African yambean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa, Hochst. Ex A. Rich, Harms) is an indigenous legume in tropical Africa. This food crop legume is highly under-exploited and very little scientific information is available in literature. In this study, the chemical composition (proximate, minerals and anti-nutritional profile) of raw and processed African yambean (AYB) seeds was investigated. Seeds of brown seed coat landraces of African yambean were collected from various locations in the Northern part of Cross River State. The seed characteristics were noted and subjected to boiling and toasting for one hour and thereafter evaluated for proximate composition, gross energy, mineral and antinutritional properties. Results showed that boiling significantly (P<0.05) increased crude Protein (CP) (22.10%), ether extract (EE) (7.53%) and gross energy (GE) (5.23 Kcal/g) compared to the raw (21.61% CP, 5.12% EE and 4.88 Kcal/g GE) as well as toasted seeds (21.41% CP, 5.195 EE and 4.51 Kcal/g GE). Toasting significantly (P<0.05) increased nitrogen free extract (NFE) (50.65%) and ash values. Processing (boiling/toasting) had significant (P<0.05) effect on mineral composition (Ca, Mg, K, Na and Fe) of the seeds except for phosphorus. Boiling significantly (P<0.05) reduced phytate (0.68%), alkaloid (0.70%) and trypsin-inhibitor (0.08 IU/mg) contents. Results have shown that African yambean seeds are rich sources of nutrients but have low human preference for food. But have a high potential as an energy/protein source in livestock feeds. The boiled AYB seeds had highest CP, mineral and lowest in anti-nutrient contents. Hence, boiling was the preferred processing method for AYB seeds.

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The growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients of weaned rabbits fed corn-soybean meal basal diets containing different forms of cocoa pod husk meal were determined. A total of 60 mixed breed rabbits of both sexes (30 bucks and 30 does) with average initial weight of 606.42±1.30g were used in a nine week feeding trial using a completely randomized design. Twelve is nitrogenous and is caloric diets were formulated containing sundried (T1 T2, T3 & T4), fermented (T5 T6, T7 & T8), and hot-water treated (T9 T10, T11 & T12) cocoa pod husk meal (CPHM) each at 0, 12.5, 25 and 37.5% levels of inclusion, respectively. Diet with 0% CPHM served as the control in the different forms of the cocoa pod husk meal based diets. Growth performance parameters (feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio) were determined, while apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients were determined at the 9th week using the direct in vivo method. The digestibility coefficients were calculated using appropriate formula. Results of the study revealed that the final weight, total weight gain and average daily feed intake recorded significant (P<0.05) differences between dietary treatments. When compared with values in the control, diets with the highest inclusion level (37.5%) CPHM had the least total weight gain with the sundried, fermented and hot-water treated groups having 557.50, 570.83 and 390.00 g/rabbit respectively. The average daily feed intake declined with increasing levels of sundried CPHM (i.e. 66.94, 62.56, 59.27 and 52.98 g/rabbit/day, respectively). The hot-water treated CPHM diets recorded the worst FCR beyond 12.5% level when compared with other forms of CPHM. Some of the apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients for ash and NFE recorded significant (P<0.05) differences between dietary treatments, while crude protein, crude fibre and ether extract digestibility coefficients were statistically similar across dietary treatments in all the three forms of CPHM. The sundried CPHM had the least digestible crude protein (75.07%) at the highest inclusion level (37.5%). The study concludes that the three different forms of cocoa pod husk meal in the following order of superiority (fermented, hot-water treated and sundried) can be included in diets meant for rabbits at levels not exceeding 25% for optimum growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients .

A 16-week trial evaluated the effects of ethanolic extract of Aspiliaafricana leaf (EeAaL) on the growth performance, carcass and egg characteristics of growing and laying quails. One hundred and eighty (180), one-week old Japanese quail chicks were assigned to six experimental diets (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10% EeAaL or 0.02% oxytetracycline). Each treatment had 30 birdswhich were further subdivided into three replicates of 10 birds. Each replicate was housed in a pen under the deep litter system; feed and water were provided ad libitum.Growth performance and egg characteristics(egg quantity and quality) indices were subjected to the one-way ANOVA in a completely randomized design (CRD). No significant (P>0.05) effect of EeAaL was observed between treatments on the final body weight and daily weight gains of quails. Feed conversion ratio (4.95 – 5.28) was significantly (P<0.05) improved in quails fed 2.5 – 7.5% EeAaL diets. Zero mortality was observed in quails fed 5 – 10% EeAaL diets compared to other treatments. EeAaL supplementation reduced (P<0.05) the amount of fat deposition in quail carcass, thus improving the carcass quality. The efficacy ofEeAaL was more pronounced in laying than growing quails where significant (P<0.05) differences were observed on some external and internal egg characteristics, whereas egg composition did not differ (P>0.05) between treatments. Egg number, hen day production, albumen weight,yolk weight, shell thickness and yolk colour were significantly improved following dietary EeAaL  upplementation, indicative of strong growth promoting and stimulatory effects.Therefore, for improved carcass and egg performances up to 7.5% EeAaL shoud be supplemented intoquail diets.Keywords: Leaf extract, growth rate, egg characteristics, bush marigold, quails