Study area and duration
The study was carried out at the Poultry Unit of the Department of Animal Science Teaching and Experimental Farms, University of Nigeria; Nsukka. The study was carried out at the Department of Animal Science Teaching and Experimental Farms, Poultry Section of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Enugu State. It is located on latitude 6025N and longitude 7024E at an altitude of 430m above sea level (Breinholt et al., 1981). The average maximum ambient temperature ranges from 330C and 370C (Okonkwo and Akubuo, 2007). The annual rainfall ranges from 1567.05mm-1846.98mm (Metrological Center, Crop Science Department, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Enugu State). The study lasted for 9 weeks.
Source of the zeolite and feed ingredients
The chemical that was used in the litter treatment was zeolite. The zeolite was purchased from a trusted chemical dealer in Nsukka Urban and Enugu Nigeria. The zeolite which was in a powdered form was kept at room temperature as specified by the manufacturer. Ingredients that were used in the feed formulation for both starter and finisher ration were as follows: 10% concentrate purchased from Agro Bar-Magen Enugu. The 10% concentrate contain the following ingredients: fat, fibre, lysine, Met-Cystein, methionine, cysteine, calcium, phosphorous and other feed stuffs such as yellow maize, soybean meal, wheat offal, red oil that were used in the mixing of the concentrate were purchased from an accredited feed stuff dealer in Nsukka Urban Enugu State Nigeria. Inclusion levels of these feed stuffs as given by Agro Bar-Magen were strictly followed.
Experimental diet
The compositions and proximate compositions of the diets are shown in Table 1 and 2 for both starter and finisher ration. Experimental diets for the starter and finisher were computed to contain 23.00% and 20.00% crude protein and Metabolizable Energy content of 28Mcal/kg ME and 3.0Mcal/kg ME respectively. Samples of the experimental diets were analyzed for their proximate compositions using (AOAC, 2006).
Table 1
Percentage composition of experimental diets
Ingredients Starter (%) Finisher (%)
|
Maize
|
46.60
|
51.00
|
Wheat offal
|
15.00
|
15.20
|
Soya bean meal
|
30.00
|
24.40
|
Lysine
|
0.30
|
0.20
|
Methionine
|
0.35
|
0.20
|
Met-Cyst
|
0.25
|
0.20
|
Red oil
|
1.80
|
2.00
|
Phosphorous
|
0.70
|
0.80
|
Fiber
|
1.00
|
1.40
|
Calcium
|
3.10
|
3.60
|
Fat (plants and animal fats)
Total
|
0.90
100
|
1.00
100
|
Calculated compositions
|
|
|
Crude protein (%)
|
23.00
|
20.00
|
Crude fiber (%)
|
4.20
|
5.00
|
Ether extract (%)
|
3.80
|
4.20
|
Energy (Kcal/KgME)
|
2823.67
|
3000.00
|
|
Table:2
Proximate compositions of experimental diets
|
Parameters
|
Starter
|
Finisher
|
Moisture
|
11.90
|
12.19
|
Dry matter
|
88.10
|
87.81
|
Ash
|
17.42
|
18.20
|
Crude fibre
|
4.39
|
4.96
|
Ether extract
|
3.83
|
4.17
|
Crude protein
|
22.89
|
20.12
|
Nitrogen free extract
|
39.58
|
39.87
|
Met.Energy Kcal.kg-1
|
2799.99
|
2998.69
|
Experimental layout
The experiment was done using completely Randomized Design (CRD). The experiment involved four treatments of 35 birds. Each treatment was replicated 5 times with 7 birds per replicate. The distributions of birds are shown in Table 3.
Table 3
Experimental Layout
|
Treatments
|
Replicates
|
A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
R3
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
R2
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
R3
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
R4
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
R5
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
Total
|
140
|
140
|
140
|
140
|
The birds were randomly placed in various replicates and treatments. Each treatment received zeolite treatment at varying level as follows: Treatment A: 0g zeolite kg-3 litter, treatment B: 200g zeolite kg-3 litter, treatment C: 400g zeolite kg-3 litter and treatment D: 600g zeolite kg-3 litter respectively.
Experimental birds and management
Total of 140 day old broiler birds were used for the study. This study was divided into two phases (starter and finisher phase). In the first two week of life, the birds were brooded together before they were weighed and randomly placed in various replicate per treatments to begin the starter phase of the experiment which lasted for 3 weeks. At the end of the starter phase, the birds were reweighed again and randomly placed in the various replicates and treatment to start the finisher phase of the work that lasted for 4 weeks. Prior to the arrival of the birds from the hatchery, the brooding house was cleaned with soap and disinfected with strong disinfectant after which wood shavings were spread. The pen was pre-heated few hours before the arrival of the birds. The pre-heating was to achieve a nice brooding environment that would enhance bird’s activities. Feeding troughs and drinkers were also procured, disinfected and strategically positioned. Clean drinking water and feed were made ready before the arrival of the birds. Timely vaccination and drugs were administered appropriately.
