Since prehistoric times, sheep and goat farming has been an integral part of the farming system of the people of South east Nigeria. This study investigated the current state of sheep and goat farming amongst households in Imo State south eastern Nigeria. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) structured questionnaires were distributed to farmers randomly selected from three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Imo state namely, Oru West, Ahiazu Mbaise and Ezinihitte Mbaise to determine the socio-economic characteristics, production systems, breeding and reproduction, constraints and strategies for economic improvement in a focus group interview. Only 89 farmers were available for interview. The results revealed significant decline in sheep and goat farming amongst the households across four generations within the households interviewed. Lack of interest due to poor policy framework, low productivity of existing breeds, difficulty in feed supply and high cost of breeding stock was identified as constraints of sheep and goat production in thiese areas. It was also observed that older people were more directly involved in sheep and goat farming than youths. 59.6% of the farmers were females, and 31-50% of the farmers were between the ages of 31 and 50 years. Farming was the most common occupation amongst the households while trading was the next. Results also showed that 76.4% of the communities had history of sheep and goat keeping whereas 73% of the total families interviewed had a history of sheep and goat keeping. It was also observed that 33.7% of households were involved in poultry enterprise and 25.3% involved in fish farming. Only 4.8% engaged in sheep and goat farming. Results obtained also revealed that 48.3% of the identified sheep and goat farmers kept breeds of sheep and goat from northern Nigeria while 40.4% maintained the west African dwarf breed. 34% of respondents believed that access to grants and credit facilities, 25 % believed provision of land in urban areas, while 21% believed improvement in small ruminant feed technology, would improve production. Lambing and kidding was mostly twice a year (48.3%). Breeding was mostly observed to be uncontrolled (51.7%). Also, the results showed that, 59.6% of the farmers were willing to pay for veterinary services. The most important diseases within these areas were worms, ecto-parasites and peste des petits ruminants (PPR). It can be inferred from the study that farmers within the region appear to pay greater emphasis on poultry production and fish farming to the detriment of smallholder sheep and goat farming which could be attributed to poor knowledge of sheep and goat farming technologies resulting to low productivity.

This study was designed to determine the chemical and nutritive evaluation of Jatropha Curcas Leaf Meal on the performance of Broiler chicks. Jatropha curcas leaf meal contains 19.51% crude protein but high in crude fibre and also contains some anti-nutritional factors (ANFs). The leaves were harvested, the stalks removed and the leaves chopped to facilitate sun drying for 5 days until they became crispy while still retaining the greenish colouration. The material was milled using a hammer mill with a sieve size of 3.36m to produce leaf meal. The experiments reported in this study were therefore conducted to determine the chemical and nutritive value of Jatropha curcas leaf meal in broiler diets. In the first experiment, the leaf meal so prepared was used to formulate broiler starter diets at 0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, and 7.5% dietary levels respectively, using 180, 7-day-old young Marshal broiler chicks with were divided into four groups of 45 birds. Each treatment group was further sub-divided into three replicates of 15 birds. The trial lasted 28 days. In the second experiment, the leaf meal was produced as in experiment one. The leaf meal was used to formulate broiler finisher diets at two dietary levels of 0% and 5.0% inclusion levels respectively using 120, 5-week-old broiler chicks divided into two groups of 60 birds each with three replicates of 20 birds each per treatment. The feeding trial lasted 21 days. At the end of the 21 day, five birds were randomly selected from each treatment for carcass and organ weight evaluation. In both experiments, feed intake of the birds on diets containing the leaf meal were significantly (p<0.05) lower than the control (0%) group except at 2.5% dietary level at the first experiment that compared favourably with the control (0%) group. Body weight gain and feed conversion ratio of the birds were not comparable, except also at 2.5% dietary level of the first (starter experiment) which compared favourably with the control (0%) group. The relative organ weights in the second experiment were also not comparable except the heart. Dietary inclusion of Jatropha curcas leaf meal in both experiments reduced feed cost but beyond 2.5% level, cost of meat produced (N/kg) meat increased. The results obtained from these experiments suggests that Jatropha curcas leaf meal should not be incorporated in broiler diets beyond. 2.5% dietary level.

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High feed cost resulting from the use of conventional feed ingredients represents a major challenge in broiler production in South-East Nigeria. Feed constitutes 70% of the cost of production of broiler chickens hence, the replacement of unconventional feed ingredients holds the key to sustainable poultry production. This trial was aimed at determining the optimum inclusion level of palm kernel cake as a partial replacement of soya bean and maize in a broiler finisher diet during a 28-day trial. The PKC was included at 0%, 35%, 40% and 45% of total feed composition and birds were fed ad libitum. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) four week-old broilers were used for the measurements. Birds were allotted to four treatment groups of 10 birds each with three replications in a completely randomized design (CRD). The growth performance and haematological characteristics were evaluated. The results showed significant differences (P<0.05) in the final weight gains, average weight gain and feed conversion ratio but no significant differences was observed in the feed intake. The control diet had the highest average weight gain of 919.20g and 40% PKC inclusion had the least value of 595.47g. At end of the experiment, 6 birds randomly selected from each treatment were fasted overnight and slaughtered for blood samples collection. The results of the haematological parameters indicated significant differences (P<0.05) in the haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations, packed cell volume (PCV), total white blood cell counts (WBC), respectively. Furthermore, the mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell heamoglobin (MCH), mean cell heamoglobin concentration (MCHC) all showed significant variation. However, no significant differences were observed in the red blood cell count (RBC). From this study, it could be concluded that although broiler birds can tolerate high inclusion levels of PKC up to 40%, 35% was the level of inclusion that would result to higher weight gains for optimum productivity.

This work investigated the effect of integrated forage-concentrate diets with Thais coronate as additive on reducing odour and nitrogen output in rabbit production. Thais coronate shells were thoroughly washed, dried and ground to 2mm particle size. Forty-five growing rabbits were fed diets comprising 25% forage and 75% concentrate with 0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75% or 1.0% ofthe shells for two weeks in a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment. The treatments were designated T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively with 9 rabbits per dietary treatment and replicated thrice with 3 rabbits per replicate. Faeces and urine were collected and odour perception scored by 10-member panel on a 5-point scale. The mean odour perception scores of T1 (urine =4.02, faeces=3.55) represented the strongest (P< 0.05) degree of pungency while T4 (urine=3.05, faeces=2.76) gave the least (P<0.05) pungent odour. Average total nitrogen yield from treatment 1 (2.93g/day) was significantly higher than those from treatments 3 (2.53g/day) and 4 (2.31g/day) but similar to those from treatments 2 (2.74g/day) and 5 (2.70g/day). Inclusion of T. coronata shell at0.75% in a forage-concentrate (T4) diet of rabbit reduces odour in rabbit production and elicits the least yield of nitrogen.