International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences

A total number of 100 Anak broiler birds at 4 weeks of age were used to assess the effects of different inclusion levels of unripe plantain peel meal (UPPM) as a substitute for maize grain on carcass quality, performance and internal organ weights in finisher broiler birds. Five different replacement levels of UPPM (0%, 12.5%, 25.0%, 37.5% and 50%) were evaluated in our experiments as treatments T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively. Measurements of body height, thigh length, leg length, live weight, heart girth, body length, shank length, wing length and head circumference were recorded on the first week of the experiment and weekly thereafter till the end of the experiment. Daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, feed cost, body weight and organ weights were assessed in all the treatment groups. Our results showed that the mean daily feed intake (110.00g, 118.00g, 121.54g 121.90g and 122.09g) and mean daily weight gain (42.16, 41.08, 38.29, 38.20 and 38.08g ) for diets T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively differed between groups. T1 differed significantly (p<0.05) from T4 and T5. The diet containing UPPM improved performance characteristics, carcass quality and organ weight. Our study showed that UPPM could economically replace maize grain, to a certain extent, in the broiler rations. Based on our results, the 37.50% (T4) level of incorporation appeared to be the optimal replacement level of UPPM for maize grain, in daily weight gain because the performance indicators were significantly depressed when levels higher than 37.5% are included in the broiler diets.

Keywords: Broiler finisher, Maize grains, Poultry feed, Unripe plantain peel meal

This study examines water management challenges facing Lower Anambra River Irrigation Project (LARIP) and identifies appropriate strategies for optimum water exploitation for rice cultivation. Structured questionnaires administered randomly to 100 participating farmers show that the challenges facing the project are of two folds: partly technical and partly socio-economics in nature. Lack of basic education, absence of skilled manpower and farmers attitude amongst other factors contribute to poor management of the project.

Effects of duration of restricted feeding on growth, carcass traits and meat quality of fattening rabbits were studied. Sixty male chinchilla rabbits of 6 weeks old were divided into four treatment groups with five replicates each. The duration of restricted feeding (6 hours eating/day) lasted for zero, two, three and four weeks for treatments 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, followed by ad-libitum feeding up to the end of the experiment at age of 18weeks. Body gain in weight were not statistically influenced by increasing the duration of restricted feeding, but daily feed intake was reduced from 3.79 to 19.81% and zero to 16.19% at 14 and 18weeks respectively. No significant effect in feed conversation or mortality rate was observed with increasing the duration of restricted feeding. Carcass traits and meat quality were not affected by increasing the duration of restricted feeding. Age of rabbits at slaughter influenced nearly all carcass traits. Starved body weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, loin percentage and abdominal fat percentage were increased, while giblets percentage and head percentage were decreased with increasing slaughter age. Hind-and-forequarter percentages were not statistically influenced with increasing slaughter age. A positive linear relationship was found among live body weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage and loin percentage. Dressing percentage was positively correlated with abdominal fat percentage, but negatively correlated with giblets percentage and head percentage.

Keywords: Carcass traits, Feed restriction, Growth performance, Meat quality, Rabbits

The study was carried out to determine the effect of age and housing system on growth traits of Pharaoh quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Two hundred (200) day old Pharaoh quail chicks (coturnix chicks) were brooded from day old to three (3) weeks of age and 100 of the birds were distributed into cage and deep litter systems respectively. Data were obtained on the growth traits of the Japanese quail at age 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 weeks of rearing period on Body Weight (BW), Body Length (BL), Drum Stick Length (DSL), Chest Girth (CG), Shank Length (SL) and Keel Length (KL) for both cages and deep litter housing types. There were significant (P<0.05) differences between age and growth traits and this reveals that as the birds increase in ages the growth trait variables increases for BW (118.09g – 142.69g), BL (10.36cm- 11.06cm), SL (2.53cm - 2.97cm), DSL (4.95cm – 5.82cm), KL (6.61cm – 6.34cm) and CG (1.71cm – 4.02cm) at 6th to 10th week respectively. For housing types, the floor system reveals higher values (120.53, 5.61 and 4.06) for BW, DSL and CG than its counterpart on the cage housing system at all ages.

