Avocado seed meal (ASM)

There is a variety of potentially useful feed materials that could be added to poultry feed in

order to improve production and also reduce the spread of disease. One of such feed

material/ingredient is the Avocado seed meal (ASM). Consumption of Avocado (Persea

Americana) has increased worldwide in recent years. The Avocado seed is obtained from the

fruit, which is very nutritious, high in unsaturated fat and at their buttery best when used in

raw preparation but when they are cooked for very long periods, their delicate flavor is

diminished and in some instance they become bitter (Morton, 1987). In the avocado industry

the pulp is used, while the skin and the seed are discarded as waste. These residues are rich in

polyphenols with antioxidant and antimicrobial power (Rodriguez-carpena et al., 2011). A

100g of dried APSM contains about 49.03g of carbohydrate, 17.90g of lipid, 15.55g of

protein, 2.26g of ash, 15.10g of moisture (Ejiofor, et al., 2018). Higher values of

antinutritional factors such as tannin oxalate and phytic acid (11.2g/100g, 4.07g/100g and

12.87g/100g), respectively have been reported to be present in avocado seed (Adegoke et al.,

2012). However, boilingthe seed for 25 minutes or soaking for 24 hours effectively reduced

the antinutritional factors without any adverse effect on the nutritional quality of the seed.

The anti-nutritional components of Terminaliacatappa (almond) seeds show higher values

when compared to those of avocado seeds (Akpabio, 2012). The Avocado seed contains

antimicrobial, antioxidative and a substantial content of nutrients that warrant its trials and

utilization in feed formulation. Analysis of normal haematological parameters of chickens is

essential for the diagnosis of various pathological and metabolic disorders (Elagib and

Ahmed, 2011). It can be used as a diagnostic tool in order to assess the impact of

environmental, nutritional and pathological stresses. Haemtological studies are useful in the

diagnosis of many diseases as well as investigation of the extent of damage to blood

(Onyeyiliet al., 1992; Togunet al., 2007). Haematological components, which consist of red
blood cells, white blood cells or leucocytes, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular

haemoglobin are valuable in monitoring feed toxicity especially with feed constituents that

affect the blood as well as the health status of farm animals (Oyawoye and Ogunkunle, 2004).

As a result of the negative effect of the use of antibiotics in broiler production (Javandel et

al., 2008), there is a need to utilize non-conventional growth enhancers in broiler nutrition

that could improve nutrient digestibility, control pathogenic microorganisms, facilitate

favourable intestinal microbial balance and enhance absorption of calorigenic nutrients across

the gut wall by increasing its absorption capacity (Al- harthi, 2002; El-Deek et al., 2003).

Feed ingredients gotten from plant materials that are of little or no value to man will be an

advantage if used in broiler production. The research work was undertaken to determine the

effects of graded levels of Avocado Seed Meal on the carcass yield and haematological

profile of broiler birds and to estimate the cost benefit effect of using Avocado Seed Meal in

