Animal Research International

2392 – 2399

Authors: OGBU, Kenneth Chukwunonso, EBENEBE, Cordelia Ifeyinwa and ABAJUE, Maduamaka Cyriacus

A study was carried out to analyse the effect of brewery effluent from Nigerian brewery Enugu on Ajali River in Eke, Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State. Brewery effluent and water samples from Ajali River were collected with sterile bottles between May and June 2013. The samples were analyzed for physicochemical properties with standard laboratory techniques. Results obtained in the study revealed that the brewery effluent had the following values: pH (7.71 ± 0.15 pH), temperature (29.50 ± 0.500 C), conductivity (489.00 ± 172.00 us/cm), total suspended solids (26.75 ± 0.25 mg/l), total dissolved solids (2.55 ± 0.47 mg/l), total solid (29.31 ± 0.51), biological oxygen demand (1.95 ± 0.100 mg/l), chemical oxygen demand (49.97 ± 6.00 mg/l), dissolved oxygen (3.00 ± 0.15) mg/l) and turbidity (388.00 ± 117.00 NTU). Ajali River had the following values: pH (7.69 ± 0.00 pH), temperature (26.00 ± 0.000 C), conductivity (280.00 ± 22.00 us/cm), total suspended solids (47.01 ± 0.99 mg/l), total dissolved solids (1.86 ± 0.24 mg/l), total solid (48.87 ± 0.11), biological oxygen demand (1.52 ± 0.12 mg/l), chemical oxygen demand (10.94 ± 2.97 mg/l), dissolved oxygen (4.37 ± 0.17 mg/l) and turbidity (278.00 ± 33.00 NTU). Objectionable water odour was recorded for both brewery effluent and Ajali River. The turbidity, total suspended solids and dissolved oxygen of both brewery effluent and Ajali River were far above the national and international permissible standard limits for effluents and surface waters. The reasons for these variations and their effect on the Ajali River were discussed.

2404 – 2412

Authors: EGBUJI, Jude Victor, EJERE, Vincent Chikwendu, UGWU, Godwin Chigozie, OKANYA, Laureta Chinagorom and NNAMONU Emmanuel Ikechukwu

Phytochemical composition and antitrypanosomal activities of aqueous leaf extracts of Loranthus micranthus in rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei were investigated for 28 days using 72 adult male albino rats weighing between 150 – 250 g. The rats were divided into six groups (A – F), replicated thrice with each replicate having four rats. Group A, B and C were given 400 mg/kg, 800 mg/kg and 1200 mg/kg of the extracts respectively, according to their body weights, while groups D, E and F served as the negative, positive and normal control groups, respectively. LD50, phytochemical screening, parasitaemia and body weight were determined using standard methods. It was observed that tannins and flavonoids were highly present, alkaloids, resins, steroids and saponins were moderately present in the plant extract, while terpenes and glycosides were present in trace amounts. LD50 of the crude leaf extract of L. micranthus showed no mortality at dose levels of up to 5,000 mg/kg after 24 hours. The level of parasitaemia in all the tested groups and negative control was significantly high (p<0.05) when compared with the positive and normal control groups throughout the experiment. Similarly, a significant decrease (p<0.05) was observed in the mean values of body weights of the infected and treated animals throughout the experiment. The results showed that all the tested rats and negative control groups died from the overwhelming parasitaemia unlike the case of those administered the standard drug. The aqueous leaf extract of L. micranthus may not be used as an antitrypanosomal agent.

2421 – 2427

Authors: OPOOLA, Emmanuel, OGUNDIPE, Samson Olabanji, BAWA, Gideon Shaibu, MAKINDE, Olayinka John, ABEJIDE, Oluyinka and OLAYINKA, Oluseyi Ifeoluwa

Dietary amino acids over the needs of broiler chickens may impair feed intake and growth rate. An experiment was conducted to determine the optimum dietary methionine requirement for broiler chickens reared during the hot season under tropical conditions. A total of three hundred day-old broiler chicks were used for the starter phase and two hundred and seventy chicks for the finisher phase. Each experiment had five treatment groups and three replicates per group. The experimental diets were five with graded levels of supplemental methionine at: 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30 and 0.35 % to give total dietary methionine levels of 0.45, 0.50, 0.55, 0.60 and 0.65 % for the starter phase feeding trial. For the finisher phase feeding trials, supplemental methionine levels of 0.14, 0.19, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30 % to give total dietary methionine levels of 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60 % were fed to the chicks. Each experiment lasted from 0 – 4 weeks for the starter phase and 5 – 8 weeks for the finisher phase. Results for the starter phase indicated significantly (p<0.05) linear increases for total weight gain and average daily gain as the dietary levels of methionine increased. The birds fed 0.60 % methionine diet had the highest (p<0.05) final body weight, better feed conversion ratio and feed cost per kg weight gain. The results for the finisher phase show that birds fed 0.60 % methionine diet performed significantly (p<0.05) better in terms of the body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed cost/kg weight gain than those fed lower methionine levels in diets. It was concluded that the methionine requirement was 0.60 % for the starter diet. For the finisher phase, a linear increase in the body weight gain was observed up to the highest dietary level of methionine tested (0.60 %). Hence, the optimum dietary level of methionine may be above 0.60 %. Further studies will be necessary to establish higher doses of dietary methionine in broiler finisher reared under tropical climatic conditions.

2436 – 2445

Authors: MGBEAHURUIKE, Anthony Christian

The present study investigated the effect of aflatoxin contamination of poultry feeds from different commercial feed sources on the performance of broiler chicks. Seventy-five 3 weeks old Abor acre broiler chicks were randomly divided into five groups (A – E), replicated thrice with each replicates having 5 birds. Each replicate constituted an experimental unit and the birds were separately housed in a 1 x 1 m2 sized pen. The birds in each treatment group were fed feeds from 5 companies, A – E. Feed intake and body weights were measured in all the treatment groups. Blood samples from the birds were analyzed for different haematological parameters. Feed samples were analyzed for aflatoxin concentration using reverse-phase HPLC. The total aflatoxin content (AFB1 + AFB2 + FG1 + AFG2) of the feeds ranged from 1.4 ± 0.4 - 224.2 ± 74.7 μg/kg. The total aflatoxin level in feed samples C and E were above the European community regulatory limit for poultry feeds (ECRL, 20 μg/kg). There was no statistically significant difference between the haematological values of the birds fed feeds from the different sources (P ˃ 0.005). Lymphocyte count was relatively low in all the treatment groups. However, the mixed-blood populations were scantly detected in all the groups. Feed intake was positively correlated with body weight in the two treatment groups, A and E (P = 0.0001, R = 1). The high concentration of aflatoxin in some of the feeds caused reduced feed intake and poor body weight among the treated birds.

2454 – 2462

Authors: OMEDE, Ameh

The study was carried out to evaluate the relative antioxidant properties and polyphenol contents of partially purified fractions of Moringa oleifera leave extracts. The total phenolic, total flavonoid, anthocyanin, proanthocyanidine and tannin contents of the crude methanolic extract, aqueous fraction and ethyl acetate fraction were determined using established methods, while the antioxidant properties of the test fractions were evaluated using five in vitro radical scavenging assays: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, nitric oxide inhibitory assay, lipid peroxidation assay, reductive potential assay, and the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay. The highest radical scavenging effect and polyphenol contents were observed in the ethyl acetate fractions than the other fractions: the order of activity for all the assays was ethyl acetate reaction > crude extract > aqueous extract. The results obtained in the present study indicates that M. oleifera could be a potential source of natural antioxidant and could be applied as a functional food with regard to its relatively low tannin content.