Effects of amaranthus spinosus (green) leaf meal on the performance of broiler chicks
Journal Title: Scientific Journal of Veterinary Advances - Year 2015, Vol 4, Issue 3
Abstract
A twenty eight -day feeding trial was conducted with one hundred and twenty 7-day old Anak 2000 broiler chicks to study the effects of green leaf (Amaranthus spinosus) as a dietary energy source. Amaranthus spinosus leaves dried and ground were used to each replace wheat offal in the following dietary levels: 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% respectively. The chicks were divided into five treatment groups, each group replicated four times at the rate of five chicks per replicate. The performance and organ weight characteristics were evaluated. Amaranthus spinosus leaf meals improved the mean feed intake, body weight gain and live weight of broilers. The performance of broilers in the Amaranthus spinosus leaf meal based diets was inferior to the control. Amaranthus spinosus caused significant proportionate growth in % daily weight (p < 0.05) and carcass evaluation (p < 0.05). Utilization of Amaranthus spinosus significantly increased (p < 0.05) the % live weight of the abdominal fat thus improving the nutritive value of the meat.
Authors and Affiliations
E. O. Ahaotu*| Department of Animal Production and Health Technology, Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, P.M.B. 1472, Owerri, Nigeria., S. A. Adeyeye| Department of Animal Production, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria., N. Nnorom| Department of Animal Production and Health Technology, Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, P.M.B. 1472, Owerri, Nigeria.
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP926
- DOI 10.14196/sjva.v4i3.1851
- Views 502
- Downloads 49
In-vitro evaluation of fungicides, bioagents and aqueous leaf extracts against Alternaria leaf blight of cotton
All the six fungicides viz.,Mancozeb (75% WP); Carbendazim (50WP), Copper oxychloride (50WP), Captan (50 WP), Thiram (75 % WP), Chlorothalonil (75 WP) evaluated in vitro (@500, 1000 and 1500 ppm) were found effective aga...
Risk practices and awareness of leptospirosis in an abattoir in northwestern Nigeria
The study was designed to assess the presence of risk practices and level of awareness of leptospirosis among abattoir workers. The study was conducted in an abattoir located in Northwestern Nigeria. Pretested questionna...
Host range and transmission of Tobacco streak virus (TSV) causing cotton mosaic disease
Tobacco streak virus (TSV) causing cotton mosaic disease was found to be transmissible by mechanical means specially when extracts were made in neutral phosphate buffer 0.02M containing reducing agent like 2-Mercaptoetha...
Seroprevalence of leptospires in sheep slaughtered at Sokoto metropolitan Abattoir
In a study to determine the seroprevalence of leptospiralantibodies in sheep slaughtered at Sokoto metropolitan abattoir, Nigeria, bloodwas collected from 282 sheep made up of both male and female. The serum wascollected...
Participatory surveillance of livestock and poultry diseases in Agidi development area of Nasarawa state Nigeria
A participatory surveillance of livestock and poultry diseases was carried out in Agidi Development Area of Nasarawa State among 123 farmers, 29 of the respondent were female, while 94 were male. Open-ended interviews we...