An eighty-four (84) day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding rice milling by-products (rice offal, rice bran and rice grain rejects) on growth performance and production economics of crossbred (New Zealand white X Chinchilla) weaner rabbits with mean live weight of 347g. The rabbits were randomly allotted, 5 each, to five experimental diets, with each animal serving as a replicate. The diets were designated D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5. Diet D1 contained no rice milling by-products and served as the control, D2 contained 20% rice offal, D3 20% rice bran, D4 20% rice grain rejects and D5 10% rice bran + 10% grain rejects. Feed and water were provided ad-libitum. Daily feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio (67.94-79.42g, 13.50-15.97g, and 4.71-5.67 respectively) were not affected (p>0.05) by inclusion of rice milling by-products in the diets. Apparent nutrient digestibility indices, except for Nitrogen Free Extract (NFE), were also not influenced (p>0.05) by treatments. NFE digestibility was depressed by the feeding of rice offal (p<0.05). Feed cost per kg of weight gain was highest for the rabbit fed the control diet (₦587/kg) and lowest (p<0.05) for those on diet containing rice bran (₦436/kg). Gross margin between total production cost and revenue was highest for rabbits fed a combination of rice bran and rice grain rejects(₦701.18/rabbit), and lowest (₦561.62/rabbit) for the diet that contained no rice milling by-products. It was, therefore, concluded that the use of these rice milling by-products can be recommended for meat rabbit production. However, further studies should be carried out to elaborate the chemical properties and feed potential of this class of feed ingredients. Key words: Feed intake, weight gain, Feed conversion ratio, Nutrients digestibility, Rice milling by-products
In an effort to gain a better understanding into the role played by food animals in the epidemiology of gastrointestinal parasites, we assessed the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in different breeds of rams brought into Abeokuta during a festive season by microscopic examination of faecal samples. A total of 206 rams of different breeds were randomly sampled. The faecal samples collected were subjected to simple floatation and sedimentation tests. McMaster egg counting technique was used to estimate the faecal oocyst load in positive samples. Overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 51.46%. There was significant (p < 0.05) difference between the prevalence of Eimeria spp (37.38%)and helminth eggs (13.59%).Among the 29 samples that tested positive for helminth eggs, 6 (20.7%), 19 (65.5%) and 4 (13.8%) were cestode, nematode and trematode eggs, respectively. The genera of nematodes eggs identified include Strongyloides spp, Haemonchus spp, Mashallagia spp, Bunostomum spp, Ascaris spp, Dictyocaulus spp, Gongylonema spp and Ostergia spp; trematodes were Fasciola spp and Dicrocoelium spp while cestodes were Moniezia spp and Avitellinaspp. The only protozoan parasite identified was Eimeria spp. This study has clearly shown that rams brought to Abeokuta during festive seasons carry different gastrointestinal parasites of which Eimeria spp had the largest share. Parasites of zoonotic importance (Fasciola and Moniezia) were also detected. Therefore, there is need for regular screening of animals being introduced from one state to the other and also from neighbouring countries for effective monitoring and control of parasitic diseases in domestic animals and human population.Keywords: GIT parasite, ram, helminth, protozoan.
The effect of different sources of drinking water on the performance of broiler chicks fed a standard diet was investigated. The water sources were rain water (RNW), stream water (STW) and pipe-borne water (PBW) during the starter phase (week 0-4). The sources of water used during the finishing phase of the broilers (week 4-9) were well water (WLW), STW and PBW. There was no .significant effect of the sources of drinking water on feed intake, weight gain, feed:gain ratio or water intake:feed consumed (ml/g) (p>0.05) during the starter phase. There was also no significant effect of the sources of drinking water on performance during the finisher phase (p>0.05). It is concluded that any of the water sources used in this experiment can be supplied to broiler chicks starter and finisher without adverse effects on performance. Key words: Sources of water, performance, broiler chicks
The effect of feeding different protein levels during the rearing and development of egg-type pullets as well as on eventual egg production was investigated in two experiments. In experiment I, the dietary crude protein (CP) regimens (and old to point of lay notations) in isocaloric diets for the periods 0-8 weeks and 9-20 weeks respectively for treatment 1: 20% and 16% (20:16), treatment 2: 16% and 16% (16:16), treatment 3: 12% and 12% (12:12), treatment 4: 16% and 12% (16:12), treatment 5:20% and 12% (20:12) and for treatment 6 theregimens comprised 20% for 0-8 weeks, 16% for9-16 weeks and 12% for 17-20 weeks (20:16:12) In experiment 2, treatments 1 to 5 for experiments 1 were repeated while three step-up dietary treatments 6, 7 and 8 were evaluated in addition. For the periods 0-8 weeks and 9-20 weeks respectively, the CP regimens for treatment 6 were 12% and 16% (12:20) and for traetment 7, 12% and 20% (12:20) and for treatment 8, 16% and 20% (16:20). From 20 weeks in each experiment, a common layer diet containing 16% CP and 2,449 Kcals metabolizable energy per kg was fed ad libitum to all treatments and all the subsequent egg production was monitored for a further 16 weeks . Both studies indicated that production was reported egg-type chickens fed diets with a drastic protein restriction (12%) in the starting period (0-8 weeks) had significantly reduced body weights at 20 weeks and delayed sexual maturity. However, when such birds were subsequently (9-20 weeks) offered diets with higher protein content significant compensatory effects on weight gain and feed conversion were indicated. The step-up CP règimens in experiment 2 performed.
