DSpace Collection: Animal Production

Lipoprotein lipase gene expression profile of broiler chicken breeds administered varying levels of ginger extracts in drinking water

2026-04-23T18:12:32Z

Title: Lipoprotein lipase gene expression profile of broiler chicken breeds administered varying levels of ginger extracts in drinking water Authors: Otu, Bison Okpata; Egena, Sunday Stephen; Eniwaiye, Adenike Adetutu; Abubakar, Y; Adebowale, O. F; Sikiru, Akeem Abstract: This study investigated the Lipoprotein Lipase gene expression profile of broiler chicken breeds administered varying levels of ginger extracts in drinking water. A total of 270 day-old unsexed broiler chicks comprising Arbor acre Plus, Cobb 500 and Ross 308 breeds were randomly allotted into three treatments of 90 birds each, with each of the treatments comprising three blocks of 30 birds of each of the three breeds, replicated into three with 10 birds per replicate in a randomised complete block design arrangement. The Birds in T1 (control had 0.2 g of Oxytetracycline in 2 litres of water). A 200 ml solution of 8 ml of undiluted ginger extract and 192 ml of water was constituted as T2 (4 %). Another 200mls solution of 12mls of undiluted ginger extract added to 188mls of water was constituted as T3 (6 %). The birds were fed a single-phase diet of 22.34% CP and 2948.05 Kcal/KgME for 8 weeks. After slaughter, the guanidinium thiocyanate phenol-chloroform method was used to extract genomic RNA from the abdominal fat tissue samples. The extracted RNA was converted to cDNA using the FIREScript RT cDNA Synthesis KIT. The synthesised cDNA was amplified using the My IQ single colour real-time thermo-cycler to ascertain the cyclic threshold values used in computing the fold change values. The results showed significant (p<0.05) differences in the Lipoprotein Lipase gene expression values obtained for the different breeds of broiler chickens administered 0 %, 4 % and 6 % ginger extract. The Lpl gene in Cobb5 was highly up-regulated with a fold change value of 2.48, while it was rather downwardly regulated in Abor acre plus and Ross 308 strains of broiler chickens with fold change values of -1.86 and -0.55, respectively, when administered 0% aqueous ginger extract. However, the Lpl gene was up-regulated in the three strains of broiler chicken administered 4% aqueous ginger extract. Ross 308 was highly upregulated with a fold change value of 4.66, followed by Arbor acre plus with the fold change value of 0.69, while Cobb 500 was the least with the fold change value of 0.1. More so, the Lpl gene in Arbor acre plus and Cobb500 were up-regulated with the fold change values of 1.18 and 2.09, respectively, while Ross 308 had a downward regulation with a fold change value of -1.29 when administered 6% aqueous ginger extract. The study showed that administering aqueous ginger extract regulated the expression of Lipoprotein Lipase gene differently in the different types of broiler breeds examined, indicative of ginger extract fat fat-modulating ability necessary for the production of lean and less fatty meat

Nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens fed graded levels of enzyme-supplemented sorghum as replacement for maize

2026-04-23T17:53:19Z

Title: Nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens fed graded levels of enzyme-supplemented sorghum as replacement for maize Authors: Eniwaiye, Adenike Adetutu; Owolabi, Shina James; Usetim, Diana Mark; Sheshi, Umar Alhassan Abstract: Aim/Background: This study evaluated the effects of enzyme-supplemented sorghum-di luted maize diets on nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. Feed costs account for 60%–70% of total broiler production costs, and maize price vol atility in Nigeria has driven interest in cost-effective alternatives. Sorghum is an alterna tive because of its similar energy profile and drought tolerance, but its anti-nutritional factors limit its direct use in poultry diets. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the optimal sorghum inclusion level when supplemented with a commercial enzyme blend. Methods: The study was conducted in 2025 at the Poultry Unit of the Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria. Two-hundred-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments in a com pletely randomized design with four replicates of ten birds each. The experimental diets consisted of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% sorghum replacing maize (T1–T5), formulated to meet nutrient requirements. All diets were supplemented with Birzyme Plus enzyme at 5 g per ton of feed. Nutrient digestibility was determined through total excreta collec tion during days 25 and 51. Two birds per replicate were housed in metabolic cages for 3 days of acclimatization, followed by 4 days of feeding, with 105 g of feed administered per bird daily. Excreta were collected, oven-dried, and analyzed for dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fiber, and ash using AOAC methods. At day 56, two birds per replicate were sacrificed for gut morphology assessment. Data were analyzed using one way Analysis of Variance with SPSS version 23.0, and treatment means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test at p < 0.05. Results: T2 (25% sorghum) achieved the highest dry matter digestibility (17.38% and 17.18% for starter and finisher phases, respectively). Crude protein digestibility was highest in T4 and T3 (17.21% and 16.68%) during the starter phase. The 50% sorghum treatment recorded the highest small intestine weight (2.27%), large intestine weight (2.60%), and liver weight (1.19%). The 100% maize and 50% sorghum groups had the lon gest small intestines (153.00 cm). The 100% sorghum diet produced the longest absolute gastrointestinal tract (194.00 cm). Conclusion: The study concluded that enzyme-supplemented sorghum at inclusion lev els up to 50% optimizes nutrient digestibility and gut development in broiler chickens, providing a cost-effective alternative to maize in poultry production.

