Olawale M . Akanbi

Every animal is as good as what it eats so the availability of good poultry nutrition is crucial to the improvement of poultry products. The competition between humans and the domestic fowl for some feedstuffs greatly hampers the production of quality meat and eggs. This competition affects the relative availability and affordability of the basic feed ingredients used in poultry nutrition. The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and garlic (Allium sativum) on the performance, hematology and serum indices of laying hens. The research was carried out at the National Cereal research Institute experimental farm, Moor Plantation, Ibadan where seventy-two points of lay hens were randomly allotted into six dietary treatments of 12 birds per treatment in a Completely Randomized Design. The diets were formulated to contain 0% ginger and 0% garlic, 1% ginger and 1% garlic, 2% ginger and 2% garlic, 3% ginger and 3% garlic, 3% ginger and 0% garlic, and 0% ginger and 3% garlic to represented treatments 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 respectively. Significant differences (p< 0.05) were observed in performance which includes weight gain, feed conversion ratio and hen day production. There were significant (p< 0.05) influences in the haematology and serum indices such as Packed cell volume, red blood cell, haemoglobin, white blood cell, mean cell volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, while there were no significant differences in the cholesterol in the serum. The results of the haematology shows that the immunity increased, which is an indication that the spices (ginger and garlic) are good sources of vitamins and minerals and the inclusion of ginger and garlic at 2% ginger and 2% garlic can be fed to laying hens without detrimental effect on the performance and health of the birds.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool and a gene silencing mechanism known to knockdown target genes by suppressing the expression of such genes. RNAi has three pathways which are the piwiRNA (piRNA) pathway that performs the defense strategy by defending against the transposable elements; the microRNA (miRNA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathways performing the negative regulation for gene expression. The siRNA pathway is activated by exogenous dsRNA and this pathway serves to defend the genome against invading nucleic acids. RNAi experiments exploit the siRNA pathway by delivering dsRNA to induce knockdown of the target gene. This technology also has many potential applications in molecular biology, agriculture and many other fields. The application of RNAi technology for management of insects, blocking disease transmission by insect vectors and controlling pathogens that affects beneficial insects were reported helpful. Hence, this review showed the activity of RNAi in the knockdown of target genes as defense strategy in insect.

Background: The utilization parameters of Marshall broiler fed fungi treated cocoa pod husk meal (FTCPHM) with respect to growth performance and health implication were evaluated. Four diets were formulated using FTCPHM at 0, 5, 10 and 15% inclusion levels and designated as T1. T2, T3 and T4 respectively. Ninety-Six day old Marshall broiler comprising 24 birds per treatment with eight birds serving as a replicate in a Completely Randomized design (CRD). Results: It was revealed that T1, T2 and T3 utilized their diets for total weight gain, feed conversion ratio and lowest mortality compared to T4. The live weight, head, breast and shank were the only parameters that showed significant (P < 0.05) differences in the carcass measurement with highest values observed in T2 (1.92 kg), T1 (30.30 g/kg), T1 (213.49 g/kg) and T4 (46.74 g/kg) respectively. While only the relative organ weight of the liver and pancreas were significantly (P < 0.05) affected. All parameters of the hematology were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the diet except White blood cell. Consequently, the serum biochemical indices were also significant (P < 0.05) in high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, albumin and globulin.

The experiment was conducted to investigate the inclusion levels of Telfairia occidentalis leaf extract (TOLE) in laying quail’s water.
One hundred and twenty (120) Japanese quails were used for the study grouped into four inclusion levels of TOLE which were
provided at 0ml, 10ml, 20ml, and 30ml respectively in their water. The birds were randomly allotted to treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4 in a
Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of thirty birds per treatment group. The experiment lasted for 5 weeks; feed and
water were provided ad libitum. The performance results indicated no significant (p<0.05) differences in final weight, daily weight
gain and feed conversion ratio among the treatment group at different levels of inclusion. There was no significant influence of the
leaf extract on the external egg quality and internal egg quality except in yolk diameter, albumen ratio, height, and width.
Conceivably, from this study shows that 10ml inclusion level of Telfairia occidentalis leaf extract gives optimal growth performance in
quail birds. Its inclusion in quail’s water at 10ml performed better in term of the weight of eggs and overall performance.

The experiment was conducted to investigate the level of inclusion of Telfairia occidentalis leaf extract (TOLE) in quail drinking water.
One hundred and twenty (120) Japanese quails were used for the study. Four levels of inclusion of TOLE were given at 0ml, 10ml,
20ml, and 30ml respectively in their water. The birds were randomly allotted to treatments in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each treatment consists of thirty birds with ten birds per replicate. The experiment lasted for 7 weeks; feed and water were given ad libitum. The productive performance results indicate no significant (p<0.05) differences in final weight, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio among the treatment group at different levels of inclusion. Haematological indices and serum biochemical indices also followed similar pattern as the productive performance by revealing high significant (P<0.05) difference at different levels of Telfairia occidentalis inclusion in Packed cell volume (PCV), Heterophils and Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) but no significant (P>0.05) in Red blood cell (RBC), Haemoglobin (Hb), White blood cell (WBC), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH),
Monocytes, Eosinophils and Lymphocytes. The serum biochemical indices revealed high significant (P<0.05) difference in total protein, glucose and sodium and no significant (P>0.05) in albumen, total cholesterol, total bilirubin, potassium, and chloride. In view of the above, 0ml inclusion of Telfairia occidentalis leaf extract has no adverse effect on performance and blood components of quail birds.

The requirement under tropical and temperate conditions for water, protein, essential and non-essential amino acids were reviewed. Other basic requirements that comprise energy, micro, and macro minerals and vitamins. Due to multiple benefits and prolificacy of the quails been domesticated, this review on its nutrient requirements is of great essential.

A total of 180 point of lay Nera black hens were used for this experiment to access the performance and haematological profile of given different form of nutrient additives. The hens were allotted into four treatments and replicated three times in a Completely Randomized Design of 45 hens per treatment and 15 hens per replicate. Treatment 1 hens serves as a control and were given ordinary water, treatment 2 hens were given Vitalyte®, treatment 3 hens were given Aviproteck® and treatment 4 hens were given Telfairia occidentalis leaf extract on a daily basis. The results showed that there were no significant (P>0.05) differences in the performance characteristics measured except the initial and final body weight.T1 recorded higher numerical value in weight gain and with 0.28g and also consumed more with feed intake of 114.30g with the best FCR of 0.41 and lowest hen day production of 45% compared to T3 (63%) and T4 (61%). The haematology parameters showed significant (P<0.05) differences across the treatment groups in haemoglobin, packed cell volume, red blood cells, white blood cells, neutrophils and lymphocytes with the highest values recorded mostly in T4 group. Consequently, it was concluded that probiotics and Telfairia occidentalis leaf extract had increased both hen-day production and slightly improve some of the haematological parameters measured.