In order to promote farming of guinea fowl and to diversify the sources of income of Ivorian farmers, a survey was conducted in 2016 in 15 regions (1

Rabbit production is increasing in developing countries and can play a crucial role in the fight against poverty. The current work assessed the effect on rabbit does’ reproduction and young kits’ growth when either Panicum maximum, common name Guinea grass, or Desmodium tortuosum, common name Beggarweed is included in their diet. Diets ReC and GrC (standard granulated diets) served as control diets, formulated for doe Reproduction and kit Growth respectively. The trial diets were diets RePan/GrPan (diet ReC/GrC supplemented with dry P. maximum) and diets ReDes/GrDes (diet ReC/GrC supplemented with dry D. tortuosum). Thirty-six primiparous local breed five-month old rabbit does were randomly allocated to each one of the three dietary treatments. After a 15-day dietary adaptation period, does were each bred to one of 12, related, breeding males. Does were then assigned to individual maternity cages maintaining the same dietary treatment for the ensuing 65 days of the trial (30 days of gestation + 35 days of suckling). Thus, there were a total of 12 replicates per treatment: diet ReC, diet RePan or diet ReDes. At weaning, 72 kits, from the three adult feed treatment groups, were, while maintaining the integrity of the feed group of their individual mothers, divided into 12 blocks with 6 weaned kits per block, with each block allocated one of the three diets. Thus, for each of the three diets there were four separate blocks, i.e., four replicates, each with six group-housed weaned kits that received a growth diet which contained the same supplement or not as their mother diet to which they had access prior to weaning; the control diet GrC (Composition slightly different from Diet ReC composition) and trial diets GrPan and GrDes over a 3-day transition phase were adapted to the weaned kits physiological state and fed for a total of 56 days. The results indicated that the use of D. tortuosum significantly improved (P < 0.05) litter size, milk quantity, and kit survival rate from birth to weaning as compared with both control and RePan diets. The study showed that after weaning, compared with control and GrPan diets, the use of D. tortuosum increased (P < 0.05) the growth performance of weaned kits, improved meat nutritional quality by reducing (P < 0.05) cholesterol concentration and increasing (P < 0.05) the n-3 fatty acid proportion, and also reduced the individual kit feed cost to slaughter weight.

Soybean meal is the dominant protein source for poultry nutrition. However, soybean is not widely grown in Europe, necessitating importation from other countries. To reduce dependency on imported soybean meal, an alternative feed material is needed. Fermentation and/or germination of grains are known to increase the value of the protein content of a diet. This study aimed to determine if they could substitute partly soybean meal in a diet. Germinated or fermented or germinated and fermented grains of lupin and oats were used in laying hen’s diet (a mix of 6.50% lupin and 3.50% oat grains). Oats were dehulled or not dehulled. The hens’ weight loss and the downgraded eggs rate were the lowest when using fermented grains. All trial diets reduced the egg cholesterol content. Dehulling had only a slight effect on performance. Diets containing germinated grains led to a decrease in laying performance and an increase in body weight loss. Diets containing fermented grains gave the best results in terms of quantity of amino acids, hen weight maintenance, laying performance, and egg quality. In conclusion, fermented lupin and oats can be used in laying hen diets to partly substitute sources of protein such as soya, but germinated grains cannot.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects on laying performance, egg quality traits, color, and composition of supplementing a white corn-based diet with Desmodium tortuosum leaf flour. Three hundred 32-week-old hens were distributed to 30 pens of 10 hens each and allocated to six dietary treatments (five replicates per treatment) for 13 weeks. Two control groups of 50 hens received one of either diet Y, based on yellow corn, or diet W, based on white corn. The other groups received a diet based on white corn supplemented with Desmodium tortuosum leaf flour at 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, or 10% (diet D). Diet D improved laying performance and yolk color at a reduced feed cost per egg but had no effect on cholesterol content. In conclusion, the inclusion of Desmodium tortuosum leaf flour, in a white corn-based diet, is effective in lowering feed cost, increasing egg production, and improving yolk color.

