Effect Of Dietary Graded Levels Research Articles

Effect of dietary graded levels of Imbrasia belina on the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of meat from broiler chickens

The effect of dietary graded inclusion levels of Imbrasia belina worm meal on meat chemical composition and fatty acid profile of broiler chicken meat was evaluated. A total of 360 chicks were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments, with each treatment group replicated 6 times (n = 15/replicate). The inclusion levels of the I. belina worm meal in the treatments were 0% control = T1, T2 = 4%, T3 = 8% and 12%. A three-phase feeding program of starter (0-14d), grower (15-28d), and finisher (29-35d) was employed for the study. The results showed that crude protein content of breast meat was higher (P < 0.05) in dietary treatments than control, whereas crude fat content of thigh meat was higher (P < 0.05) than in breast meat. The fatty acid composition of breast meat myristic and myristoleic acid levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in treatment groups than the control, whereas the levels of linoleic acid, ⅀PUFA, ⅀PUFA/SFA, ⅀PUFA: MUFA, ⅀(n-6) in thigh meat decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in treatment groups than control. The ⅀(n-3) and atherogenic index in the thigh meat increased significantly (P < 0.05) with incremental levels of I. belina meal. In conclusion, I. belina meal improved the protein content of breast meat and reduced levels of some fatty acids.

Effect of Dietary Graded Levels of Leucaena leucocephala Leaves as a Source of Protein on Small Ruminant Performance and Blood Parameters

This experiment was designed to evaluate different levels of Leucaena leucocephala leaves (LLL) which is treated by sun drying or soaked on small ruminant's performance. Leucaena leucocephala leaves were included in small ruminant diets at four levels; 8%, 16%, 24% and 32% respectively. Results revealed that the overall feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly (P 0.05) different as affected by levels of leaves inclusion. Plasma GOT, ALP and total protein were within levels of inclusion and condition of leaves in the two animal species were highly significantly (P 0.05) different.

Effect of Dietary Graded Levels of Leucaena leucocephala Seeds on Layers Performance, Egg Quality and Blood Parameters

The layers experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of leucaena seed (0, 8, 16 and 24%) on 27 weeks of old laying hens. Parameters studied were egg production, external and internal quality characteristics of eggs, haematological indices and plasma constituents. Feed intake, hen- day egg production, FCR (kg feed/kg egg) and FCR (kg feed/dozens of egg) were depressed with the inclusion of leucaena seeds. Thereafter, birds were placed on control diet for two weeks, which revealed improvement of the performance except for FCR (kg feed/dozens of egg) for birds fed 24% leucaena seeds. Higher egg weight, maximum length and egg shell surface were recorded for birds fed 16% leucaena seeds compared to the others. Maximum width, shell weight and shell% were reduced for birds fed 24% leucaena seeds. Internal quality characteristics of eggs were not significantly affected by the dietary treatments except albumin weight, albumin%, yolk index and yolk color score. Yolk color score consistently increased with the inclusion of leucaena seeds.