Extrusion cooking, a high-temperature short-time processing technique holds promise for lowering enzyme inhibitor activities and improving nutrient bioavailability in grain legumes, thus improving their feeding value. The effect of extrusion cooking of two grain legumes; pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) and bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean) at varied temperatures on growth performance, endogenous enzyme activity and organ development of 35d-old meat-type chickens was investigated. Pigeon pea and bambara groundnut were milled and extruded at two temperatures (100 C and 140 C)from which six diets were formulated containing 30g/100g diet of non-extruded (control), 100 C or 140 C extrudates of bambara groundnut or pigeon pea. Two hundred and fifty-two, one day-old, meat-type chicks were allotted to the six diets in six replicates, seven birds each. Weight gain and feed intake (FI)were monitored weekly and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was estimated. Relative weight (g) of pancreas, proventriculus, gizzard and liver as well as duodenal, jejunal and ileal lengths and weights were measured. Activities of pancreatic amylase, proteases; chymotrypsin and trypsin, and brush border disaccharidases; sucrase and maltase were also assayed in the pancreas, ileal and jejunal digesta, and ileal and jejunal tissues respectively. Data was analyzed using ANOVA (p<0.05) and pre-planned contrasts, elucidating the effect of extrusion (raw vs extruded;100 C and 140 C) and temperatures (100 C vs 140 C) on each grain legume investigated. Weight gain of chickens on both bambara groundnut and pigeon pea diets were not affected by extrusion temperatures or extrusion throughout the study period except during 8-14d in the pigeon pea groups. However, FI significantly reduced and FCR improved with extrusion cooking and extrusion temperatures (P<0.05) for meat-type chickens on the pigeon pea diets. The FI also reduced and FCR improved with extrusion cooking and extrusion temperatures for meat-type chickens on the bambara groundnut diets between 8-21d and 29-35d of age (FI: 604.83±0.71g vs 530.58±6.47g and 532.20±15.36g respectively; FCR: 3.89±0.15 vs 3.25±0.17 and 3.27±0.21, respectively). Relative organ weights, weights and lengths of intestinal segments as well as pancreatic amylase and protease activities were not influenced by extrusion cooking or extrusion temperatures.       La cuisson par extrusion, une technique de traitement de courte durée à haute température, est prometteuse pour réduire les activités des inhibiteurs enzymatiques et améliorer la biodisponibilité des nutriments dans les légumineuses à grains, améliorant ainsi leur valeur nutritive. L'effet de la cuisson par extrusion de deux légumineuses à grains ; Cajanus cajan (pois cajan) et Vigna subterranean (arachide bambara) à des températures variées sur les performances de croissance, l'activité enzymatique endogène et le développement des organes de poulets de type viande âgés de 35 jours ont été étudiés. Le pois cajan et le pois cajan ont été broyés et extrudés à deux températures (100oC et 140oC) à partir desquels six régimes ont été formulés contenant 30g/100g de régime alimentaire non extrudé (témoin), 100oC ou 140oC d'extrudés de pois cajan ou de pois cajan. Deux cent cinquante-deux poussins de type viande d'un jour ont été répartis dans les six régimes en six répétitions, sept oiseaux chacun. Le gain de poids et la prise alimentaire (PA) ont été surveillés chaque semaine et le ratio de conversion alimentaire (RCA) a été estimé. Le poids relatif du pancréas, du proventricule, du gésier et du foie (g) ainsi que les longueurs et poids duodénaux, jéjunaux et iléaux ont été mesurés. Activités de l'amylase pancréatique, des protéases ; la chymotrypsine et la trypsine, et les disaccharidases de bordure en brosse; la sucrase et la maltase ont également été dosées dans le pancréas, le digesta iléal et jéjunal et les tissus iléaux et jéjunaux respectivement. Les données ont été analysées à l'aide d'ANOVA (p<0,05) et de contrastes pré-planifiés, pour élucider l'effet de l'extrusion (brut vs extrudé ; 100 oC et 140 oC) et des températures (100 oC contre 140oC) sur chaque légumineuse à grains étudiée. Le gain de poids des poulets recevant à la fois des régimes à base d'arachide et de pois cajan n'a pas été affecté par les températures d'extrusion ou l'extrusion tout au long de la période d'étude, sauf pendant 8 à 14 jours dans les groupes de pois cajan. Cependant, le PA a diminué de manière significative (P<0,05) et le RCA s'est amélioré avec la cuisson par extrusion et les températures d'extrusion pour les poulets de type viande sur les régimes de pois cajan. Le PA a également diminué et le RCA s'est amélioré avec la cuisson par extrusion et les températures d'extrusion pour les poulets de type viande sur les régimes à base d'arachide bambara entre 8-21 jours et 29-35 jours d'âge (PA : 604,83 ± 0,71 g vs 530,58 ± 6,47 g et 532,20 ± 15,36 g respectivement ; RCA : 3,89±0,15 vs 3,25±0,17 et 3,27±0,21 respectivement). Les poids relatifs des organes, les poids et les longueurs des segments intestinaux ainsi que les activités de l'amylase et de la protéase pancréatiques n'étaient pas influencés par la cuisson par extrusion ou les températures d'extrusion.

