EFFECT OF DAM PARITY ON MEASURES OF GROWTH IN RED SOKOTO GOATS AT 1, 3, 6, AND 9 MONTH OF AGE

Data on measures of growth (birth weight, body weight (BW), height-at-withers (HW), body length (BL) and heart girth (HG)) were taken in 1000 Red Sokoto goat kids belonging to smallholder farmers in Kano and environs. The data collected were analyzed to determine the effect of dam parity on measures of growth of kids at 1, 3, 6, and 9 month of age. The result revealed that parity had significant effect (P<0.01- 0.05) on birth weight and bodyweight of kids at 1,3, 6 and 9, month of age. The effect of dam parity on the linear body measurements ( HW,BL and CG) was significant (P<0.01- 0.05) at 1,3 and 6 month of age but not significant (P>0.05) at 9 month of age. Birth weight and bodyweight increased with parity up to the 5th parity and declined. Also kids of higher parity had larger body size (HW, BL, CG) than those of the lower parity. The significant effect of parity of dam on birth weight, body weight and linear body measurements in this study therefore, indicates that parity of dam is an important factor to consider in making appropriate selection and/ or culling decision in Red Sokoto goat

Effect of Dietary Inclusion Levels of Moringa Olerifera Oil on the Growth Performance and Nutrient Retention of Broiler Starter Chicks

An experiment was carried out to examine the effect of dietary inclusion of Moringa oleifera oil (MOO) on the growth performance and nutrient retention of broiler chicks. A total of 180-day- old broiler chicks (Arbor acre) of mixed sex were randomly allotted into six dietary treatments of 30 birds per treatment; each treatment was further divided into 3 replicates consisting of 10 birds each in a completely randomized design. Basal diet was formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of broiler chicks, feed and clean water were given ad libitum throughout the experiment which lasted for 28 days. Birds in treatment 1 (T1) were fed basal diet with Oxytetracycline at 1.5g/kg feed while birds in T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 were fed basal diet mixed with MOO at 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mL/kg feed respectively. Results on gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed the presence of 17 bioactive compounds which accounted for 70.72 %. The major compounds identified in MOO are: β-caryphyllene (19.02 %), β-myrcene (16.08 %), carvenone (10.11 %) and α-cubebene (7.11 %) respectively. &nbsp;Data on average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not significantly (P˂0.05) different among the treatments. Highest mortality was recorded among birds in T1 (0.33 %) followed by T2 (0.01 %) none was recorded in the other treatments (P˂0.05). Results on nutrient retention (dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ether extracts and nitrogen free extracts) were influenced by the dietary inclusion of MOO. It can be concluded that MOO could be fed to broilers up to 0.5 mL per kg feed without causing any negative effect on the performance of birds

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Melon (Citrallus Lanatus) Seed Oil on the Growth Performance and Antioxidant Status of Growing Rabbits

This study was carried out to determine effect of dietary supplementation of melon (Citrallus lanatus) seed oil (WMO) on the growth performance and immune response of growing rabbits. Thirty six (36), 5-6 weeks weaner rabbit of mixed breed and sex with an average weight of 435 g – 438 grams were randomly divided into four (4) treatments of nine rabbits per group and each rabbit served as a replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). The experiment lasted for 12 weeks and all other management practices were strictly observed. Basal diet was formulated according to the nutrient requirements of rabbit according to NRC (1977). Treatment (T1) were fed basal diet with 0 % WMO, T2, T3 and T4 were fed basal diet supplemented with WMO at 0.2 %, 0.4 % and 0.6 % respectively. Results obtained were used to examine the average daily weight gain (ADWG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed: gain, mortality, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malonyldialdehyde (MLA). ADWG, feed: gain and mortality were significantly different (P˂0.05) among the treatments. ADFI increased as the level of WMO increases, though not at a significant level (P˃0.05). Highest mortality was recorded among animals in T1 (1.00 %), none was recorded in the other treatments (P˂0.05). Activities of SOD, GST, GSH and MLA were significantly (P˃0.05) influenced by WMO. It was concluded that dietary supplementation of WMO up to 0.6 % enhanced growth performance, improved feed: gain and had no negative effect on the antioxidant parameters of rabbits, it is safe and could be used to bridge the gap between food safety and production