Keywords: Cages, Deep litter system, Derived savanna, Growth traits, Housing types, Pharaoh quail

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of Moringa oleifera supplementation of maize stove based diet on the feed intake and rumen degradation of maize stover by sheep. A feed intake study on four levels of Moringa Oleifera supplementation (0, 3, 6 and 9 g dry matter/kg live weight per day) in a 4 x 4 Latin square design was undertaken. Dry matter degradation of maize stover and rumen ammonia concentration were studied using two fistulated sheep fed the four diets. Total dry-matter intake of the supplemented diets was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of the unsupplemented diet. Daily dry-matter intake of maize stover alone increased from 32.8 g/kg for the unsupplemented diet to 36.2 g/kg for the diet containing the lowest level of Moringa Oleifera supplementation. Higher levels of Moringa Oleifera supplementation led to a decrease in the amount of maize stover consumed. Moringa oleifera supplementaiton significantly (P<0.05) increased the rumen degradation of maize stover at 48 hours of incubation compared to unsupplemented maize stover.Ammonia concentration in the rumen increased significantly (P<0.05) with increase in the level of Moringa oleifera supplementation up to 6 g/kg per day. Higher levels of Moringa Oleifera in the diet did not result in further increase in rumen ammonia concentration. There was no significant difference (P<0.05) in the rumen pH for the different levels of Moringa oleifera supplementation. The results indicate that intake and rumen degradation of maize stover in live weight per day of Moringa oleifera hay. Higher levels of supplementation appear to lead to substitution effects.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera, Maize stover, Supplementation, West African Dwarf Sheep

The study was carried out to determine the repeatability of egg quality traits in Pharaoh quail. Repeatability estimates of egg quality traits in Pharaoh quail (Coturnix cortunix japonica) were measured at 6, 7, 8, 9 , 10 and 11 weeks of rearing period. A total of two hundred Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) pullets were procured from a reputable farm for the study. The pullets were reared on the deep litter and were fed ad libitum with feed, clean and cool water. At the end of 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th weeks of age. Data were collected on Egg Weight (EW), Egg Length (EL), Egg Breadth (EB), Shell Thickness (ST), Haugh Unit (HU), Yolk weight (YW), Yolk Index (YI), Albumen Weight (AW), and Albumen Index (AI). All these were analyzed for fixed effect of repeatability estimate. The repeatability estimate for external egg traits reveals a range of 0.76 – 0.87 for EW, 0.9 – 0.99 for EL, 0.60 – 0.80 for ST, 0.52 – 0.82 for EB and 0.71 – 0.85 for HU. Therefore the repeatability for the entire estimate for external egg traits varies from 0.52 – 0.99. However, the repeatability estimate of internal egg quality traits in quail eggs also shows the YW varying from 0.70 – 0.84, AW ranged 0.82 – 0.92, YI varied 0.72 – 0.82 and AI ranged from 0.68 – 0.80. The variance component and overall repeatability estimate of egg quality traits reveals repeatability for EW with highest value of 0.972 with the least value obtained AI of 0.857. This repeatability estimate was high with a consistent increase in repeatability as laying age progressed from 6th week to 11 weeks of breeding period. Repeatability of EW, EL, EB, ST, HU, YW, YI, AW and AI showed a linear relationship with age. The general increase in repeatability of each variable with age reveals that fewer records would be required to adequately characterize the inherent producing ability of each quail hen for the traits as laying age progressed.

Keywords: Age, Egg, External quality traits, Internal quality traits, Pharaoh quail, Repeatability

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of artificial feed and adding organic manures to the earthen ponds on the growth and body composition of genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT). A total of 160 fish were stocked in each of the two ponds for 90 days. Fish in both ponds were fed with supplementary feed containing 30% crude protein at 4% body weight. Pond 1 was fertilized using cow dung and poultry manure while pond 2 received no fertilizer. Fish were sampled every month for weight and length measurements. Fish were also sampled for biochemical analysis. T-test was used to compare the means between treatments. Fish from pond 1 gained significantly higher (P<0.05) weight compared to fish in pond 2. The specific growth rate and food conversion ratio also showed significantly higher (P<0.05) values for fish in pond 1 (1.52 and 2.4) compared to fish in pond 2 (1.22 and 2.1). Crude protein and lipid composition of fish were found significantly higher (P<0.05) in pond 1 compared to pond 2. It can be concluded that GIFT strain grow much better with the combination of organic manure (cow dung and poultry manure) and artificial feed as compared to artificial feed alone in semi-intensive system.

