The study examined the effect of dietary antioxidant supplementation on the
performance and meat quality of broiler chickens. Namely, 300 one-day-old
Arbor Acres broiler chicks were fed a starter diet from 1 to 4 weeks and a
finisher diet for the last 4 weeks. Birds were randomly assigned to
treatments based on antioxidant supplementation in drinking water at 0.02%
butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), ordinary water (OW), 0.02% sweet orange peel
extract (SOPE), 0.02% shaddock peel extract (SHPE) and 0.02% lemon peel
extract (LMPE) per litre of water in a completely randomized design
experiment. Feed intake and body weight gain were recorded on a weekly
basis. Three birds were selected in each treatment and slaughtered for meat
quality determination. BHA and LMPE treatments had the best weight gain and
feed conversion efficiency at the significance level (p<0.05). There were
significant differences (p<0.05) in the shear force (force peak and yield)
in the dietary antioxidants fed to the birds. Sensory parameters (taste,
aroma and overall acceptability) show significant differences (p<0.05)
amongst the treatments. However, there were no significant differences
(p>0.05) in appearance and texture perception amongst treatments. Finally,
significant differences (p<0.05) in the lightness (L*) and redness (a*) of
the meat samples were observed amongst the treatments. There were no
significant differences (p>0.05) in the yellowness (b*) amongst the
treatments. It can be concluded that broiler birds fed SOPE, SHPE and LMPE
treatments performed better and that these treatments enhanced the meat
quality of the birds when compared to BHA and OW treatments.
<p><strong>Background</strong>. Availability of quality feed in adequate quantity for animals is a perennial problem. Its search results in conflicts between crop farmers and herders. <strong>Objectives. </strong>This research investigated three forage legumes in order to determine the most yielding, adaptable and important traits that could be used for forage improvement. <strong>Methodology. </strong>The forage legumes were laid out in randomised complete block design across three environments. Data collected on growth and yield parameters were subjected to ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA) and stability analysis using additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI). <strong>Results </strong>The result showed that there was significant (<em>p < 0.05</em>) difference among the forage legumes for vegetative traits, stress traits and yield, hence, they could be through breeding. For biomass yield, PC1 and PC2 accounted for 75.16 and 24.84% of G x E respectively based on AMMI. <em>Lablab purpureus</em> is the most yielding, stable, adapted to rain forest and savannah zones, with yield of 28,948.69 kg/ha. PCA revealed that the first three PCs accounted for 87% of the total variation. There was positive and significant association between biomass yield and vegetative traits. <strong>Implication. </strong>Flourishing vegetative growth is a good indicator of biomass yield. <strong>Conclusion. </strong>It is recommended that extension agents should encourage the adoption of lablab for production of feeds for ruminants, as it can serve as sustainable land use measure considering the modern restriction on land availability for grazing and solution to incessant pastoral and crop farmers crises in the tropics.</p>
8 weeks growth and meat quality of WAD sheep study were carried out to compare the digestibility of improved dried elephant grass (EG) (Pennisetum purpureum) supplemented with legume straw (LS) (Lablab purpureus) reared under indoor feeding system (IFS) and free grazing (FG). Twenty-four male west African dwarf (WAD) winner sheep with initial average body weight of 16 ± 0.5kg were assigned to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design arrangement. Treatments consisted of T1 (sheep on EG and LS free grazing), indoor feeding system IFS; T2 (EG 80%, LS 20%), T3 (EG 70%, LS 30%) and T4 (EG 60%, LS 40%). The results showed that the final body weight of sheep on indoor feeding system T4 differed significantly (P < 0.05) from that of sheep on free grazing, T2 and T3. Physico-chemical properties were better in sheep meat on IFS (EG 60%, LS 40%) compared with other system including FG, control treatment. The sensory perception and fatty acid profiles of sheep meat on IFS were better compared with the sheep meat on FG system. These results showed that rearing of WAD sheep on indoor feeding system were better in terms of growth performance and its meat quality and could serve as an alternative to free grazing especially in region where there are incessant clashes between herders and crop farmers.
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