ABSTRACT
A
study was conducted to evaluate the performance of pullet chicks fed diets
containing varying levels of fibre and supplementary enzyme. One hundred and
twenty 3 -week old Harco black pullet chicks averaging 249.87 – 250.23g body
weight were randomly divided into 8 groups of 15 birds each. The groups were
randomly assigned to 8 energetic
(11.78-11.96 MJ/Kg ME) and
nitrogenous (20% crude protein) diets in a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement
involving four levels (5.0, 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0%) of fibre and two enzyme levels
(0 and 0.25%). Each treatment was replicated 3 times with 5 birds per
replicate. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum to the birds during
the 8 weeks experimental period. Results showed that the weight gain of
chicks that consumed diets without enzyme supplementation decreased significantly
(P<0.01) as the dietary fibre level increased beyond 6% level . Average
daily feed intake (ADFI) also increased significantly (P<0.01) at the 7 and
8% dietary fibre levels. Chicks fed 6% crude fibre diet with enzyme
supplementation had significantly (P<0.01) higher average daily weight gain
(ADWG), final body weight (FBW) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) and lower
(P<0.01) cost of feed per kg weight gain than those fed the control diet. There
was a significant
(P<0.01) increase in the intake of crude fibre (CF) and
nitrogen-free extract (NFE) as the fibre level in the diet increased beyond
6%. Dry matter (DM), nitrogen and CF retentions were significantly (P<0.01)
decreased as the dietary fibre increased beyond 6% inclusion level. Increasing
levels of crude fibre in the diets had no significant (P>0.01) effect on the
WBC and MCHC but affected the PCV, Hb, RBC, MCH and MCV significantly
(P<0.01). There were significant (P<0.01) interactions between dietary
fibre and enzyme levels on ADWG, FBW, ADFI, FCR, PER , cost of total feed
intake and feed cost per kg weight gain. Enzyme supplementation increased
(P<0.01) ADWG, FBW and PER at the 6, 7 and 8% fibre inclusion levels;
reduced (P<0.01) feed intake at the 5, 7 and 8% fibre inclusion levels ;
reduced (P<0.01) FCR values at all the fibre inclusion levels and reduced
(P<0.01) the cost of total feed intake and feed cost per kg weight gain at
all the fibre inclusion levels. There were also significant (P<0.01)
interactions between fibre and enzyme levels on NFE intake, DM , nitrogen, CF,
EE, NFE, PCV, Hb, RBC, MCH and MCV. Enzyme supplementation reduced (P<0.01)
NFE intake at the 7% fibre inclusion level; increased(P<0.01) the retention of DM at the 5% and 7 %, fibre
inclusion levels; increased (P<0.01)
nitrogen retention at the 5%, 6% and8% fibre inclusion levels; increased (P<0.01) CF retention at the
6%,7% and 8% fibre inclusion levels and
increased(P<0.01) EE and NFE
retentions at the 7% and 8% fibre inclusion levels; increased (P<0.01) PCV,
Hb and RBC at the 6% and 7 %, fibre inclusion levels and increased (P<0.01) MCH and MCV at the 7%
fibre inclusion level. Based on the results obtained in the present study, it
was concluded that pullet chicks can be fed 6% crude fibre diet without
supplementary enzyme and that up to 8% dietary fibre can be included in
enzyme- supplemented pullet chicks’ diet without adverse effects on growth
performance of chicks.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page
……………………………………………………………. i
Certification
…………………………………………………………… iii
Dedication ……………………………………………………………. iv
Acknowledgement
…………………………………………………… v
Abstract
………………………………………………………………… vi
Table of
contents ………………………………………………………. vii
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background of study …………………………………………………… 1
1.2 Statement of problem …………………………………………………… 4
1.3
Justification of the study…………………………………………………4 1.4
Objective of the study……………………………………………………5
CHAPTER TWO
2. LITERATURE
REVIEW…………………………………………. …6
- Poultry feeding and Alternative feed stuffs for poultry ………………6
- Poultry Nutrition ………………………………………………………10
- Dietary fibre ………………………………………………………….12
- Major sources of fibre in the diet ……………………………………..15
- Bambara wheat offal …………………………………………………15
- Palm kernel meal ……………………………………………………..17
- Wheat offal ……………………………………………………………18
- Exogenous Enzymes ……………………………………………………..20
Economic
and Environmental impacts of Enzymes utilization in
Poultry diets…………………………………………………………21
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS ………………………………………….25
3.1 Location and the study
………………………………………………25
3.2 Animals and experimental diets
……………………………………..25
3.3 Apparent
nutrient retention by pullet ………………………………..26
3.4 Blood collection and Evaluation
…………………………………….27
3.5 Experimental design
………………………………………………….27
3.6 Proximate and statistical analyses
……………………………………28
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION ……………………………………………29
4.1 Effect
of dietary fibre levels and supplementary enzyme on growth
Performance
of pullet chicks…………………………………………29
4.2 Cost implication of
feeding varying dietary fibre levels
and supplementary enzyme to pullet
chicks…………………………34
4.3 Nutrient intake by pullet chicks fed varying dietary fibre
levels…….36
4.4 Apparent retention of nutrients by pullet chicks………………………37
4.5 Haematological
parameters of pullet chicks fed varying dietary
fibre levels
and supplementary enzyme……………………………40
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION…………………………………………44
5.1 Summary……………………………………………………………….44
5.2 Conclusion…………………………………………………………….46
REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………….47
APPENDICES………………………………………………………………63
LIST OF TABLES
- Percentage composition pf experimental diets
……………………26
- Proximate composition of experimental diets……………………..29
- Performance of pullet chicks fed varying dietary
fibre levels
and
supplementary enzyme………………………………………29
- Cost implication of feeding varying dietary fibre
levels
and supplementary enzyme to pullet chicks.
