scholarly journals Performance characteristics of rabbits fed some wild evergreen forages

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 176-185
Author(s):  
B. A. Ukorebi ◽  
P. N. Gboshe ◽  
V. N. Meremikwu

A ten-week trial was conducted to examine the effect of feeding four wild forages (Daniella oliveri, Sarcopcephalus latifolia, Vitex doniana and Ficus thoningii) on the performance characteristics of rabbits; the four forages constituted treatments 1 – 4, respectively. Twenty four unsexed rabbits of mixed breeds aged, between four and five weeks with average weight of 514g were used for the study. The animals were randomly allotted to the four treatments, each with three replicates of two rabbits per replicates. The parameters measured were, feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, carcass parts and organs weights. The results o the proximate composition especially crude protein (CP) and crude fibre (CF) were within the ranges of 15-30% CP and 20-45% CF respectively as recommended for optimum performance of rabbits. The results of the performance generally showed positive growth response as all the forages had potentials for supporting rabbit growth. The live weight gain and feed intake of experimental rabbits were significantly different (P<0.05). However, feed conversion ratio was not significantly (p>0.05) affected by the treatments. No health hazards of any nature were encountered throughout the experiment which may imply that these forages apart from supporting growth may also be medicinal. From the results, the best of the forages, viewed from the performance perspective, appears to be Ficus thoningi, which suggests that it may have supplied adequate nutrients that may be lacking in grassland pastures in the dry season, it is therefore recommended for feeding of growing rabbits.

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-66
Author(s):  
B. B. Babatunde ◽  
R. A. Hamzat

Eighty black Nera cockerel chicks were randomly alloted to four dietarey treatmants containing 0, 10, 20 and 30% kolanut husk meal (KHM) for twelve weeks. Significant differences (P<0.05) in feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio were observed. Dietary inclusion of KHM depressed (P<0.05) growth rate feed conversion ratio and nutrition uilization of cockerels birds. There were linear reduction (P>0.05) in nitrogen retention and apparent crude fibre digestibility (ACFD) of  cockerels birds at each incremental KHM dietary levels. This indicated that KHM could be effeciently utilized by cockerels up to 205 dietary level above which the depression in growth rate occurs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-57
Author(s):  
C. A. Essien ◽  

A total of two-hundred-and-forty day old broiler chicks were used to study the response of broiler birds to diets containing graded levels of tiger nut residue (TNR) as a replacement for maize. The diets consisted of 0, 10, 20 and 30% of TNR as a replacement for maize as T1 (control), T2, T3 and T4 respectively. The birds were allotted to four dietary treatments of 4 replicates each containing 60 and 15 birds respectively in a completely randomized design. The data obtained from the experiment were subjected to one - way analysis of variance. The results showed that average weight gain (AWG) and final weight gain (FWG) were high for birds fed 10% TNR and increased numerically than the 0, 20 and 30% groups at the starter phase. In the finisher phase the average weight gain (AWG) and final weight gain (FWG) followed the same trend. Feed intake was not significantly affected by the diet at the starter and finisher phases. In the starter phase the T1 (control) recorded the best and the lowest feed conversion ratio but in the finisher phase, the best feed conversion ratio was observed in T2. The TNR inclusion had no significant (p˃0.05) effect on live weight, dressed weight, dressing percentage, cut-parts and organs of the birds. The haematological parameters were not significantly (p˃0.05) affected by the diets. All the biochemical parameters determined; serum protein, albumin, globulin, urea, creatinine, ALT, AST, cholesterol and triglyceride were not significantly (p˃0.05) affected by the treatment diet. It was concluded that tiger nut residue (TNR) as a replacement for maize at a 30% level of inclusion did not cause any deleterious effects on the performance, carcass and blood profiles of broilers


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-62
Author(s):  
Mubarak Haladu ◽  
Ahmed Abubakar

The experiment was carried out to determine the overall performance and economic analysis of broiler chickens fed different commercial diets marketed in Kano metropolis. A total of 112 day-old Zertek strain of broiler chicks were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments coded as A, B, C and Din a completely randomized design. Each group was replicated 4 times with seven birds per replicate. Birds were weighed at the onset of the experiment and weekly thereafter. Feed intake and live weight gain were measured, recorded and used to determine the feed conversion ratio. The chicks were managed on a deep litter system and the experiment lasted for six weeks. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum throughout the feeding trial. Results revealed that feed intake of birds ranged from 78.5-87.3 (g/b/d), live weight gain ranged from 49.3 – 53.9 (g/b/d) while feed conversion ratio ranged between 1.59 and 1.64. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in feed intake and feed conversion ratio. However, significant (P < 0.05) difference was observed in live weight gain where birds on treatments B, C, and D were superior to birds on treatment A. The market costs of the feeds at the time of the experiment were used to calculate the feed cost (₦ / kg), total feed cost (₦), feed cost (₦ /kg gain). Feed cost ₦/kg gain was best in treatment A. Keywords: Appraisal, Performance, Broiler birds, Commercial feed, Kano state.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-161
Author(s):  
Eliete Souza Santana ◽  
José Neto Cassiano de Camargo ◽  
Michele Laboissière ◽  
Roberto Moraes Jardim Filho

