ABSTRACT
The effect of seasons on
aflatoxins loads of selected pig’s feedstuffs in the humid tropics was
investigated, the feedstuffs sampled were cassava peels, bambara nut waste,
palm kernel cake and brewer spent grains. The study lasted for thirty-two
weeks. These feedstuffs were collected in two piggery farms in each of the six
LGAs that make up Nsukka zone of Enugu State, in both dry and rainy seasons.The
collected feedstuffsamples were analyzed in the laboratory for aflatoxins
concentration levels using AOAC method of thin-layer chromatography (TLC)with
some modifications. Data were collected from the aflatoxins laboratory analysis
of these feedstuffs and with a structured questionnaire.The results of this
study indicated the presence of aflatoxins in all the sampled feedstuffs,
however the lowest concentration of aflatoxins which is 0.011ppb is obtained in
cassava peels and bambara nut wastes while the highest concentration of
aflatoxins obtained is 0.055ppb in brewer spent grains,these values are within
the tolerance limit in Nigeria for total aflatoxins (B1+B2+G1+G
2),which is 20ppb.The obtained aflatoxins levels are within range
and poses less risk to pigs and pork consumers.The results also shows that
there were no significant difference (P > 0.05) on the aflatoxins
concentration levels of the feedstuffs at their sources, across the piggery
farm locations, in the season and source of feeds interactions, season and the
piggery farm locations interactions, as well as season and feedstuffs
interactions. However the main effect of seasonon aflatoxins level which is
0.022ppb and 0.044ppb in the dry and rainy seasonrespectively were highly
significant (P < 0.01).Also the main effect of aflatoxins of the feedstuffs
were highly significant (P < 0.01) except in brewer spent grains were it is
significant (P < 0.05). It follows that the aflatoxins levels according to
season in the comparison between the source of feedstuffs and the piggery farm
locations for the sampled feedstuffs were highly significant (P< 0.01)
especially in the rainy season, except bambara nut wastewhich is highly
significant (P< 0.01) in the dry season. There were higher values in the aflatoxins
levels in all the feedstuffs sampled in the rainy season than in the dry
season.It was therefore concluded that season has an effects on the aflatoxins
level of pig’s feedstuffs with rainy season favouring toxigenic mould
metabolism and growth in the feedstuffs which produces aflatoxins as their
metabolites than in the dry season in this study, hence adequate preservative
measures, proper feed handling and storage should be adopted. It is therefore
recommended that piggery farmers should adopt adequate preventive measures and
also apply the various preservative storage methods in order to reduce the
aflatoxins levels infeedstuffs especially in the rainy season for better
performance of the pigs and safety of pork consumers.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of
the Study
The consumption of animal protein
is very essential for meeting the protein requirement of man for normal growth
and healthy development. The protein sources from animal origin are good
sources of lysine and sulphur amino acids, which are lower in protein sources
from plant origin (Omole, 1991). The shortage of protein, particularly animal
protein is prevalent in most parts of Africa where it is estimated that on the
average 10 grams of animal protein is consumed per day compared to the
recommended daily intake of 35 grams (ILCA,1980; FAO, 1986). The level of
animal protein consumption was estimated at 8 grams per caput per day, this is
about 20 grams less than the National Research Council of United States of
America’s recommendation (Obioha, 1992; FAO, 1997). Ogini (2001) stated that
Nigeria, despite its vast land area of 9,237,680km2 , the greater
percentage of her citizens of over 120 million are still battling with abject
poverty and hunger. Atsu (2002) reported that there is inadequate intake of
animal protein in Nigeria.
The high cost of feeds and feed
ingredients, especially the conventional energy and protein feed sources such
as maize, wheat, sorghum, soybean cake, groundnut cake and fish meal were as a
result of the stiff competition between human consumers for food, for livestock
feeds/feeding and industrial raw materials e.g. cereal grains for baby food
formulas and biofuel production, especially maize (Agbede et al., 2002;
Adegbola and Asaolu, 2008). Maize is a major source of energy in monogastric
feeds, especially pigs, poultry and rabbits. In Nigeria, cereal grains are in
high demand and its production has never been adequate to meet the needs of the
increasing population; consequently there is little or no excess grains for
livestock feeding. When available, it is always very expensive (Rhule,1999).
The cost of conventional feedstuffs which are major sources of energy and
protein in
According to Ugwu et al.
(2008), the main factors militating against the rapid expansion of animal
production industry in Nigeria is the problem of inadequate supplies of
feedstuffs at economic prices. The scarcity and high cost of conventional
feedstuffs is largely responsible for the present high price of finished animal
products such as eggs, meat and milk (Rhule,1999; Adesehinwa et al.,
2011). Ijaiya et al. (2004) pointed out that feed cost is perhaps the
most expensive input in intensively reared stocks and constitutes about 70 -
80% of the real cost of animal production. Onyimonyi and Onukwufor (2003) had
earlier reported that a major solution to the problem of rising costs, scarcity
of energy and protein sources for monogastrics is to seek for new and non-conventional
feed resources which are able to replace a certain percentage proportion of the
known conventional feedstuffs without any deleterious effect on the animal
performance. Esonu et al. (2001) indicated that such substitute which
have been successfully used to replace the conventional feedstuffs are brewer
spent grains, stem/tuber residues and cereal by-products such as wheat offal,
rice bran, maize bran as well as bambara nut waste and cassava or yam peels.
Fetuga et al. (1977), Iyayi et al. (2005) and Onyimonyi and Ugwu (2007) had studied the
feeding value of such non-conventional feed resources as palm kernel cake,
bambara nut offal, rice husk and
According to Serres (1992) pigs
are known to be highly prolific and very efficient in converting feed nutrients
into high quality animal protein. Adesehinwa (2008) stated that pigs are used
to convert a variety of feeds into meat for human consumption. The supply of
animal protein by pigs is limited by many factors among which are inadequate
nutrition and feeding; poor breeding stocks, poor management practices and
housing; disease prevention and control in pig production (Holness,1999).
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