Effect of Spirulina platensis supplementation on performance, haematological and serum biochemical profiles of broiler chickens reared under tropical environment

The ban on feed grade antibiotic growth promoters and increasing demand for human protein food sources have resulted in a need for new feed materials which provide a safe source of nutrients for poultry. A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of spirulina on performance, haematological and serum profiles on broiler chickens. A total of 120 day old mixed sex broiler chicks were randomly assigned into 4 treatments with 3 replicate pens per treatment (10 birds/replicate pen) for 0-3 weeks and 4-7 weeks respectively. A reputable commercial diet was used as a basal diet (Treatment 1 without spirulina), while treatments 2, 3 and 4 had 6.00, 12.00, and 18.00 g/kg of spirulina supplemented in the commercial diet. The final weight, body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in spirulina-supplemented groups compared with the control group for both the starter and finisher phases. For the starter phase it was observed that chicks fed 12.00g/kg spirulina diet performed better in terms of body weight gain while chickens fed 6.00g/kg spirulina diet had the best performance in terms of body weight gain at the finisher phase. Dietary treatment had significant (P < 0.05) effects on packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin count, red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC). The values for total protein (TP), globulin, Aspartate Amino-Transferase (AST), Alanine Amino-Transferase (ALT) and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher for chickens fed diets containing spirulina compared to the chickens fed diet without spirulina. It is concluded that dietary supplementation of spirulina improves body weight gain, haematological parameters and blood serum biochemistry of broiler chickens. Keywords: poultry; algae; bloo

Comparative assessment of brain and circulating oxidative stress biomarkers in weaned New Zealand White rabbits supplemented with microalga Chlorella vulgaris biomass

The brain is central to human and animal well-being but it requires a high amount of oxygen for its normal functioning and this makes it an organ highly vulnerable to oxidative stress damage. Therefore, for the promotion of normal physiological and cellular functions of the brain, antioxidant intake is very critical. This study investigated the antioxidant enzymatic activities in the brain by measuring activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and reduced glutathione (GSH) in connection with the circulating oxidative stress biomarkers of the serum and liver of New Zealand White rabbits supplemented with microalga Chlorella vulgaris biomass in addition to regular basal diets. The study involved a random distribution of 40 rabbits of eight weeks old into five experimental group using completely randomized design. The rabbits were observed for a period of 120 when they are being supplemented after which their blood, brain, and liver were collected for analyses. The results show that the total antioxidant capacity was higher in the brain of the supplemented rabbits (P<0.05). Although, there was no significant difference in the brain malondialdehyde concentrations, there were higher activities of antioxidant enzymes in the brain of the supplemented rabbits (P< 0.05). There was a lower concentration of the circulating malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum and liver of the supplemented rabbits. The study concluded that Chlorella vulgaris intake led to reduced circulating malondialdehyde and increased activities of the brain antioxidant enzymes in the rabbits. The study indicated that the microalga Chlorella vulgaris contains antioxidant compounds that can cross the blood-brain barrier, which could be a very important therapeutic agent against oxidative stress-induced brain complications in animals and humans

Combining ability of extra-early maturing provitamin A maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines and performance of derived hybrids under Striga hermonthica infestation and low soil nitrogen

Open Access JournalLow soil nitrogen (low-N), Striga hermonthica infestation and vitamin A deficiency in normal endosperm maize are major challenges confronting maize production and nutrition of the people of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Development of pro-vitamin A (PVA) maize hybrids with combined resistance/tolerance to the two stress factors is crucial in mitigating the food insecurity and nutrition challenges resulting from low-N deficiency and Striga infestation. One hundred and fifty hybrids plus six hybrid checks were evaluated under low-N, Striga-infested and optimal conditions in Nigeria for two years. The study examined the combining ability of the PVA inbreds in contrasting environments, classified them into heterotic groups, examined the inter-relationships of grain yield and other agronomic traits of the inbreds in hybrid combinations and assessed the performance and stability of the PVA hybrids across environments. Additive gene action conditioned the inheritance of grain yield under Striga infestation and optimal conditions while non-additive gene action played the major role in the inheritance of grain yield under low-N. Hybrids TZEEIOR 217 × TZEEIOR 197 and TZEEIOR 245 × TZEEIOR 195 were the top-yielding under Striga and low-N conditions, respectively. Inbred lines were classified into three heterotic groups. Inbreds TZEEIOR 195 and TZEEIOR 221 were identified as testers while TZEEIOR 197 × TZEEIOR 82, TZEEIOR 132 × TZEEIOR 195 and TZEEIOR 205 × TZEEIOR 221 were identified as single-cross testers. Ear aspect had direct contribution to grain yield, justifying its inclusion in the multiple trait base index used for selection of Striga resistant and low-N tolerant maize genotypes in SSA. Hybrids TZEEIOR 195 × TZEEIOR 149, TZEEIOR 195 × TZEEIOR 150, TZEEIOR 245 × TZEEIOR 195, TZEEIOR 30 × TZEEIOR 150 and TZEEIOR 245 × TZEEIOR 30 were high-yielding and stable across test environments. These hybrids should be tested extensively in on-farm trials and commercialized to contribute to food security in SSA