In this study, an attempt was made to estimate Nigeria's demand and supply equations for livestock products using the simultaneous equation model. The parameters of the specified structural equations were computed from the reduced equations using the Inverse Least Square (ILS) approach. The results show that price is the major-determinant of livestock products' supply and demand. Price elasticities of supply and demand were 0.5577 and 0.3309 respectively. Also, demand was national income elastic (1.2862). Projecting into future demand and supply shows that between 3999 and 2005, supply would be short of demand by an average of 17,466 tonnes. To therefore increase livestock products supply, governments at all levels must provide incentives for enhancing sustainable livestock production. This is expected to lead to increased demand if there is reduction in prices. Keywords: Livestock products, supply, demand, simultaneous equation, structural equations, reduced equations
A total of one hundred and three (103) does had mastitis among the one thousand three hundred and twenty three (1323) goats estimated at villages in three states; Zamfara. Kebbi and Kaduna within two years. The prevalence of mastitis among the goats was 7.8%. The clinical manifestations of mastitis in goats and the factors which predisposed goats to mastitis were studied. The data obtained were subjected to analysis using SPSS. Of the total number of milk samples examined, 95 % were significantly of normal milk color (P<0.05) while blood tinged and greenish milk were the least statistically significant manifestation (P<0.05). Flock size, kidding season, halves of udder affected, kids per parturition, age of doe and parity significantly increased the occurrence of Caprine mastitis (P<0.05). Key words: Mastitis, Goats, Kidding, Parturition.
This study was conducted to investigate the economics of Cattle fattening with crop residues in Northern Guinea Savannah Ecological Zone of Nigeria, Data were collected from 100 respondents between January to December, 1999 using simple random sampling technique. Interview method was employed. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting technique and regression analysis. The results showed that the net income was N6642 and the rate of Capital turnover was 1.27. Multiple regression Analysis showed a coefficient of multiple determination of 89.3% (P<0.05). Reduction in the cost of feeds was suggested for enhanced profit maximization. Key words: Cattle, fattening, crop residues, profit
A feeding trial was carried out to study the effect of feeding increasing levels of total digestible nutrients (TDN) on the live weight of Bunaji cows during early lactation. The feeding trial ran for 56 days, starting on the 6 th day after parturition. The experimental cows, in a completely randomized design, were randomly allocated to four diets at 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5 kg TDN levels. These diets were compounded using cottonseed cake, dried brewer's grains and Lablab purpureus hay. The daily feed intake; daily milk yield and two weekly live weight changes in the cows were recorded. The mean daily dry matter and crude protein consumed per metabolic size increased significantly (P< 0.05) as the dietary TDN increased from 3.5 to 6.5 kg. The values were 82.4, 106.6, 118.2 and 131.2 g kg -1 W 0.75 day -1 for dry matter intake and 22.5, 29.0, 33.1 and 38.0 gkg- 1 W 0.75 day -1 for crude protein intake for the diets at the 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5 kg TDN levels respectively. The daily milk yield ranged from 1.83 to 3.83 kg, while the live weight gain ranged from 598.2 to 946.4 g day - 1 . The experimental diets were better utilized for live weight gain at the 3.5, 4.5 and 6.5 kg TDN levels, with the mean efficiency of feed utilization ratios of 7.1:1, 9.3:1 and 9.9: 1 respectively. The least efficiency of feed utilization ratio of 13.5:1 was obtained at the 5.5 kg TDN level. Keywords: TDN, Bunaji cows, live weight gain .
