EFFECT OF MANGO (Mangifera indica L.) SEED KERNEL MEAL WITH AND WITHOUT ENZYME SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE GROWTH AND LAYING PERFORMANCE OF JAPANESE QUAILS

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Global consumption of poultry and its products especially meat, has consistently increased over the years and this trend is expected to continue. Much of this increase in global demand will be in developing countries resulting in a profound effect on the demand for feed and its raw materials (Chinedu and Evans,2001). It had been established that the principal item in raising poultry is the price of the feed, amounting to about 70.00 – 80.00 % of the total production cost (Kehinde et al., 2006; Bello et al., 2007), the livestock sub-sector contributed about 24.18 % from an initial value of

23.86 % in the fourth quarter of 2014 of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria, (CBN, 2016).

Poultry in particular occupies an important position in the supply of animal protein to Nigerian‟s teeming and growing population (Chinedu and Evans, 2001). Unfortunately, the interest in chicken farming is dwindling steadily over the years as a result of the animal`s susceptibility to various epidemic diseases leading to records of its high mortality, coupled with its high feed intake and demand for larger space for production compared with other smaller birds such as quails,which have compelled farmers to seek for an alternative source of poultry meat, prompting the recent attention being shifted to quail farming mainly in developing countries, to enable its populace, meet the daily safe protein intake recommendation of FAO (1997) placed at

45.00 g/ 60.00 kg body weight per individual. Japanese  quails   (Coturnix  coturnix  japonica)   are  small   birds  belonging   to   the phasianoidea family of the order galliforme of the class aves in the animal kingdom.

Since they were introduced into the Nigerian Poultry Industry in 1992 (Haruna et al.,1997), it has the potential to serve as an excellent and cheap source of animal protein for Nigerians (Babangida and Obosi, 2006; Ani et al., 2009). They have very short generation interval, matures early (35 days), hence can lay between 200 to 300 eggs annually (Salim and Ibrahim, 2004). Owing to its very tender, tasty and highly acceptable meat and the uniform cholesterol in their eggs, they have become alternative animal protein sources (Sule et al., 2015).

They are one of the classes of poultry with potential as sources of good quality animal protein as egg and meat (Widya et al., 2014). The meat type quail rearing is a common practice meant to bridge the gap between present demand and supply of animal protein. The efficiency of broiler quails to convert feed into meat, play a key role in the economics of the broiler industry (Chimote et al., 2009). They provide developing countries with a stable source of protein and developed countries a suitable alternative to chicken. It however finds its true economic and commercial value in its egg production, as domesticated lines of the Japanese quails can lay up to 300 eggs a year, at an appreciably efficient feed to egg conversion ratio (Haruna et al., 1997).

They have a short generation interval making it possible to propagate many generations in a year with an early sexual maturity, since they start laying as early as 5-6 weeks of age., They have a fast growth rate: attaining a market weight of 150 – 180 g at 6 weeks (Anon, 1991), with a high rate of lay, quails can produce between 250 – 280 eggs per year (NRC, 1991). Requires less floor space for management, because of their smaller body size, 8 – 10 adult quails can be reared in a space meant for one adult chicken, average of 1square feet/bird (Anon, 1991). Farmers in Vom have found it very useful in enhancing soil fertility. Estimates have shown that 6 to 8 quails can produce 35.00 kg of manure per year (Haruna et al., 1997).

It has and is still playing active role in the lives of humanity since the 12^th century and has continued to play major roles in industries and scientific research institutes. They are easily managed, fast growing and can produce eggs at a high rate hence have been farmed in large quantities across the globe (Hubrecht and Kirkwood, 2010). They have enormous potentiality and could be an alternative to chicken farming particularly in providing gainful employments, supplementary income and as a valuable source of meat and eggs (Abu et al., 2016).