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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two herbal spices as feed additives for finisher broilers. 120 5-week old birds were randomly assigned to four treatments in a completely randomized design. Each group was further subdivided into three replicates of 10 birds per replicate. Four experimental diets were formulated such that diet I (T 1) which served as the control contained neither ginger nor garlic. Diets 2 (T 2) and 3 (T 3) contained 0.25% garlic and ginger respectively. Diet 4 (T 4) contained a combination of 0.25% of garlic and ginger. Response parameters evaluated include weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, blood parameters and carcass characteristics. The experiment lasted for 35 days. Results showed that birds fed supplemented diets had significantly (P<0.05) higher body weight gain and superior feed conversion ratio than birds fed the control diet. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in the feed consumption of the birds among the treatments. The hematological indices, serum biochemistry and carcass characteristics of the birds among the treatment were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments. The results of this study suggest that ginger and garlic can be included in broiler finisher diets without adversely affecting the performance of the birds.

This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of raw and cooked wild cocoyam (Caladium bicolor) on the performance of broiler chicks. Wild cocoyam corms were divided into two batches. One batch was ground raw and the other batch was cooked before grinding. Wild cocoyam meals so prepared were used to formulate 5 broiler starter diets at dietary inclusion levels of 0, 10 and 20% raw and cooked wild cocoyam respectively. 180 7-day-old Anak broiler chicks were randomly allotted to the five treatment diets in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and each group was further subdivided into three replicates of 12 birds. Measurements recorded included weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and protein efficiency ratios and economics of production. Results shows significant (p<0.05) improvement in feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and PER of birds fed cooked wild cocoyam meals. Marked (p<0.05) reduction was however, obtained in feed intake and feed conversion ratio of birds fed raw wild cocoyam diets. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference between birds fed maize-based (control) and cooked wild cocoyam diets. Results of this experiment indicated that cooking improved the nutritive value of wild cocoyam since birds fed cooked wild cocoyam diets produced best results than those fed raw wild cocoyam meal and that starter broilers could tolerate up to 20% dietary inclusion level of cooked wild cocoyam without any deleterious effect. Economics of production showed that cooked wild cocoyam diets were more profitable as regards the cost of feed per kg weight gain (N) and thus cost savings (%).

This study was carried out to estimate the technical and economic efficiencies of poultry farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. The data was collected with semi-structured questionnaire from 140 randomly selected poultry farmers. A stochastic frontier production function was estimated by using the maximum likelihood estimation technique to obtain the technical and economic efficiencies of poultry farmers. The mean technical efficiency of poultry farmers was 75 percent, while their mean economic efficiency was 21 percent. The generalized likelihood test indicated that, the poultry farmers are not fully technically and economically efficient in resource use. There is 79% allowance to increase economic efficiency of poultry farmers by improvement in technical efficiency.

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