Potential Growth and Chemical Composition Changes During the Growth of NewZealand White Rabbits

2026-04-22T17:09:08Z

Title: Potential Growth and Chemical Composition Changes During the Growth of NewZealand White Rabbits Authors: Eniwaiye, Adenike Adetutu; Rani-Kamwendo, Zikhona Theodora Abstract: This study was conducted on New Zealand White male and female rabbits over a period of 133 days to ascertain their potential growth rates, body composition for major body parts, and chemical makeup. A total of 220 New Zealand White rabbits, evenly distributed between males and females, were used for this study. One hundred rabbits for potential growth were weighed from day 14 to day 140, while twelve rabbits, six males and six females, were randomly selected at days 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 56, 70, 84, 112, and 140 for carcass analysis. Although the rate of maturation was faster in females than in males, the Gompertz equation fitted separately to the growth data for males and females indicated that the body weights were similar throughout the trial (0.0243 vs. 0.0239), but males had a higher mature weight (315 g) than the females (309 g). Mature body protein weights averaged 1497 g in males and 843 g in females, and mature body lipid contents averaged 252 and 227 g, respectively. The rate of maturation per day of pelt-free body protein of males and females was 0.0103 and 0.0172, while that of body lipids was 0.0410 and 0.0471, respectively. Separate equations were required for males and females to describe the allometric relationship between protein and lipids in the pelt-free body. The rate of maturation of pelts in females was higher than in males (0.0249 vs. 0.0214/d), and the mature weight was lower (456 vs. 523 g, respectively).

Growth performance and nutrient metabolizability of Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) orally administered varying levels of Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus, Stapf) aqueous extract

2026-04-22T16:20:20Z

Title: Growth performance and nutrient metabolizability of Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) orally administered varying levels of Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus, Stapf) aqueous extract Authors: BANJO, ADENIKE ADETUTU; ALABI, JOEL OLUWATOSIN; OTU, BISONG OKPATA; KOLO, SODI PAHILIP; OMOTOLA, MOSES Abstract: A 42-days trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of lemon grass aqueous extract (LGAE) on growth performance and nutrient metabolizability of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). The 10 days old Japanese quails (n = 240) used in this study were allotted to 5 groups and were fed a common corn-soybean meal-basal diet unrestrictedly for a period of 42 days. The five treatments include the control group fed basal diet with no additive, the second group received antibiotics (Embacox® at 8g per litre) while the remaining three (3) treatments were administered LGAE in drinking water at varying levels of 0.20, 0.40, and 0.60 ml per litre once a week. The quails which received 0.2ml LGAE per litre had higher (P<0.05) body weight gain, and daily feed intake was increased by 3.88% when compared with antibiotic-treated group. FCR was higher (P<0.05) in quails exposed to 0.4 and 0.6ml LGAE while the least value was obtained in quails which received antibiotics (Embacox®). Significant increase in water intake (P<0.05) and water to feed ratio (P<0.001) was observed in growing quails which received 0.2ml LGAE when compared to other treatments. Japanese quails which received lemon grass extract in water showed higher (P<0.05) nutrient metabolizability, except crude fibre, than those in control group. Nutrient metabolizability increases (except for fibre) as the LGAE inclusion level increases. The study concluded that Japanese quail served 0.2ml LGAE per litre had similar growth rate with those on control groups while additional dosage resulted in negative effects. LGAE administered in drinking water up to 0.6ml per litre enhance nutrient metabolizability and utilization.