No abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the haematological and biochemical parameters of finisher broiler chickens fed roasted Bambara nut-based diets. A total of 96-day-old Marshal Strain broiler birds were assigned to four treatments (0, 10, 20 and 30%) replicated four times in a completely randomized design (CRD) comprising of 6 birds in each.  Bambara nut seeds were roasted, dried and milled into fine powdery roasted Bambara nut meal. The meal was then incorporated in the diets at 0, 10, 20 and 30% inclusion levels. Samples were then analyzed for proximate composition. At the end of the 8 weeks feeding trial, three birds were selected on the basis of average pen weight from each group and used for the determination of blood indices. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using statistical analysis system (SAS) package. Results revealed no significant (p>0.05) differences in most of the parameters measured. However, there were significant (p<0.05) differences in red cell distribution width (RDW), and monocytes (MON) levels across the treatments. The result also indicated that RDW% levels decreased with increasing levels of roasted Bambara nut meal (RBM). The result of serum calcium revealed significant (p<0.05) differences across the treatments where T4 (30%) presented the highest value (2.43mmol/L). It was concluded that inclusion of Bambara nut meal in the diets of finisher broiler chickens at 30% enhanced the levels of RDW and serum calcium.

Agriculture and other income-generating activities in the Sudano-Sahelian region face many natural and human constraints that affect households' economic activities and livelihood development over time. Stratified and simple random sampling considered 1,200 households across four (4) Sudano-Sahelian States with 300 respondents each from Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi and Gombe. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire to information on livelihood and income generating activities. The findings regarding household demographics indicated active age, moderate farming experience and average income, respectively. The results further show overall access to credit, market, extension contact and cooperative participation of 14.68%%, 73.21%, 56.90% and 63.28%, respectively. Ownership and the capital problem have been the major constraints to land access for crop production. The majority of the household goes into multiple income-generating activities with a shortage of planning and guidance on the value of income diversification. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in high income and livelihood deterioration of households' remittances from internal and external sources. The significant variable that affects income diversification includes education, off-farm income, access to credit, and output volume. The development of households and community requires multiple income alternatives for improved livelihood in saving mobilisation and investment opportunities. Households in the Sudano-Sahelian region engaged in agriculture and additional income sources that must be strengthened to support income generation. The study further concluded the existence of potential income diversification alternatives in rural including multiple cropping, off-farm investment, and non-farm income potentials. COVID-19 period posed a serious constraint to households, particularly deterioration in income sources, making livelihood activities more difficult. Access to credit, educational status, off-farm income generation, and output volume are the strongest determinants of income diversification in the Sudano-Sahelian region. The study recommends the need for government and development agencies to improve the quality and availability of rural infrastructural facilities (road, markets, electricity) in the study area to help rural households sustain their investment and engage in sustainable livelihood activities. The development of essential programs on enterprise support and business development service is essential to strengthen livelihood and income diversification opportunities. Strengthening cooperative participation and awareness creation on savings and investment opportunities is essential for sustainable livelihood, implying the need for collective actions, enhancing risk strategies, and influencing government policies for livelihood development.

The efficacy of varying levels of mycotoxin binder supplementation on growth performance, carcass characteristics and serum metabolites of broiler chickens fed aflatoxin maize-based diets was assessed. A total of four hundred and thirty-two (432), one-day-old Hubbard Cobb hybrid broilers were used for the experiment. The chicks were equally weighed and allotted to 12 dietary treatments in a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement of an activated clay toxin binder at three different inclusion levels (0 g/kg, 0.1 g/kg and 0.2 g/kg) of feed challenged with 4 levels of aflatoxin B, (0, 40, 60 and 80 ppb). Thirty-six chicks were allocated to each treatment group and replicated three times with 12 chicks per replicate in deep litter for eight weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, the birds were starved overnight prior to blood collection, three birds per treatment were selected on the basis of average pen weight. Blood samples were collected for serum and haematological analysis. Data collected were subjected to One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS software. Results revealed significant (p < 0.05) differences in the total protein (TP) content across the dietary treatments. Interaction between aflatoxin and binder levels showed a significant (p < 0.05) effect only on the Alanine amino transferase (ALT) of the birds. Addition of mycotoxin binder (clay type) to aflatoxin contaminated diets was able to ameliorate the effect of aflatoxin on birds regardless of the level at which it was supplemented. Inclusion of 1 % binder in the diets is therefore recommended and feed ingredients for feed formulations be always subjected to test for aflatoxins.