Dietary fibre is of great importance due to its significant role in rabbit nutrition. The increase in cost of conventional dietary fibre sources necessitated search for suitable alternatives. Processing of non-conventional fibrous ingredient is essential due to low digestibility and economically feasible strategies should be employed to enhance its utilisation. In this study, the effect of graded levels of urea-molasses treated maize cobs (UMTMC) as replacement for wheat offal in diet of rabbits wasinvestigated. A total of 45 rabbits of about 42 ± 1d old were used to investigate the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics. Rabbits were allotted into five dietary treatments of nine rabbits segregated into three replicates of three rabbits each. The diets contained UMTMC at five (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 %) replacement levels. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance in a completely randomized design. Daily feed intake (36.37g/rabbit) was reduced (P<0.05) in rabbit fed diets supplemented with 50% UMTMC in comparison to 0% UMTMC (42.40g/rabbit). Nitrogen free extract digestibility decreased (P<0.05) with increasing replacement level of UMTMC. Improved (P<0.05) carcass weight (815.67g/rabbit) and dressing percentage (63.50%) were obtained in rabbits fed diets added with 25% UMTMC when compared to 75 (58.49%) and 100% (57.90%) UMTMC. Organ weight were significantly affected with 50% and 100% UMTMC inclusion level showing increased (P<0.05) liver (3.35g and 3.08g) and kidney (0.78g and 0.94g) weight. It was concluded that inclusion of 25, 75 and 100% UMTMC did not adversely affect carcass parameters instead, the inclusion of 50% UMTMC improved growth performance and carcass characteristics.         La fibre alimentaire revêt une grande importance due à son rôle important dans la nutrition de lapin. L'augmentation du coût des sources de fibres alimentaires conventionnelles nécessitait une recherche de solutions appropriées. Le traitement de l'ingrédient fibreux nonconventionnel est essentiel en raison de la digestibilité faible et des stratégies économiquement réalisables devraient être utilisées pour améliorer son utilisation. Dans cet étude, l'effet des niveaux de grade d'urérés-mélasse traités cobs de maïs traités (UMTCM) est remplacé par le remplacement du blé dans le régime alimentaire des lapins. Au total, 45 lapins d'environ 42 ± 1d ont été utilisés pour enquêter sur la performance de la croissance, la digestibilité des nutriments et les caractéristiques de la carcasse. Des lapins ont été attribués à cinq traitements diététiques de neuf lapins séparés dans trois répliques de trois lapins chacun. Les régimes contenaient UMTCM à cinq niveaux de remplacement (0, 25, 50, 75 et 100%). Les données obtenues ont été soumises à une analyse de la variance dans une conception complètement randomisée. L'apport quotidien des aliments pour animaux (36,37 g / lapin) a été réduit (p <0,05) dans des régimes alimentés par lapin complétés avec 50% UMTCM par rapport à 0% UMTCM (42,40 g / lapin). La digestibilité d'extrait sans azote a diminué (p <0,05) avec un niveau de remplacement croissant de UMTCM. Le poids de la carcasse amélioré (P<0,05) (815,67 g / lapin) et le pourcentage de dressing (63,50%) ont été obtenus chez la Réinitialisation nourri de lapins ajouté avec 25% de UMTCM, contre 75 (58,49%) et 100% (57,90%) UMTCM. Le poids des organes a été significativement affecté à 50% et à 100% de niveau d'inclusion UMTCM montrant une augmentation du foie accrue (p <0,05) (3,35 g et 3,08 g) et du poids du rein (0,78 g et de 0,94 g). Il a été conclu que l'inclusion de 25, 75 et 100% UMTCM n'avait aucune incidence négative sur les paramètres de la carcasse, l'inclusion de 50% UMTCM améliorée les performances de croissance et les caractéristiques de la carcasse.

