ABSTRACT
Two studies were carried out to evaluate the effects of complete replacement of maize with two varieties of guineacorn and two varieties of millet on the growth performance, carcass characteristics and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens. Five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets (23.5% CP; 2900 Kcal/ME) and (21% CP; 3000Kcal/ME) for the broiler starter and finisher phases respectively were formulated. Diet 1(maize based diet) served as the control while diets 2,3,4 and 5 were white guineacorn, yellow guineacorn (Short kaura), pearl millet and finger millet based diets respectively. A total of 225 day- old Marshal broiler chicks were randomly allotted to the five treatments. Each treatment consisted of 45 birds with three replicates of fifteen birds each in a completely randomized design (CRD). Feeds and water were provided ad libitum. The results of the first trial showed that final body weights and weight gained were significantly (p<0.05) higher in birds fed pearl and finger millet diets (T4 and T5) respectively than other treatments. T4 (Pearl millet based diet) recorded significantly (p<0.05) the best feed conversion ratio and the lowest feed cost per kg weight gain. Those fed the control (maize based diet T1) gave similar (p>0.05) values as those fed T3 (Short kaura based diet) in all the parameters measured. Birds fed diet T2 (white guineacorn) gave significantly (p<0.05) lowest values in all parameters measured and poor feed conversion ratio at the finisher phase.
The second trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% levels of maize in the diet with white guineacorn on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics of broilers. Substituting maize with white guineacorn did not adversely (p>0.05) affect feed intake across the dietary treatments. At the starter phase, birds fed 25% and 50% guineacorn diet as
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replacements for maize gave comparable results as those fed diet T1(control diet). At the finisher phase, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference for final weight, daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio and cost of feed per kilogramme weight gain between the birds fed the control diet and those fed between 25% and 75% maize replacement by white guineacorn. Birds fed 100% white guineacorn based diet gave significantly (p<0.05) lowest values in all parameters measured and poor feed conversion ratio. The results of digestibility trial showed no significant (p>0.05) differences in the percent ether extract and ash digestibilities across dietary treatments. Based on the results of the studies, it was concluded that millets or Short kaura guineacorn can completely replace maize component in broilers diets with no adverse effects on feed intake, growth rate, feed conversion ratio, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics. Also, observations from the second experiment showed that white guineacorn could conveniently replace up to 75% of the maize in broiler starter and finisher diets respectively without any adverse effect on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page………………………………………………………………………………ii
Declaration……………………………………………………………………………iii
Certification……………………………………………………………………………iv Dedication……………………………………………………………………………..v Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………………vi
Abstract ………………………………………………………………………….. viii
Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………………x
List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………….xv
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………….1
1.1 Justification ………………………………………………………………………3
1.2 Objectives of the Study……………………………………………………………. 3
1.3 Research Hypotheses …………………………………………………………… 4
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ……………………………………………………….5
2.1 The Role of Nutrition on Animal Production in Nigeria …………………………..5
2.2 Alternative Energy Sources for Poultry…..………………………………………6
2.3 Nutrient Composition of Guineacorn …………………………………………… 6
2.3.1 Vitamin and Mineral Compositions of Guineacorn…………………………….. 9
2.4 Anti-nutrients in Guineacorn Grain…………………………………………….9
2.4.1 Tannins (condensed polyphenols) in Guineacorn ..……………………………10
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2.4.2 Phytic Acid in Guineacorn ……………………………………………..……..11
2.4.3 Glycosides in Guineacorn ……….……………………………………………11
2.4.4 Oxalate in Guineacorn …………………………………………………………11
2.5 Methods of Detoxifying the Anti-nutritional Factors …………………………12
2.6 Guineacorn as an Alternative Energy Source in Poultry Diets………………….12
2.7 History, Taxonomy and Distribution of Millets………………………………16
2.8 Chemical Composition of Millets………………………………………………17
2.8.1 Carbohydrates in Millets………………………………………………………..17
2.8.2 Proteins in Millets……………………………………………………………..17
2.8.3 Lipids in Millets ………………………………………………………………18
2.8.4 Vitamins and Minerals in Millets………………………………………………19
2.8.5 Anti-nutrients in Millets………………………………………………………..20
2.9 Nutritional and Economic Importance of Guineacorn and Millets ……………21
2.9.1 Commercial Products …………………………………………………………..21
2.10 Trends in Millet Production in Africa …………………………………………24
2.11 Processing of Guineacorn and Millets …………………………………………24
2.12 Millets as an Alternative Energy Source in Poultry Diets ……………………25
2.13 Millets Utilization in Layers Diet …………………………………………….30
2.14 Nutrient Requirements of Broiler Chickens ………………………………….32
2.14.1 Energy Requirement of Broiler Chickens …………………………………….32
2.14.2 Protein Requirement of Broiler Chickens ………………………………………34
2.14.3 Amino acid (AA) Requirements of Broiler Chickens ………………………..35
