Effect of pesticides applied in cowpea production on rumen microbial fermentation of cowpea haulms as reflected in in vitro gas production

The present study assessed the effect of lambda cyhalothrin, cypermethrin and dimethoate residues in cowpea haulm on microbial fermentation using gas syringes as incubators. The lambda cyhalothrin, cypermethrin and dimethoate were applied at the vegetative, flowering and podding stages of the cowpea at the rate of 2.66 mg/L, 5.14 mg/L and 6.68 mg/L of water, respectively. Dimethoate was detected in the cowpea haulm at the highest concentration of 1.38 mg/kg. The haulm with no pesticide treatment was incubated with media containing rumen fluid, and pesticides were added at concentrations of 40 mg/kg, 80 mg/kg and 120 mg/kg. In vitro gas production was measured at 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h to estimate the rate of gas evolution. Gas production in general was influenced by pesticide application. In general, gas evolution was reduced by increasing levels of lambda cyhalothrin up to 80 mg/kg. However, an increase in gas accumulation was observed with increasing levels of dimethoate, while the application of cypermethrin yielded no noticeable change in gas production. The study indicates that pesticide residues may function as toxins at concentrations greater than those encountered in the field or lethal dose (LD50) and may inhibit the growth of rumen microbes

Effects of supplementing probiotics and concentrate on intake, growth performance and blood profile of intensively kept Sahelian does fed a basal diet of Brachiaria decumbens grass

ABSTRACTThe study was conducted to determine the effects of supplementing probiotics and concentrates on intake and growth performance of Sahelian does fed Brachiaria decumbens grass. Twenty-four Sahelian does averaging one year and weighing 13.3 ± 1.16 kg were assigned randomly in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to four treatments in a Completely Randomized Design with 6 replicates and used to measure intake and live weight changes for 14 weeks. The factors were levels of concentrate and probiotics. Blood samples were taken for the determination of haematological and biochemical parameters. The results revealed differences (P < 0.05) in total dry matter intake, live weight changes and feed conversion ratio attributable to treatment effects. The differences observed in total dry matter intake led to improvements in average daily gain, feed conversion ratio and growth rate. All blood haematological indices with the exception of mean cell volume were impacted positively by treatment effects. White blood cell and total protein contents improved linearly with probiotics and higher level of concentrate supplementation, while total cholesterol content declined (P < 0.05). The results highlighted the positive impact of probiotics and higher level of concentrate supplementation on growth performance and blood profile of growing Sahelian does on a basal diet of Brachiaria decumbens grass

Effects of the dietary inclusion of varying levels of paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) leaf meal on growth performance, nutrients digestibility and carcass characteristics of grower rabbits

A ten-week feeding trial was conducted using 25 grower rabbits in a completely randomised design to evaluate effects of the inclusion of varying levels of paper mulberry leaf meal (PMLM) on growth performance, nutrients digestibility and carcass characteristics. The rabbits were of mixed breeds and sexes, aged 8 weeks and weighing between 1000 – 1350 g. PMLM was incorporated into five diets designated T0, T1, T2, T3 and T4 at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 % levels of inclusion. Feed intake and live weight changes were monitored throughout the study. A digestibility study was carried out during the sixth week. At the end of the feeding trial, two rabbits per treatment were randomly selected and humanely slaughtered. Hot carcass weight, blood weight, dressed weight, weights of gastrointestinal tract, internal organs and caecum were taken. Dressing percentage was determined by dividing the hot dressed carcass weight by the slaughter weight and multiplied by hundred. Existing market prices for feed ingredients were used for the economic appraisal of feeds. Results did not show significant differences (p&gt;0.05) in live weight changes. However, feed cost/kg and feed cost/kg gain declined with increase in level of PMLM. Digestibility coefficients were similar for all nutrients across the treatments except for ash which improved with increase in level of PMLM. PMLM inclusion also improved dressing percentage without deleterious effects on internal organs. It was concluded that dietary inclusion of PMLM up to 20 % could be used in rabbits to reduce feed cost/kg gain

Growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics of grower rabbits fed graded levels of Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) leaf meal

This study aimed to determine the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics of grower rabbits fed diets containing graded Bambusa vulgaris leaf meal (BVLM) levels. Thirty rabbits weighing an average of 999 g were allocated in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) to five treatments (BVLM 0%, which was the control diet, BVLM 5%, BVLM 10%, BVLM 15% and BVLM 20%) with six replicates. The rabbits were adapted to the assigned diets for one week and fed for ten weeks. Feed intake, live weight changes and feed conversion ratio were the performance parameters measured. Existing market prices for feed items were used to appraise the diets economically. A digestibility study was undertaken during the 10th week. No mortality was recorded during the study. Before termination of the feeding trial, 15 rabbits (3 from each treatment) were selected randomly, taken off feed for 24 hours and humanely slaughtered. Carcass parameters and weights of internal organs were measured and recorded. Results revealed that live weight changes, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were similar for all treatments. However, the cost of feed/kg and feed/kg gain decreased linearly with an increase in the inclusion level of BVLM. The results also showed that BVLM could be utilized in up to 15% of grower rabbit diets without lowering nutrient digestibility and dressing percentage. It was concluded that BVLM could be used up to 20% of the diet of grower rabbits to reduce the cost of feed/kg and cost of feed/kg gain without any adverse effects on live weight changes and weights of internal organs

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of adult Sahelian does fed a basal diet of Brachiaria decumbens grass supplemented with probiotics and concentrates

AbstractA 14-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing probiotics and concentrates on carcass characteristics and meat quality of Sahelian does fed a basal diet of Brachiaria decumbens grass. Twenty-four does weighing averagely 13.3 ± 1.16 kg and aged averagely 12 months were randomly allocated to four treatments of six does each in a Completely Randomised Design with 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The factors were levels of probiotics (0 and 100 g per 100 kg of concentrate) and concentrate (500 g and 1000 g per day). On the last day of the feeding trial, three goats per treatment were slaughtered by severing the jugular veins of the throat and trachea without stunning. Carcass characteristics were determined, and meat samples from longissimus lumborum were taken for analysis of the proximate composition and evaluation of fatty acid profile. The results showed that supplementing higher levels of concentrate and probiotics led to improved dressing percentage without any deleterious effect on the weights of internal organs, increased crude protein content and reduced crude fat content of the meat. The results further showed reductions in saturated fatty acid concentrations and increases in unsaturated fatty acid concentrations. It was concluded that the probiotics could be incorporated at 100 g per 100 kg of the concentrate and fed at 1000 g/d for improved carcass quality