Sun-dried blend of maize offal and blood (SDMBM) was analyzed and its effect on the per- formance of broiler chickens (Anak-2000 strain) evaluated. Fresh blood prevented from coagu- lation, mixed with maize offal, was sun-dried, ground, mixed again with blood and ground into a meal after drying again. The crude protein, fat, fibre, ash, ADF and gross energy contents of SDMBM were, 362.0, 45.5, 31.8, 69.3, 52.3 g/kg DM and 4.245 kcal/g, respectively. It was ade- quate in all essential amino acids for growing broiler chickens except methionine. Eighty 14- day-old commercial broiler chicks were ran- domly allocated to four dietary treatments (fed ad libitum; four replicates each) consisting the control diet (0 g SDMBM/kg diet), which con- tained fishmeal, groundnut cake and soybean meal, and three other diets (50, 100 and 150 g SDMBM/kg diet). In a feeding trial, the starter (14 to 35 d) and finisher (35 to 49 d) dietary treat- ments did not have significant impact (P > 0.05) on body weight gain, efficiency of feed conver- sion, mortality and final body weights. The con- trol diet was inferior (P < 0.05) to 50, 100 and 150 g SDMBM/kg diets for feed cost per unit weight gain in the starter phase, 100 g SDMBM/kg diet in the finisher phase, and 100 and 150 g SDMBM/ kg diets for the whole period (14 to 49 d). Overall, the 100 and 150 g superior (P < 0.05) to the con- trol diet in cost of production per unit weight gain and all the SDMBM diets greater than con- trol in economic benefit per unit weight gain. Results suggest that dietary SDMBM up to 150 g/kg diet has a positive effect on broiler per- formance and can totally replace more expen- sive fishmeal

Clariid catfish are favorite food fish especially in African and Asian continents. Recently there has been preference for particular species or hybrids of these species based on quality assurance and value addition. Consequently, this study aimed to evaluate the possible effect of different catfish species and their hybrids on proximate composition and sensory attributes. Catfish species, Clarias gariepinus (CC), Heterobranchus bidorsalis (HH), with their hybrid (CH), and reciprocal hybrid (HC) were evaluated for sensory variables – cognitive (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and recent characteristic taste ‘umami’) and qualitative (texture, aroma, flavor, and color) tests; and nutritional variables – proximate composition (moisture, protein, ether/fat, and ash). A 5‐point hedonic scale from ‘neutral/neither like nor dislike’ to ‘excellent/like extremely’ was employed in sensory testing. The results showed similar (P > 0.05) high moisture contents (>70%) in all species and high but different (P < 0.05) ash contents (11–14%) that suggested good sources of mineral elements. The parent species CC and HH had higher ash contents than CH or HC. The crude protein contents were high and similar (P > 0.05) across species (>57%). Fat or ether extract was different (P < 0.05) and tended to be higher for species with Clarias as the female parent than Heterobranchus. Sensory analysis showed the parent species, CC and HH, more favorably rated for sweet and umami than the hybrids, CH and HC. However, CH was less sour and bitter than all other species and HC better than CH for salty but similar to CC and HH. All fish species were very well liked for texture, but the parent species were superior in flavor than the hybrids. All species were very well liked for aroma, color, and overall acceptability except HC, which was moderately liked. HC rated inferior to the other species overall in sensory attributes. All the fish species did not rate ‘excellent/like extremely’ for any attribute. It can be concluded that the parent catfish species possess better sensory qualities than hybrids, but all species need exogenous enhancement to their natural sensory components.

No abstract

The study was designed to determine the growth response of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) juveniles on diets with two vegetable-carried blood meals (brewers' dried grains with blood meal (BB) and rumen contents with blood meal (RB)) as protein sources and alternatives to imported commercial fish feed (CatCo

Transhumance is one of the major factors contributing to farmers-herders conflict. Therefore, a strategy that encourages zero-grazing without adversely affecting cattle growth may contribute to reducing such conflict. This study investigated a method for zero-grazing. Twenty-seven stocker White Fulani bulls were evaluated over 60 days in feedlot to determine the effect of zeranol and estradiol-17β as growth promoters on carcass and beef sensory characteristics. Cattle, finished on 14% CP ration, were allotted to non-implanted (control), estradiol- and zeranol-implanted treatments at nine animals/treatment in three replicates of three animals each. Carcass characteristics of finished cattle were determined, liver samples were assayed for hormone residue and beef samples were assessed for eating qualities. Implanted animals had significantly (P<0.05) greater loin eye area and heavier live and hot carcass weights than non-implanted but similar (P>0.05) dressing % and relative weights of cut-up carcass parts and organs. Hormone residues of liver from implanted and non-implanted cattle were comparable and significantly lower than the maximum recommended safe limits, indicating that meat from implanted cattle pose no health risk for consumption. Consumer panelists preferred beef from implanted cattle for tenderness, juiciness and flavor and beef from estradiol-implanted cattle very much liked above that from zeranol-implanted or non-implanted cattle. Implanting finishing White Fulani cattle with estradiol is beneficial for improving carcass value and beef eating quality. Adoption of this management strategy or a modification may contribute significantly towards reducing the incessant herders-farmers conflict because of its low pressure on land resources.