2.14.4 Factors Influencing Broiler Response to Ideal Amino- acids ……………….37
2.14.5 Fat Requirement of Broilers …………………………………………………40
2.14.6 Dietary Metabolizable Energy Requirements of Broilers …………………..40
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2.15 Response Trends of Chickens to Differing Feed Energy and
Protein Levels………………………………………………………………. 41
2.15.1 Feed Intake ……………………………………………………………………41
2.15.2 Environmental Temperatures…………………………………………………43
2.15.3 Amino- acid Antagonisms…………………………………………………….44
2.15.4 Minerals and Vitamins Requirement of Broiler Chickens…………………….45
2.15.5 Water Requirements of Chickens……………………………………………46
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS …………………………………………. 48
3.1 Location of the Study …..……………………………………………………. 48
3.2 Sources of the Experimental Materials ………………………………………48
3.3 Determination of the Proximate Composition of Feed
Ingredients Used ………………………………………………………………48
3.4 Experiment 1: Performance of Broiler Chickens Fed two Varieties each of Guineacorn and Millet as Replacements for Dietary Maize
3.4.1 Preparation of Experiment 1diets ……………………………………………49
3.4.2 Experimental Design and Management of Birds …………………………… 53
3.4.3 Data Collection ……………………………………………………………… 53
3.4.4 Evaluation of Carcass ………………………………………………………. 53
3.4.5 Nutrient Digestibility Trial …………………………………………………..54
3.5 Experiment 2: Performance of Broiler Chickens Fed Graded Levels
of White Guineacorn as Replacements for Maize
3.5.1 Experimental Diets for Feeding Trial 2 …………………………………….. 55
3.5.2 Experimental Design and Management of Birds …………………………… 59
3.5.3 Data Collection ……………………………………………………………… 59
3.5.4 Evaluation of Carcass ………………………………………………………. 58
3.5.5 Nutrient Digestibility Trial …………………………………………………. 60
3.6 Statistical Analysis …………………………………………………………… 60
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CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 RESULTS …………………………………………………………………… 61
4.1 Proximate Composition ……………………………………………………… 61
4.2 Anti-nutritional Factors in Feed Ingredients …………………………………. 62
4.3 Experiment 1: Performance of Broiler Chickens fed two varieties each of Guineacorn and Millet as replacements for dietary Maize
4.3.1 Performance of Broilers Fed Two Varieties Each of Guineacorn and Millet (0-4 weeks) …………………………………………………………… 65
4.3.2 Performance of Broilers Finisher Fed Two Varieties Each of
Guineacorn and Millet (5-9weeks) ….……………………………………….. 68
4.3.3 Carcass Evaluation and Organ Weights of Broilers Fed Maize,
Guineacorn and Millet diets …………………………………………………. 70
4.3.4 Nutrient digestibility of Broilers Fed Guineacorn and Millet Based Diets..….72
4.4 Experiment 2: Performance of Broiler Chickens Fed Graded Levels of White Guineacorn as Replacement for Dietary Maize
4.4.1 Performance of Broiler Chicks Fed Graded Levels of White Guinea
corn Replacement for Dietary Maize (0- 4 weeks) ..…………………………..74
4.4.2 Performance of Broilers Fed Graded Levels of White Guineacorn
as Replacement for Dietary Maize (5- 9 weeks) .……………………………..76
4.4.3 Carcass Evaluation and Organ Weights of Broilers Fed Graded Levels
of White Guineacorn as Replacement for Dietary Maize ……………………..78
4.4.4 Nutrient Digestibility of Broilers Fed Graded Levels of White Guineacorn
as Replacement for Maize in Broiler Finisher Diets…………………………… 80
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 DISCUSSIONS ……………………………………………………………… 82
5.1 Proximate Composition of the Test Ingredients ………………………………82
5.2 Anti-nutritional Factors ………………………………………………………..82
5.3 Experiment 1: Performance of Broilers Chickens Fed Two Varieties Each
of Guineacorn and Millet as Replacements for Dietary Maize
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5.3.1 Performance of Broiler Chicks Fed Maize, Guineacorn and Millet
Based Diets (0-4 weeks) ………………………………………………………83
5.3.2 Performance of Broilers Finisher Chicken Fed Maize, Guineacorn
and Millet Based Diets (5-9 weeks) ………………………………………….. 85
5.3.3 Carcass Characteristics and Organ Weights of Broilers Fed maize,
Guineacorn and Millet Based Diets …………………………………………..86
5.3.4 Nutrient Digestibility of Broilers Fed Maize, Guineacorn
and Millet Diets ….……………………………………………………………87
5.4 Experiment 2: Performance of Broiler Chickens Fed Graded
Levels of White Guineacorn as Replacement for Dietary Maize…………….88
5.4.1 Performance of Broilers Fed Graded Levels of White Guineacorn as
Replacement for Dietary Maize (0-4 weeks) ………………………………..88
5.4.2 Performance of Broilers Fed Graded Levels of White Guineacorn as
Replacement for Maize during the Finisher Phase (5-9 weeks) ………………89
5.4.3 Carcass Characteristcs and Organ Weights of Broilers Fed Graded
Levels of White Guineacorn as Replacement for Maize……………………….89
5.4.4 Nutrient Digestibility of Broilers Fed Graded Levels of White Guinea
corn as Replacement for Maize………………………………………………90
CHAPTER SIX
6.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS …………….91
6.1 Summary ……………………………………………………………………….91
6.2 Conclusion.…………………………………………………………………….92
6.3 Recommendations ……………………………………………………………..93
REFERENCES…..…………………………………………………………………….94
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
In a developing country like Nigeria, there is an inadequate supply of animal protein sources. An average Nigerian consumes only about 8.6g of animal protein per day as against 53.3g by the inhabitants of developed countries (Ogundipe, 1996; Ojo, 2003). Sanni and Ogundipe (2005) reported that poultry industry occupies a major position in the livestock sector of agricultural production because birds have faster gestation than other other farm animals to produce meats and eggs for human consumption.
