Faculty of Agriculture Education

Phosphorus release capacity of phosphate rock – animal manure compost on the growth of lettuce and soil chemical properties

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Phosphorus release capacity of phosphate rock – animal manure compost on the growth of lettuce and soil chemical properties Heva, E. K. The experiments were conducted in 2013 cropping season at the University of Education Winneba, Faculty of Agriculture research field in Mampong Ashanti in the forest transitional zone of Ghana on the Bediase series (FAO/ UNESCO : Chromic Iuvisol) to evaluate the effectiveness of three livestock manures and soil in acidulating Togo rock phosphate to release phosphorus, assess phosphorus release capacity of phosphate rock – animal manure compost on the growth of lettuce and soil chemical properties. The composting materials used were: Togo Rock Phosphate, soil, poultry manure, cattle manure and pig manure. The treatments used were; sole composting material, RP + composting material 1:2, RP + composting material 1:3. A complete randomized design (CRD) with 3 replicates was used. The study established that composting phosphate rock with animal manure significantly released phosphorus. The peak of P release was observed on the 63rd day, with the highest release occurring in RP + PM 1:3. Best performance of P release between the treatment ratios were in the order 1:3 > 1:2 > sole materials. While best performance of P release between the composting materials were in the order poultry manure > pig manure > cattle manure >soil. It was established from the study that phosphocompost application significantly affected the growth and yield of lettuce and N, P and K uptake. Treatment RP + PM 1:3 gave significantly (p < 0.05) higher values throughout the growing period than the other amendments and the control in plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, plant weight and N.P and K uptake. However, all the amended soils were significantly (p < 0.05) better in influencing lettuce growth than the control. The application of the phosphocompost increased the soil organic matter content, available P, K, CEC, total N, soil pH, organic carbon, exchangeable bases (Ca, Mg, K, Na), percentage base saturation and decreased exchangeable acidity. It is concluded that composting rock phosphate with animal manure improved the P releasing ability of rock phosphate as well as leaf length and yield of lettuce. The fresh and dry weights of lettuce were also better in amended soil than control A Thesis in the Department of CROPS AND SOIL SCIENCE, FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE EDUCATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES, University of Education, Winneba in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (M.PHIL) IN SOIL SCIENCE in the UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA. MAY, 2017

The effect of shade-dried moringa oleifera leaf meal at different inclusion levels on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of quail broilers

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

The effect of shade-dried moringa oleifera leaf meal at different inclusion levels on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of quail broilers Asanyire, S. A. The use of readily available feed resources in the rearing of quail has the potential of improving animal protein needs in resource-poor communities in Ghana. The leaf meal of Moringa oleifera is one such feed resource. However, its utility has not been assessed by quail farmers. This study was, therefore, conducted to determine the effect of M. oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Japanese quails. Freshly harvested M.oleifera leaves were shadedried for one week, milled using a hammer mill, sieved into meal and used in the formulation of the feed for the birds. A total of 120 unsexed Japanese quails were randomly allotted to four treatments with three replications each. There were ten (10) birds per replicate giving a total of 30 birds in each treatment. Completely Randomized Design was used for the experiment. Four levels of MOLM consisting 0 %, 5 %, 10 % and 15 % treatments (T1, T2, T3 and T4) were fed during the research period which lasted for 12 weeks. All the experimental diets were formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of breeder chicks according to the NRC (1994). The experimental diets were formulated at Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Animal Science Education. The MOLM was used to mix with a commercial started and finisher diet at a rate of 0, 5, 10 and 15 g/kg (CON, MOLM5, MOLM10 and MOLM15, respectively) producing four dietary treatments. During the feeding trial feed intake and body weight gain were measured and used to calculate feed conversion ratio (FCR). The results showed that dietary treatments of MOLM had a statically significant effect (P < 0.05) on overall body weight gain, feed intake, FCR and dressed weight of birds. However, there were no statically significant difference (P > 0.05) between the varied levels of MOLM diets on live weight, bledweight, defeathered weight, head weight, Leg pair, intestine weight and giblet weights. The study concluded that birds' development efficiency and carcass characteristics appeared to be unaffected, Japanese quail nutrition may include Moringa oleifera leaf meal to enhance their growth performance and their carcass characteristics. A dissertation submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Award of Master of Education in Agriculture (Animal Science) in the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development NOVEMBER, 2022

Morphological characterization of indigenous laying chickens in three regions of Ghana

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Morphological characterization of indigenous laying chickens in three regions of Ghana Afful, J. This experiment was conducted to identify, characterize and assess the variation in morphological traits of indigenous laying chicken populations in Wassa Amenfi Central District, Wassa Amenfi East and West Municipals in the Western Region, Ga East, West and North Municipals in the Greater Accra Region and Nsawam Adoigyiri Municipal, Upper West Akim District and Akuapim South District in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Purposive sampling was used to select twenty-seven laying chickens from twenty-seven farmers in each region. A total of twenty morphological traits were identified and measured successfully. Data collected was subjected to the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) model using GenStat 12.1 (2009) software. The results of this study showed significant difference (P<0.05) in Ornithological measurement, skull with, beak length, neck width, back length, leg length, and tarsus length in birds between the three regions. The performance of birds in the Western and Eastern Regions were higher than the performance of birds in the Greater Accra Region. The result also revealed a non- significant difference (P>0.05) in body weight, one wing, wing span, rectal temperature, skull length, wattle length, neck length, tail length, thigh length, thigh width, tarsus width, central toe length and claw length. It could be concluded that variation exists among certain morphological traits in indigenous laying chicken. A dissertation submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Master of Education in Agriculture (Animal Science) in the University of Education, Winneba OCTOBER, 2022

Morphological characterisation of indigenous chickens and its application to compare ecotypes from three districts in the Northern Region of Ghana

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Morphological characterisation of indigenous chickens and its application to compare ecotypes from three districts in the Northern Region of Ghana Musah, Z. This study was to characterize the qualitative and quantitative morphometric traits of indigenous chicken populations reared in three districts in the northern region of Ghana. Data on both qualitative and quantitative traits of the indigenous chicken populations were collected from 200 randomly selected households of the three districts. Visual appraisals, body weight and linear body measurements were taken from 600 adult indigenous chickens of both sexes in the selected households. The results indicated that the average chicken flock size, clutch size and annual egg number per hen per year were 8.68, 3.6 and 44, respectively. In males, yellow shank colour (61%), red earlobe colour (80.7%) and yellow skin colour (56%) were the dominant phenotypic traits. However, female chickens were characterized by white shank colour (33.3%), white earlobe colour (44.2%) and white skin colour (75%). The overall mean values of body weight, body length, wingspan, back length, keel bone length, chest width, shank length, and shank circumference were 1.31 kg, 38.6 cm, 38.8 cm, 18.4 cm, 10.3 cm, 26.1 cm, 7.49 cm and 3.59 cm, respectively. The values of all linear body measurement traits deferred significantly (P < 0.01) across the study districts. Body weight and linear body measurements showed strong associations. The present finding suggests that indigenous chickens in the study area possess unique genetic potentials that would be used for further breeding programs for optimum utilization of these genetic resources by the rural communities. A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, University of Education, Winneba in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Degree of Master of Education (M.ed) Agriculture (Animal Science). SEPTEMBER, 2022