A feeding trial was conducted to study the performance, digestibility and health status of weaner rabbits fed diets including Alchornea cordifolia leaf meal (ALM: 18% crude protein [CP] and 12.9% crude fibre) and supplemented with a multi-enzyme additive (cellulase, xylanase, β-glucanase, α-amylase, protease, lipase). Six experimental diets were arranged factorially: 3 levels of ALM (0, 5 and 10% substituting palm kernel cake: 16.3% CP and 39.1% neutral detergent fibre) combined with 2 levels of enzyme supplementation (0 and 0.35 g/kg). One hundred and eighty healthy, 5-wk-old weaner rabbits of cross-breeds were randomly allotted to 6 dietary treatments (30 rabbits/treatment, 3 rabbits/replicate). Growth rate was not affected (P>0.05) by the main factors (exogenous enzyme and ALM inclusion) and their interactions (13.5 g/d on av.). Daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio decreased (P=0.01) with the ALM inclusion by 8%, but did not affect faecal digestibility. However, enzyme supplementation improved crude protein and crude fibre digestibility (P<0.001) by 6%. In conclusion, ALM inclusion and enzyme supplementation had no adverse effect on the performance and digestibility of rabbits.

The effect of the diet supplemented with leaf meals (LM) of neem (NLM), pawpaw (PLM), bamboo (BLM) and their composite leaf mix (CLM) on broiler chickens was assessed. Three hundred 1‐day old broiler chickens were distributed to five diets: (control/no LM), (5 g/kg NLM), (5 g/kg PLM), (5 g/kg BLM) and (5 g/kg NLM+PLM+BLM 1:1:1). Body weight gain of birds fed BLM and CLM supplemented diets were similar but higher (p < 0.05) than those fed the control, NLM and PLM supplemented diets at day 42. The glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase and creatinine levels in LM supplemented diets were (p < 0.05) lower compared to the control. The superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase were (p < 0.05) higher in LM supplemented diets compared to the control. The growth promoting potentials of bamboo leaf meal and the composite leaf mix can be harnessed for broiler chicken production. Practical applications The use of herbs as the growth promoter is currently gaining research attention in most countries. In particular, herbal supplementation in poultry diets had been proposed as a means of enhancing the performance, stabilizing the physiological state, boosting immunity and antioxidative status in the birds. This study showed that improved body weight gain of broiler chickens at 42 days of age with attendant low serum glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol can be achieved when leaf meals from neem, pawpaw, bamboo and their composite mix were used as phyto‐additives. The bamboo leaf meal and the composite leaf meal can be used to reduce the occurrence of arteriosclerosis which predisposes sudden death syndrome in well‐grown and healthy broiler chickens. The procedures of raising broiler chickens to reach about 3 kg in less than 2 months impose a heavy burden on the heart, particularly overloading on the ventricular arteries leading to arteriosclerosis with age.

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The nutritive potential of rumen liquor fermented cassava peels (RLFCP) was assessed in rabbit nutrition in an 8 weeks trial. The freshly collected droppings from layers were sundried, ground and mixed at 100 g/kg with ground cassava peels, sprayed with rumen filtrate and fermented for 144 hours. Thereafter, one basal diet was formulated to meet the nutrient requirement of a growing rabbit. The maize content (43 g/100 g) of the basal diet was replaced at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 % with RLFCP and named as diets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. One hundred and fifty mixed sexes healthy 5-weeks old crossbred weaner rabbits were randomly distributed among the five dietary treatments at a rate of 30 rabbits per treatment. The response criteria were growth indices, cost benefit, carcass and organ weight, blood and serum indices. While the average daily feed intake increased (49.27-58.00 g/rabbit/day) with an increased RLFCP inclusion, the average daily weight gain only increased (12.38-17.75 g/rabbit per day) when the increased RLFCP inclusion reached up to a 50 %. The feed conversion ratio of rabbits fed on the control and those fed on 25 % and 50 % RLFCP was similar (3.03-3.20) (p>0.05). Only the slaughtered weight (1116.50-1416.16 g), dressed weight (477.65-695.85 g), dressing % (42.77-50.14), relative weight (% slaughter weight) of the liver (2.18-2.57) and heart (0.20-0.23) were significantly (p

