S. O. NWOKORO

The price fluctuation and limited availability of soya bean meal as a major protein feedstuff for broiler chickens have been constraints in monogastric animal production in Nigeria. Palm kernel cake has been widely used as a protein source in replacing
conventional protein sources at different levels. However, the use of palm kernel cake in poultry diets has been limited due to its low quality (low protein and high fibre contents vis-à-vis dryness, grittiness and texture). The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the effect of solid state fermentation using white rot fungus (Pleurotus sajor caju) on the nutritive value of palm kernel cake (PKC) as a substitute for soyabean meal (SBM) protein in the diets of finisher broiler chickens.
Palm kernel cake was sterilized for 6 hours and inoculated with P. sajor caju spore suspension, sun-dried and homogenized after full colonization before incorporation into the poultry feed. Proximate composition and some mineral contents of PKC and fermented PKC were determined before diets formulation. Five dietary treatments containing 50% unfermented palm kernel cake at 0, 25, 50 and 75% levels of fermented palm kernel cake were formulated to replace soyabean meal in the diets of finisher broiler
chickens. Ninety finisher broiler chickens were used to evaluate the performance, carcass characteristics, hematological indices and economy of feed conversion of test diets for 6 weeks in a completely randomized design (CRD). Feed and water were given ad libitum The crude protein was significantly increased (P<0.05) by 50% after fermentation. The results of the performance indicated no significant (P>0.05) differences for the test diets when compared to the Control diet 2. The inclusion of Fermented Palm Kernel Cake FPKC up to 75% had no adverse effect on weight gain, feed intake, FCR and PER. Feed intake was highest on dietary treatment 5. FCR and PER were best in birds that were fed the control diet. The 50% and 75% FPKC diets significantly (P<0.05) increased lymphocytes and MCV respectively, FPKC replacement of SBM increased the blood globulin and glucose of the finisher broiler chickens. The live and defeathered weights of birds were highest in the Control while 75% FPKC diet gave the highest values for eviscerated weight, back cut, head and kidney (as percentage of live weight). The highest digestibility of protein was obtained in Treatment 3.The cost of raising the broiler chickens was also reduced as FPKC increased in the diets. It is thus concluded that solid state fermented PKC can be utilized as a substitute for SBM in the diets of broiler chickens up to 75%.

This study examined the Extraction of Leaf Protein Concentrates (LPC) from Irvingia gabonensis (Bush Mango) leaves using three different methods: Heat Coagulation, Alum Precipitation, and Acid Coagulation to evaluate their effects on the Physical Properties, Nutritional Composition, and Phytochemical Constituents of the products. Fresh Leaves collected from a part of Edo State were processed into a Slurry, and the resulting LPC and Bagasse were analyzed for Proximate, Mineral, and Phytochemical Contents using Standard Laboratory Procedures (AOAC, 2019). Results showed that the Extraction Method significantly influenced the quality and Nutrient Content of the LPC. The Alum Precipitation method produced the highest Crude Protein (32.95%) and ash (8.50%) values, while the Acid Coagulation method gave the highest Moisture (20.20%) and Carbohydrate (45.54%) levels.

This study was carried out to develop a feed resource using rejected or waste bread materials and cassava offals. A survey on bread waste in Being City was carried out using a questionnaire. Results showed that the apparent mean shelf-life of bread wasted in Benin City was 3.14 days. Plain and banana bread waste were analysed for microbial and proximate analyses for 1, 3, 5 ,8 and 12 days. Plain Bread was mixed with cassava offals at different ratio with 600ml of water and stored for 2, 6 and 10
days to age. The developed feed were analysed for Proximate Composition in tripheate. The developed feed Treatments were: T1 (100%Bread: 0%Cassava Offals), T2 (75% Bread: 25% Cassava Offals), T3 (50%Bread: 50%Casssava Offals), T4 (25% Bread: 75% Cassava Offals),T5 (0%Bread: 100%Cassava Offals). Results showed that treatment T1 of the developed feed had higher significant (p<0.05) difference on DM, CP and EE than other treatments. Also ageing had no significant effect (p>0.05) on the developed feed. This study showed that T4 can be incorporated in animal feed to reduce cost of production and serve as an alternative feed resource rather than wasting the by-products.