The major limiting factor to the utilisation of loofah gourd seeds (LGS) as food is its high content of anti-nutrient. Heat processing is one of the process of reducing the concentration of anti-nutrients in food resources which may adversely influence the amino acids contents of such resources. Raw seeds of loofah gourds (RLGS) were toasted (TLGS), boiled (BLGS) and cooked (CGLS) and analysed for the amino acids content. The amino acids score, the essential amino acids score and the predicted (P-PER) of the raw and heat treated RLGS were calculated using standard equations. Results revealed that heat treatment significantly reduced (P<0.05) the essential amino acids, total sulphur containing amino acids and total basic amino acids while significantly (P<0.05) increasing the total amino acids, and total non-essential amino acids. cysteine is the most reduced amino acids and toasting had the highest reduction effect on the amino acids. P-PER of LGS were significantly enhanced by heat processing. Glutamic acid and aspartic acid were the most abundant amino acids while cysteine and methionine were the major limiting amino acids in the raw and processed LGS. In conclusion, heat processing enhances the nutritional potentials of LGS and wet heat processing boiling and cooking are the most preferred processing methods for loofah gourd seed.
A 56-day trial to evaluate the performance, carcass characteristics and meat physico-chemical properties of broiler birds fed graded inclusion of supplemental ascorbic acid (AA) was undertaken using 270 one-day old Arbor acre broiler chicks. Basal starter and finishers diets (T1) contained 0% AA (control); while diets T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 were supplemented with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5% AA respectively. Performance data indicated similar (p>0.05) daily and total feed intake by birds. Feed conversion ratio (3.04, 2.86, 2.85, 2.74, 2.77and 2.69 for birds on diets T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 respectively) were also similar (p>0.05). However weight gain and final body weight were significantly higher (p<0.05) for birds on AA supplementation compared with control. Correlation of graded AA inclusion and weight gain of chickens was positive (r=0.50) and significant (p<0.05). Regression of weight gain (kg) on graded AA supplementation indicated (R 2 =0.2531) a minimum of 1.67ppm dietary AA requirement for growth. Abdominal fat, eviscerated weight as well as weight of heart varied significantly (p<0.05). Other carcass characteristics, organ indices and meat physico-chemical indices were not significantly different (p>0.05). Supplemental dietary AA was implicated in growth and improved color of broiler meat in this study.
The competition for food and feed arising from scarcity of conventional livestock feedstuff has resulted into search for novel feedstuff that is currently not being utilized as food by man. Thus, the present study was carried out to evaluate the nutritional potential of thermally processed loofah gourds seed in rats was evaluated in a 21-day completely randomized design feeding trials. Forty-eight Wistar strain male albino rats of 46.57±0.55g were allotted to four dietary treatments (T1–raw, T2–boiled, T3–cooked and T4–toasted) loofah gourd seed meal (LGSM) with three replicates each. Data collected included feed intake (FI), weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and carcass characteristics. Haematological and serological variables were determined using standard laboratory procedures. Results revealed that thermal processing significantly (P<0.05) reduced FI by 9–13%. Rats fed toasted LGSM had significantly (P<0.05) highest (7.55) weight gain and best (2.31) FCR while rats fed cooked LGSM had significantly (P<0.05) lowest (4.58) WG and worst (3.96) FCR. Dressing percentage, kidney and abdominal fat and serum biochemistry indices were significantly (P<0.05) affected by thermal processing. The study showed that thermal processing of LGSM enhanced growth performance and had no adverse effect on the haematology and serum biochemistry of albino rats.