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of two types of incubation and two types of feeding on the performance of chickens and intestinal development of chicks during the pre-starter phase (1 to 7 days of age). One-year-old male Ross® chicks were used. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design, in a 2x2 factorial design, with two types of feed processing (bran and micropelleted) and two types of incubation machines (single and multiple stage), totaling four treatments, with four treatment repetitions each. Twelve birds per experimental unit were used, totaling 192 animals. Performance evaluations were conducted, such as mean weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, bowel weight and size, and percentage of intestine in relation to live weight. Histomorphometric tests on the height of the villi and depth of the duodenal crypts were also performed. The two incubation machines did not influence any of the analyzed variables. Even though both had the same composition, the micropelleted feed resulted in positive gains for the performance variables: average weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion when compared to the meal, but was unable to significantly influence the morphometric measurements of the duodenum of chicks in the pre-starter phase.


2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. N. Ukachukwu ◽  
F. C. Obioha

The performance and nutrient retention of broilers fed raw (RMD), toasted (TMD), boiled (BMD), soaked and boiled (SMD) or no (NMD) Mucuna cochinchinensis seed diets at both starter and finisher phases were assessed using 400 broiler chicks. The birds were fed a common proprietary feed (Top Feed) until 2 weeks of age, followed by a treatment diet for 3 weeks of the starter period, then 5 weeks on the finisher diet. At the starter phase, RMD significantly (P < 0.05) decreased liveweight, daily weight gain, protein efficiency ratio and encouraged poorer feed conversion ratio and higher cost per kilogram weight gain when compared with other diets. TMD decreased (P < 0.05) only the protein efficiency ratio. RMD also decreased (P < 0.05) retention of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF) and energy while TMD decreased (P < 0.05) retention of only DM, CP, and energy. At the finisher phase, RMD also significantly (P < 0.05) decreased daily weight gain, protein efficiency ratio and feed conversion ratio and increased cost per kg weight gain, while TMD decreased (P < 0.05) only the protein efficiency ratio and feed conversion ratio. RMD again decreased (P < 0.05) retention of DM, CP, CF and energy, while TMD, as in the starter phase, again decreased (P < 0.05) retention of DM, CP and energy. On a cumulative basis, RMD adversely affected (P < 0.05) all the parameters under investigation. TMD affected (P < 0.05) only the feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and cost per kg weight gain. Boiling Mucuna cochinchinensis, therefore, encourages significantly better performance of chicks, higher nutrient retention and lower cost per kg weight gain than toasting, whereas soaking before boiling does not add any advantage to boiling alone.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 42-43
Author(s):  
Ufuoma G Sorhue ◽  
Ikenna Omeje ◽  
Ifeanyichukwu udeh ◽  
Adimabua M Moemeka ◽  
Raphael E Onainor

Abstract This study was conducted to examine the growth performance and expression patterns of growth hormone gene and insulin-like growth factor in metabolic tissues of pigs fed different unconventional feed sources. A total of 45 growing pigs were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments at 9 animals per treatment and 3 animals per replicate. Treatment one (T1) comprise of whole maize (WM) which served as the control, T2: brewers dried grain (BDG), T3: cassava peel meal (CPM), T4: plantain peel meal (PPM) and T5: corn husk meal (CHM) at 35% inclusion in the diet. Data collected and analyzed includes; initial body weight (IBW), final body weight (FBW), average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily weight gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and feed efficiency (FE). At the end of the feeding trial, three animals per treatment (one animal per replicate) were slaughtered; the duodenum and liver were collected and stored using RNALater prior to RNA extraction. Real-time qPCR was performed in 40cycles using the PowerUp SYBR Green reagent and analysed using the Delta-Delta Ct method. All data were subjected to analysis of variance in a completely randomized design. The results showed that the treatment diets had effect on growth performance with significant differences (P &lt; 0.05) observed for average final weight, average total weight gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and feed efficiency while the initial weight were not significantly different (P &gt; 0.05). IGF-2 was differentially expressed in the liver and duodenum across treatments while significant differences were not observed in the expression pattern of the growth hormone gene in both tissues. This study showed promise for the use of unconventional feeding stuffs in pig feeding and reveals that genes influencing performance characters are differentially expressed in relation to the source of unconventional feeds used in compounding pig diet.


