Chaya Leaf Research Articles

Semen Characteristics and Haematological Parmeters of West African Dwarf Bucks Treated with Aqueous Extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius

The effect of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius extract was carried out on eight West African Dwarf breeding Bucks weighing between 13kg-15kg and aged 18-24 months. The experiment spanned through 14 weeks. The animals were divided into two groups (T1 and T2) of four bucks each. 5mls of 20% and 30% Chaya leaf extract was administered to groups T1 and T2 each day, respectively, for two weeks. Semen and Blood samples were collected and analyzed. The result showed mild effects on the semen characteristics though there were no significant changes (P>0.05) in the semen volume, motility, percentage livability, the semen count (sperm concentration) and morphology. There was no significant effect (P>0.05) noticed on all the blood parameters except for the WBC count in which there was significant reduction (P<0.05) of T1 and T2. T1, Pre-treatment (22.80± 1.75), first week post treatment-WPT (18.65± 3.00), and second WPT (12.50± 1.39). T2, pre-treatment (14.85 ± 1.58), first WPT (22.67 ± 1.02), and second WPT (11.85 ± 0.39). It can be concluded that administration of either 20% or 30% extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius has no negative effects on the semen characteistics and haematological parameters of West African Dwarf (WAD) breeding bucks. Keywords : Cnidoscolus aconitifolius, Haematological parameters, Semen characteristics

The effect of chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf meal and of exogenous enzymes on amino acid digestibility in broilers

1. The apparent ileal nitrogen (N) and amino acid digestibilities in chaya leaf meal (CLM) (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) with added enzymes, and the same variables in diets containing different amounts of CLM were studied in chickens. 2. In the first experiment pectinase, β-glucanase, and pectinase + β-glucanase were added to CLM. In the second experiment, there were three diets based on maize and soybean: 0, 150 and 250 g/kg CLM. 3. Pectinase significantly increased both lysine and overall amino acid digestibilities in CLM. 4. In experiment 2, the amino acid digestibility in birds fed on CLM250 was lower than that from birds fed on either control or CLM150. Only the digestibilities of alanine, arginine and proline were lower in birds fed on CLM150 than in those fed on the control diet. Nitrogen digestibility was lower in birds fed on the CLM250 diet than on either control or CLM150 diets. These findings were attributed to the increasing concentration of fibre with increasing dietary CLM.

The effect of chaya ( Cnidoscolus aconitifolius ) leaf meal and of exogenous enzymes on amino acid digestibility in broilers

1. The apparent ileal nitrogen (N) and amino acid digestibilities in chaya leaf meal (CLM) (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) with added enzymes, and the same variables in diets containing different amounts of CLM were studied in chickens. 2. In the first experiment pectinase, β-glucanase, and pectinase + β-glucanase were added to CLM. In the second experiment, there were three diets based on maize and soybean: 0, 150 and 250 g/kg CLM. 3. Pectinase significantly increased both lysine and overall amino acid digestibilities in CLM. 4. In experiment 2, the amino acid digestibility in birds fed on CLM250 was lower than that from birds fed on either control or CLM150. Only the digestibilities of alanine, arginine and proline were lower in birds fed on CLM150 than in those fed on the control diet. Nitrogen digestibility was lower in birds fed on the CLM250 diet than on either control or CLM150 diets. These findings were attributed to the increasing concentration of fibre with increasing dietary CLM.

True metabolisable energy, heat increment and net energy values of two high fibre foodstuffs in cockerels

1. The yields of true metabolisable energy (TME) and net energy (NE) from chaya leaf meal and wheatfeed were measured in tube-fed cockerels. 2. TME, 5.76 MJ/kg, from chaya leaf meal was lower than from wheatfeed, 8.39 MJ/kg. The total heat increment attributable to the feeding of chaya leaf meal was 1.7 times greater than that of wheatfeed. 3. The net efficiency of utilisation of ME (k) from chaya leaf meal was 0.64, while that from wheatfeed was 0.86. The role of different chemical composition, especially the high fibre content of the materials, is discussed. 4. The metabolisable energy and net energy values derived from chaya leaf meal represented 0.34 and 0.23 respectively of its gross energy content. The combination of lower TME and lower net efficiency of utilisation led to chaya having a NE value, 3.86 MJ/kg, which was only 0.53 that of wheatfeed.