……………………34
- Nutrient intake of pullet chicks fed varying dietary
fibre levels
and
supplementary enzyme………………………………………36
- Apparent retention (% of intake) of nutrients by
pullet
chicks
fed varying dietary fibre level and supplementary
enzyme……………………………………………………………38
- Effect of varying dietary fibre levels and
supplementary enzyme on haematological parameters of pullet chicks……………………….41
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of Study
Poultry production has an
unquestionable propensity to close the existing gap in animal protein consumption
in the country. This according to Ibe (2004) is because of their short
gestation and generation intervals, large number, fast growth, greater
affordability, ease of raising, absence of taboos to production and consumption
and absence of barrier to production in any climatic zone in the country. Obioha
(1992a) and Oluyemi and Roberts (2000) further stated that poultry enjoys a relative
advantage over other livestock in terms of its ease of management, high
turn-over, quick return to capital investment and wide acceptance of its
product for human consumption.
Poultry industry occupies a unique
position in the livestock sector of Nigeria because of the yearning demand for
its products. Ikeme et al. (1986)
pointed out that the industry sprang up with the advent of large poultry
farmers which produced far more eggs than can be sold locally. Agriculturalists and nutritionists generally
agree that development of the poultry industry is the fastest means of bridging
the protein deficiency gap in the country. Oluyemi and Roberts (2000) stated
that the problem of protein malnutrition is enormous in developing countries
like Nigeria; poultry is probably the fastest route to achieve any appreciable
improvement in the nutritional standard of the populace because of its short
generation interval, quick turnover rate and relatively low capital investment,
they also stated that increased egg production is one sure way of achieving the
target of providing quality animal protein at a minimum cost to the consumers.
The highest productivity of eggs in
the Nigerian poultry industry apparently stemmed from the use of high producing
strains of birds as well as the development of balanced feeds, intensive
housing and better poultry equipment (Obioha, 1992b; Oluyemi and Roberts, 2000).
For some time now, the Nigerian
poultry industry has devoted more attention to the exotic breeds of chicken due
to their high performance in terms of body weight, egg-production and feed to
gain ratio.
Egg is one of the most nutritious
animal products. It is an excellent source of high quality protein in human
food that is common and affordable. Documented reports indicate that two eggs a
day are sufficient to 17.2% of an adult person’s protein needs as well as
essential vitamins and trace element (Ikeme et
al., 1986).
Most of the eggs in the Nigerian
market are produced by exotic breeds of chicken genetically developed for egg
production.
Increased
egg production in Nigeria is being hampered by high cost of feed, which
constitutes about 70-80% of the total cost of egg production (Acromovic, 2001).
The rapid development of intensive poultry and egg production has been
accompanied by an increased competition between humans and animals for maize
which is a major staple food in the main poultry production zones. This
competition could be alleviated by replacing maize in poultry feed by locally
available agricultural by-products that are less exploited by humans. (Teguia, 1995).
According
to Oluyemi and Roberts (1999), the competition between man and poultry for food
ingredient is basically due to insufficient production of local feed items. As
a matter of fact, the use of grain for feeding poultry when human needs have
not been met raises questions of economic and moral justification. The rapid
expansion and success of the poultry industry would depend mostly on the
availability of good quality and relatively inexpensive feed ingredients for
the formulation of poultry feeds. Dependence on
the alternative source of ingredients, especially, when it encourage a
shift to ingredient for which there is less competition, may help if it is
sufficiently available. To a great extent by-products are cheaper to use in
poultry ration since there is little or no competition for them. These may be
agricultural, industrial or distillery by- products. The by-products include
palm kernel meal, Bambara waste, wheat offal, etc. Studies in the tropics and
else where had revealed the potentials of these by-products as feed ingredients
even though they may be included at low levels in the diet of animals.
Obioha(1992b) estimated the level of consumption of animal protein in Nigeria
to be about 8g per day, at about 27g less than the minimum requirement
recommended by the National Research Council of the United States of America.
Residues and industrial by-products generally contain high levels of fibre hence they are not commonly used in compounding feeds. To fully exploit their cost saving potential and waste recycling value, it is necessary to study the factors which inhibit their feed value namely their indigestibility as a result of their high fibre levels and their low utilization as supplementary energy source. Knowledge of the content and utilization of the available fillers will further guide ration formulators and feed millers on their levels of inclusion in diets.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
EFFECT OF ENZYME SUPPLEMENTATION ON PERFORMANCE OF PULLET CHICKS FED DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DIETARY FIBRE