2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.N. Onu ◽  
F.N. Madubuike

This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of raw and cooked wild cocoyam (Caladium bicolor) on the performance of broiler chicks. Wild cocoyam corms were divided into two batches. One batch was ground raw and the other batch was cooked before grinding. Wild cocoyam meals so prepared were used to formulate 5 broiler starter diets at dietary inclusion levels of 0, 10 and 20% raw and cooked wild cocoyam respectively. 180 7-day-old Anak broiler chicks were randomly allotted to the five treatment diets in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and each group was further subdivided into three replicates of 12 birds. Measurements recorded included weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and protein efficiency ratios and economics of production. Results shows significant (p<0.05) improvement in feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and PER of birds fed cooked wild cocoyam meals. Marked (p<0.05) reduction was however, obtained in feed intake and feed conversion ratio of birds fed raw wild cocoyam diets. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference between birds fed maize-based (control) and cooked wild cocoyam diets. Results of this experiment indicated that cooking improved the nutritive value of wild cocoyam since birds fed cooked wild cocoyam diets produced best results than those fed raw wild cocoyam meal and that starter broilers could tolerate up to 20% dietary inclusion level of cooked wild cocoyam without any deleterious effect. Economics of production showed that cooked wild cocoyam diets were more profitable as regards the cost of feed per kg weight gain (N) and thus cost savings (%).


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-215
Author(s):  
A. A. Taiwo ◽  
A. D. Adejuyigbe ◽  
E. O. Talabi ◽  
G. Okumakuma ◽  
E. A. Adebowale

A study was conducted for eight weeks to determine the effects of raw and cooked mucuna seed meal (MSM) based diets on the performance and haematological characteristics of cross-bred weaned rabbits. Three experimental diets were formulated to contain: 0% MSM (control diet A), X raw MSM (diet B) and 20% cooked MSM (diet C). Twelve cross-bred weaned rabbits with mean initial live-weight of about 550 g were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments. The experimental design was completely randomized arrangement. The feed intakes (115.12, 114.44, 116.15g/day) and weight gains (17.19, 12.72, 14.28g/day) for diets A, B and C respectively were similar (P>0.05) for the three treatments. Rabbits fed the control diet A had the best (P<0.05) feed conversion ratio (6.68). The packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (HB), red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) values obtained for the three treatments were not statistically different (P>0.05) from one another. The HB, RBC, WBC values of rabbits fed on 20% cooked MSM based diet had comparable values to those on the control diet. Based on the weight gain and the haematology, 20% cooked mucuna seed meal can be included in the diet of weaned rabbits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-73
Author(s):  
G. T Iyeghe-Erakpotobor ◽  
I. K Tudunwada ◽  
A. Tijjani ◽  
I. R Muhammad

Forty crossbred weaner rabbits were used in a factorial experiment involving three levels (15, 30 and 45%) of groundnut haulms(GHM) and two feeding systems (separate and mixed). Ratios of concentrate to groundnut haulms or groundnut haulmsmeal were: 1) 85% concentrate plus 15% GHM, 2) 70% concentrate plus 30% GHM and 3) 55% concentrate plus 45% GHM. For separate feeding system, concentrate and groundnut haulms were offered in separate feeders while for mixed feeding system, groundnut haulms meal was incorporated into the concentrate as complete diets. The control rabbits were placed on concentrate alone. Total feed offered was 100g/rabbit/day. Final weight, feed intake and total weight gain increased quadratically with increase in level of groundnut forage. Weight gain and feed conversion ratio were not affected by level of groundnut forage. Feed cost and cost/kg gain decreased with increase in groundnut haulms level. Savings/kg gain increased with increase in level of groundnut haulms from ₦7.9 to ₦107.6. Feeding groundnut haulms separately or mixed increased daily feed intake of rabbits than sole concentrate. ADG was higher for separate feeding than mixed and sole concentrate. Feed cost was significantly higher for sole concentrate than separate and mixed feeding. Savings/kg gain was ₦450 - ₦300 for separate and mixed feeding compared with sole concentrate. Feed intake was higher for separate at 15 and 45% GHM, while for 30% GHM, mixed feeding had higher intake than separate system. ADG was higher for separate than mixed feeding for all levels of groundnut forage. Feed conversion ratio was similar for separate and mixed feeding system irrespective of groundnut haulms level. Feed cost was lower for separate feeding system at all GHM levels except for 30% GHM level where it was higher for mixed than separate feeding. Feed cost/kg gain was higher for mixed feeding at 15 and 45% GH and lowest for separate at 45% GHM. It is concluded that rabbits can be offered up to 45% GHM while, separate feeding was better than mixed feeding.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document