The effects of skip-a-day feeding for 14 days during the starter or grower period or for 28 days during both periods followed by ad libitum feeding to market age on the growth performance of two strains of broiler chickens, Ross 308 and Hybro, were studied over 7 weeks. Ross was superior to Hybro in weight gain, final body weight and feed conversion but consumed more feed. Overall, feed restriction reduced feed intake, weight gain and body weight in all feed - restricted birds. Also, the 14-day feed-restricted birds gained more weight and were heavier than the 28-day restricted ones. Feed restriction neither improved feed conversion nor reduced abdominal fat but decreased mortality rate. Strain | treatment interaction significantly affected only feed intake. It is suggested that for broiler chicken production in the tropics Ross 308 could be used and feed restricted for 14 days during the starter or grower period.

No abstract

Eighteen cattle (six Bonsmara males, seven Simmanteler x Beefmaster males and five Simmanteler x Beefmaster females) were assigned to three diets containing 0% (Control), 10% and 20% Macadamia oil cake to evaluate the effects of different levels of Macadamia oilcake (MOC) on feed intake, growth performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot cattle. Differences in average feed intake were not significant (P > 0.05). Average daily gains on the 0% and 20% MOC diets were not significantly different (P < 0.05) but were significantly higher than the average gain on 10% MOC (P < 0.05). The inclusion of 20% MOC increased feed conversion ratio significantly (P < 0.05) compared with the other two treatments. The control group had significantly heavier warm carcasses than the 10% and 20% MOC groups and the 20% MOC group had significantly heavier carcasses than the 10% MOC group. The inclusion of MOC did not significantly affect the dressing percentage and conformation scores of the animals (P > 0.05). There were no condemned livers, suggesting that either there were no toxic factors in the feed or, even if present, were probably inactive in the liver.

No abstract

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing 10% or 15% of baobab seed cake (BSC) or macadamia oil cake (MOC) in fattening diets for lambs on feed intake, growth performance and carcass characteristics. Thirty-two lambs aged between 150 and 180 days were randomly allocated to 4 diets (10% MOC; 15% MOC; 10% BSC and 15% BSC diets) in an experiment arranged as a 2x2 factorial design and sex as a block. The results showed that there were significant protein source and inclusion level interactions on average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and total weight gain, warm and cold carcass mass. Males were significantly superior in all parameters except for feed conversion ratio, dressing percentage and rib-eye area. It was concluded that 10% MOC and 15% BSC can be incorporated in diets for fattening of growing South African Mutton Merino lambs without compromising on their growth performance and carcass characteristics.