Litter treatment
The zeolite powder and the litter materials (wood shavings) were properly mixed together in all the replicates in the various treatments. The treatment of litter with zeolite was done once throughout the trial periods.
Collection of data
The following data were collected:
Initial body weight and body weight gain
At the beginning of each phase of this experiment, the birds were weighed and also weighed on weekly basis throughout the experimental periods. At the end of the previous week, weight measured was subtracted from that of the present week in order to get the body weight gained for the week. A box on a top pan balance was used to weigh the birds and it was done in batches.
Feed intake (g)
On each day throughout the experimental periods, feed was weighed before being given to the birds. Then, the difference between the feed provided the preceding day and left over feed in the feeding trough the next morning was divided with the number of birds in each replicate in order to get daily feed intake per bird for each replicate.
Average daily feed intake (ADFI)
This was obtained by dividing the total feed intake of birds with the number of days the feeding trial lasted.
Average daily weight gain (ADWG)
This was obtained by dividing total weight gained per bird per replicate with the number of days the feeding trial lasted.
Total feed intake (TFI)
This was calculated by summing the daily feed intakes of the birds throughout the trial period.
Final body weight (FBW)
Weights of the birds at end of trial periods.
Litter chemical properties measured were as follows:
Moisture
|
Nitrogen
|
pH
|
Uric acid
|
Ammonium nitrate
|
Ash
|
Total volatile fatty acids
|
|
Ammonium sulfate
|
|
Ammonia
|
|
Phosphorous
|
|
Mortality
Mortality was chronicled as it occurred and birds that died were taken to the post mortem room of the Veterinary Pathology Laboratory, University of Nigeria, Nsukka for post-mortem examination to ascertain the cause of their deaths.
Procedure for chemical analysis of the litter
Moisture determination was done using oven method
Nitrogen determination
Determination of nitrogen in the sample was done by using kjedahl micro method (Pearson, 1976). The technique involves sample digestion, digest distillation and titration of distillate.
Ammonia determination
Ammonia was ascertained by precipitation with sodium tetra phenyl borate as it is sparingly
soluble in ammonium tetra phenyl borate.
Uric acid determination
Uric acid was determined by multiplying the percentage nitrogen by factor 3
Determination of ammonium sulphate
Ammonium sulphate was precipitated as barium sulphate. From the acid solution, the precipitate is filtered off and dissolved in a measure surplus of EDTA in the presence of aqueous ammonia.
Ammonium sulphate /PPM = T x N x E x 1000Volume of sample utilized.
Where T = Titre value, M= Molarity of the standardized EDTA
E = Equivalent weight
Phosphorus determination
Molybdate solution: 20g ammonium molybdate was weighed into 200ml of hot Water and allowed to cool, 1g of ammonium metavanadate was also weighed into120ml of hot water, 140ml of conc. HNO3 was added; the ammonium molybdate solution was added to the metavanadate and the mixture is made up to 1dm3 with distilled water.
Procedure: Add 5ml of dissolved ash sample in a test tube and added to it was 5ml of the molybdate solution and the absorbance was read at 470nm. Standard curve was used to calculate the Concentration.
Volatile fatty acid determination
In diethyl ether and 25 milligram alcohol, two grams of the sample was mixed. This was added to 1milligram of phenolphthalein solution (1%). This was titrated using 0.1m sodium hydroxide until a pink colour which continues for fifteen seconds is obtained. The sample was thereafter heated to boil before it titrated again and the difference between the first and second titrations was calculated as the final titre value.
Volatile Acid Value= Titre X 5.61 Weight of sample used.
Volatile Fatty acid= Volatile Acid value.
pH determination
The pH of the sample was determined using 20% of the sample.
Experimental design
The experiment was executed using Completely Randomized Design (CRD).The experimental model of the Completely Randomized Design:
Xij=µ+T1 +∑ij
Where, Xij = any observation or measurement taken
µ = population mean
T1 = treatment effect
∑ij =experimental error
i= number of treatments
j=number of replicates
Statistical Analyses
Data generated were subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) in CRD using statistical package (SPSS, 2003) Windows version 8.0. Mean differences were separated using Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (Duncan, 1955) as outlined by Obi (2002).