Abdominal fat. Marshall broilers. Cost benefit. Feed:gain ratio. PALABRAS CLAVE ADICIONALESGrasa abdominal. Broilers Marshall. Coste/beneficio. Conversión alimenticia. SUMMARYTwo hundred and sixteen unsexed 14 daysold Marshall broiler chicks were used in a 3×3 factorial experimental design to test the effect of restricting feed intake of birds by 0 %, 20 % and 40 % levels for 2, 4 and 6 weeks after two weeks of the starter phase. The unrestricted (control) treatments were fed ad libitum throughout the experiment. The experiment lasted for 42 days. Data were collected and calculated on weight gain, feed:gain, feed intake, mortality, proximate composition of meat and cost-benefit analysis. Data obtained were subjected to a 2-way analysis of variance. Results showed significantly higher (p<0.05) final weights in the unrestricted birds (control) compared to the restricted birds. Interaction between duration of restriction and level of restriction indicated that weight gain and feed intake significantly (p<0.05) reduced as duration and level of feed restriction increased. Feed:gain was significantly (p<0.05) different across the treatments with birds restricted at 40 % for 6 weeks having the best feed:gain (1.91). The mortality recorded was not significant (p>0.05) across duration and level of restriction. Abdominal fat decreased with increasing duration and level of restriction with birds on 40 % level and 6 weeks duration of restriction having the lowest fat content (0.20 %). Crude protein content of the breast muscle significantly increased while crude fat content of the breast muscle significantly decreased with duration and level of restriction. Crude fat content was lowest at 40 % level and 6 weeks duration of feed restriction. As level and duration of feed restriction increased, feed cost/ kg reduced. Birds restricted at 40 % level for 2, 4 and 6 weeks durations respectively had better cost benefit than birds restricted at 0 and 20 % levels for 2, 4 and 6 weeks durations. It can be concluded that the best feed:gain, lower abdominal fat, higher protein and better cost benefit was achieved in birds restricted at 40 % for 6 weeks. RESUMENDurante 42 días, 216 pollos broiler Marshall, de 14 días, fueron empleados en un diseño experimental factorial 3x3 para estudiar el efecto de la restricción de la ingestión de alimento en 0, 20 y 40 %, durante 2, 4 y 6 semanas en la fase de iniciación. El tratamiento control (no restringido) recibió alimentación ad libitum durante todo el experimento. Se obtuvieron datos sobre ganancia de peso, alimento/peso, ingestión, mortalidad, composición de la carne y relación coste beneficio. Los datos obtenidos se sometieron a un análisis de varianza de dos vías. Los resultados mostraron mayor peso final (p<0,05), en las aves sin restricción, la interacción duración*nivel de restricción indicó que tanto la ganancia de peso como la ingestión, se redujeron cuando aumentaron la duración y nivel de restricción. La relación alimento/ganancia fue diferente (p<0,05) entre tratamientos siendo la ...

This study was conducted to determine the effect of housing systems on the performance, carcass characteristics and the haematology of 150 four-week old Anak titan strains of broiler chicks in a completely randomized design. The birds were allocated randomly into two treatment (cage and floor) groups of three replications containing 25 birds per replicate. They were maintained for a period of 4 weeks and data were collected on; final body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed:gain and mortality. At the 56th week, carcass yield, cut-up parts and organs weights as well as some parameters were measured. The results showed that feed intake and feed:gain were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the cage system. Dressing percentage and breast weight were higher (p < 0.05) in the floor housing system while drumstick and lung weight were higher in the cage system. No significant (p > 0.05) difference was obtained in the haematology. It was then concluded that an improvement in the floor system could result into a better performance and an increased carcass yield.

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The present study was conducted to determine the effects of adding fruit-juices to semen extenders on viability of buck spermatozoa during cryopreservation in two studies. Pooled semen samples obtained from West African Dwarf (WAD) goat bucks were diluted with Tris-egg yolk based extenders. In study I, the diluted semen samples were supplemented with orange (Citrus sinensis), cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and pineapple (Ananas comosus) juices (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 ml/100 ml). In study II, the diluted semen samples were supplemented with 5 ml/100 ml of different combinations of fruitjuices consisting of pineapple and orange juices (TEYPO) at a 1:1 ratio, pineapple and cucumber juices (TEYPC) at a 1:1 ratio, orange and cucumber juices (TEYOC) at a 1:1 ratio, and pineapple, orange and cucumber juices (TEYPOC) at a 1:1:1 ratio, respectively. The diluted semen samples were cryopreserved and thereafter evaluated for sperm viability parameters. The extenders supplemented with 7.5 and 10% orange, and 10% pineapple had higher (P < 0.05) motility compared to the control. There was higher (P < 0.05) acrosome integrity in extenders supplemented with orange and pineapple at all levels compared to the control while cucumber at 10% had higher (P < 0.05) acrosome integrity compared to other levels and the control. The extenders supplemented with cucumber, orange and pineapple had higher (P < 0.05) membrane integrity compared to the control except at 7.5% of extender supplemented with cucumber. Similarly, the extenders supplemented with cucumber, orange and pineapple had lower (P < 0.05) sperm abnormality compared to the control. The extenders supplemented with cucumber, orange and pineapple at 2.5, 10 and 7.5% respectively had lower (P < 0.05) concentrations of MDA compared to other levels and the control. There was higher motility and acrosome integrity in extenders supplemented with different combinations of fruit-juices (P < 0.05) compared to the control. TEYPC had higher (P < 0.05) membrane integrity and lower (P < 0.05) concentrations of MDA compared to the control. The findings revealed that extenders supplemented with orange and pineapple at 10% consistently improved motility, acrosome integrity and membrane integrity, and reduced sperm abnormality compared to the control while no particular combination of these fruit-juices was consistently superior in all the parameters.

The fruit of Lagenaria breviflora R. was obtained and subjected to methanol extraction. The chemical compound in the extract was analyzed using a Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrophotomter (GC-MS). The screening of the fruit extract revealed important phytochemicals such as Phenols, Alkaloids Carotenoids and Flavonoids. The analysis of the GC-MS revealed that hydrocarbons as the most abundant compound in the extract and a total of 30 compounds were identified. The major components are octadecane (19.25%), hexacosane (10.9%), docosane (9.15%0, 2 methyl-E,E-3,13- octadecadienol (8.33%), heptadecane (8.18%), tricosane (4.36%), tridecane (3.71%), 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono (2-ethylhexyl) ester (3.63%), tetracontane, 3,5,24-trimethyl- (3.38) and 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)- (2.64%). Some of the compounds obtained have been reported to have potentials for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of diseases in both man and animals.