Sorghum is the primary alternative feedstuff for corn in some developed countries in the production of poultry. Thus, four hundred and fifty 32 weeks old Lohmann Brown laying hens were used in a study to evaluate the effect of replacing maize with sorghum with or without enzymes supplementation, on egg laying performance and egg quality characteristics of laying hens. Birds were distributed randomly into six dietary treatments with three replicates per treatment, each replicate had 25 birds with uniform initial group weights. The treatments included maize without enzymes (T1); sorghum without enzymes (T2); as controls respectively, while T3, T4, T5, and T6 contained sorghum based diets with phytase, protease, G2G, and a combination of protease and G2G respectively. Laying performance, cost of production, and egg quality characteristics were determined for the period of the trial, 33-56 weeks of age of the birds. All data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance, using the completely randomized design (CRD) and significant differences among treatment means were compared using the Tukey test. Significant (p<0.05) differences were observed among dietary treatments but with no defined trend observed for egg production traits. Daily feed intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher in maize control diet compared to the other treatments. Diets supplemented with phytase (T3), protease (14), and combination of protease and roxazyme G2G (T6) had significantly (p<0.05) better feed conversion ratio with T3 having the lowest value of 4.01 compared to the other treatments. For feed cost/dozen egg (N), Kg feed/dozen eggs, income above feed cost at N30 per egg, and income above control treatment; phytase (T3), protease (T4), roxazyme 626 (T5), and protease + roxacyme G2G (T6) diets in this study showed better performance than the control. Sorghum diet without enzyme had significantly (p<0.05) least performance for egg number. Hen housed egg production (HHP) and hen day egg production (HDP) compared to the other treatments while sorghum diet with phytase had the highest value (60.12g/day) for average egg weight compared to the other treatments. Egg quality characteristics showed the best performance for dietary treatments supplemented with phytase (T3) in all the other parameters considered, apart from the albumen height, yolk diameter, and yolk index. It was concluded therefore, that sorghum with phytase and protease supplementations can be used in layers' diets as a substitute for maize for optimum egg production.

A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of replacing maize with sorghum and supplementation with enzymes, on the growth and laying performance of laying chickens. Four hundred and fifty 12-weeks old Lohmann Brown pullets were distributed randomly into six dietary treatments with three replicates per treatment, each replicate had 25 birds with uniform group weights at the initial stage of the study. The treatments included maize without enzymes (T1) and sorghum without enzymes (T2) as two controls respectively, while T3, T4, T5, and T6 contained sorghum based diets with phytase, protease, roxazyme G2G, and a combination of protease and roxazyme G2G respectively. The experiment lasted from 12 to 32 weeks of age of birds during which data were collected on growth and early egg laying performance of birds. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance, using the completely randomized design (CRD). Significant differences among treatment means were compared using the Tukey test. Significant (p<0.05) differences were noted in final weight (g/bird), weight gain (g/bird), daily weight gain (g/bird), total feed intake (g/bird), daily feed intake (g/bird/day), and feed to gain ratio. Final weight and weight gain were significantly (p<0.05) better for birds in T4 (sorghum + protease) compared to the other treatments, but was similar to T1 (control). At the early laying stage, no definite trend was observed among the egg production traits. However, dietary treatment supplemented with phytase (T3) had the highest numerical values for; weight of first egg (54.28g), number of eggs at peak lay (24.00), hen house egg production 78.84%, and hen day egg production, 81.09%. It was concluded therefore, that sorghum with phytase and protease supplementations can be used in layers' diets for optimum egg production. It is recommended that phytase supplementation at 0.02% with sorghum can be incorporated into the diets of egg type chickens for optimum performance.

