A feeding trial was performed to investigate the potential of methionine as detoxifying agent of secondary metabolites present in Gliricidia sepium leaf. The leaves were dried, milled, and included in rabbit diets at 0 (D0, control), 10 (D10) and 15% (D15) raw and at 10 (D SM 10) and 15% (D SM 15) with 0.3% DL-methionine supplementation. 60-weaned rabbits (of 7-weeks old) averaging 1066±16.3 g/rabbit were used and fed the 5-diets (ad libitum) over a feeding trial lasting 6-weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, 6 rabbits were sampled per treatment for digestibility tests and 6 other for carcass characteristics. The experiment was designed as a one way classification. Proximate analysis and quantification of GLM phytochemicals revealed that G. sepium leaves are potentially rich in nutrients but contain substantial amount of antinutrients namely tannins, phytic and oxalic acids, alkaloids and saponins. Dietary performance traits gave no significant differences (p>0.05) in feed consumption, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio on the test diets relative to the control diet. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein decreased with increasing level of GLM. Supplementation of methionine to the feeds containing GLM had slightly improved the digestibility rates though the improvement was not significant (p>0.05). Feeding cost and economic feed efficiency were better in rabbits fed the diet D10 but not significant (P>0.05). Carcass characteristics were not significantly (p>0.05) affected by diets. Conclusively GLM at 10 or 15% inclusion in diets with or without methionine supplementation elicited no untoward effects on dietary performance traits and carcass characteristics of the rabbits. Methionine supplementation for detoxification should be carried out along with other chemical detoxicants to enable the inclusion of the leaf meal at higher levels.

The effect of feeding graded levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30%) of untreated African star apple kernel meal (ASAKM) on the performance and blood profile of broilers was investigated in an 8-week trial. Two hundred and ten oneweek-old Cobb strain broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 7 diets with 3 replicates of 10 chicks per replicate in a completely randomized design. Data on minerals, vitamins, amino acids and quantification of some anti-nutrients were assayed. The results showed that the kernel was high in nutrients, especially carbohydrate as a source of energy but contains high levels of anti-nutritional or toxic factors. Performance traits (p<0.05) of broilers fed ASAKM gave poor results though without mortality. The increment of dietary levels of the untreated ASAKM did not negatively influence blood composition and most of the measured biochemical indices, the parameters were better (p<0.05), or had values statistically similar with the control diet compared with those on the test diets (p>0.05). Increasing levels of ASAKM in diets caused elevation of AST, ALT, ALP and a significant increase in blood urea levels in the raw kernel meal based diets relative to the control diet (p<0.05). Based on the performance of the birds fed the raw ASAKM, it may be concluded that broilers could barely tolerate 5% raw ASAKM in their diets with minimum adverse effects. However, the values of the blood parameters particularly the red blood cells favoured erythropoiesis, suggesting that the African star apple kernel meal had no detrimental effect on the health status of the birds. Subsequent research should process the raw star apple seed meal before dietary inclusion for optimum results.

Combined physical, chemical and biochemical methods were used to process virgin seed meal of Jatropha curcas L. into treated Jatropha Seed Meal (JSM). Graded levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%) JSM treated by the various methods was included in the test diets which were fed ad libitum to 360 albino rats for a month in a single factor design trial. The results revealed that feed intake was numerically highest (p > 0.05) for the rats on the 5 % treated JSM diet, while feed efficiency was highest (p > 0.05) for those on the 10 % treated JSM diets. Weight gain was significantly highest (p< 0.05) for the rats on 10 and 15 % treated JSM diets. Lowest survival rate (17%) was observed on treated JSM diet processed by boiling, roasting followed by fermenting. Biochemical indices measured on treated JSM based diets were comparable with those obtained on the conventional diet (p > 0.05) except for blood cholesterol level (p < 0.05) which was elevated with increasing treated JSM in diets. There were also no significant differences recorded on AST and ALP activities (p > 0.05) between the treatments. Haematological indices investigated including PCV, RBC, Hb were insignificantly influenced by the 5% dietary treated JSM compared with the control diet (p > 0.05) and there was nonsignificant effect of the dietary treatment on the WBC differential counts of lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes and neutrophils. It was established in this study that inclusion of 5% treated JSM in diets had no detrimental effect on albino rats. Further researches are in progress to investigate inclusion of the treated JSM in diets at levels higher than the 5% used in this study.