the various mutant traits present in the indigenous chicken population and their influence on egg production in the three ecological zones of Ghana. Four hundred and five (405) households were purposively selected across the Guinea Savannah, Semi-deciduous Rain Forest and Coastal Savannah ecological zones. Structured questionnaire and on-site interviews were used to obtain information from the local chicken keepers. The individual birds were phenotypically observed for the presence of the following genes; frizzle, naked neck, silkiness, polydactyl, ptilopody, crest feathered and flightless. Data on flightless chickens were not available except their gene frequencies since the respondents do not keep them for economic purposes. The data collected were organised and analysed such that phenotypic groups were considered as treatments and ecological zones as blocks. The frequency of the genes responsible for mutant traits were obtained from a count of the proportion of recessive in the sample using the Hardy Weinberg rule. The calculated gene frequencies for the mutant traits observed within the local chicken population ranged from 0.01 to 0.05 which differed significantly (p0.05) among the three ecological zones. The percentage hatchability for Guinea savannah and Coastal savannah were relatively higher compared to Semi-deciduous rain forest. In terms of phenotypes, polydactyl birds were significantly better (p<0.05) in average eggs per clutch per bird, number of eggs set for natural incubation and number of chicks hatched. Despite the low frequencies of these mutant birds, they had a higher potential for egg laying compared to their recessive counterparts