According to Ogundipe and Sanni (2002) and FAO (2006) reports, poultry is considered to be a means of livelihood towards achieving certain level of economic independence. Adegbola (2004) reported that 41.23% of animal protein yield per annum in Nigeria is sourced from poultry meat and eggs, 9.79% from cattle and 12.43% from pigs. FAO (1995) reported that the best logical solution to Nigeria‟s meat scarcity is to increase broiler chicken production.
Nutrition is perhaps the most important consideration in livestock management. Inadequate supply of feeds, nutritionally unbalanced rations, adulterated ingredients or stale feeds are some of the factors responsible for low productivity of livestock in tropics (Ogundipe, 1987; Ogundipe et al., 2003). Apart from nutrition, Poultry industry contributes significantly to family income (Ogundipe and Sanni, 2002). Therefore the major interest of the farmer is to reduce feed cost, which usually accounts for 60 to 70% of the total cost of production (Nworgu, et al; 1999; Igwebuike et al., 2001; Ogundipe, et al; 2003).
Research efforts are now geared towards evaluating alternative feed ingredients for poultry. According to Atteh and Ologbenla (1993), such alternatives should have
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comparative nutritive value but cheaper than the conventional protein and energy sources and should also be available in large quantities.
Maize is used for other purposes such as biofuel, brewing, starch industries and for human consumption. However, inadequate production of this grain and the intense competition for maize between man, industries and livestock especially in the drier areas of the tropics has made poultry rations to be expensive (Asha Rajini et al., 1986; FAO, 2006).
This situation therefore forced the investigation for other alternative energy sources such as guinea corn (Sorghum bicolor, Linn.), finger millet (Eleusine coracana) and pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides). Worldwide, guinea corn and millet grain crops are very important ingredients in poultry diets. They both have over 90% of the feeding value of maize (Rooney, 1990). Guinea corn and millets are the most widely grown cereal crops that have been successfully cultivated in the semi-arid regions of Asia and Africa since prehistoric times and their cost are relatively less in the areas of cultivation with little industrial uses in Nigeria. (Ravindran and Blair, 1991; Nyannor et al., 2007).
The protein in millets is well balanced in limiting amino acids for practical poultry diets. Lysine, Methionine and Cystine contents in finger millet is about 2.86%, 1.75% and 1.51% of the crude protein (Rachie and Peters, 1997). Therefore their incorporation in place of maize can reduce the dependency on maize and also the cost of poultry production. This study is aimed at evaluating the performance of broiler chickens fed two varieties each of guinea corn and millet as replacements for dietary maize.
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1.1 Justification
In Nigeria, poultry enterprise is faced with myriad of problems which have resulted to a gross shortage of meat to meet up the population challenge in the country. These are attributed to the escalating cost of conventional feedstuffs, which are the major sources of energy and protein in poultry diets.
There is also stiff competition between human, industries and livestock, fluctuations in prices and unavailability of the feed ingredients for the formulation of animal feeds (Duru and Dafwang, 2010). This has resulted in high cost of broiler feed, causing economic losses in broiler production in Nigeria. Profit maximization cannot be attained unless the chickens are fed well-formulated diets at reasonable costs.
1.2 Specific Objectives of the study are to:
1. Determine the nutrient composition and anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) in guinea corn and millets.
2. Determine the performance of broilers fed guinea corn and millets based diets as replacements for dietary maize.
3. Determine carcass characteristics of broiler chickens fed guinea corn and millet based diets.
4. Determine nutrient retentions of broiler chickens fed maize, guinea corn and millet diets.
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1.3 Research Hypotheses:
Null hypothesis (H0): There are no significant differences in the performance, carcass characteristics and nutrient retentions of broilers chickens fed two varieties of guinea corn or two varieties of millet in their diets as replacements for dietary maize.
Alternate hypothesis (HA): There are significant differences in the performance, carcass characteristics and nutrient retentions of broilers chickens fed two varieties of guinea corn or two varieties of millet in their diets as replacements for dietary maize.
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