small holder farmers enjoy in rearing small ruminants however, there are paucity of information on the morphometric traits and semen characteristics of Nigeria breeds of sheep in Ikorodu. Therefore, the effects of breeds on body measurements and semen quality of four sheep breeds in Nigeria were assessed. Twenty matured rams aged 2½ years and weighed 31.13±4.8 kg comprising five rams per breed namely: Balami (BAL), Ouda (UD), Yankasa (YAK) and West African Dwarf (WAD) were used for the study. Body measurements and semen quality of each ram was assessed for a period of six weeks after the four weeks of acclimatization. Live body weights (LBW), scrotal circumference (SC), height at wither (HtW), rump length (RpL) and rectal temperature (RT) were evaluated for body parameters. Semen samples were collected using electro-ejaculation method and evaluated for semen volume (SV), progressive sperm motility (PSM), sperm concentration (SC), normal sperm morphology (NSM), sperm livability (SL), and sperm acrosome integrity (SAI) using standard procedures. Results revealed that Yankasa had significantly (p<0.05) the higher live body weights (38.33kg) Live body weights while WAD recorded the least live body weights (28.50kg) live body weights which, was similar (p>0.05) with values recorded for Balami (28.67kg) and Ouda(29.0kg) breeds. Scrotal circumference was significantly (p<0.05) the lowest (24.50cm) in WAD but were similar (p>0.05) in Ouda (28.00cm), BAL (27.67cm) and YAK (26.33cm). The HtW showed similar trend with scrotal circumference. Meanwhile, there were no significant variation (p>0.05) in the value recorded for RpL (cm) and RT (0C). While, PSM, SAI and SV for all the breeds of sheep were statistically similar (p>0.05) in values and SC, SL and SNM were statistically different (p<0.05) between breeds. La petite taille corporelle, la capacité de production élevée et les taux de croissance rapides des moutons sont des caractéristiques remarquables que les petits exploitants agricoles apprécient dans l'élevage de petits ruminants, cependant, il y a peu d'informations sur les traits morphométriques et les caractéristiques du sperme des races de moutons du Nigeria à Ikorodu. Par conséquent, les effets des races sur les mésures corporelles et la qualité du sperme de quatre races de moutons au Nigéria ont été évalués. Vingt béliers matures âgés de 2 ans et demi et pesant 31,13 ± 4,8 kg comprenant cinq béliers par race à savoir: Balami (BAL), Ouda (UD), Yankasa (YAK) et mouton nain de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (WAD) ont été utilisés pour l'étude. Les mesures corporelles et la qualité du sperme de chaque bélier ont été évaluées pendant une période de six semaines après les quatre semaines d'acclimatation. Les poids corporels vivants (LBW), la circonférence scrotale (SC), la hauteur au garrot (HtW), la longueur de la croupe (RpL) et la température rectale (RT) ont été évaluées pour les paramètres corporels. Des échantillons de sperme ont été collectés à l'aide de la méthode d'électro-éjaculation et évalués pour le volume de sperme (SV), la motilité progressive des spermatozoïdes (PSM), la concentration de spermatozoïdes (SC), la morphologie normale des spermatozoïdes (NSM), l'habitabilité des spermatozoïdes (SL) et l'intégrité des acrosomes du sperme (SAI) en utilisant des procédures standard. Les résultats ont révélé que Yankasa avait significativement (p <0,05) les poids corporels vivants les plus élevés (38,33 kg), tandis que WAD a enregistré les poids corporels vivants les moins élevés (28,50 kg) qui étaient similaires (p> 0,05) avec des valeurs enregistrées pour les races Balami (28,67 kg) et Ouda (29,0 kg). La circonférence scrotale était significativement (p <0,05) la plus basse (24,50 cm) dans le mouton nain de l'Afrique de l'Ouest mais était similaire (p> 0,05) chez Ouda (28,00 cm), BAL (27,67 cm) et YAK (26,33 cm). La hauteur au garrot (HtW) a montré une tendance similaire avec la circonférence scrotale. Pendant ce temps, il n'y avait pas de variation significative (p> 0,05) dans la valeur enregistrée pour la longueur de la croupe (RpL) (cm) et la température rectale (RT) (0C). Alors que PSM, SAI et SV pour toutes les races de moutons étaient statistiquement similaires (p> 0,05) en valeurs et SC, SL et SNM étaient statistiquement différents (p <0,05) entre les races.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.