FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH POULTRY FEEDS IN MUBI METROPOLIS

PROJECT PROPOSAL

BY

ALIYU HASHIRU WAPPA

ST/BST/M/HND/19/019

BEING A PROJECT PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT

OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE, FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC MUBI,
ADAMAWA STATE.

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD IF HIGHER NATIONAL

DIPLOMA IN BIOLOGY/MICROBIOLOGY

SEPTEMBER, 2021

1
 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Feed is a source of organic and inorganic material used for the growth of

livestock (Suprijatna et al., 2005; Kariyasa, 2003), the quality of which is

correspondingly crucial to health of the livestock. Mold degrades the quality of the

feed through contamination (Widhiastuti, 2006), which, in turn, negatively impacts

on the livestock. Feed material, such as grains, can be infected by mold (fungus

Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp.). Fungus can contaminate corn that has not yet

been ground off the cob and stored for a long time (Fusarium spp. and

Chaetomium spp.) (Ahmad, 2009). The contamination of mold is known to occur

in fodder stored in warehouses. Fungi found in warehouse-stored fodder include

Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. Aliyu et al. (2016) reported a total 258

fungal will be found at poultry feed contain genera Aspergillus. Genera

Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium could contaminate and produce mycotoxin

as it is said by Rahman et al. (2015).

Azarakhsh et al. (2011) mentioned that his study showed that the broiler

feeds in Kermanshah province will be highly contaminated with genus Aspergillus,

the most toxigenic fungi found in feed. Mold contamination is widespread in

tropical countries where poultry production and processing are expanding rapidly
2
(Kotinagu et al., 2015). The occurrence of fungal pathogen and mycotoxin in

poultry feed came from their raw materials of animal feed (Kotinagu et al., 2015;

Shama, 2015). Feed contamination by mold can lead to a decline in the health of

the livestock. Mycotoxin as an example, affects chickens, in particular. A positive

result will be reported following research on isolates taken from 31 liver and

chicken meat samples, in which mold will be found in as many as 14 liver samples

and 5 chicken meat samples following the identification of mycotoxin residue

(Widhiastuti, 2006).

The danger of mycotoxin in chickens include a decrease in food intake,

negative effect of immune response, a reduction in function of the lymphoid

organs, especially the thymus (Shareef, 2010), a decline in breeding efficiency; the

presence of neurotoxicity and impaired productivity in both livestock and humans

(Labuda et al., 2006). A toxin in the mold can be transferred to liver and chicken

meat samples. Isolation and identification of fungal contamination on the livestock

feed might be important for sanitation. The aim of this study will be to obtain mold

isolates in contaminated chicken feed taken from cages and warehouses in the

village of Tegal chicken farm, Bogor, West Java. It will be expected that the mold

isolates found in the chicken feed would provide information to poultry farmers on

mold genus that causes feed contamination. The study will be conducted as a first

step, to be developed further, in determining the type of mold at chicken feed.

3
 The presence of mould (fungi) and mycotoxins in poultry feeds from the raw

materials used in their production and the contamination of the raw materials occur

during the pre-harvest (field produced fungi) or the post-harvest (storage produced

fungi) period.

The intake of very low level of mycotoxins causes overt mycotoxicosis but

also leads to the impairment of immune and acquired resistance to infections

causing health problems which lead to economic losses in the form of decreased

productivity (Dalcero et al., 1998). Mycotoxicosis can be of fatal consequences in

form of direct losses due to animal mortality. Among the numerous mycotoxins,

most attention in the world is directed towards aflatoxins, ochatoxins,

zearalenones, toxins from the group of trichothecences and fumonisins.

Aflatoxins are the most dangerous and widely studied mycotoxins. The main

producers of these mycotoxins are fungi of genus that is, Aspergillus although

some other fungi species from genera Penicillium and Rhizopus produce them.

Zearalenone (Zea) is a metabolite of some species of fungi from genus Fusarium.

Trichothecenes are produced by different fungi species belonging to different

genera such as; Trichothecium, Stachybotry, Myrothecium, Cephalosporium,

Trichoderma, Penicillium and Fusarium. The most important are certain species of

genus Fusarium. The fumonisin are group of economically important mycotoxins

4
and very common contaminants of maize based foods and feeds throughout the

world.

The major producers of fumonisins are Fusarium verticillioides and closely

related species Muntanola Cvetkovic, 1990; Juric and Pupavac, 1996; Fandohan et

al., 2003). Many parasitic and saprophytic fungi infect growing crops and many

continue to develop through post-harvest, preceding the formulation of finished

feeds (Viera, 2003; Mabbett, 2003). In general, chain of nutrition represents the

most important potential risk animal and human health.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Fungi in poultry feeds industry are of great economic importance, as

revealed in the published literatures. Fungal and mycotoxins contamination of

animal feed stuff remain neglected (Okoli, 2005). Such contaminant is wide spread

especially in tropical countries like Nigeria where poultry production is expanding

rapidly (Mabbett, 2004). Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the

nature of mycotoxins contamination of animal feed stuff and its impact on animal

production.