The effect of dietary supplementation of Ethiopian pepper (Xylopia aethiopica) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and their composite on nutrient digestibility, gut microflora, carcass yield and meat microbiology were investigated in a 52-day boiler feeding trial. Three hundred and sixty unsexed Ross broilers were used for the study. Four experimental diets were formulated for the tarter (0-28days) and finisher (29-56days) phases; Diet 1 was the control without Phytogenic supplementation, Diet 2 (supplemented with 1% Ethiopian pepper (EP)), Diet 3 (supplemented with 1% Clove (CL)) and Diet 4 (supplemented with 1% mix of equal quantity (0.5% each) of Ethiopian pepper and clove (EPCL)). Each treatment was replicated 6 times with 15 birds per replicate. Nutrient digestibility was determined on days 28 and 56, gut microflora was determined for the small intestine and caecum on day 56, carcass yield, organ weights and meat microbiology were also determined on day 56. Data obtained were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance using SAS 2000 and significant means were separated using Tukey’s test in the same software. At day 28, broilers fed the diet supplemented EPCL had the highest (P < 0.05) dry matter digestibility (DMD, 86.81%) and crude protein digestibility (CPD, 71.28%). Increased (P < 0.05) ether extract digestibility (EED) was observed for broilers fed the diet supplemented CL (75.27%) and EPCL (76.43%). At day 56, broilers fed the diet supplemented CL and those fed the EPCL supplemented diet had increased (P < 0.05) CPD (78.07%, 79.35%) and EED (70.20%, 71.42%). Intestinal clostridium count reduced (P < 0.05) and lactobacillus count increased (P < 0.05) in the intestine and caecum of broilers fed the diet supplemented CL and those fed EPCL supplemented diet. Intestinal coliform and salmonella count reduced (P < 0.05) for broilers fed the diet supplemented EP and those fed the EPCL supplemented diet. Dietary supplementation of EPCL resulted in the highest (P < 0.05) body weight (BW, 2551.38g), dressing percentage (DP, 81.68%) and breast weight (510.20g). Supplementation of EP, CL, and EPCL in the diet of broilers resulted in higher (P < 0.05) spleen weight while dietary supplementation of EP and EPCL resulted in higher (P < 0.05) thymus weight. Clostridium count was reduced (P < 0.05) in the meat of broilers fed the diet supplemented CL and EPCL and the lowest (P < 0.05) salmonella count was observed in the meat of broilers fed the diet supplemented with EPCL. In conclusion, the current study reveals that dietary supplementation with EPCL composite improves nutrient digestibility, gut microflora, dressing percentage with reduced meat microbial load of broilers.

This study investigated the effect of dietary Ethiopian pepper (Xylopia aethiopica) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) supplementation on growth performance, serum parameters and haematological indices of broiler chickens. Three hundred and sixty unsexed Ross broilers were used for the study. Four experimental diets were formulated for starter (0-28days) and finisher phases (29-56days); Diet 1 was the control without Phytogenic supplementation, Diet 2 (supplemented with 1% Ethiopian pepper (EP)), Diet 3 (supplemented with 1% Clove (CL)) and Diet 4 (supplemented with 1% mix of equal quantity (0.5 % each) of Ethiopian pepper and clove (EPCL)). Each treatment was replicated 6 times with 15 birds per replicate. Growth response was measured weekly for starter and finisher phase, blood was collected for serum and haematological parameters at the end of 4th and 8th week. Data obtained were subjected to one analysis of variance using SAS 2000 and significant means were separated using Tukeys test in same software. At day 28, dietary supplementation of EPCL increased (P<0.05) live weight (LW) (660.34 g), weight gain (WG) (599.66 g) with improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) (0.98). Total protein (TP) (48.00 g/L) and albumin (28.30 g/L) was higher (P<0.05) for broilers fed diet supplemented EPCL compared to other treatments. Packed cell volume (PCV) (30.00 %) was higher (P<0.05) in broilers fed diet with EPCL. Supplementation of CL and EPCL in the diet of broilers increased (P<0.05) red blood cell (RBC) count of broilers. At day 56, LW and WG was also increased (P<0.05) with EPCL supplementation. Reduced (P<0.05) cholesterol was observed for broilers fed diet supplemented EPCL. Haemoglobin (Hb) and RBC was higher (P<0.05) for broilers fed diet supplemented EPCL. It was concluded that EPCL can be supplemented in the diet of broilers for increased performance and improved blood parameters

