Biochemical evaluation of Gmelina arborea fruit meal as a swine feedstuff

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of Gmelina arborea fruits (GAF) meal on haematology and certain biochemical parameters including blood enzyme profile of wean pigs. 16-piglets, 8-males and 8-females averaging 12.41 ± 0.59 kg live weight from Hampshire commercial breed were allotted to four dietary treatment groups each consisting of four piglets per treatment group in a completely randomised design. The diets formulated on iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic basis had Diet 1 containing 30% processed GAF meal and was taken as a reference Diet while Diets 2, 3 and 4 contained 10, 20 and 30% raw GAF meal respectively. The experimental diets and water were supplied to appetite in a feeding trial which lasted for 28 days. There were no statistically significant differences in haematological parameters (p > 0.05) except lymphocytes and neutrophils of the leucocytes differential count (p < 0.05). There were also no significant differences in the selected blood enzymes and serum biochemical parameters of the trial animal models (p >0.05). Urine analyses similarly showed no significant difference in urea and creatinine excretions except that there was a significant difference in uric acid produced (p < 0.05). An overall assessment of the study indicated that values of some parameters measured tended to decrease (in case of blood indices and serum constituents) and increase (with regards to blood urea nitrogen, creatinine in blood and urine and uric acids) though not significantly as the dietary inclusion level of raw GAF meal increased. It was therefore concluded that GAF when processed or incorporated at lower levels has no adverse effect on animals.Keywords: Gmelina arborea, diets, pi

Effect Of Dietary Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) supplementation On Performance And Hysiological Response In Cockerels

Concentrated HCl of 11.6 molar concentrations was supplemented in cockrel feed at 0.0 (control) 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00m1/kg feed in a 28 day experiment. The chicks were slaughtered on day 30, performance characteristic and physiological indices were investigated. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between control and HCl treatment for feed intake, crude protein intake and feed: gain ratio. Significant difference (

INFLUENCE OF DIETARY PROCESSED NIGERIAN Balanites aegyptiaca FRUITS ON SOME BIOCHEMICAL, HAEMATOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INDICES IN SWINE

Dietary effects of Nigerian processed Balanites aegyptiaca fruits on biochemical, haematological and physiological parameters in swine were investigated. Twenty weaner pigs were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments consisted of conventional diet, 20% Balanites fruits treated by boiling, roasting, boiling and roasting, boiling and fermenting, respectively, in a 4-week feeding trial. Results showed that the treated test feedstuff did not affect serum creatinine, blood glucose, serum protein albumin, respiratory rate and pulse rate, or the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p 0.05) but affected (p <0.05) those of blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, urine urea or urine creatinine, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and acid phosphatase (ACP). The packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb) and the white blood cells (WBC) differential counts such as neutrophils, monocytes were similar (p>0.05) while the red blood cells (RBC),WBC, mean corpuscular  haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelets and the lymphocytes were significantly influenced by the test feedstuff (p<0.05). It was concluded that Balanites aegyptiaca, roasted or boiled followed by fermentation and included at 20% level could serve a useful alternative feedstuff for monogastric animals considering most of the positive results obtained

Haematological and hepatic indices of cockerels fed treated dietary Blighia sapida seeds

Ninety-six day old Lairier cockerel chicks were used in an experiment to evaluate the after effects of detoxifying (soaking, boiling, addition of riboflavin and glycine to antagonize hypoglycins) dietary Blighia sapida (ackee apple) seed meal, BSSM. Blood chemistry, haematology, liver morphology indices which dietary BSSM influenced and reflected in the performance characteristics of the cockerels investigated in a single-factor experimental design experiment were assessed. Results showed that the residual phytotoxins of BSSM, hypoglycins A & B with their metabolite MCPA at 17.50% inclusion of the processed BSSM in diets elicited reduction in glucose, protein, albumin, globulin while elevating blood cholesterol, creatinine, urea,total and conjugated bilirubin relative to the reference diet (p <0.05).Dietary BSSM similarly increased the transaminase activities of AST/SGOT, ALT/SGPT including ACP (p < 0.05). BSSM based diets also caused significant reduction in PCV, RBC, WBC, Hb as well as MCV, MCH and MCHC similar to the results obtained on WBC differential counts of neutrophils and lymphocytes in comparison with the conventional diet (p < 0.05). Histopathological examinations on the liver samples revealed that the control diet presented livers that were normal in tissue morphology without inflammation or haemorrhage while the photomicrographs of the liver samples of cockerels fed treated dietary BSSM at 17.50% inclusion showed morphological patterns indicating severe distortion suggesting evidence of haemorrhage and inflammation with numerous blood cells occupying the available hepatic sinuses. The poor results recorded on the biochemical, haematological and morphological parameters were reflected in performance characteristics as reduced feed intake, weight gain, growth rate, feed efficiency and high mortality were obtained on diets containing BSSM compared with the orthodox diet (p < 0.05). Findings of this experiment indicated that for optimum results, processed BSSM be included in diets below the 17.50% level considered high for the birds in this study.KEYWORDS: Cockerels, BSSM, treatments, blood chemistry,haematological and performance indice

