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This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) seed powder and extract on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 420 day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were allocated randomly into seven treatments of 60 birds per group. Each treatment had four replicates (15 chicks per replicate). The trial was designed with seven treatments, consisting of a control diet without coriander, this is, the control group (CG); three treatments, which included the control diet plus three levels of coriander extract in water (750, 1000, and 1250 mg/kg); and the another three, which received the control diet plus three levels of coriander powder (1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5%). Performance parameters were monitored throughout the experimental period. At 21 -42 d old, the inclusion of 952 mg/kg of coriander extract in drinking water maximized weight gain, while the feed intake of the experimental period (1 -42 d) was maximized at the coriander powder level of 1.2%. Feed conversion ratios improved with the inclusion of coriander powder in the diet throughout the experimental period. These results suggest that coriander powder in the diet and coriander extract in water could replace synthetic antibiotics and could be regarded as natural feed additives and growth promoters in poultry diets.

Two experiments were conducted to determine diet crude fibre (CF) levels for optimal productivity of slow-growing indigenous Venda chickens. In each experiment the diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous but with different CF levels of 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8%. A complete randomised design was used in both experiments, the starter (1-49 days) and finisher (50-91 days). A quadratic equation was used to determine CF levels for optimal productivity. Dietary CF levels of 3.4, 4.0 and 3.0 % optimised growth rate, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and live weight of unsexed Venda chickens (starter), respectively; and higher dietary CF levels resulted in lower (P<0.05) intake and digestibility. Dietary CF levels of 6.5, 4.3, 3.2 and 4.4 % optimised feed intake, growth rate, nitrogen retention and live weight of male Venda chickens (finisher), respectively; while higher dietary CF levels resulted in poor (P<0.05) FCR and nutrient digestibility. The results indicate that different CF levels optimised production parameters, and dietary CF levels for optimal productivity increased as chickens grew older.

The present study was performed to determine the carcass and meat quality characteristics of male and female Ovambo and Potchefstroom koekoek (PK) indigenous chickens. A total of 320 male and female day old Ovambo and PK were randomly assigned to a 2 (breed) × 2 (sex) factorial arrangement in a completely randomised design. The chickens were raised from day-old and fed on a commercial grower diet containing 11.5 MJ/ME kg DM and 20 % crude protein until 18 weeks of age. Carcass traits of the Ovambo and PK were similar; however, male chickens had higher carcass traits than their female counterparts. Breed, sex and time interactions influenced colour parameters of thigh and drumstick meat except redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) values of chicken breast meat. The pH varied significantly amongst the breeds, sex and time period. The sensory evaluations of the chicken breeds were observed to be similar. However, tenderness of the breast meat as measured by shear force was higher for PK than Ovambo chickens. Fatty acid profiles of the chickens were not affected by breed or sex. The ratios of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids were significantly lower in both breeds which are desirable in reducing the risk of many diseases. Ovambo and PK chickens showed good meat quality traits. This information can assist in promoting production of indigenous chicken lines in South Africa.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of decorticated Moringa oleifera seed meal inclusion level on productivity and meat characteristics of female Ross 308 broiler chickens aged 21 to 42 days. The chickens were fed ad libitum isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets but with differing seed meal inclusion levels of 0 (M0), 5 (M5), 10 (M10), 15 (M15) and 20 (M20) g/kg DM, in a complete randomized design. Seed meal inclusion had no effect (P>0.05) on intake, growth and live weight but it improved (P>0.05) nitrogen retention of the chickens. Similarly, seed meal inclusion had no effect (P>0.05) on meat nitrogen, ash, pH and colour but it improved (P>0.05) lipid and energy contents of the meat. The results indicate that meat lipids, energy, polyunsaturated fatty acids, tenderness, juiciness and flavour were optimized at different seed meal inclusion levels of 11.10, 12.96, 12.67, 7.50, 15.50 and 19.50 g/kg DM, respectively.

