African yambean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa, Hochst. Ex A. Rich, Harms) is an indigenous legume in tropical Africa. This food crop legume is highly under-exploited and very little scientific information is available in literature. In this study, the chemical composition (proximate, minerals and anti-nutritional profile) of raw and processed African yambean (AYB) seeds was investigated. Seeds of brown seed coat landraces of African yambean were collected from various locations in the Northern part of Cross River State. The seed characteristics were noted and subjected to boiling and toasting for one hour and thereafter evaluated for proximate composition, gross energy, mineral and antinutritional properties. Results showed that boiling significantly (P<0.05) increased crude Protein (CP) (22.10%), ether extract (EE) (7.53%) and gross energy (GE) (5.23 Kcal/g) compared to the raw (21.61% CP, 5.12% EE and 4.88 Kcal/g GE) as well as toasted seeds (21.41% CP, 5.195 EE and 4.51 Kcal/g GE). Toasting significantly (P<0.05) increased nitrogen free extract (NFE) (50.65%) and ash values. Processing (boiling/toasting) had significant (P<0.05) effect on mineral composition (Ca, Mg, K, Na and Fe) of the seeds except for phosphorus. Boiling significantly (P<0.05) reduced phytate (0.68%), alkaloid (0.70%) and trypsin-inhibitor (0.08 IU/mg) contents. Results have shown that African yambean seeds are rich sources of nutrients but have low human preference for food. But have a high potential as an energy/protein source in livestock feeds. The boiled AYB seeds had highest CP, mineral and lowest in anti-nutrient contents. Hence, boiling was the preferred processing method for AYB seeds.

A 12-week feeding trial was carried out using 30 West African Dwarf (WAD) bucks of age between six and eight months with mean initial body weight of 9.36±1.31 kg, to determine the effect of sun-dried, urea-treated and fermented dietary cocoa pod husk meal (CPHM) as well as dietary CPHM with protein supplementation (African yam bean meal) on blood characteristics. Five experimental diets: T1 (0% CPHM-control), T2 (40% sundried CPHM), T3 (40% ureatreated CPHM), T4 (40% fermented CPHM) and T5 (40% CPHM and 10% African yambean) were formulated. Six animals per treatment were randomly assigned to the experimental diets using a CRD. Blood parameters (haematological and serum biochemical indices) were evaluated at the end of the feeding trial. Results of the study showed that the White blood cell counts, packed cell volume and red blood cell counts were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by dietary treatments. In terms of serum chemistry, higher values of urea were recorded in sundried (6.57 mmol/l) and protein supplemented (6.57 mmol/l) groups, followed by the fermented group (6.17mmol/l). Calcium (2.24 mmol/l) and total protein (7.44g/dl) were highest in urea-treated CPHM group followed by the protein supplemented group (1.84 mmol/l and 7.37g/dl) and lowest in the sundried CPHM group (1.14 mmol/l and 6.21g/dl) respectively. The study concludes that blood composition of WAD bucks was best in the urea-treated and protein supplemented groups respectively, and 40% cocoa pod husk meal supplemented with 10% protein (African yambean) can be incorporated in the diets of WAD bucks without fear of compromising haematological and serum biochemical ndices.Keywords: Cocoa pod husk, Urea, Fermented, Protein supplemented, WAD bucks

This study evaluated the effect of four weeks of microbial exposure to anise oil (ANO) on the fermentation activities of ruminal micro-organisms and the biohydrogenation of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). A total of six Hartline × Texel cross lambs were used. Three of the lambs were randomly assigned to the basal diet (basal diet group, BDG) and the remaining three lambs were offered basal diet with ANO (anise oil group, AOG) for four weeks. The rumen fluid donor lambs were offered water and hay ad libitum and supplemented with additional 400 g/sheep/day of concentrate plus 2.4 g/sheep/day of ANO (for the AOG). The ANO was thoroughly mixed with the concentrate prior to feeding. The total amount (400 g) of lamb finisher cubes offered per sheep/day was divided into two equal parts (200 g) and fed at 08.00 and 16.00 hours, respectively. After the four weeks' exposure period, lambs were slaughtered and ruminal fluid (RF) was collected from each of the lambs on BDG and on AOG and used in a 48 h in vitro batch culture system to study the fermentation of a 70: 30 grass hay (Lolium perenne) and concentrate (lamb finisher) diet. The study was a 2 (batches of rumen fluid: BDG and AOG) × 2 (doses of ANO: 0 and 200 mg/L) factorial design experiment. Results showed that total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) in RF extracted from lambs on the BDG (242.0 mM) was similar to that in the AOG (242.2 mM). Concentrations of TVFA in in vitro digests were similar between groups on the BDG (68.6 mM) and on the AOG (66.4 mM), but differed between levels of anise oil (0 versus 200 mg/L). The levels of NH 3 -N were not different (P>0.05) between the RF collected from AOG and BDG. However, in vitro results showed that AOG 200 mg/L induced a 20% decrease on the concentration of NH 3-N in fermentation vessels, relative to BDG 0 mg/L. The in vitro digesta incubated in RF from the AOG (i.e. AOG 200 mg/L) maintained higher concentrations of PUFA (C18:2 n-6 and n-3 PUFA), transvacceric acid and lower concentration of stearic acid. This suggests that there was no rumen adaptation within the period of trial. This study concludes that anise oil is potentially a useful feed additive to optimise the fatty acid composition of ruminant feedstuffs, if these effects are repeated in meat and milk.

An 8-week feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of graded levels of synthetic methionine on the growth performance, blood and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 120 day-old chicks of Amobyn strain with mean body weight of 36.67g were randomly divided into four groups of 30 chicks each to constitute treatments T 1 (0% control), T 2 (0.20% methionine), T 3 (0.40% methionine) and T 4 (0.60% methionine), respectively. Each group was further divided into three replicates of 10 birds each in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Feed and water were provided ad libitum and all the birds were managed on a deep litter floor under the same environmental conditions for 56 days. All data were subjected to One-way analysis of variance and significant mean values were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. The results obtained for starter broiler chickens showed that total feed intake, weekly feed intake, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by dietary treatments while the results for finisher chickens showed that only the final body weight was significantly (P< 0.05) influenced. The blood characteristics showed that monocytes, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by dietary treatments. The serum biochemical indices showed no significant (P>0.05) differences between dietary treatments on all parameters. Carcass characteristics showed significant (P<0.05) differences between dietary treatment in pre-slaughter weight, lungs weight, intestinal length, intestinal weight as well as weight of spleen and oesophagus. Therefore, this study concludes that synthetic methionine can be included in the diets of broiler chickens up to 0.60% without detrimental effects on their growth performance, blood and carcass characteristics.

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