Locally-processed cowpea husk improved body weight gain of on-farm raised rabbits in Northeastern Nigeria

Nigeria as an agricultural country generates a large tons of crop residues. Crop residues and by-products could result in environmental burden or pollution if not recycled or consumed by livestock. Efforts are being geared towards harnessing crop residues or by-products into animal feed. An on-farm experiment was conducted to investigate if fermentation and/or enzyme supplementation would improve the growth response of locally-reared rabbits. The weaner rabbits of similar age were sourced locally and were randomly distributed to groups. The animals were fed ad libitum with commercial basal diet but each treatment group was daily supplemented with 20 g of wheat bran, fermented wheat bran, fermented and enzyme-treated wheat bran, fermented wheat bran and fermented and enzyme-treated cowpea husk accordingly in a completely randomized design. Specific contrasts were also performed. Fermented cowpea husk improved (P<0.05) body weight (day 21) and body weight gain of experimental animals compared with the control group. Other treatments were statistically similar to the control group. The fermentation process improved body weight of experimental animals fed wheat bran diets. The fermentation process enhanced feed intake of experimental rabbits fed wheat bran over the animals fed unfermented wheat bran. Enzyme supplementation improved feed intake of the animals fed wheat bran-based diets. The small intestine of rabbits fed control diet showed normal mucosal layer with normal glands without inflammation (slender arrow), the villi appeared normal (white arrow). The small intestinal photomicrographs of rabbits fed fermented wheat bran-based diet showed mild necrosis and glandular degeneration (black arrow), and the circular muscle layer was normal (grey arrow). The photomicrographs of rabbits fed a fermented cowpea husk-based diet showed normal central venules. The study concluded that fermented cowpea husk could boost rabbit production. Keywords: crop residue, nutrition, rabbit, sub-Saharan Afric

Antibiotics in broilers chicken production: a review of impacts, challenges and potential alternatives

Globally, the use of antibiotic in animal industry was well known in the 20th century. Antibiotics usage as therapeutic and subtherapeutic means of improving growth and feed efficiency in livestock was well documented in literature. However, continuous use of antibiotics in food animals for increased growth and disease prevention has resulted in the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria in animals. This has led to disease treatment failure in the affected animals. The problem of transmission of antibiotic resistant bacteria to human through food chain and contamination of environment is another challenge of antibiotic usage in poultry production. Hence, the ban was placed on antibiotic usage in animal production. The restriction to the use of animal growth promoting antibiotic has gained high compliance in the developed countries. However, in the third world countries, this is still a battle that is on-going. To achieve the 2023 Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance goal, a lot is still left to be done. This review synthesized information on implications of antibiotics use on broiler chickens’ production cost efficiency and profitability; impact of antibiotics mode of action, diseases prevention and treatments of infection in broiler chickens’ production; challenges of antibiotics residual effect on meat quality and safety and alternatives to synthetic antibiotic for broiler chickens’ production

Influence of maturity stage on nutritive value of typha for ruminants

The study evaluated the influence of maturity on the nutritive value and fermentation parameters of Typha. Typha samples were collected at two different stages of growth, as indicated by the height of the plants: either 0.5 m (Low Typha; LT, age 3-6months) or 1.5 m (High Typha; HT, age 9-12 months). Samples were analyzed for chemical composition, and incubated in vitro with ruminal fluid from sheep to determine the main fermentation parameters. As maturity advanced, the dry matter, fiber and lignin content (25.30%, 70.40%, 47.30% and 10.58%) in the Typha increased, whereas the content of ashes and protein (12.18% and 12.24%) decreases. The changes in chemical composition caused a significant reduction in both the in vitro ruminal degradability after 96 h of incubation (38.6 and 22.9% for LT and HT, respectively) and the production of volatile fatty acids after 24 h of incubation (6.08 and 5.87 mmol/g dry matter incubated), indicating that the nutritive value of the Typha declines with advancing maturity. The results indicate that Typha plants for ruminant feeding should be preferably harvested at early growth stages

EFFECT OF SOAKED AND FERMENTED AFRICAN LOCUST BEAN (Parkia biglobosa) SEED MEAL ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, HAEMATOLOGICAL PROFILE AND NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY OF BROILER CHICKENS