1.3 Aim of the Study

The aim of this research is to investigate fungi associated with poultry feeds

in Mubi metropolis.

5
1.4 Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives of the study include;

1. To collect different poultry feed brands from Mubi metropolis for fungal

isolation.

2. To identify fungal agents associated with the poultry feeds.

1.5 Scope and Limitation of the Study

The scope of this study covers the investigation of fungi associated with

poultry feeds in Mubi metropolis.

1.6 Significance of the Study

Poultry production business is growing in Mubi, and fungi cause direct

losses in volume and quality of feed ingredients and subsequently, the feeds that

are made from them. Several studies carried out on moulds contamination of

animal feeds in Nigeria are focused on their effects on human population (Bankole

and Kpodo, 2005; Fandomental, 2005 Atanda and Arpan, 2005).

6
 CHAPTER THREE

3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 STUDY AREA

Mubi area which comprises of Mubi north and Mubi south Local

Government Areas lie within the northern Guinea Savanah Zone of Nigeria located

at latitude 10o 10 north, longitude 13o 30 east and about 305 meters above the sea

level, with an area of 961.39km2. The dry season in this area commences early

October and last up to April. The wet season begins from May to August, and

declines in September. The mean annual rainfall is about 1050mm. The relative

humidity is extremely low (20-30%) between January and March, and it increases

from April and declines in October following the cessation of the rain. The

maximum temperature is about 40oC particularly in April, while varieties of

livestock include.

Mubi area consist of twenty-one political wards, with a population of about

28,0009 people (National Population Census, 2006). Mubi is bounded to the west

by Hong Local Government Area, to the north by Michika Local Government Area

and to the east by Cameroon Republic. The people are pre-dominantly farmers, and

most households keep various livestock.

7
3.3 COLLECTION OF SAMPLES

A total of 40 bulked samples will be collected from the list of six selected

commercial feeds brands. Each selected feed shop in Mubi will be visited thrice

each month for sample collection from March to June.

A standard commercial feed bag in the state weights 25kg. Each feed brand will be

sampled by randomly selecting bags of the same feed type where about 40g of the

feed will be collected from the bags.

These will be later homogenized to obtain a representative bulk sample of about

40g of the feed types. The sample will be transported to the laboratory for analysis

within 2 hours of collection.

3.4 ISOLATION OF FUNGAL AGENTS

Sub-samples/approximately of each of the Broiler starter, Layer Mash,

Grower Mash, Broiler Finisher, Livestock feed, Vital feed, Top feed, Guinea feed,

will be surface- sterilized using a commercial water solution of sodium hypo

chlorite (1%) for 1min, rinsed twice with sterile distilled water, and dried in a

laminar flow cabinet. Pellet feed will be not surface-disinfected. 40 seeds pellets

per sub-samples will be plated on PDA to recover the species of mycological

interest. The plates will be incubated at 30 oC for 2-4 days and 12 hours cycle of

8
white light and 12 hour cycle of darkness. The resulting fungal colonies will be

sub-cultured into Potato-Dextrose Agar (PDA) prior to identification.

Whenever several fungi will be isolated from a simple grain they will be recorded.

3.5 IDENTIFICATION OF FUNGI

Fungal isolates will be identified according to the identification manuals by

Pitt and Hocking (1997); and Atlas of the Penickia Elsevier Biomedical press

(1982), University, Park Pennsylvania (1983). The frequency of isolation (Fr) and

relative density (RD) of species will be calculated.

Fr (%) = Number of samples with a species or genus x 100

Total number of fungi isolated

RD (%) = Number of isolates of a species or genus x 100

Total number of fungi isolated

9
 REFERENCES

Adam, C. (1987). Origin and control of mycotoxins, Kemin Europe Nir Milling
flour and feed Magazine p, 21 – 25.

Agboola, S.A. (1979). An Agricultural Atlas of Nigeria. Oxford University press,

Oxford, London.

Atanda, E.O and Akpan (2005) the potential of traditional species in the control of
aflatoxins genic fungi and aflations in reducing with of mycotoxins in
tropical agriculture with emphasis on health and trade in Africa
proceddings of the myco-globe conference September, 13-16

Awan, J.A. (1983). Fungi food Poisoning elements of food borne diseases. Institute
of Management and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria.

Bennett, C. B., Viste, J.R., Chirino-Trejo, M., Classen, H.L., Middleton, D.M. and
Simko, E. (2002). Necroticenteritis: effect of barley, wheat and corn diets
on proliferation of Clostridia perfringens type A. Avian Pathology. 31:
19-602.

Blender R. Oliveira J., Ribeiro M, Marcelo E.F Lilia R.C, Gloria M.D, Kelly M.k,
Ana M.D, Carlos A.R (2006) mycobiota in poultry feeds and natural
occurance of aflatoxins, fumonisins and zearalenone in the rio de janerio
state and zearalenone in the rio de janerio state, Brazil Pathologia
162:355-362

10