four weeks old broiler chickens of Anak 2000 breed from Imo State Polytechnic Research farm were used to investigate the effect of sweet orange peel meal in broiler rations. The birds were fed on 0%, 2.50%, 5.00%, 7.50% and 10.00% dietary inclusion of sweet orange peel meal as replacement for wheat offals in a 28 day feeding trial. Significant difference between dietary levels of sweet orange peel meal and wheat offals were observed on feed efficiency and weight gain (p<0.05). Increase in dietary levels of sweet orange peel meal reduced feed transit time in gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) (p<0.05) while supplementary wheat offal had the opposite effect (p<0.05). It was concluded that broiler chickens could tolerate up to 7.50% dietary levels of sweet orange peel meal without wheat offal added to such a diet, performance was comparable to that of birds fed a standard diet with money saved in the process.

A cross sectional study was conducted from June 2016 to August 2017 to identify the widespread of ectoparasites in indigenous chickens and its associated economic significance in randomly selected Local Government Councils and States in Nigeria.  A total of 1025 indigenous chickens were examined out of which 90.7% were infested with one or more ectoparasites species. Four types of ectoparasites genera were encountered in this study, 17.0% of the total chickens examined were infested with only one genera while 73.9% were infested with two or more different genera. Among the ectoparasites encountered, lice infestation (85.8%) was the most prevalent followed by mite (70.4%), Flea (27.3%) and tick (6.2%) in descending order of widespread. Ten different species of ectoparasites, namely Menopon gallinae, Lipeurus caponis, Goniodes gigas, Cnemidocoptes mutans, Dermanyssus gallinae, Epidermoptes species, Laminosioptes cysticola, Megninia species, Echidnophaga gallinacean and Argas persicus were identified in the study. Menopon gallinae (50%) was most frequently encountered while Megninia species (2.7%) was least prevalent. The findings of this study showed that ectoparasites infestations were highly prevalent among indigenous chicken flocks, which may likely affect their optimum productivity. Routine prevention and control of ectoparasites should be encouraged in the study areas.Key Words: Indigenous chickens, ectoparasites, infestations, selected local government councils and states in Nigeria.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different protein levels on growth of guinea fowl keets (Numidia meagris) of the same age under intensive system in a typical poultry house from 6th week to 12th week of age. They were fed commercial broiler starter for two weeks and maintained on same diet of 18% crude protein for 5 weeks of age and given water ad libitum. The birds were separated into three pens. One hundred and twenty old guinea fowls were assigned at grower period on 3 dietary protein levels of 14, 16 and 18% crude protein (CP) on same metabolizable energy level of 2800 kcal/ kg. The study conducted at the Poultry Unit of Teaching and Research Farm, Imo State Polytechnic was used to test the performance of the guinea fowl layer birds. The birds were killed at the owner’s farm by cutting the neck through the jugular vein. There was significant difference (P<0.05) in feed intake between the three treatments. The internal organs for the treatments were not significantly different. Keywords: Carcass, Organ Weights, Egg Quality Characteristics, Guinea Fowl Layers, Butter Fly Pea Leaf (Centrosema Pubescent) Meal.

A four-week feeding trial on the simultaneous replacement of 0 to 50% of soybean meal and 0 to 100% of soybean oil on the growth performance, carcass composition and profitability was conducted using 45 randomly chosen one-week-old growing Japanese quail. The five experimental diets were; D0= Diet containing 20% soybean meal and 4% soybean oil (control diet), D1= Diet, where 12.5% of soybean meal and 25% of soybean oil has been replaced by RSC; T2 = Diet, where 25% of soybean meal and 50% of soybean oil has been replaced by RSC; T3 = Diet, where 37.5% of soybean meal and 75% of soybean oil has been replaced by RSC; T4 = Diet, where 50% of soybean meal and 100% of soybean oil has been replaced by RSC. Results demonstrated that in raw rubber seed the proportion of kernel to hull is 64: 36. Proximate components of the boiled and sundried full fat rubber seed kernel (RS) were, moisture = 96.6%, ME = 5305 kcal / kg DM, CP = 17.6%, EE = 51.05%, CF = 8.5%, NFE = 18.25% and Ash = 4.6%. The body weights of the birds at 35 days of age in all dietary treatments were statistically similar. The feed intake of the quail among different dietary groups was varied significantly (p < 0.05) and there was a tendency of decreasing the feed intake at 25% and above inclusion level of RSC. The body weight gain and FCR were also statistically similar in all dietary groups. The feed cost and total production cost /kg BW of quail was also found to become steadily higher (p> 0.05) at higher RSC inclusion level. The muscle development was found to better at lower (%) RSC level, whereas the organs were enlarged at higher RSC inclusion. Results on the majority of the production parameters, and economics and carcass yield parameters suggested that the simultaneous replacement of maximum 50% soybean oil 25% soybean meal by processed RSC might be suggested, particularly, there will be a crisis in the availability of these two ingredients.

The study assessed constraints to increased layers production among small-scale poultry farmers in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State. Data were collected using a multistage sampling technique to select 120 small-scale poultry farmers. Descriptive statistics (frequencies counts, percentages) were used to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. The result shows that the mean age of the respondents was 48 years and majority (77.5%) of the farmers had higher education. Majority of the respondents (73%) practiced sweeping and packing of dirt in the poultry house as the daily routine management on their farms. The major constraint faced by the respondents was disease and pest attack (76.7%) followed by difficulty in credit and loan procurement processes (73.3%). The study therefore recommends that Government should tackle the problem of loan/credit procurement, market price instability, disease and pest as well as proper funding of small-scale layers poultry business so as to enhance the commercialization of poultry industry in Nigeria.Keywords: Poultry Farms, Layer Production, Socio-Economic Characteristics, Constraints.