Response of Growing Pigs to Diet Physical Form and Allzyme® SSF Supplementation in a Palm Kernel Meal-Based Diet

. The increasing cost of conventional feeds calls for the unconventional ones. The effect of Allzyme®SSF and diet physical form on performance, haematological and serum biochemical indices of growing pigs fed with palm kernel meal-based diet was determined. Twenty four growing pigs comprising of twelve male and twelve female weighing 8.95±1.01Kg were assigned into four dietary treatment groups involving dry mash diet, wet mash diet, dry mash diet+ Allzyme®SSF and wet mash diet+ Allzyme®SSF in a completely randomized design. After feeding experiment for six weeks, haematological and serum biochemical parameters were determined. Growth performance was observed on a weekly basis for six consecutive weeks. The results showed that the diet physical form and Allzyme®SSF supplementation in a palm kernel meal-based diet did not significantly affect the haematological and serum biochemical parameters; however weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly influenced by the diet physical form and Allzyme®SSF supplementation, thus making dry mash diet + Allzyme®SSF the best dietary treatment. The experiment showed that the diet physical form and Allzyme®SSF supplementation in a palm kernel meal-based diet did not have any negative effect on the growing pigs and growth performance was not hindered; therefore palm kernel meal-based diet in wet or dry mash form with or without Allzyme® SSF supplementation could be fed to growing pigs

Physiological response of heat stressed broiler chickens to supplemental electrolytes and ascorbic acid

Effect of supplementing the drinking water of broilers reared under natural heat stress with ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), calcium chloride (CaCl2) and ascorbic acid (AA) on physiological response was investigated. A 200, one-day Arbor acre chicks were randomly allotted to five treatments in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was in quadruplicate of ten chickens. Treatment 1 (T1) was the control with water without any supplement while treatments 2 (T2), 3 (T3), 4 (T4) and 5 (T5) had their water supplemented with 0.5% NH4Cl, NaHCO3, CaCl2 and 300ppm AA respectively. At week 7, the respiratory rate (breath/minute) were 96.34, 78.88, 69.43, 74.25 and 82.75 for birds on T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively and was higher (p<0.05) for birds on T1. Rectal temperature of birds from weeks 3-6 were similar (p>0.05) and within the normal range except at week 7 for birds. Heterophil:Lymphocytes ranged from 0.33-0.50 and values were similar (p>0.05) for all treatments. Water intake of birds was not affected by the treatment (p>0.05). Mortality of birds on T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 were 5%, 2.5%, 0%, 2.5% and 0% respectively. Supplemental electrolytes and AA lowered the respiratory rates and level of mortality of heat stressed broilers in this trial.Keywords: Supplemental electrolytes, Ascorbic acid, Heat stressed broilers, Rectal temperature, Respiratory rat

Effects of dietary acidifer-based diet on haematology and serum biochemical indices of broilers

A trial was conducted to determine the effect of dietary Biotronics SE® supplementation on haematological and serum parameters of broilers. A total of 120 1-day old Marshall broilers were randomly distributed to four dietary treatments using completely randomized design. Chicks intreatment 1 were fed basal diet (control) while those on treatments 2, 3 and 4 were given basal diets supplemented with 0.1% oxytetracycline HCl only; 0.3% Biotronics SE® only and 0.1% oxytetracycline HCl + 0.3% Biotronics SE®, respectively. Each treatment was a duplicate of fifteenchicks per replicate. The diets were formulated to contain 3000 Kcal/kg ME and crude protein of 23% (starter) and 20% (finishers). Variations in values obtained for haemoglobin (g/dl) (9.28, 9.69, 10.04 and 10.15) and Mean Cell Volume (MCV) (fl) (107.02, 109.38, 125.43 and 118.31) for birds fed diets 1, 2, 3 and 4., respectively were significantly (p0.05). The serum triglycerides (mg/dl)(23.19,19.29, 23.93 and 19.01) and VLDL (mg/dl) (4.63, 3.85, 5.78 and 3.80)for the starter birds fed diets 1,2, 3 and 4, respectively were affected by dietary acidifier inclusion. The serum total proteins and cholesterol also varied significantly for finishers birds. Generally, most serum indices measured declined in values at the finishers phase compared with corresponding values for starter. All measured indices were within normal physiological ranges. This study revealed Biotronics SE® as asuitable alternative growth promoter for the production of meat type chickens

A Fischery Closing Proposal in Ayamé's Dam in Order to a Rational Management (Ivory Coast)

The exploitation of 10 main commercial fish species of Ayamé man-made lake, Ivory Coast, is discussed and their reproductive cycles are analyzed. Two proposals are made for rational stock management, based on the protection of the breeding seasons of the major species, particularly Sarotherodon melanotheron, which forms more than 50% of the landed biomass. The first proposal is to declare a three-month universal closed season from March to May, coinciding with the sexual maturation peak of Sarotherodon melanotheron as well as with a period of intense fishing activity. The second proposal, which takes into account the lake's two-compartment morphology, and the duration of the breeding season of Sarotherodon melanotheron, is to proclaim alternating closed seasons in the two compartments throughout that three-months breeding season