African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) seed is rich in protein and has recently found its way into the feed industry. This research was conducted to determine the growth performance, haematological profile and nutrient digestibility by broiler chickens fed diets containing soaked and fermented African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) seed meal (SFALBSM). Five diets were formulated in which SFALSBM was included at graded levels of 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5 and 30% designated as T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. Two hundred and twenty five (225) day old broiler chickens (Marshall Strain) were fed these diets in a completely randomized design and each treatment was replicated three times with 15 birds per replicate. The experiment lasted 8 weeks (4week starter phase and 4week finisher phase). The results of performance of broiler chicks at starter phase showed there were differences (P0.05) on digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and ash. The crude fibre, ether extract and nitrogen free extract digestibility were affected by treatments (P<0.05). Birds fed T3 had highest crude fibre digestibility value (P<0.05). It was concluded that soaked and fermented African locust bean seed meal can be included in broiler chickens diets up to 15% dietary level at the starter phase and 22.5% at the finisher phase without any adverse effect on performance, haematological profile and nutrient digestibility

Evaluation of Tamarindus indica as novel feed resource in tropical animal production and management

Unconventional feed resource for livestock production in the tropics has been identified as a way of reducing the challenges of shortage and high – cost of conventional feed resources because of the competition between man and animal. Therefore, nutritional value of Tamarindus indica whole fruit, hulls and seeds was investigated in this study. Determination of proximate components using standard methods was carried out on the samples separately and thereafter subjected to in-vitro digestibility evaluation. Proximate analysis results showed that the concentrations of chemical components in whole fruit, hulls and seeds respectively as determined on dry matter basis in percentage (%) were: moisture (13.39; 12.25; 4.60), ash (7.18; 5.50; 7.15), crude protein (13.75; 9.12; 22.60), crude fibre (15.50; 15.00; 10.00), ether extract (9.25; 7.72; 9.50) and metabolizable energy (4324; 4084; 4633 Kcal/Kg). This indicated that crude protein content were significantly higher (P&lt;0.05) in the seed as compared to the whole fruit and hulls while the Tamarindus fruit hull contained significantly lower (P &lt; 0.05) values components measured. The results of the in-vitro nutrients digestibility showed that crude protein, crude fibre and ash digestibilities respectively were significantly higher (P&lt;0.05) for tamarind seeds (94.96 %, 53.41 %, and 64.69 %) as compared to the whole fruit and hulls which were similar (P&gt;0.05). From the results, it was concluded that the seed of Tamarindus indica is a potential unconventional protein source for livestock production in the tropics and its in-vivo evaluation is hereby recommended prior to its use as a novel feed resource for commercial animal production.Keywords: Tamarindus indica, nutritional evaluation, feed resource, animal production

ROASTED AFRICAN STAR APPLE (Chrysophyllum albidum) KERNEL MEAL IMPROVES GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF GROWING RABBITS

Nutritionally, Chrysophyllum albidum seeds have been reported to contain high amount of energy. However, the presence of anti-nutritional substances such as phytate, oxalate, saponin, and tannin in the seeds hinder animals from benefitting from it nutritionally. A 12-week study was carried out to examine the effect of substituting dietary maize with roasted African star apple kernel meal (RASAKM) on growth performance and blood indices of growing rabbits. A total of forty eight weaner rabbits (mixed breed, average weight, 590 g) were randomly allocated to four experimental diets containing 0, 5, 10 and 15 % RASAKM as substitute for dietary maize in a Completely Randomized Design. Roasted ASAKM influenced (P0.05) weight gain (17.47 g and 16.69 g) with those fed the control diet (18.62 g). Rabbits fed 5 and 10 % RASAKM diets produced higher (P0.05) by the dietary treatments except for white blood cell and monocytes. It was concluded that RASAKM could be used up to 10 % to replace dietary maize in the diet of growing rabbits without compromising performance and carcass quality

HERBAL METHIONINE (METHIOREP®) IMPROVES GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS WITHOUT AFFECTING CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND BLOOD INDICES

Methiorep®, an herbal methionine premix, which is reported to contain herbal ingredients that mimic the activity of Methionine such as SAMe (S-Adenosyl Methionine) and phosphatidyl choline, have recently introduced to Nigeria animal feed industry. An experiment was conducted with 120, one-week-old broilers to evaluate the effect of herbal methionine (methiorep®) as substitute for synthetic methionine on growth performance of broiler chickens. Five isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets were formulated and Diet 1 (control), comprised of 0.25% methionine (NRC, 1994) while diet 2, 3, 4 and 5 comprised of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% Methiorep® as substitute for methionine in the diets. The birds were randomly allocated to five experimental treatments, each treatment was replicated three times with eight birds per pen in a completely randomized design. The study lasted 49-days. The results of growth performance revealed that body weight gain, average feed intake and feed conversion ratio at both starter and finisher phases were not  influenced by dietary treatments (P>0.05). However cost per kg feed decreased as the level of Methiorep® increased in the diets (P0.05) by the dietary treatments. It was concluded that Methiorep® can completely substitute for Methionine in the diets of broiler chickens without adverse effect on growth performance, blood profiles and carcass yield of birds