The nutritive value of chaya leaf meal ( Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) Johnston): studies with broiler chickens

Chaya leaf meal (CLM) ( Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) Johnston) was evaluated as a poultry feed ingredient in a series of two pilot studies. In experiment I, diets containing 0, 25, 50 and 75 g CLM kg −1 were fed, ad libitum, to 480 day-old broiler chicks for a period of 8 weeks. Birds had free access to water. The concentration of CLM in the diet had no effect on feed consumption. Overall significant correlations were found between the concentrations of CLM in the diet and weight gain ( r = −0.98) and feed : gain ratio ( r = 0.99). The level of CLM in the diet was shown to be strongly correlated with the carcass dressing percentage ( r = −0.97). Mortality rates of birds fed CLM-containing diets were markedly lower than those fed the chaya-free diet. Increased concentrations of red blood cells, haemoglobin, haematocrit and decreased total serum cholesterol as well as increased liver and heart weights were observed in birds fed diets containing high amounts of CLM. CLM could be included in chicks' diet at concentrations up to 25 g kg −1 without an adverse effect on performance. In experiment II, 240 broiler chicks were fed diets containing 0 or 25 g CLM kg −1 and with or without 100 g oil palm slurry (OPS) kg −1 from day-old to 8 weeks of age. The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous but not isoenergetic. The OPS-containing diets were higher in energy content. Birds fed the OPS diet and the chaya leaf meal (CLM)-and oil palm slurry (OPS)-combined diet gained the highest ( p<0.01) weight. The efficiency of feed utilisation was similar to that of body weight gains. Carcass dressing percentage followed the same trend. Furthermore, mortality rates of birds fed CLM-free diets were markedly higher than those fed the CLM-containing diets.

Chemical composition of chaya leaf meal ( Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) Johnston) and availability of its amino acids to chicks

Data are presented on the chemical composition of chaya leaf meal (CLM) ( Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) Johnston) and the availability of its amino acids to chicks. The crude protein, fat, ash, curde fibre and metabolizable energy contents were 296.2 g kg −1 dry matter (DM), 40.7 g kg −1 DM, 139.5 g kg −1 DM, 101.3 g kg −1 DM and 8.88 MJ kg −1 DM, respectively. CLM was relatively high in its content of calcium and iron. The sample contained anti-nutritional factors such as hydrocyanic acid and oxalate. No anti-tryptic activity was however detected in CLM. The amino acid composition of CLM indicates it is a good source of lysine and a fair source of sulphur-containing amino acids, cystine and methionine. The overall amino acid availability was moderately high (84.0%). With the exception of methionine and cystine, the amino acids in CLM had availability values > 80% and could therefore be regarded as moderately highly available.

Evaluation of methods of processing chaya leaf meal (CLM) in terms of chemical composition and on performance and physiological parameters of chicks

Four processing methods, air drying, oven (mechanical) drying, fermentation and parboiling of chaya leaves, were evaluated for their effect on the chemical composition ofthe resulting dry leaves. They were evaluated further in terms of performance and some physiological parameters using 450 day-old cockerels. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in chemical composition of the chaya leaf meal due to method of processing with the exception of the hydrogen cyanide content which were significantly (P O.OS) affect final body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion efficiency, water intake and mortality of chicks, as compared to a chaya-free (control) diet. Treatment differences in blood cellular elements of chicks were not significant (P > 0.05). Histological observations on the liver of chaya-fed birds indicated no morphological or gross issue changes. Key words : Chaya leaf meal, processing, chemical composition, performance, chicks.