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The growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients of weaned rabbits fed corn-soybean meal basal diets containing different forms of cocoa pod husk meal were determined. A total of 60 mixed breed rabbits of both sexes (30 bucks and 30 does) with average initial weight of 606.42±1.30g were used in a nine week feeding trial using a completely randomized design. Twelve is nitrogenous and is caloric diets were formulated containing sundried (T1 T2, T3 & T4), fermented (T5 T6, T7 & T8), and hot-water treated (T9 T10, T11 & T12) cocoa pod husk meal (CPHM) each at 0, 12.5, 25 and 37.5% levels of inclusion, respectively. Diet with 0% CPHM served as the control in the different forms of the cocoa pod husk meal based diets. Growth performance parameters (feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio) were determined, while apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients were determined at the 9th week using the direct in vivo method. The digestibility coefficients were calculated using appropriate formula. Results of the study revealed that the final weight, total weight gain and average daily feed intake recorded significant (P<0.05) differences between dietary treatments. When compared with values in the control, diets with the highest inclusion level (37.5%) CPHM had the least total weight gain with the sundried, fermented and hot-water treated groups having 557.50, 570.83 and 390.00 g/rabbit respectively. The average daily feed intake declined with increasing levels of sundried CPHM (i.e. 66.94, 62.56, 59.27 and 52.98 g/rabbit/day, respectively). The hot-water treated CPHM diets recorded the worst FCR beyond 12.5% level when compared with other forms of CPHM. Some of the apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients for ash and NFE recorded significant (P<0.05) differences between dietary treatments, while crude protein, crude fibre and ether extract digestibility coefficients were statistically similar across dietary treatments in all the three forms of CPHM. The sundried CPHM had the least digestible crude protein (75.07%) at the highest inclusion level (37.5%). The study concludes that the three different forms of cocoa pod husk meal in the following order of superiority (fermented, hot-water treated and sundried) can be included in diets meant for rabbits at levels not exceeding 25% for optimum growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients .

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An 8-week feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of graded levels of synthetic methionine on the growth performance, blood and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 120 day-old chicks of Amobyn strain with mean body weight of 36.67g were randomly divided into four groups of 30 chicks each to constitute treatments T 1 (0% control), T 2 (0.20% methionine), T 3 (0.40% methionine) and T 4 (0.60% methionine), respectively. Each group was further divided into three replicates of 10 birds each in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Feed and water were provided ad libitum and all the birds were managed on a deep litter floor under the same environmental conditions for 56 days. All data were subjected to One-way analysis of variance and significant mean values were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. The results obtained for starter broiler chickens showed that total feed intake, weekly feed intake, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by dietary treatments while the results for finisher chickens showed that only the final body weight was significantly (P< 0.05) influenced. The blood characteristics showed that monocytes, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by dietary treatments. The serum biochemical indices showed no significant (P>0.05) differences between dietary treatments on all parameters. Carcass characteristics showed significant (P<0.05) differences between dietary treatment in pre-slaughter weight, lungs weight, intestinal length, intestinal weight as well as weight of spleen and oesophagus. Therefore, this study concludes that synthetic methionine can be included in the diets of broiler chickens up to 0.60% without detrimental effects on their growth performance, blood and carcass characteristics.

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This study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, dressing percent and carcass composition, organ weights and cost-return analysis of broiler chickens fed methionine-fortified blood meal as replacement for fish meal. Two hundred and ten day-old hybro broiler chicks were allotted to 21 floor pens with 10 birds per pen. Seven experimental diets were formulated for starter and finisher phases respectively. Diets 1 (positive control) and 2 (negative control) contained 3% fish meal and 3% blood meal respectively. Diets 3 to 7 contained 3% blood meal each with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5% methionine fortifications, respectively. Each diet was fed as mash to birds in 3 pens in completely randomized design. Results of growth performance showed no significant (p>0.05) differences in average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio but mortality revealed significant (p<0.05) difference. Final body weight and dressing percentage were not affected by the treatment (p>0.05). Significant (p<0.05) differences were observed in the moisture, crude protein, ether extract, ash and nitrogen free extract contents for breast and thigh muscles. Cost-return analysis revealed significant (p<0.05) differences in total variable cost, total revenue, gross margin and returns on investment. In conclusion, 3% blood meal with up to 0.5% methionine fortification can favourably replace 3% fish meal as an animal protein source for broilers.