No abstract

A total of 300 day old Cobb and 500 broiler chicks distributed randomly to 20 pens with 15 chicks each were allocated to 5 different dietary treatments with 4 replicates per treatment in order to evaluate the growth performances of Cobb 500 broiler chickens. A complete randomized design (CRD) was used. Cowpea inclusion levels were 0% (T1), 5% (T2), 10% (T3), 15% (T4) and 20% (T5). A partial budget analysis was done for the treatments. The results of the study revealed that crude protein, dry matter (DM) and the metabolisable energy content of cowpea grain were 25.76%, 89.94% and 3307.37 kcal/kg DM, respectively. Feed intake did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between treatments or inclusion levels. Starter phase ranged from 44 to 45.16 g/bird/day; finisher phase ranged from 113.9 to 117.20 g/bird/day; and the complete experimental period ranged from 83.78 to 85.88 g/bird/day. Daily body weight gains for the entire experimental period were 34.82, 34.27, 36.81, 35.74 and 33.08g (SEM=0.46) for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in growth performance for the complete experimental period. Mortality was at 5% for treatment T1 and T4, while for T2, T3, and T5, respectively, no mortality occurred. Partial budget analysis of the different treatments was calculated based on changes in total return. Change in total return was greater in T3 followed by T5, T4, T2 and marginal rate of return was greater in T3 (32.96) than in T2 (5.62), T5 (3.42) and T4 (2.4). This study indicate that inclusion of cowpea from 5 to 20% in the diet of broiler chickens have no adverse effect on growth performance and from the point of partial budget analysis, T3 (10% inclusion level) was the most profitable.

No abstract

The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of drinking salinity levels in Lake water on the growth performance, physiological, and blood constituents of Hararghe-highland lambs. A total of 28 lambs (average IBW of 18±1.18kg) were categorized into four levels of water salinity, namely freshwater (510mg/l TDS), lake Basaka water (LBW; 2600mg TDS/L); lake Basaka water plus 100% TDS of LBW; 5200mg TDS/L) and lake Basaka water plus 200% TDS of LBW; 7900mg TDS/L). The current results suggest that increased TDS levels in lake water increase the water intake of lambs while not affecting IBW, FBW, AWG, and FCR. Additionally, drinking saline lake with increasing TDS levels increased RT and RR and caused a significant (P<0.05) change in the concentrations of glucose, albumin, urea, triglycerides, sodium, AST, ALT, T3, and T4. Some hematological variables and biochemical constituents like creatinine, total protein, cholesterol, chlorides, potassium, magnesium, and calcium showed no significant (P>0.05) differences. In conclusion, Hararghe-highland lambs from Ethiopia could tolerate lake Basaka water with a high salt level (7952mg/L TDS).