INFLUENCE OF DIETARY PROCESSED NIGERIAN Balanites aegyptiaca FRUITS ON SOME BIOCHEMICAL, HAEMATOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INDICES IN SWINE.

Dietary effects of Nigerian processed Balanites aegyptiaca fruits on biochemical, haematological and physiological parameters in swine were investigated. Twenty weaner pigs were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments consisted of conventional diet, 20% Balanites fruits treated by boiling, roasting, boiling and roasting, boiling and fermenting, respectively, in a 4-week feeding trial. Results showed that the treated test feedstuff did not affect serum creatinine, blood glucose, serum protein albumin, respiratory rate and pulse rate, or the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p 0.05) but affected (p <0.05) those of blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, urine urea or urine creatinine, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and acid phosphatase (ACP). The packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb) and the white blood cells (WBC) differential counts such as neutrophils, monocytes were similar (p>0.05) while the red blood cells (RBC),WBC, mean corpuscular  haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelets and the lymphocytes were significantly influenced by the test feedstuff (p<0.05). It was concluded that Balanites aegyptiaca, roasted or boiled followed by fermentation and included at 20% level could serve a useful alternative feedstuff for monogastric animals considering most of the positive results obtained. Â

Proximate Analysis Of Castor Seeds And Cake

Castor seed obtained from Ilorin was evaluated analytically using its un-decorticated and decorticated full-fat and cake forms for chemical composition and nutritional constituents. Proximate analyses of un-decorticated and decorticated seeds and cake revealed that both the oil seed and cake contain valuable nutrients namely soluble carbohydrate: seed-7.96, cake-24.69, protein: seed-20.78, cake-31.06, fat: seed-51.20, cake-19.40, mineral matter: seed-7.75, cake-11.10 for undecorticated castor seeds and cake respectively. The decorticated seed cake gave higher values of these nutrients than the un-decorticated, for instance carbohydrate: seed-8.86, cake-24.88, nitrogen: seed-21.87, cake-35.43, ether extract: seed-55.50, cake-25.10, total ash: seed- 9.40, cake-7.14. Amino acid profile analysis of un-decorticated and decorticated seed and cake compared with soybeans as standard plant protein indicated that the cake is deficient in some indispensable amino acids like lysine (4.11), iso-leucine (3.09), tryptophan (0) compared with 6.30, 7.90 and 1.30 lysine, iso-leucine and tryptopha in soybeans respectively.Based on results of the analyses, it is observed that the seed and cake contain valuable nutrients especially when decorticated and may serve useful alternatives to food/feedstuffs if the castor seed is detoxified of the phytotoxins, ricin (a toxic protein), ricinine (a relatively harmless protein), hydrocyanides and allergens, the extremely potent toxins

Physico-chemical and anti-nutritional characterization of the kernels of some mango (Mangifera indica) cultivars grown in Western parts of Nigeria

