RESPONSE OF GROWING AND LAYING JAPANESE QUAILS (Coturnix coturnix japonica) FED DIETARY GRADED LEVELS OF FERMENTED CASSAVA (Manihot esculenta) PEEL MEAL

ABSTRACT

A two phase research work was conducted in a period of 12 weeks to determine the effect of feeding varying levels of fermented cassava (Manihot esculenta) peel meal on the growth performance and egg production of Japanese quails using 300 two week old growing quails with an initial mean body weight of 27.67 g of both sexes. The birds were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments with 75 birds per treatment. Each replicated  thrice;  designated  T1,  T2,   T3   and  T4   containing  0,  25,  50  and  75  %  of fermented cassava peel meal (FCPM) as a replacement for dietary maize respectively. The parameters measured in the first 6 weeks (growing phase) were feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics. The results showed significant (P<0.05) difference in daily feed intake, while daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio showed no significant (P>0.05) difference among the treatment means. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in the nutrient digestibility among the treatment groups. A total of 120 female quails were allotted to 4 dietary treatment with 30 birds per treatment, replicated thrice and  were fed with layers diet with same level of replacement ( laying phase). The parameters measured at the laying phase were daily feed intake, hen- day production, hen- house production and egg quality traits (Egg weight, egg length, egg width, egg shape index, yolk weight, yolk width, shell thickness, yolk index, Haugh unit, yolk height, albumen height and albumen weight). The results showed that there were no significant (P>0.05) differences in the daily feed intake, hen-day production, hen-housed production and in all the egg quality traits. It was concluded that dietary maize could be replaced with FCPM up to 50 % without any deleterious effect on growth performance while FCPM up to 75 % can be used to replace maize in the feed of laying Japanese quails without any deleterious effect on egg production and egg quality trait of quails.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

Poultry production is a major sector of livestock production dealing with different kinds of birds. Years back, chickens were the most recognized and acceptable poultry birds reared by farmers; however recently,  other birds came into limelight  of which the Japanese quail  (Coturnix coturnix  japonica) is  one of them.  Quails  with  chickens, pheasants and partridges belong to the family Phasanoidea of order Galliformes of class Aves  of  the  animal  kingdom  (Shim,  2005).There  are  about  44  known  species  but research has shown that only 22 have been domesticated.

Quails were brought to Nigeria with the sole aim of bridging the protein gap due to its fast multiplication rate and low investment cost. It has proven to be the quickest and cheapest substitute to the expensive sources of protein (Ayanwale and Arziki, 2005). The importance of animal protein in both human and animal nutrition cannot be over emphasized. Over the years, there has been a significant gap between the production and supply of animal protein to feed the over growing population. To halt this negative trend, efforts are being directed towards boosting the livestock industry with micro livestock having prolific tendency, short gestation, short generation interval and rapid growth (Owen and Amakiri, 2010). Introduction of Japanese quails to Nigeria in 1992 (Haruna, Musa, Okemole, Shemaki, Lombin, Molekwu and Karsin, 1997) has widened the scope for the availability of high rich proteinous food and of research (National Veterinary Research Institute, 1996; Olubamiwa, Haruna, Musa, Akinwale, Cambin and Longe, 1999;  Edache, Musa, Karsin, Esilonu and Jibrin, 2005).

Japanese quail is a fairly recently domesticated economic avian specie that is ideally suited for commercial rearing, eggs and meat production under intensive conditions (Oladunjoye, Ojedapo and Ojebiyi, 2005). Japanese quails are hardy birds that thrive in small cages and cheap to produce (Odunsi, Rotimi and Amao, 2007). They have less feed requirements of about 20-25 g of feed per bird/day compared to chicken that requires 120-130 g of feed per bird/ day (Ani, Okeke and Emeh, 2009). Japanese quail meat and egg are very tasty and the meat is tender and low in cholesterol. Research findings had it that consumption of quail meat reduces the chances of hypertension and diabetes (Agwunobi and Ina-Ibor, 2007). Successful quail rearing depends on many factors like availability of feed ingredients at a reasonable cost, quality chicks and proper management. Among these factors, management factor seems not a problem as quails are resistant to diseases requiring less vaccination. (Maurice and Gerry, 2006).