Keywords: Tilapia, Artificial feed, Body composition, Fertilizers, GIFT, Growth

A study was carried out using 120 turkeys of Nicolas white (R) strain to determine the effect of partial replacement of cashew nut meal-maize offal for maize on performance response, hematological parameters and nutrient digestibility of turkeys. The poults were allocated to four dietary treatment groups. Treatment was replicated thrice at 10 poults per replicate. The dietary treatment was formulated with a mixture of cashew nut meal-maize offal in ratio 2:1 partially replacing maize at 0, 10, 20 and 30% respectively. The experiment lasted for eight weeks. The experimental layout and hence the data were arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) and analyzed by ANOVA.
Replacement of maize with cashew nut meal-maize offal resulted in a linear increase (P<0.05) in final line weight and weight gain. Highest (P<0.05) feed intake (3.9kg) and feed conversion ratio (2.61) was observed with poults fed control diet. Feed conversation ratio (2.31) and final live weight (1.6kg) were optimum at 30% replacement level of cashew nuts meal-maize offal. Highest apparent crude protein (88.62%) and either extract (79.87%) digestibility were noticed with poults fed 10 and 30% replacement level of cashew nut meal-maize offal. The true crude protein digestibility was significantly (P<0.05) influenced with highest value (85.11%) in 20% replacement level of cashew nut meal-maize offal. The Nitrogen corrected true metabolizable energy (TMEn) value were significantly (P<0.05) influence with highest TMEn (13.44MJ/Kg) in 30% replacement level of cashew nut meal-maize offal. The replacement of maize with cashew nut meal-maize offal resulted in a linear increase in packed cell volume and haemoglobin. It was concluded that 30% cashew nut meal-maize offal could effectively replace maize giving a good performance response, nutrient digestibility and haematological serum biochemical parameters.

Keywords: Cashew nuts, Feed intake, Serum biochemical, Turkey poults, Weight gain

Two hundred and twenty five Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments (1-V) of 36 hens and 9 cockerels each. Each treatment was replicated thrice with 12 hens and 3 cockerels per replicate. In each of the five diets, 48- h fermented taro cocoyam meal (Colocasia esculenta var. esulenta) replaced maize at 0%, 25% 75% and 100% as treatments I, II, III, IV and V, respectively. The Packed cell volume (PCV), Heamoglobin concentration (Hb), White blood cell (WBC) Red blood cell (RBC), total differential counts were determined at the 70th day ( that is, 10th week). Marked leukocytosis and lymphocytosis were observed across treatments. The Red blood cell count was seen to have reduced slightly in all the treatments. However, Hb, PCV, Neutrophils, Basophils, Eosinophiles and monocytes of quails fed fermented taro cocoyam were within normal range. The results revealed that, the abnormalities observed were not limited to quails fed fermented taro cocoyam, thereby, confirming that, fermented taro cocoyam was not responsible for the abnormalities observed in haematological parameters of laying quails.

Keywords: 48 h fermented taro cocoyam, Haematological parameters, Japanese quails, Maize

Three hundred and seventy five two weeks old unsexed Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) of uniform weight were randomly grouped into five (5) dietary treatments with seventy five (75) quails per treatment. Each treatment was replicated thrice with twenty five (25) quails per replicate. The five diets had 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% (1-V respectively) 48 h fermented taro cocoyam meal (Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta) as a replacement for maize. The quails were fed the experimental diets over a period of four (4) weeks (28days). Feed intake was measured daily and the quails were weighed weekly. Quails fed 0% and 25% levels of fermented taro cocoyam diets had significantly (P>0.05) heavier body weights than quails fed 75% and 100% levels of fermented taro cocoyam diets. Feed intake was significantly (P>0.05) highest in quails fed 75% and 100% levels of fermented cocoyam. In terms of weight gain, feed efficiency, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio, there were no significant (P<0.05) differences across the treatments. Result indicate that, with iso nitrogenous diets of 24% crude protein, fermented cocoyam could replace maize favorably up to 100% levels in growing Japanese quails’ diets at 5% level of significance without depressive growth.

Keywords: Fermented taro cocoyam, Growth parameters
Japanese quails, Maize