Performance of Rabbit Fed Hausa Potato Tuber (Solenostemon rotundifolium) Meal (HPTM) at Graded Levels as Substitute to Maize

Twenty-four (24) crossbred (New Zealand Red X Chinchilla) rabbit aged 4 – 6 weeks made up of mixed sexes with average initial body weight of (1.82kg and 1.83kg) were used to evaluate the effect of different levels of Hausa potato tuber meal (HPTM) inclusion on their feed intake and growth performance. The rabbits were randomly allotted to four groups of six rabbits per group. Each group was replicated three times in a completely randomized design with each replicate having two (2) rabbits. The groups were fed diets containing 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% HPTM respectively and designated treatment I, II, III and IV respectively. The chemical composition of the test ingredient was determined prior to its inclusion in  the diets. Data were collected on final body weight, average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. All data were subjected to one way analysis of variance. There were no significant (P>0.05) difference in the above listed parameters. Rabbits fed diets III and IV is significantly (P<0.05) higher than rabbits fed diets II in average daily feed intake, while rabbits fed diets I were statistically similar to those fed diets III and IV. The results suggest that 30% replacement of maize with Hausa potato tuber meal (HPTM) did not have any deleterious effects on the growth performance of rabbits and that the general trend showed that there was increase in growth of the experimental animal with increase in the level of Hausa potato tubers meal (HPTM).Keywords: Solenostemon rotundifolium meal, growth performance, crossbred rabbit

Chemical Evaluation Of Mucuna cochinchinensis As Alternative Protein Feeds Stuff

As preliminary steps to investigating the nutritional potentials of Mucuna cochinchinensis as an alternative protein feedstuff, some chemical analyses were carried out on the raw seed. These include analysis for proximate composition and gross energy. Also there were investigations into its content of some anti-nutritional factors as well as its mineral contents. The anti-nutritional factors investigated included hydrocynic acid (HCN), tannin, hemagglutinin and trypsin-inhibitor. Mucuna cochinchinensis was found to be moderately high on dry matter basis in crude protein (30.06%), gross energy (4.6 Kcal/g). Its contents of calcium and phosphorus were low 0.08 mg/g and 1.07mg/g respectively. The raw seeds were also low in cyanide (40mg/kg), moderately high in hemagglutinin (4,247 Hu/g), low in trypsin inhibitor content (7.47mg/g) and tannin (5.54 mg/g). These show that M. cochinchinensis could be used as feedstuff but it would need some kind of processing to eliminate the effect the anti-nutritional factors might have on any feed in which it is incorporatedJournal of Applied Chemistry and Agricultural Research Vol. 4 1997: pp. 37-4

Effect Of Replacing Soybean Meal With Cooked Whole Soybean On Broiler Performance In The Humid Tropics

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of replacing soybean meal with cooked whole soybeans on the performance of starter and finisher broiler chicks in a humid tropical environment. At starter phase, three isonitrogenous (24% crude protein, CP) and isocaloric (2.9 meal ME/KG) broiler starter diets containing either raw (R) or cooked full-fat soyabeans (C), or defatted soyabean meal (M) were each fed to 60 Anak broiler chicks from 10 to 45 days of age. At finisher phase, 108 45-day old birds from starter phase were fed three isonitrogenous (22% CP) and isocaloric (3.0 Meal Me/Kg) finisher diets. Data at the starter phase show that R significantly (P0.05) affected by dietary treatments. At finisher phase, birds on raw whole soyabeans still had the poorest performance, while switching bird from M to C diet did not result in significant depression of any of the parameters considered. Thus in a humid tropical condition, cooked whole soybeans can be used to replace soybean meal in broiler diets at both starter and finisher phase without a depression on the bird performance.Journal of Applied Chemistry and Agricultural Research Vol. 3 1996: pp. 21-2

Influence of age of broiler chicks and duration of feeding of their sensitivity to raw soyabean.

Two broiler starter diets (24% CP, 2.9 Meal ME/kg) and two broiler finisher diets (22% CP, 3.0 Meal ME/kg) containing either raw or heat-treated full fat soyabeans were fed to 120 Anak broiler Chicks at both starter (10-45 days of age) and finisher (46-66 day of age) phase in a completely randomized design experiment to determine the influence of age of chicks and duration of feeding raw soyabeans on their sensitivity to raw soyabean diets. The results of the experiment revealed that broiler chicks showed susceptibility (P< 0.01) to the growth-depressing effect of raw soyabean diets irrespective of the age at which they started consuming the diet (10 versus 46 days). However, older birds earlier conditioned to a normal diet took a shorter time (one week) to show growth depression from raw soyabean feeding than younger birds that were not fully conditioned to a normal diet, which exhibited growth depression after four weeks. The adverse effect of feeding raw soyabeans to starting broiler chicks on their growth rate was not permanent but was reversed by switching over to cooked soyabean diet during the finishing phase. Multiple regression analysis revealed that age of chicks was a more important factor influencing sensitivity of broiler chicks to raw soyabean diets. It had a greater (

Improving the nutritive value of Mucuna cochinchinenesis by thermal processing methods.