Ten mango (Mangifera indica) cultivars grown in western parts of Nigeria were identified as Alphonso, Indesina, Julie, Kent, Mabranka, Magadugu, Peach, Peter, Taymour, and Oori. The percentage weight ratio (PWR) of kernel to fruit, seed to fruit and kernel to seed of the mangoes ranged between 2.38 – 10.79%, 6.36 – 17.21% and 36.22 – 63.35% respectively. The PWR of kernel to fruit (10.79%), seed to fruit (17.21%) and kernel to seed (63.35%) of “Oori” cultivar were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than other cultivars, except the values of PWR of kernel to seed of Indesina (60.05%) and Kent (62.72%). Values of Julie cultivar on the parameters measured were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than others. The range of nutrients of the kernels were protein (6.24 – 8.19%), fat (5.92 – 13.50%), fibre (2.22 – 3.95%), ash (0.52 – 3.54%) and carbohydrate (75.02 – 83.04%). The protein of Julie (7.88%), Indesina (8.05%) and Oori (8.19%) and fat of Mabranka (13.10%) and Alphonso (13.50%) were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than other cultivars. The carbohydrates in the mango kernels was high; although values recorded for Mabranka (75.02%) and Alphonso (75.09%) were significantly lower (p< 0.05) than other cultivars. The pH of fresh mango kernels ranged between 4.10 and 5.80, while titratable acidity was between 9.92 – 64.35mg/100g. The anti-nutrients in the mango kernels were tannin, flavonoid, phenolic compound, oxalate and phytate. Tannin (37.30 – 163.33g/kg), phytate (0.442 – 0.897mol/kg) and oxalate (18.74 – 54.24mg/100g) were significantly different (p< 0.05) among the mango cultivars. Tannin and oxalate contents of Oori (157.33; 54.24g/kg), Alphonso (163.33; 49.55g/kg) and Phytate content of Mabranka (0.442mol/kg), Alphonso (0.453mol/kg) and Indesina (0.478mol/kg) respectively were significantly higher (p< 0.05) compared with other cultivars. Key words: Mango cultivars, percentage weight ratio, nutrients, anti-nutrients

Changes In Chemical Composition And Bioassay Assessment Of Nutritional Potentials Of Almond Fruit Waste As An Alternative Feedstuff For Livestock

Changes in chemical composition upon processing and bioassay assessment of nutritional potentials of almond fruit waste as an alternative feedstuff were conducted using day-old-cockerels. Proximate analyses revealed that AFW contained valuable nutrients, carbohydrate/dry matter, protein, fat, fiber, mineral matter (ash). The concentration of some of these nutrients increased as the raw AFW was treated. The raw AFW gave on analysis quantitatively high concentrations of the chemical compounds, tannins, hydrocyanides, phytic acid and other un-quantified chemical compounds like oxalates assessed qualitatively. Subjecting raw AFW to lactic fermentation and enzymes treatments reduced the levels of the phytochemicals. Bioassay of the treated and untreated AFW using day-old cockerels and considering performance parameters showed that treated AFW improved feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio even better than the results obtained on these indices on the reference diet (p 0.05). Untreated AFW elicited misperformance and high mortality of the test birds. It was concluded that the nutritional value of AFW, if could be used as an alternative feedstuff for animals, must be given adequate treatments

Haematological and hepatic indices of cockerels fed treated dietary Blighia sapida seeds

Ninety-six day old Lairier cockerel chicks were used in an experiment to evaluate the after effects of detoxifying (soaking, boiling, addition of riboflavin and glycine to antagonize hypoglycins) dietary Blighia sapida (ackee apple) seed meal, BSSM. Blood chemistry, haematology, liver morphology indices which dietary BSSM influenced and reflected in the performance characteristics of the cockerels investigated in a single-factor experimental design experiment were assessed. Results showed that the residual phytotoxins of BSSM, hypoglycins A & B with their metabolite MCPA at 17.50% inclusion of the processed BSSM in diets elicited reduction in glucose, protein, albumin, globulin while elevating blood cholesterol, creatinine, urea,total and conjugated bilirubin relative to the reference diet (p <0.05).Dietary BSSM similarly increased the transaminase activities of AST/SGOT, ALT/SGPT including ACP (p < 0.05). BSSM based diets also caused significant reduction in PCV, RBC, WBC, Hb as well as MCV, MCH and MCHC similar to the results obtained on WBC differential counts of neutrophils and lymphocytes in comparison with the conventional diet (p < 0.05). Histopathological examinations on the liver samples revealed that the control diet presented livers that were normal in tissue morphology without inflammation or haemorrhage while the photomicrographs of the liver samples of cockerels fed treated dietary BSSM at 17.50% inclusion showed morphological patterns indicating severe distortion suggesting evidence of haemorrhage and inflammation with numerous blood cells occupying the available hepatic sinuses. The poor results recorded on the biochemical, haematological and morphological parameters were reflected in performance characteristics as reduced feed intake, weight gain, growth rate, feed efficiency and high mortality were obtained on diets containing BSSM compared with the orthodox diet (p < 0.05). Findings of this experiment indicated that for optimum results, processed BSSM be included in diets below the 17.50% level considered high for the birds in this study