Egg consumption remains high in developing countries, yet the cost of poultry feed poses a significant challenge for farmers, limiting their ability to use commercial options. To address this, alternative feed sources for egg-laying hens need to be explored. In Côte d'Ivoire, Hevea brasiliensis trees’ seeds are abundant but largely underutilized. These seeds have potential as dietary supplements in layer feed. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of incorporating H. brasiliensis seed meal into a white corn-based diet on laying performance, egg quality, yolk color, and composition. A total of 300 hens, 32 weeks of age, were randomly assigned to 30 pens with 10 hens per pen, and distributed across six dietary treatments with 5 replicates each over a period of 13 weeks. Two control groups received diets based on either yellow corn (Ye) or white corn (Wh). The remaining groups were fed on white corn diets supplemented with H. brasiliensis seed meal at inclusion rates of 2.5% (He2.5), 5% (He5), 7.5% (He7.5), and 10% (He10). The He2.5 diet led to improved egg production. Additionally, increasing levels of Hevea seed meal were associated with a decrease in yolk total cholesterol. However, higher inclusion rates also led to progressively yellow yolk colour compared to white corn-based diets. But, it did not fully restore the deep yellow pigmentation typically achieved with yellow corn. In conclusion, incorporating H. brasiliensis seed meal into white corn-based diets may be a cost-effective strategy to enhance egg production and reduce cholesterol content in eggs, though it may affect yolk pigmentation.

La production avicole alliant nutrition, durabilité et qualité de viande demeure une difficulté majeure. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer l’effet de la supplémentation alimentaire avec la farine de feuilles sèches de Desmodium tortuosum (Fabaceae) sur la performance, la qualité et les caractéristiques sanguines des poulettes chair. Trois cents poulettes chair (Cobb500), de 21 jours d’âge, ont été divisées en six groupes de 50. Six aliments ont été formulés pour nourrir les poulettes. Il s’agissait d’un aliment de contrôle à base de maïs jaune (Tj), d’un aliment de contrôle à base de maïs blanc (Tb), du Tb supplémenté avec 2,5% (Tb+2.5%Dt) ou 5% (Tb+5%Dt) ou 7,5% (Tb+7.5%Dt) ou 10% (Tb+10%Dt) de D. tortuosum. L’étude a duré 49 jours. La supplémentation de Tb jusqu’à 5% avec D. tortuosum n’a pas affecté négativement l’ingestion alimentaire et la croissance pondérale des oiseaux. L’ingestion journalière, le poids final et le gain moyen quotidien les plus élevés ont été obtenus avec l’aliment Tb+2.5%Dt. D. tortuosum a réduit significative le cholestérol total et les LDL-cholestérol. De plus, D. tortuosum a diminué les teneurs en lipides de la viande des poulettes chair. D. tortuosum pourrait être incorporé jusqu’à 5% dans l’aliment des poulettes chair pour produire durablement. Poultry production that combines nutrition, sustainability, and meat quality remains a major challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with dried Desmodium tortuosum (Fabaceae) leaf meal on the performance, quality and blood characteristics of broiler pullets. Three hundred broiler pullets (Cobb500), 21-days-old, were divided into six groups of 50. Six types of diet were formulated to feed the pullets. These were a yellow corn-based control diet (Tj), a white corn-based control diet (Tb), Tb supplemented with 2.5% (Tb+2.5%Dt) or 5% (Tb+5%Dt) or 7.5% (Tb+7.5%Dt) or 10% (Tb+10%Dt) of D. tortuosum. The study lasted 49 days. Supplementing Tb with up to 5% D. tortuosum did not negatively affect feed intake or weight gain in the birds. The highest daily feed intake, final weight, and average daily gain were obtained with the Tb+2.5%Dt diet. D. tortuosum significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. In addition, D. tortuosum decreased the lipid content of broiler meat. D. tortuosum could be incorporated up to 5% in broiler diet to produce sustainably.