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This experiment was performed to determine the effect of diets with varying salt levels on the haemogram, whole blood viscosity and osmotic fragility of Barred Plymouth Rock (BPR) and Isa White (IW) breeding cocks. Four experimental diets designated as: T1 (control diet with 0.25 % salt), T2 (diet with 0.50 % salt), T3 (diet with 0.75 % salt) and T4 (diet with 1.00 % salt) were fed to 48 cocks of the two different breeds grouped into 12 birds per treatment and at four birds per replicate. At the end of eight weeks of experiment, blood samples were collected for the determination of the haemogram, whole blood viscosity and red blood cell osmotic fragility. The results revealed differences (P<0.05) in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, haemoglobin content, red blood corpuscles, packed cell volume and whole blood viscosity between the two breeds. Also, percentage eosinophils (3.30±0.15 versus 3.10±0.10) and basophils (1.60±0.16 versus 1.80±0.13) differed (P<0.05) between breeds. The red blood cells of birds on the high salt diets were more osmotically fragile than the control diet. There was no breed difference in the osmotic fragility between the BPR and IW cocks, however the BPR breed was more sensitive to osmotic fragility at all saline concentrations and dietary levels than the IW breed. Conclusively, increase in the dietary salt up to 0.75 % level has no significant effect on the two commercial breeding cocks as far as their differential leucocyte count is concerned, but a case of sub-clinical basophilia could be induced at 1.00% level. Also, the IW seemed the more osmotically stable breed in terms of its erythrocytic osmotic fragility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the performance, haematology, nutrient digestibility and economics of production of growing pigs fed diets containing differently fermented cassava starch residue (CSR) and cassava peels (CP) altogether referred to as cassava tuber wastes (CTW). The CSR and CP were each divided into three parts and processed as dry unfermented (UFCRS Diet 2; UFCP Diet 5), naturally fermented (NFCSR Diet 3; NFCP Diet 6) and microbial fermentation by inoculation (MFCSR Diet 4; MFCP Diet 7). Each part was included in a control diet (Diet 1) to replace maize at 20% dietary level to make a total of seven treatments. The final live weight (FLW), total live weight gain (TLG) and total feed consumption (TFC) of pigs fed the control diet were not significantly (p>0.05) different from those fed the test diets. However, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of pigs fed the control was consistently lower (3.93) than those fed CSR (3.68-3.30) and CP (3.75-3.36)-based diets. The response of RBC, WBC, Hb and PCV to the dietary treatment varied significantly (p<0.05) with the CTW-product incorporated into the diets vizs: RBC 106/mm3: 7.53 vs CSR (5.71-6.26) and CP (4.71-5.75); WBC 103/mm3:14.84 vs CSR (9.06-10.06) and CP (8.53-10.90), and PCV%: 36.75 vs CSR (35.75-36.00) and CP (32.5-37.00) while the MCHC and differential counts were not significantly (P>0.05) affected. Varied effects on the digestibility of major ingredients in the diets were observed with the digestibility of dry matter (DM) been enhanced: 0.49-8.68% and 3.10-7.48%, organic matter (OM): 1.60-9.37% and 3.41-8.43%, crude protein: 3.33-6.17% and 1.18-4.10%, and crude fibre (CF): 24.37-30.52% and 2.34-28.80% by CSR and CP, respectively, over the control diet. The Mean Apparent Digestibility (MAD) for NFE (CSR 65.07%; CP 69.33%) was higher than that of the control diet (61.49%). The cost of feed intake per pig decreased: 11.92-12.76% and 8.38-14.95%, cost of feed per kg body weight gain: 14.84-22.66% and 14.84-21.88% with enhanced gross profit increase of 19.66-29.02% and 14.37-26.50% in CSR- and CP-based diets, respectively. It can, therefore, be concluded that CTW products could be included in pig's diet as an alternative to maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two cassava tuber wastes (CTW): cassava peels and cassava starch residues were enriched through solid substrate fermentation using Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus coryneformis and Aspergillus fumigatus, a process which took the advantage of the lysine and linamarase secreting ability of the two lactic acid bacteria and cellulose degrading potential of the fungus. The enriched wastes were used to formulate broilers diets in which each was included at 0, 20, 40 and 60% in a completely randomized design in an 8-week trial. Three hundred and fifty (350) day old (Ross 308) broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 7 treatment diets at 10 chicks per replicate of five. The control diet contained no enriched CTW (0%) while diets 2-4 contained 20-60% microbially fermented cassava peel [MFCP], diets 5-7 contained 20-60% microbially fermented cassava starch residues [MFCSR]. Growth performance, blood variables, serum biochemistry and economy of production were the response criteria. The final body weight (1.20-1.48 kg) and weight gain (1.16-1.44 kg) and weight gain (1.16-1.44kg) were not significantly (P>0.05) affected. Total feed intake increased with increased MFCP inclusion but decreased with increasing level of MFCSR with bird fed control diet having the best FCR (2.56). Only the Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) was not significantly (P>0.05) affected of all the blood haematological indices measured. Of the entire serum metabolites measured only the albumin and globulin were significantly (P<0.05) affected. The feed cost per kilogram body weight decreased by 27.3-39.4% when the CTW was included. However, within the limit of this study, the inclusion of 40% and 60% of MFCP (27.3% and 23.9% cost reduction, respectively), could lead to profitable broiler production in sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A twelve week trial was conducted to investigate the daily sperm production and spermatogenic efficiency of pubertal boars fed graded levels of composite cassava peel-based diets. Microbially fermented cassava peel meal (CPM) was incorporated at 0%. 20%, 40% and 60% level into four treatment diets that were used for the experiment. Twelve boarlings with an average initial weight of 37.12±1.04kg were randomly allotted to the four treatment diets at three boars per treatment with each boarling serving as a replicate for its treatment group. The animals were fed with these diets throughout the duration of the trial after which they were slaughtered and their testes dissected out for the determination of gonadal and extra-gonadal parameters. Measurement of gonadal parameters revealed that the paired testis weight of boars that fed on the cassava peel diets were significantly inferior to those fed with the control diet while the paired testicular volume, volume of testicular parenchyma and paired epididymal weight followed similar trend. The right testicular circumference was highest in boars that were fed with 40% dietary inclusion of CPM. Pigs fed with 60% CPM had highest epididymal volume and the lowest epididymal density respectively. The gonadal sperm reserves were significantly different among dietary treatments and had the lowest numerical value with 60% CPM inclusion which also gave the least values for gonadal sperm reserves/gramme testis, daily sperm production and spermatogenic efficiency. It could be concluded that the inclusion of CPM above 40% would have adverse effects on spermatogenic efficiency and by extension on the reproductive capacity of the breeding male pig. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]