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Aims: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of the bark of Afrostyrax lepidophyllus on growth and body composition of Clarias gariepinus. Study Design: This study was carried out from April to May 2022 in the Agro-ecological Farm of Bilone at Obala Lekié Division, Center Region of Cameroon. Methodology: Juvenile weighing 9.29 ± 0.15 g were divided into four triplicate treatments before being fed with diets containing 0 g (T0 or control), 1 g (T1), 1.5 g (T2) and 2 g (T3) A. lepidophyllus diet for 56 days. Fishes were fed at the rate of 5% body weight and every 14 days, intermediate sampling was done during which juveniles per treatment were counted, measurements were taken on a representative sample and the feeding rate was adjusted. The main water parameters were recorded daily before feeding. Results: Adding the bark of A. lepidophyllus in the diet significantly enhanced growth, feed nutrients utilization and body composition of juvenile C. gariepinus independent of the inclusion level. Fish fed T3 diet recorded final weight, weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) significantly high (P < 0.05) to those recorded in fish fed with the control diet. The same trend was observed with macro-nutrient retention as compared to the control. Conclusion: This study clearly showed that dietary inclusion of the bark of A. lepidophyllus powder improves growth performances, feed nutrients utilization and body composition of juveniles C. gariepinus.

From a total of 80 fertile eggs incubated naturally by female ducks, healthy sexed ducklings (n = 64, 32 males and 32 females ducklings) were randomly selected and allotted to four dietary treatments with four replicates, in a completely randomized design in order to evaluate the effect of varying levels of palm kernel meal (PKM) on performance of ducklings. The dietary treatments comprised R0-control ration, R50-50% PKM replacement, R75-75% PKM re-placement and R100-100% PKM replacement of soyabean meal. The main results revealed that the apparent digestive coefficients of dry matter (81.12%), organic matter (83.98%) and NDF (81.10%) were higher with the ration in which 50% (R50-50% PKM replacement of soyabean meal) of soybean was replaced by palm kernel meal. The highest feed intake in male was recorded with the ration containing 75% (R75-75% PKM replacement of soyabean meal) of palm kernel. This same ration (R75-75% PKM replacement of soyabean meal) equally induced the highest live weight and weight gain in females. The experimental design and arrangement is a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with two sexes and four levels of PKM. In males, the control ration without palm kernel meal induced the highest live weight and highest cumulative weight gain. The lowest feed conversion ratio (p 0.05) affected by the incorporation of palm kernel meal into the diet. Urea serum content tends to decrease with the increasing level of palm kernel meal in feed. In conclusion, soybean meal can advantageously be replaced by palm kernel meal at the level of 75% (R75-75% PKM replacement of soyabean meal) in Muscovy duck feed.

The restriction of antibiotic growth promoters in livestock nutrition has led to a growing interest in plant feed additives. This study was designed to assess the production performance of broiler chickens fed on graded levels of Pentadiplandra brazzeana powder in drinking water. A total of 448 day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to seven treatment groups with 4 replicates of 16 birds each (08 males and 08 females). Pentadiplandra brazzeana root was grounded and incorporated at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 g/L of drinking water. Control rations consisted of diet without any supplement (T0) and antibiotic (1 g/kg) medicated diet (T0+). Throughout the experimental period (49 days) feed intake was not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by graded levels of Pentadiplandra brazzeana except for 5 g/L of water that significantly (p Pentadiplandra brazzeana/L recorded a higher (p 0.05) affected irrespective of the level of incorporation of the test spice in drinking water. Serum content in urea was significantly lower (p Pentadiplandra brazzeana/L compared to all other treatments. ASAT, ALAT, creatinine, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL-cholesterol were not significantly affected by the inclusion of Pentadiplandra brazzeana powder in drinking water. Feeding chickens with up to 4 g of Pentadiplandra brazzeana significantly increased (p Pentadiplandra brazzeana powder through drinking water can be used as alternative to antibiotics to improve growth performance of broiler chickens.