Ng'ambi et al.: Effects of mixture level of sorghum hay with forage legumes on performance and blood metabolites of yearling indigenous pedi bucks - Abstract. Four experiments were conducted at the University of Limpopo Experimental farm, Limpopo province, South Africa to determine the effect of legume inclusion on the performance of Pedi bucks on a basal diet of forage sorghum hay. Vigna ungiculata (cowpea), Lablab purpureus (lablab) and Mucuna pruriens (mucuna) hays were used in this trial at different inclusion levels. Fifteen yearling Pedi bucks with average weights of 15 ± 4 kg (Experiment 1), 18 ± 2 kg (Experiment 2) and 17 ± 3 kg (Experiment 3) were used in the first three experiments in a completely randomised design. Nine goats with an average weight of 20 ± 4 kg were used in Experiment 4. Mucuna hay had the highest (P < 0.05) hydrolysable tannin contents. Lablab hay had higher (P < 0.05) total polyphenolics than mucuna, cowpea and sorghum hays. Dry matter intake and digestibility increa sed with increasing levels of the respective forage inclusion levels. Cowpea and mucuna hay improved (P < 0.05) final live weights and feed conversion ratio, while goats on lablab hay lost weight. Diet intake, digestibility and final live weights of the goats were optimized at different forage inclusion levels. This may indicate that legume inclusion levels for optimal productivity will depend on the particular parameter of interest.

The study determined the effects of dietary crude fiber (CF) levels on the production performance of male Ross 308 broiler and indigenous Venda chickens. There were 360 male Ross 308 broiler and male Venda chickens aged 1–21 for Phase 1 and 196 chickens aged 22–42 days for Phase 2. Chickens were allocated four diets with different levels of CF (3, 4, 5, and 7%) in a completely randomized design. Quadratic regression analyses were used to determine the dietary CF levels for the optimal production responses. In Phase 1, the feed intake, growth, live weight, nitrogen retention, and metabilizable energy (ME) intake of the Ross 308 broiler chickens were improved at dietary CF levels of 3.9, 4.5, 4.5, 3.2, and 3.7%, respectively. In the Venda chickens, feed intake, growth, live weight, nitrogen retention, and ME intake were optimized at 4.4, 4.8, 4.7, 4.1, and 3.3% CF, respectively. In Phase 2, the feed intake, nitrogen retention, and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) were enhanced at CF levels of 6.4, 4.4, and 3.7% in the Ross 308 broiler chickens, respectively. Dietary CF levels of 4.5, 5.8, 5.7, 5.1, 3.9, and 4.4% optimized the feed intake, growth rate, live weight, nitrogen retention, NDF, and ADFD, respectively, in Venda chickens. It was concluded that the indigenous Venda chickens coped better with higher dietary CF than the Ross 308 broiler chickens.

The objective of this study was to evaluate factors influencing Cow Efficiency (CE), Relative-Birth Weight (R-BW), and subsequent pre-weaning growth performance of Nguni cattle in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Factors that were considered were dammed weight at calving, agro-ecological zone, the season of birth, sex of calves, parity, and dam age. Data from Nguni cows and their calves (n = 826) consisting of calf Birth Weight (BW), Weaning Weight (WW), and Dam Weight at calving were used in this study. Dams were classified according to their weights at calving into high (>385 kg), medium (326-385 kg), and low (<326 kg) categories. The General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS ( 2015) was computed to analyze data; the means were separated using Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD) test. Dam weight at calving influenced CE, R-BW, WW, and P-ADG, but did not influence BW. Lighter and average dams had higher CE (36.74; 35.04 Vs 30.01%), R-BW (8.04; 7.12 Vs 6.28%), WW (116.80; 116.62 Vs 115.13 kg), P-ADG (0.447; 0.446 Vs 0.438 kg/day) and P-WG (91.72; 91.40 Vs 89.77 kg) compared to heavier dams. Animals in the humid zone had higher CE (35.32%), WW (117.53 kg), P-ADG (0.452 kg/day), and P-WG (92.86 kg). Animals in arid yielded lower CE, WW, P-ADG, and P-WG compared to those in humid zone. Season of birth influenced R-BW and pre-weaning performance traits, however, it did not influence CE. Higher WW (116.78 kg), P-ADG (0.448 kg/day), P-WG (91.96 kg) were recorded for summer calves. The sex of calves, parity, and damage influenced all traits except R-BW and BW. Dams with male calves had higher CE (34.79%), WW (126.20 kg), P-ADG (0.491 kg/day), and P-WG (100.71 kg) compared to their female counterparts. Dams on the fifth (5th) parity had higher CE (37.00%), R-BW (7.18%), WW (127.01 kg), P-ADG (0.495 kg/day) and P-WG (101.53 kg). Seven (7) years old dams had higher CE (42.32%), WW (143.33 kg), P-ADG (0.590 kg/day), and P-WG (121.17 kg). The findings indicate that breeding with lighter cows would result in calves with comparable or even better growth traits than heavier cows.