ABSTRACT This study evaluated the protein fatty acid and mineral changes in sweet potato root iheal inoculated with two selected fungi by solid state fermentation procedure. The total protein content was raised from 4.95% to 11.83% and 6.69% within 48 hrs for Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger respectively. The total lipid dropped from 1.93% in thè control to 1.36 and 4.19% for A. niger and A. oryzae respectively. The fatty acids 0 6 : 0 and 0 8 :2 were preponderant over other fatty ac...
ABSTRACT Data on a full diallel cross involving three rabbit breeds and its effects on some growth and reproductive traits were studied. Data on two thousand and thirteen (2,013) rabbits comprising eight hundred and five (805) purebred bunnies kindled in 60 litters and one thousand, two hundred and five (1,205) crossbred bunnies from 86 litters bred from 2010 to 2014 in five parities were first corrected for the fixed effects of sex, season of kindling and the does‘ age using the least sign...
Abstract A 70-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate nutrient intake, digestibility and growth characteristics of rabbits fed maize grain (mg), maize offal (mo), cassava tuber (ct) or cassava peel (cp) based diets. The four test ingredients were included at 30.84% in diets supplying 17% crude protein. The consumption of dry matter, crude protein and crude fibre were higher (P4.05) in mo and cp based diets, while apparent digestibilities were better (Pc0.05) in rabbits fed mg and ct based...
ABSTRACT Little scientific research has been carried out on local Guinea fowls to estimate average values of traits and effects of genetic and environmental factors on these traits. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of strain and nongenetic factors on growth, reproduction, egg quality and carcass characteristics of indigenous Guinea fowl. The study was carried out at the Poultry Section of the Department of Animal Science Education, University of Education, Winneba,...
ABSTRACT The study involved 16 yreaner crossbred (New Zealand White and Chinchila) rabbits of about eight weeks of a.fetz with initial average weight of 0.69 kg. The animals were offered a measured amount of their respective diets. The level of replacement of groundnut cake with Gliricidia leaf meal (GLM) were 0, 25 50 and 75%, to give four diets which were fed ad libitum throughout the experimental period of 35 days. The similar average daily feed intake of the rabbit fed 0, 25 and 50% GLM i...
ABSTRACT Sustainable management of forests through enhancement of forest carbon stocks is a global effort aimed at creating incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions. Ghana’s participation in carbon reduction initiatives such as REDD+ has brought about huge demand for data on carbon stocks. This pre-empted the need for carbon stock assessment in the Kakum and Amanzule mangrove forests. Above- and below-ground carbon pools in the two forests were assessed in order to evaluate t...
BSTRACT Despite the many roles small ruminants play in the livelihoods of rural small holder farmers. high mortality in small ruminants has been identified as the major constraint impeding productivity, and hence the livelihoods of small ruminant keepers. In the Savelugu-Nanton district estimated losses in livestock output due to mortality of small ruminants are in the tune of 35%. The present study focuses on the implications of these losses due to mortality in small ruminants in the distric...
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate consumer preferences for different Guinea fowl genotypes, the effects of genotypes on carcass characteristics and biochemical composition of meat. The study also aimed at investigating the effects of genotype on sensory attributes of meat. This study was divided into 3 phases. In phase one, sales of Guinea fowls and administration of questionnaires to consumers, retailers, producers and processors were made in one Municipal (Asante Mampo...
ABSTRACT Commercial feed availability is essential in areas where poultry (chicken) farmers practice intensive production. A study was thus undertaken in the Sekyere West District (SWD) of Ashanti Region to determine the availability of commercial feed as a factor in chicken production. The study also assessed patronage of Agricare feed in Mampong, SWD, covering a period of 3 years (2004-2006). A census survey, involving 62 active chicken farmers and the feed supply agent in the district, was...
Abstract A comparative study was conducted on some performance characteristics with 225 each of Cobb 500 and Ross 308 broiler chickens fed three rations in which PKOR replaced wheat bran at 0% (control), 10% and 20% levels. There were 6 treatments (of 75 birds each) and 3 replicates (of 25 birds each), in a completely randomized designed 2x3 factorial experiment. The trial used 3-week old broiler chicks over a 5 week period. The effects of genotype, ratio...
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the influence of egg size and day length on reproductive and growth performance, egg characteristics and blood profile of indigenous guinea fowls in Ghana. The study was carried out for a period of ten (10) months. Two hundred and forty day-old keets hatched from three different egg size groups (treatments): small (23-39g); medium (40-42g) and large (43-49g) were used in the experiment. The birds were subjected to artificial light between 6 to...
Abstract This study investigated the effects of dietary palm oil (PO) on growth performance and carcass composition of Heterobranchus longifilis with the goal of replacing dietary fish oil with palm oil. In this study triplicate groups of H. longifilis fingerlings were fed the experimental diets for 8 weeks. Five isonitrogenous (45% crude protein), isoenergetic (20 KJg-1) experimental diets were made containing either 6.0% FO and 0% PO, 4.5% FO and 1.5% PO; 3.0% FO and 3.0% PO; 1.5% FO and 4....
ABSTRACT Improvement of the domestic chicken has dominated efforts of indigenous breeders in recent times. Three hundred and fifty seven (357) Fulani ecotype chickens in Osun State were surveyed and assessed for their phenotypic and productive characteristics. Plumage pattern, thigh and shank colour, mature weight (kg), comb size, wattle size, breast length, breast width, leg length (all in cm); egg weight (gm) and clutch size were examined. Plumage pattern was more heterogeneous iI1 hens, w...
Abstract: A total of forty (40) growing rabbits with an average initial weight of 921.5g were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments containing 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% palm kernel cake as replacement for soyabean cake respectively. All diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (20% CP). The final live weights of the rabbits were higher in the control diet compared to those on palm kernel cake diets. With the exception of the rabbits placed on 40% level of palm kernel cake daily feed inta...
Abstract A study was conducted at the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) Shika, Zaria, Nigeria to access some semen quality characteristics and to determine the effect of mating ratio on fertility and hatchability of Hubbard broiler breeders. 20 cocks were examined for semen quality characteristics. Parameters evaluated were: ejaculate volume, semen pH, sperm concentration and sperm motility. Sequel to semen quality evaluation, hens were divided into three groups according ...