Three locally adaptable thermal processing methods were employed in processing Mucuna cochinchinenesis as a step toward improving its nutritive value. The three methods were toasting, boiling and soaking-and-boiling. The three method achieved detoxification of anti-nutritional factors in the bean to varying degrees. Boiling reduced cyanide (HCN) level by 25%, hemagglutinin by 50%, trysin-inhibitor by 43.11% and tannin by 10.11%. Soaking-and-boiling also cause some losses in anti-nutritional factors as follows: HCN (32.50%), hemagglutinin (50%) trypsin-inhibitor (38.42%), and tannin (4.33%). Toasting achieved the lowest detoxification (except for tannin) as follows: HCN (12.50%), hemagglutinin (0%), trypsin-inhibitor (34.14%) and tannin (21.12%). Generally therefore, the three thermal processing methods appear to be good methods of improving the nutritive value of M. cochinchinensis. However, according to their degrees of effectiveness boiling is preferred to soaking-and-boiling while toasting is the least preferred.Journal of Applied Chemistry and Agricultural Research Vol. 4 1997: pp. 42-4

Bioeconomics of feeding raw or heat treated soyabeans to broilers

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Comparative carcass characteristics of indigenous turkey poults fed different agro-industrial by-products

This work was undertaken to evaluate the effect of three agro-industrial by-products on the carcass characteristics of indigenous turkey poults. Sixty indigenous poults were brooded and fed broiler starter feed for the first 4 weeks of life. At the end of 4 weeks, forty-eight poults were randomly selected and distributed into four treatment diets. Each dietary treatment had twelve poults with six poults per replicate. The experiment lasted ten weeks. The result showed that poults fed palm kernel meal had significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher body weight (3175.0g) when compared with others (Diet 1 = 2275.0g, Diet 2 = 2425.0g, and Diet 3 = 2625.0g). This same pattern was noticed in the mean dressed weight though not significant. The cut-parts showed no significant (P&gt;0.05) difference and followed no definite pattern. The replacement of 40% of maize with palm kernel meal in turkey poult's grower ration proved more advantageous than replacement with wheat offal, rice husk and the control diet. Key words: Turkey poults, carcass characteristics and agro-industrial by-product

Performance of Weaned Rabbits Fed Graded Dietary Levels of Composite Cassava Meal

Thirty-six crossbred (New Zealand White x Chinchilla) weaned rabbits of both sexes averaging 1.03 kg in liveweight and aged 6 &#8211; 8 weeks were used in a completely randomized design experiment to evaluate the effect of graded levels of composite cassava meal (CCM) at 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% (designated as Treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4) on the growth performance, digestibility coefficient, nitrogen retention and economics of production of weaned rabbits for 84 days. There were no significant (P&gt;0.05) differences among all the treatments in final live-weight (2.06 &#8211; 2.34 kg), daily weight gain (12.30 &#8211; 15.71 g), feed conversion ratio (2.58 &#8211; 3.19), and protein efficiency ratio (1.62 &#8211; 1.80). Average daily feed intakes of the 10% (Treatment 2, 39.70 g), 20% (Treatment 3, 40.51 g) and 30% (Treatment 4, 40.62 g) CCM-based diets were similar but significantly higher than that of the control (Treatment 1, 36.47 g). Crude fibre digestibility coefficients of 0% (56.43%), 10% (59.55%) and 20% (58.29%) CCM diets were higher than that of 30% (52.88%) CCM diet. Crude protein digestibility (Treatment 1 = 79.12%, Treatment 3 = 82.37%, Treatment 4 = 85.50%), nitrogen retention (Treatment 2 = 51.18%, Treatment 3 = 73.43%, Treatment 4 = 85.29%) and gross margin (Treatment 2 = &#8358;41.37, Treatment 3 = &#8358;38.42 and Treatment 4 = &#8358;35.93) increased as the CCM inclusion increased, while cost per kilogramme feed (Treatment 2 = &#8358;135.0, Treatment 3 = &#8358;173.5 and Treatment 4 = &#8358;220.6) and cost per unit weight gain (Treatment 2 = &#8358;132.0, Treatment 3 = &#8358;111.9 and Treatment 4 = &#8358;92.82) decreased as CCM inclusion increased

Determination of the true metabolizable energy (TME) of raw and heat-treated Mucuna cochinchinensis using adult broilers

No Abstract

Acute Toxicity of Castor Oil Bean Extract and Tolerance Level of Raw Castor Oil Bean (Ricinus communis L) By Broilers

The experiment was carried out to determine the acute toxicity of raw castor oil bean (Ricinus communis) extract and the tolerance level of raw castor oil bean by broilers. The seeds were ground, defatted with petroleum ether and the residue was subjected to extraction with phosphate-buffered saline. The extract volume equivalents of six doses (0 g/kg, 4 g/kg, 9 g/kg, 14 g/kg, 19 g/kg, and 24 g/kg) were determined and then given by oral drenching to thirty 6-week-old broilers, with liveweight of 500-600 g. The doses were designated treatments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively. There were 5 birds per treatment. The drenched birds were left in their respective pens with full access to feed and water and observed for 48 hours. Few minutes after the administration of the extracts, dizziness was observed, followed by diarrhoea. The intensity increased with increase in the doses. At the end of 48 hours, the total percent mortality was 60% for treatment 2, and 100% for treatments 3, 4, 5 and 6. In conclusion, Ricinus communis is acutely toxic, especially when defatted; and the tolerance level of broiler birds for raw Ricinus communis is about 4000 parts per million or 4 g of seed per kg body weight