Pesticides are used to improve agricultural yields; meanwhile they have detrimental effects on human and animal reproduction. This study aimed at evaluating the protective effects of ethanol extract of Bersama engleriana leaves against cypermethrin-induced oxidative stress and reproductive toxicity. Fifty male guinea pigs were divided into 5 groups (G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5) of 10 animals each. During 90 days, animals of G1 were given distilled water orally, while other groups received 137.50 mg/kg body weight (bw) of cypermethrin. In addition, G3, G4 and G5 received respectively 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg bw of ethanol extract of Bersama engleriana leaves. The testicular concentration of malondialdehyde, the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase decreased significantly (P

Parrots are considered a globally threatened group but, despite that, little is known about the ecology and biology of many species in the wild, this is the case for African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). The aim of this work was to study the reproductive biology of the wild grey parrot and its involvement in the conservation of the species. In fact, a follow-up of 40 nests equally distributed in 4 vegetation types (primary forest, secondary forest, cocoa plantation and annual crop plantation) has been done between 2011 and 2013. The length of nesting period per breeding pair in our study was situated between 4 to 5 months from April to early November. The beginning of the nesting in grey parrots coincides with the arrival of the short rainy season and an increase in the availability of food resources. The average egg per pair was 2.5 ± 0.70, the mean number of chicks at hatching was 2.26 ± 0.98, and only 1.51 ± 1.16 nestlings fledged. Nesting success was high (68.89%) and varied depending on the nesting phase, year and type of vegetation but without any significant difference. Predation (47.37%) was the most important cause of nest failure. Nesting success of grey parrots appears to be very high in different habitats, but human predation and deforestation remain the main threats to the parrot population. Additional studies on breeding biology based on large sample and the immediate implementation of conservation actions are essential to avoid future extinction of grey parrots population.© 2017 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Grey parrot, breeding, biology, success, nest hollows, Cameroon

Objective: This study was designated to evaluate the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal on laying performance of the KABIR strain hens. Methods: A total of 27 pullets and 3 cockerels were randomly distributed into 3 groups and randomly fed with diets T0, T5 and T10 in which soybean was gradually substituted at 0, 50 and 100% with Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOL). Results: The results showed that feed intake decreased with increasing level of MOL. The first egg was laid at 25 weeks in the group of chicks fed with 5% of MOL. The lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) and the highest egg production were recorded with 5% MOL, while the highest FCR and the lowest egg production were recorded with the highest MOL level (10%). Except for circumference of eggs and the yolk weight, eggs characteristics and hatchability were not significantly affected (P>0.05) by the inclusion levels of MOL in the diet. The mortalities recorded in this study (21, 30 and 37.5% for 0, 5 and 10% of MOL respectively) were above 12% recommended by the IPH (International Practices Hatchery). Conclusion: It was concluded in the conditions of this study that using Moringa oleifera leaves at 5% in the diet as protein source ingredient can improves egg production in KABIR hens.

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of charcoal from Canarium seeds and cow born on haematological, serological and histological parameters in broiler chickens fed AFB1-contaminated diets. A total of one hundred and sixty five 21-days old unsexed Cobb 500 broiler hens were divided into 11 groups having 15 birds in each group. Natural contaminated groundnut containing 80 ppb of AFB1 was mixed at 10 and 20% with other ingredients to obtain a final concentration of 36 and 60 ppb respectively and used as positive control (36T+ and 60T+). The dietary treatments consisted of supplementing the positive control diet with 0.2 and 0.4% charcoal from Canarium (36C0.2, 60C0.2, 36C0.4 and 60C0.4) or cow born (36O0.2, 60O0.2, 36O0.4 and 60O0.4). A test group was fed a diet 15T- (negative control) without contaminated groundnut. Body weight and weight gain tend to be improved with supplemental born charcoal at 0.4% (O0.4) and Canarium charcoal at 0.2% (C0.2). White blood cell (WBC) count and haematocrit tend to increase with increasing level of AFB1. The lowest glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GTP) and creatinine level was recorded with birds fed on diet 60O0.4. Supplemental born charcoal at 0.4% significantly reduces the serum parameters and may be used as protective agent in poultry to alleviate the harmful effects of aflatoxin B1.

Two trials were conducted to study the replacement economic effect of maize with palm oil supplemented cassava flour, and palm oil supplemented and unsupplemented cassava fiber respectively on broiler chicken. Dietary maize was substituted at 0, 50, 75 and 100% for palm oil supplemented cassava flour in trial 1, and palm oil supplemented and unsupplemented cassava fiber in trial 2. The results show that growth performances were poorer as the substitution level of maize for cassava flour and cassava fiber increased from 50 to 100%. However, the decrease level of growth parameters and cost of feed consumed was less with palm oil supplemented diets as compared with non-supplemented diets. The lowest cost of feed consumed and cost of feed per kilogram weight gain were recorded with birds fed on diet F100H containing palm oil supplemented cassava fiber as main dietary energy source. Therefore, palm oil supplemented cassava fiber at the expense of maize can optimize good productive advantage and monetary returns to the farmers.