The effect of dietary supplementation of Ethiopian pepper (Xylopia aethiopica) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and their composite on nutrient digestibility, gut micro ora, carcass yield and meat microbiology were investigated in a 52-day boiler feeding trial. Three hundred and sixty unsexed Ross broilers were used for the study. Four experimental diets were formulated for the tarter (0-28days) and nisher (29-56days) phases; Diet 1 was the control without Phytogenic supplementation, Diet 2 (supplemented with 1% Ethiopian pepper (EP)), Diet 3 (supplemented with 1% Clove (CL)) and Diet 4 (supplemented with 1% mix of equal quantity (0.5% each) of Ethiopian pepper and clove (EPCL)). Each treatment was replicated 6 times with 15 birds per replicate. Nutrient digestibility was determined on days 28 and 56, gut micro ora was determined for the small intestine and caecum on day 56, carcass yield, organ weights and meat microbiology were also determined on day 56. Data obtained were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance using SAS 2000 and signi cant means were separated using Tukey's test in the same software. At day 28, broilers fed the diet supplemented EPCL had the highest (P < 0.05) dry matter digestibility (DMD, 86.81%) and crude protein digestibility (CPD, 71.28%). Increased (P < 0.05) ether extract digestibility (EED) was observed for broilers fed the diet supplemented CL (75.27%) and EPCL (76.43%). At day 56, broilers fed the diet supplemented CL and those fed the EPCL supplemented diet had increased (P < 0.05) CPD (78.07%, 79.35%) and EED (70.20%, 71.42%). Intestinal clostridium count reduced (P < 0.05) and lactobacillus count increased (P < 0.05) in the intestine and caecum of broilers fed the diet supplemented CL and those fed EPCL supplemented diet. Intestinal coliform and salmonella count reduced (P < 0.05) for broilers fed the diet supplemented EP and those fed the EPCL supplemented diet. Dietary supplementation of EPCL resulted in the highest (P < 0.05) body weight (BW, 2551.38g), dressing percentage (DP, 81.68%) and breast weight (510.20g). Supplementation of EP, CL, and EPCL in the diet of broilers resulted in higher (P < 0.05) spleen weight while dietary supplementation of EP and EPCL resulted in higher (P < 0.05) thymus weight. Clostridium count was reduced (P < 0.05) in the meat of broilers fed the diet supplemented CL and EPCL and the lowest (P < 0.05) salmonella count was observed in the meat of broilers fed the diet supplemented with EPCL. In conclusion, the current study reveals that dietary supplementation with EPCL composite improves nutrient digestibility, gut micro ora, dressing percentage with reduced meat microbial load of broilers.

The effect of dietary supplementation of ginger and garlic mixture on haematology and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens over a period of eight weeks were assessed in this study. One hundred and fifty one-day old ArborAcre broilers were randomly assigned on weight equalisation basis to five dietary treatment groups of thirty birds. Each group consists of three replicates comprising of ten birds per replicate. Five diets were formulated for both starter and finisher phases. Dietary treatments consist of a control diet without ginger and garlic (1:1) mixture (GGM) (T1), while diets T2, T3, T4 and T5 were control diet supplemented with GGM at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0%, respectively. Haematological parameters and nutrient digestibility were assessed on days 28 and 56. Data were subjected to analysis of variance while trend analysis was carried out using polynomial contrast. Haematology was not significantly affected (p>0.05) by dietary treatments at days 28 and 56 however, packed cell volume (PCV)varied linearly (P=0.04)(0, 28.67%), (0.5, 31.33%), (1.0, 31.67%), (1.5, 32.33%) at day 28. Ether extract (EE, 92.33%) and ash digestibility (93.46%) increased significantly (p<0.05) with 1.5% dietary supplementation of GGM at day 28. 2.0% GGM supplementation increased (p<0.05) crude protein (CP, 88.77%) digestibility at day 56. In conclusion, the inclusion of GGM resulted in a linear increase in PCV and improved CP digestibility.       L'effet de la complémentation alimentaire du gingembre et du mélange d'ail sur l'hématologie et la digestibilité des nutriments des poulets de poulets à griller sur une période de huit semaines ont été évalués dans cette étude. Cent cinquante poulets d'arboracre d'une journée d'une journée ont été attribués au hasard sur la base de la péréquation de poids à cinq groupes de traitement diététique de trente oiseaux. Chaque groupe est composé de trois réplicats comprenant dix oiseaux par réplication. Cinq régimes ont été formulés pour les phases de démarreur et de finition. Les traitements diététiques consistent en un régime de contrôle sans mélange de gingembre et ail (MGA) (1: 1) (T1), tandis que les régimes T2, T3, T4, T3, T4 et T5 étaient un régime de contrôle complété par MGA à 0,5, 1,0, 1,5 et 2,0%, respectivement. Les paramètres hématologiques et la digestibilité des nutriments ont été évalués les jours 28 et 56. Des données ont été soumises à une analyse de la variance, tandis que l'analyse des tendances a été réalisée à l'aide de contraste polynomial. L'hématologie n'a pas été significativement touchée (p> 0,05) par des traitements diététiques aux jours 28 et 56, cependant, le volume de cellules emballé (VCE) variait linéairement (p = 0,04) (0, 28,67%), (0,5, 31,33%), (1.0, 31,67%), (1.5, 32,33%) au Jour 28. L'extrait d'éther (EE, 92,33%) et la digestibilité des cendres (93,46%) ont considérablement augmenté (p <0,05) avec une complémentation alimentaire de 1,5% de MGA au Jour 28. 2,0% MGA La supplémentation a augmenté (p <0,05) la protéine brute (PB, 88,77%) digestibilité au jour 56. En conclusion, l'inclusion de MGA a entraîné une augmentation linéaire du VCE et une digestibilité de PB améliorée.