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The chemical composition of dried papaya (Carica papaya) skin (DPS) was determined and its potential as a dietary ingredient for broiler chickens was investigated at dietary concentrations of 0, 40, 80 and 120g/kg. DPS was found to give similar food consumption, food conversion efficiency, survivability and meat yields (except male liver weight) to a control diet when used up to 120 g/kg of diet. Weight gain tended to increase with dietary concentration of DPS up to 80 g/kg. It was concluded that DPS could safely be used up to 120 g/kg in the diet of broiler chickens.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential for dietary tamarind to alter serum and egg yolk cholesterol concentrations and overall performance in different layer strains. Thirty, 43-wk-old, Hisex Brown, ISA Brown, Lohmann Brown, Starcross Brown, Babcock B-300, and Starcross-579 strains (5 hens per strain) were fed diets supplemented with 0 (control), 2, 4, 6, or 8% oven-dried tamarind for 6 wk. Egg production, egg mass, and efficiency of feed utilization followed a quadratic response with a maximum when the diet contained 2% tamarind and a minimum when 8% tamarind was fed (P < 0.05). There were no differences (P > 0.05) among strains for egg production, egg weight, yolk weight, egg mass, feed consumption, or feed efficiency. Yolk weight increased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of dietary tamarind in wk 1, 2, and 3 as well as when averaged over 6 wk. Egg yolk cholesterol concentrations were not affected by dietary tamarind. Serum cholesterol concentrations, however, decreased quadratically with increasing levels of dietary tamarind (P < 0.05). It was concluded that 2% supplemental dietary tamarind could decrease serum cholesterol concentrations and increase layer performance.

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential for dietary garlic to influence egg yolk cholesterol concentrations and overall performance in different layer strains. Thirty-six, 28-wk-old, Hisex Brown,Isa Brown, Lohmann, Starcross, Babcock, and Starcross-579 strains (six hens per strain) were fed diets supplemented with 0 (control), 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10% sun-dried garlic paste for 6 wk. There were no differences (P > 0.05) among diets or strains in egg weight, egg mass, feed consumption, feed efficiency, and BW gain as averaged over 6 wk. Yolk weight, however, responded quadratically with increasing levels of dietary garlic and differed among strains (P < 0.05). Egg production and yolk weights were significantly higher in the Babcock strain in comparison with other strains. Serum and egg yolk cholesterol concentrations decreased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of dietary garlic. Serum and egg yolk cholesterol concentrations also differed among different strains (P < 0.05). It was concluded that garlic paste in the diets of laying hens reduced serum and yolk cholesterol concentrations. It was also concluded that dietary garlic paste had no adverse effects on layer performance.

1. The chemical composition of dried papaya (Carica papaya) skin (DPS) was determined and the effect of diets containing different concentrations of this ingredient (0, 30, 60 and 90 g/kg) was studied using growing pullets as experimental animals. 2. Crude protein concentration was determined to be 229 g/kg and metabolisable energy content was estimated to be 6.4 MJ/kg. 3. Use of DPS in the diet up to 90 g/kg did not produce any significant difference in weight gain, food intake, food conversion and protein efficiency when compared with birds that received the control diet. 4. Survivability of growing pullets fed on DPS was 100%, as in the control group. 5. It was concluded that DPS can safely be used up to 90 g/kg in the diet of growing pullets.

1. Laying hens were fed osteolathyrogens, either semicarbazide hydrochloride at 0.3 or 0.4 g/kg or beta-aminopropionitrile fumarate at 0.5 or 0.6 g/kg diet to examine their effects on eggshell quality. 2. Shell quality characteristics considered for evaluation were shell surface area, shell thickness, shell weight, percentage shell, shape index and the specific gravity of eggs. Measurement of shell quality traits revealed that the hens fed osteolathyrogens laid eggs with significantly lower specific gravities and proportion of shell by weight. These differences were not explained by differences in shell thickness or weight or the shape index of eggs. 3. It was concluded that osteolathyrogens cause hens to lay eggs with poor shell quality and such eggs are weak and fragile.

1. One hundred and forty four Shaver broiler chicks (Starbro 15) were reared from 4 d to 56 d of age on 4 types of litter: sawdust, paddy straw, sand and rice husk each spread to a depth of 75 mm. 2. Birds reared on rice husk litter showed the greatest food consumption, greatest weight gain, best food conversion efficiency and scored highest in production number. 3. Survivability was also highest with rice husk group (94.4%) but differences in this variable were not thought to be attributable to types of litter. 4. Breast blisters were found only in birds reared on sand (8.3%). 5. It was concluded that rice husk is a suitable litter for rearing broilers on the floor, particularly in paddy-growing countries.

1. Laying hens were fed osteolathyrogens, either semicarbazide hydrochloride at 0.3 g/kg or beta-aminopropionitrile fumarate at 0.6 g/kg, to examine their effects upon the ultrastructure of shell and shell membranes by scanning electron microscopy. 2. Effects of the 2 lathyrogens were similar. Compared with the highly-branched network of fine fibres in normal membranes, there is widespread lack of separation of fibres in lathyritic specimens and hence, uneven distribution of nucleation sites. Pores are also uneven in size and distribution, which can account for increased permeability. 3. Establishment between shell and membranes is reduced. Within the cone layer both type A and type B mammillary bodies occur. Large interstitial spaces and late fusion of the palisade layer indicate reduced resistance to fracture.

1. Four groups of 36 one-day-old broiler chicks were reared for 8 weeks during summer on rice husk litter spread to depths of 20, 30, 40 or 50 mm. 2. The depth of the litter did not significantly affect live weight gain, food consumption, food conversion ratio, liveability or production number. 3. It was concluded that rice husks can be used as litter at depths of between 20 and 50 mm during summer to raise broilers without affecting performance.

The effects of two lathyrogens (beta-aminopropionitrile and semicarbazide) on the reproductive system of the laying hen were compared by measuring the changes in the ovary and oviduct associated with a diminished egg production rate. The laying hens were fed diets containing either beta-aminopropionitrile, the toxic constituent of certain legume seeds in the genus Lathyrus or semicarbazide to induce lathyrogenic effects in which reduced egg production was one of the toxic effects. The gross examination of the reproductive system of the hens revealed that ovarian activity was greatly impaired. The reduced egg production after feeding beta-aminopropionitrile was due to the reduced growth rate of the ovary, and in the case of semicarbazide, to the atresia of large yolky follicles.

The cause of the increased egg weight in hens with lathyrism was investigated by feeding laying birds with diets containing beta-aminopropionitrile, the toxic principle of certain legume seeds in the genus Lathyrus. There was a significant increase (P less than 0.01) in the amount of albumen in the egg owing to an increased formation of thin white. The water permeability of the shell membranes demonstrated an increased porosity and a loss of tensile strength which contributed not only to a high water uptake but also to abnormalities of the shape of eggs during 'plumping'. It was concluded that a defect in the shell membrane protein system alters the membrane's general properties and that the increased egg weight in lathyrism is a result of the defect.