The recent economic recession and difficulties with poultry production inputs in the last few years in Africa has now forced poultry farmers to look inward for cheaper raw materials (Yusuf, 2004). In order to maximize profit of poultry products there is the need   to   develop   and   incorporate   alternative   feed-stuffs   which   when   used   in compounding poultry diets will at least lower the cost of feed ingredients for Japanese quails and which will encourage farmers to go into quail farming.

One of the major constraints of the development of poultry industry in Nigeria is the high cost of feeds. Maize constitutes about 60 % of feed which also serves as food for many households in Nigeria. Competition between man and livestock for maize, soya beans among others is often responsible for high cost of these ingredients (Oladunjoye et al., 2005). Several studies have been carried out on many energy supplying agricultural products as substitute for maize in poultry feed. Among such products that have been tried are sweet potatoes, cocoyam, yam, rice by- products, peels of tubers, molasses, sorghum and wheat. One of such agro-industrial by- product is cassava peels which are cheaper and unconventional alternative feed resources for livestock animals.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) belongs to the genus Manihot of the order Euphabiaceae. It is said to have been introduced into West Africa from Brazil by the early Portuguese explorers. Cassava is the most productive tuber crop in terms of energy yield per unit land area (Garcia and Dale, 1999). Cassava peels are the back cover of the cassava tuber which is manually removed using sharp knives with little or no pulp in the peel. These peels are often two layers; the outer brownish and relatively thin rind and grayish, whitish or light brown inner and comparatively large rind. When processed for inclusion in diet, it is referred to as cassava peel meal. Cassava peel is one of the agro-industrial by-product  that  is  readily  available  in  countries  where  cassava  is  cultivated  and processed into food for man. The peels account for about 10-15 % of the tuber by weight. It contains about 5.00 – 5.98 % crude protein (ldowu, Sogunle, Idowu, Jegede, Alabi, Adenugba and Bamgbose, 2006). There are limitations on the use of cassava products in poultry diet because of its dustiness, milling difficulty, reduction in feed intake and an appreciable content of anti-nutritional factor which is Hydrocyanic acid (HCN) (Essec and Nout, I989; and Salami, 1999). However, Oladunjoye, Ojebiyi and Odunsi (2008) reported several processing methods to enhance the feeding value of cassava products; like parboiling, soaking in water and sun drying (fermentation). Omoikhoje, Bamgbose and Aruna (2008) have reported on the extensive use of cassava peel meal as cheaper substitutes for maize in the diet of monogastrics.

1.1       General Objective

This work is aimed at investigating the response of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) fed diets containing graded levels of fermented cassava peel meal as a replacement for maize in the diets of growing and laying Japanese quails.

Specific objectives are to:-

1.   evaluate the growth performance pattern (Body weight/ Body weight gain, feed conversion ratio) of the   Japanese quail fed diets containing   graded levels of fermented cassava peel meal.

2.   determine the cost effectiveness of fermented cassava peel meal in quail diets.

3.   determine  the  nutrients  digestibility  of  Japanese  quails  fed  diets  containing graded levels of fermented cassava peel meal.

4.   determine the carcass proportions of the Japanese quails fed diets containing graded levels of fermented cassava peel meal.

5.   estimate the hen-day and hen-house production of the Japanese quails fed diets containing  graded levels of  fermented cassava peel meal.

6.   investigate the effect of the different levels of fermented cassava peel meal on egg quality parameters such as (albumen height, Haugh units, shell thickness, egg shape index, egg weight, yolk weight, egg length, egg width, yolk height and albumen weight.

1.2      Justification for the study

1.  The need to provide cheap source of animal protein which is of importance to public health.

2.  The need to source for a non conventional feed ingredient to augment conventional feed ingredients.

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