the diets.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page – – – – – – – – – – i
Certification- – – – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – iv
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – – v
List of Tables – – – – – – – – – x
List of Figures – – – – – – – – – xi
Abstract – – – – – – – – – – xii
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction – – – – – – – – – 1
1.1 Objectives of the study – – – – – – – 7
1.2 Justification of the study – – – – – – – 8
CHAPTER TWO
Literature Review – – – – – – – – 9
2.1 Place of domestic chicken in meat supply – – – – 9
2.2 Poultry nutrition – – – – – – – – 14
2.3 Nutrient requirements of egg laying chickens – – – – 15
2.3.1 Energy requirements – – – – – – – 19
2.3.2 Protein and amino acid requirement – – – – – 20
2.3.3 Water requirements – – – – – – – 22
2.3.4 Mineral requirements – – – – – – – 23
2.3.5 Vitamin requirements – – – – – – – 24
vi
2.4 Leaf meals in poultry nutrition – – – – – – 25
2.5 Utilization of leaf meals in poultry – – – – – 27
2.6 Anti-nutritional factors – – – – – – – 32
2.7 Neem tree – – – – – – – – – 35
2.8 Applications of neem in animal feeds – – – – – 37
2.9 Cholesterol – – – – – – – – – 39
2.10 Cholesterol reducing effects of leaf meal – – – – 41
2.11 Serum biochemistry studies – – – – – – 43
CHAPTER THREE
Materials and Methods – – – – – – – – 47
3.1 Location and duration of study – – – – – – 47
3.2 Experimental design – – – – – – – – 47
3.3 Processing of neem leaves – – – – – – – 47
3.4 Experimental diets – – – – – – – – 49
3.5 Management of experimental birds – – – – – 52
3.6 Response parameters – – – – – – – – 52
3.6.1 Performance characteristics – – – – – – 52
3.7 Statistical analysis – – – – – – – – 58
CHAPTER FOUR
Results – – – – – – – – – – 60
4.1 Proximate composition of neem leaf meal – – – – 60
4.2 Performance of laying birds – – – – – – – 61
4.1.1. Average final body weight – – – – – – 61
4.1.2. Average daily feed intake – – – – – – 61
4.1.3. Average body weight change – – – – – – 63
vii
4.1.4. Feed conversion ratio – – – – – – – 63
4.1.5. Average egg production – – – – – – – 63
4.1.6. Hen day egg production – – – – – – – 64
4.1.7. Cost benefits – – – – – – – – 64
4.2. Internal egg qualities of birds – – – – – – 65
4.2.1. Albumen weight – – – – – – – – 65
4.2.2. Albumen height – – – – – – – – 65
4.2.3. Albumen width – – – – – – – – 65
4.2.4. Albumen index – – – – – – – – 66
4.2.5. Yolk weight – – – – – – – – 66
4.2.6. Yolk height – – – – – – – – – 66
4.2.7. Yolk width – – – – – – – – – 67
4.2.8. Yolk index – – – – – – – – – 67
4.2.9. Yolk color – – – – – – – – – 67
4.2.10. Haugh unit – – – – – – – – 68
4.2.11 Yolk cholesterol – – – – – – – – 68
4.3. External egg qualities of birds – – – – – – 70
4.3.1. Egg weight – – – – – – – – – 70
4.3.2. Egg length – – – – – – – – – 70
4.3.3. Egg width – – – – – – – – – 70
4.3.4. Egg shape – – – – – – – – – 71
4.3.5. Egg shell thickness – – – – – – – 71
4.3.6. Shell weight – – – – – – – – 71
4.4. Serum biochemical indices of birds – – – – – 73
4.4.1. Serum cholesterol – – – – – – – – 73
viii
4.4.2. Creatinine – – – – – – – – – 73
4.4.3. Albumen – – – – – – – – – 73
4.4.4. Glucose – – – – – – – – – 74
4.4.5. High density lipoprotein – – – – – – – 74
4.4.6. Low density lipoprotein – – – – – – – 75
4.4.7. Triglyceride – – – – – – – – – 75
4.4.8. Urea – – – – – – – – – – 75
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion – – – – – – – – – – 78
5.0. Proximate composition of neem leaf meal – – – – 78
5.1. Performance of laying birds – – – – – – 79
5.1.1. Average daily feed intake – – – – – – 79
5.1.2. Average daily weight change – – – – – – 81
5.1.3. Feed conversion ratio – – – – – – – 83
5.1.4. Percentage hen day egg production – – – – – 84
5.1.5. Cost benefits – – – – – – – – 85
5.2. Internal egg qualities – – – – – – – 86
5.2.1. Albumen weight – – – – – – – – 86
5.2.2. Albumen height – – – – – – – – 87
5.2.3. Albumen width – – – – – – – – 87
5.2.4. Albumen index – – – – – – – – 88
5.2.5. Yolk weight – – – – – – – – 89
5.2.6. Yolk height – – – – – – – – – 89
5.2.7. Yolk width – – – – – – – – – 89
5.2.8. Yolk index – – – – – – – – – 90
ix
5.2.9. Yolk color – – – – – – – – – 91
5.2.10. Haugh unit – – – – – – – – – 92
5.3 External egg qualities of birds – – – – – – 92
5.3.1. Egg weight – – – – – – – – – 92
5.3.2. Egg length – – – – – – – – – 94
5.3.3. Egg width – – – – – – – – – 94
5.3.4. Egg shape index – – – – – – – – 94
5.3.5. Egg shell thickness – – – – – – – 95
5.3.6. Shell weight – – – – – – – – 96
5.4 Yolk cholesterol – – – – – – – – 97
5.5 Serum biochemical indices of birds – – – – – 98
5.5.1. Serum cholesterol – – – – – – – – 98
5.5.2. Serum creatinine – – – – – – – – 99
5.5.3. Serum albumen – – – – – – – – 100
5.5.4. Serum glucose – – – – – – – – 101
5.5.5. High density lipoprotein – – – – – – – 101
5.5.6. Low density lipoprotein – – – – – – – 102
5.5.7. Triglycerides – – – – – – – – 102
5.5.8. Serum urea – – – – – – – – – 103
CHAPTER SIX
Summary and Conclusion – – – – – – – 104
6.1. Summary – – – – – – – – – 104
6.2. Conclusion – – – – – – – – – 106
REFERENCES – – – – – – – – – 107
APPENDICES – – – – – – – – – 120