Sorghum is the primary alternative feedstuff for corn in some developed countries in the production of poultry. Thus, four hundred and fifty 32 weeks old Lohmann Brown laying hens were used in a study to evaluate the effect of replacing maize with sorghum with or without enzymes supplementation, on egg laying performance and egg quality characteristics of laying hens. Birds were distributed randomly into six dietary treatments with three replicates per treatment, each replicate had 25 birds with uniform initial group weights. The treatments included maize without enzymes (T1); sorghum without enzymes (T2); as controls respectively, while T3, T4, T5, and T6 contained sorghum based diets with phytase, protease, G2G, and a combination of protease and G2G respectively. Laying performance, cost of production, and egg quality characteristics were determined for the period of the trial, 33 -56 weeks of age of the birds. All data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance, using the completely randomized design (CRD) and significant differences among treatment means were compared using the Tukey test. Significant (p<0.05) differences were observed among dietary treatments but with no defined trend observed for egg production traits. Daily feed intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher in maize control diet compared to the other treatments. Diets supplemented with phytase (T3), protease (T4), and combination of protease and roxazyme G2G (T6) had significantly (p<0.05) better feed conversion ratio with T3 having the lowest value of 4.01 compared to the other treatments. For feed cost/dozen egg (N), Kg feed/dozen eggs, income above feed cost at N30 per egg, and income above control treatment; phytase (T3), protease (T4), roxazyme G2G (T5), and protease + roxazyme G2G (T6) diets in this study showed better performance than the control. Sorghum diet without enzyme had significantly (p<0.05) least performance for egg number, Hen housed egg production (HHP) and hen day egg production (HDP) compared to the other treatments while sorghum diet with phytase had the highest value (60.12g/day) for average egg weight compared to the other treatments. Egg quality characteristics showed the best performance for dietary treatments supplemented with phytase (T3) in all the other parameters considered, apart from the albumen height, yolk diameter, and yolk index. It was concluded therefore, that sorghum with phytase and protease supplementations can be used in layers' diets as a substitute for maize for optimum egg production.

A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of replacing maize with sorghum and supplementation with enzymes, on the growth and laying performance of laying chickens. Four hundred and fifty 12-weeks old Lohman Brown pullets were distributed randomly into six dietary treatments with three replicates per treatment, each replicate had 25 birds with uniform group weights at the initial stage of the study. The treatments included maize without enzymes (T1) and sorghum without enzymes (T2) as two controls respectively, while T3, T4, T5, and T6 contained sorghum based diets with phytase, protease, roxazyme G2G, and a combination of protease and roxazyme G2G respectively. The experiment lasted from 12 to 32 weeks of age of birds during which data were collected on growth and early egg laying performance of birds. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance, using the completely randomized design (CRD). Significant differences among treatment means were compared using the Tukey test. Significant (p<0.05) differences were noted in final weight (g/bird), weight gain (g/bird), daily weight gain (g/bird), total feed intake (g/bird), daily feed intake (g/bird/day), and feed to gain ratio. Final weight and weight gain were significantly (p<0.05) better for birds in T4 (sorghum + protease) compared to the other treatments, but was similar to T1 (control). At the early laying stage, no definite trend was observed among the egg production traits. However, dietary treatment supplemented with phytase (T3) had the highest numerical values for; weight of first egg (54.28g), number of eggs at peak lay (24.00), hen house egg production 78.84%, and hen day egg production, 81.09%. It was concluded therefore, that sorghum with phytase and protease supplementations can be used in layers' diets for optimum egg production. It is recommended that phytase supplementation at 0.02% with sorghum can be incorporated into the diets of egg type chickens for optimum performance.