BackgroundPreventing oxidative stress in heat stressed animals may be possible by increasing antioxidant defence via exogenous administration of antioxidant substrate and/or its precursors. The study aimed to investigate the effect of Soursop juice in mitigating oxidative stress induced by heat stress in rabbit.MethodsSixty mixed breed rabbit bucks aged 12–18 months old with the average weight of 1826 ± 8.35 g/rabbit, randomly allotted to experimental treatments of four replicates each, in a completely randomized design during high-temperature humidity index in Ado Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria. Soursop juice (SSJ) was administered via oral drenched daily per kg body weight (BW), to designated treatment 1 to 5; 0.55 mlkg−1BW distilled water (control), 0.55 mlkg−1BW SSJ, 1.11 mlkg−1BW SSJ, 1.67 mlkg−1BW SSJ and 2.22 mlkg−1BW SSJ, respectively. Fastened blood samples were collected at days 28 and 56, and assay for serum protein, cholesterol, triglycerides, superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione and lipid peroxidation using standard procedures.ResultResult revealed that SSJ demonstrated hypocholesterolemic effect in a dose-dependent manner throughout the study. Effect of chronic administration of SSJ to heat stressed rabbits proved beneficial, as SSJ reduced serum lipid peroxidation and enhanced antioxidant activity over 8 weeks.ConclusionAdministration of soursop juice to heat-stressed bucks at 2.22 mlkg−1BW offered optimum antioxidant defense against oxidative stress.

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Background The study examined the effects of Myristica fragrans seed meal (MSM) and Syzygium aromaticum leaf meal (SLM) dietary supplementation on the growth performance, health status, and meat quality of broiler chicken. Methods A total of two hundred and forty 1-day-old broiler chickens were assigned the four dietary treatments: Diet 1/control (no supplementation), Diet 2 (0.25% MSM), Diet 3 (0.25% SLM), and Diet 4 (0.25% MSCM, i.e., MSM + SLM 1:1). The birds were fed ad libitum throughout the feeding trial. Results The dietary supplementation of 0.25% MSCM resulted in higher body weight gain and lowered feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05) at the finisher stage and overall period, while feed intake was not statistically affected (p > 0.05) across the treatments. The dietary inclusion of MSM, SLM, and MSCM did not significantly influence carcass traits, relative internal organ weights, and haematological indices of the broiler chicken (p > 0.05) except mean cell volume and mean cell haemoglobin content (p < 0.05). The result further revealed that broilers fed diets supplemented with MSM, SLM, and MSCM had higher (p < 0.05) serum catalase, glutathione peroxidase and lowered serum cholesterol compared with control. The meat cholesterol levels and lipid peroxidation of the birds were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced, while glutathione peroxidase was increased by dietary MSM, and MSCM supplementation. Conclusion The MSCM supplementation at 0.25% enhanced the body weight gain, improved serum, and meat glutathione peroxidase and catalase but reduced the broiler’s meat cholesterol level and lipid oxidation.

Effect of fonio–moringa seed meal (FMSM)‐based complementary food in Wistar rats was assessed in a 28 days balanced study. Seventy, 21‐day‐old Wistar rats were allotted to seven groups in a completely randomized design. Infant weaning foods (IWFs) 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 had 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% FMSM inclusion levels, respectively, while two commercial IWFs purchased were coded CFT and CFC. The water absorption capacity, swelling power, and the pasting properties, except peak time varied (p < .05) among the IWFs. Rats fed on IWFs 3 and 4 had comparable weight gain with those fed on the commercial foods. The heart and kidney relative weights were influenced (p < .05), while villus length (duodenum) of the rats were significant (p < .05). The blood indices were not significant, but the alanine aminotransferase and cholesterol levels ranged 15.65–32.25 µ/dl and 75.75–94.55 mg/100 ml, respectively. Incorporation of 10% FMSM is recommended in IWFs. Practical applications The need to reduce hunger and starvation among the less‐privileged people in society is becoming increasingly important. Specifically, many infants, preschool and school children are often not having access to nutritive foods that will enhance their mental alertness. The commercial IWFs on sale in Nigeria are in most cases high in prices and consequently out of the reach of the populace. Fonio is a starchy grain with an important potential not only as a survival food but as a compliment for standard diets. Also, moringa seed is known to be of nutritional value. Most infant formulae are based on maize and soybean and it is hoped that the incorporation of FMSM in the infant weaning formula will help to increase the nutritive value and stem the cost of IWFs.