Journal of Fisheries & Livestock Production
Open Access

Abstract

A 56 day experiment was conducted to evaluate the response of West African Dwarf (WAD) bucks fed processed poultry droppings. Nine (9) West African Dwarf (WAD) bucks were assigned to three treatment groups in a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment with 3 bucks per treatment. The diets contained poultry droppings at 0% (T1), 10% sun dried poultry droppings (SDPD)(T2) and 10% toasted poultry droppings (TPD)(T3). The parameters evaluated included: dry matter intake (DMI), changes in body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), heart girth change (HGC), body length change (BLC) and height at withers (HWC), hematological and biochemical indices, and carcass characteristics of the bucks. Proximate analyses of the sun-dried poultry droppings, toasted poultry droppings, the treatment diets and the forages (Panicum maximum and Cetrocema spp.) were conducted. Concentrate dry matter intakes were 184.65g, 150.05g and 183.62g for T1, T2 and T3 respectively. Forage dry matter intakes were 494.04g 569.70g and 555.66g for T1, T2, and T3 respectively. Concentrate dry matter intake was similar (p>0.05) in T1 and T3 groups, but significantly (p<0.05) higher than the T2 group. The T2 group consumed significantly (p<0.05) more forage than the T1 and T3 groups. HGC and HWC were 5.67cm, 2.33cm and 4.67cm, and 5.00cm 4.67cm and 4.00cm respectively. T1 and T3 had higher HGC than T2 group, while the T2 group recorded higher HWC than the T1 and T3 groups. The hemoglobin (Hb) values varied significantly (p<0.05) among the treatment means, and they were, 12.30, 11.30 and 12.00g/dl respectively. PCV (%) and WBC(x103/mm3 varied significantly (p<0.05) and the values were 37.00, 34.00 and 36.00 (%), and 39.00, 56.07 and 42.50(x103/mm3 respectively. Neutrophil and lymphocyte were also influenced significantly, the values were, 15.00, 10, and 31.00%, and 83.00, 86.00, and 66.00% respectively. Only serum urea was affected among the biochemical components, and the values were 0.87, 0.90 and 0.97 mg/dl respectively. Dressed weight were 34.62%, 37.75% and 42.60% for T1, T2 and T3 respectively; the T2 and T3 groups were similar (P>0.05) but T3 was higher than T1. The values for shoulder were 10.67%, 10, 74% and 8.05%; the full gut values were 47.20% 38.56% and 28.68% for T1. T2 and T3 respectively. Liver, kidney and heart were 2.90%, 2.22% and 1.93%; 0.55, 0.47% and 0.42%, and 0.72%, 0.57% and 0.58% for T1, T2 and T3 respectively. T1 showed significantly (P<0.05) higher relative weight values for liver and heart than the T3 group. Inclusion of processed poultry droppings up to 10% in the diets of WAD bucks did not affect their performance negatively. However simple sun drying is recommended based on the results of this study and it is also a cheaper and straight forward processing method for poultry droppings.

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