CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Poultry are collection of birds raised commercially or domestically
for meat, egg and feathers. Chickens, ducks turkeys and geese are of
primary importance while guinea fowl and squabs (pigeons) are chiefly of
local interest. These birds are source of income and food to the
rarer. In the past only hens that could no longer produce eggs were
killed and sold for meat but by the mid-20th century, meat production
had outstripped egg. Production as a specialized industry
(Encycloparredia Britaimca, 1988). Heavy breed poultry animals are used
for meat white light bread chickens are primarily for the production of
eggs (Mc Graw Hill encydopaedia 1992). The meat and eggs produced from
poultry are important sources of dietary portion. In Africa, animal
protein foods from all sources contribute between 7g and 15g daily per
person to the total food intake (Oyenyga, 1974). Today, Poultry
production in the country is increasing at a tremendous rate and yet
cannot meet the demand because of population growth and the awareness
created by the campaigns for the need of animal protein in the diet. The
growth and well-being of organisms are to a large extent dependent on
the mount and type of food they receive and the manner or rate at which
they receive it. The food should contain nutrients such as water,
carbohydrates, fats, protein, minerals, vitamins and added growth
factors improper balance. Each of these nutrients has a major role to
play concerning growth, maintenance and productivity of the poultry.
According to Leonard 91981), nutritional deficiency or inbalance. These
diseases may include rickets, perosis, and nutritional roup, curly the
paralysis etc. These diseases could result due to deficiency in
vitamins D, Manganese, vitamin A, vitamin E and riboflavin. Improper
sanitation and inadequate management play major roles in disease.
Outbreak and productivity of the desired products. In developing
countries like Nigeria, the cost of feeding, especially the monogastries
continues to escalate primarily in response the soaring cost of the
conventional feed ingredients. This phenomenon is precipitated by under
production and importation of some food stuff coupled with the
competition between man and farm animal for energy and protein
concentrates. The use of agro-industrial by-products towards reducing
food cost has been widely recognized (EshieH and Ademosun, 1981; Atteh
and Oloagbenla, 1993). Chicken and turkeys satisfy their energy needs
provided the ration a allows them to do so (Church, 1988). The are of
course exceptional to this rule particularly where heavy breed layers
are concerned, when birds have a tendency to over-eat. Where this is a
problem, it is general practice to subject the birds to some degree of
food restriction during the growing and production periods. The major
ingredients that are integral parts of poultry rations at the present
time in the USA are corn, as the primary source of energy and soybean
meal as the major protein supplement (Roland et al 1972), while
in Nigeria, Udedibie et al (1988) and Nwokon (1993) produced poultry
offal meal (P.O.M) and chicken offal meal (COM) respectively from waste
product similar to poultry visceral Offal (PVO) according to these
authors POM has been used to replace ground nut cake in layer and
broiler finisher diets and COM has been used along with fish meat and
blood meat as sources of methodize and lysine in the starter diets of
lockerels. These major ingredients, usually available in plentiful
supply, allow rapid growth or high egg production with very efficient
conversion. However, corn-soy rations are deficient in some nutrients
for chickens and these nutrients are normally supplied by other poultry
meal. There are different types of feeds given to poultry brids
depending on the purpose. These different types of feeds given to
poultry birds depending on the purpose. These different types are the
breeders’ starters, growers’ and layer’ feeds. The percentage of each
ingredient in the feed varies depending on the type of feed. The
ingredient include ground yellow corn, ground oats or barley, Alfata
meat, Fish meal, Oystershell, managised salt, vitamin A, vitamin D, and
coccidiostat (which is given in form and at the level recommended by the
manufacturer). The different percentage of each ingredient varies
depending on the kind of feed for example, ground yellow corn in starter
and grower feed is 25% and 22% in breeder and layer feeds. There could
be the same percentage of a particular ingredient in different feeds as
in the case of a alfafa meal which constitutes 10% inall the feed
types. Some ingredients could be absent in a particular feed but
present in the others as in the case of riboflavin supplement which is
absent in starter feed and present at the levels of 2 and 5% in rower,
layer and breeder feeds respectively. To maintain healthy birds, the
feeds are kept fresh as much as possible at all times. The amount of
feed in feeders are limited to the extent necessary to avoid wastage.
It is a good practice to fill hanging feeders – only three quarter full,
and trough feeders only two third full (Graham, 1977). Checking the
weight of the birds and its feed consumption is very necessary. A drop
in feed intake usually is the first indication of trouble, a disease
outbreak, molt, stress or poor management (Graham, 1977). Most poultry
feed are prepared in dehydrated forms and because of this, there is the
need to store them properly to avoid moisture uptake and damage by
heat. In this way,. They can remain safe for a considerable period of
time without loosing their safeness and value. The feed should be
stored in a suitable place where it will not be attacked by
microorganisms, insects, rodents, etc. Air tight storage is not
advisable because offensive odour might result when there is obstruction
of out flow and inflow of air (Leonard, 1981). High temperature and
oxidation destroy certain vitamins, therefore, care must be taken in
the preservation and storage of feeds to protect the vitamins they
contain (Mc Graw – Hill encyclopaedia 1992). The condition of feed
storage and handling could be a source of contamination. When feeds are
unhysgenically handled and stored, there could be a buildup of
microbial contaminants. Poultry have been found to be susceptible to
infection due to certain microorganisms and man may be secondarily
infected through heavy contaminated food such as poultry meat and eggs
(Gorden and Tucker, 1965, Hall, 1977, and Barrell, 1982).
Micro-organism that may contaminate feed include the following general
another disease caused by salmonella infections is paratyphoid.
Paratyphoid is an infection disease of chi, Entherobacter, Escherichia,
Protens, Pseudomonas, staphylococcus, salmonella, shigella,
providencia, serratia, Klebsiella, streptococcus, clostridium,
Aspergillus and Erysiphelothrie (Leonard, 1981). Typically, in some
countries, about 50% of all outbreaks of salmonellosis in man are caused
by infections derived from these sources and the incidence of
salmonella in poultry carcasses has, in certain cases been found to be
7% or more (Van schothorst Notermans, 1980). Okongi (1984) examined
poultry feed and found that salmonella was present in the sample.
Another disease caused by salmonella infections is paratyphoid,
Paratyphoid is an infections disease of chicken, turkeys, ducks and
other birds. Bofulism another kind of disease occurs in both young and
adult poultry birds. It is caused by a bacterium, Clostridium
Botulinum. This organism grows in decaying plants and animals materials.
Birds feeding material containing the toxins produced by the bacteria
lose control of their neck muscle (Leonard, 1981).
OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY:
The objective of this study is to ascertain the microbial safety of commercial poultry feeds produced by companies.
AIMS OF THE STUDY
- To isolate micro-organisms that are contaminants of poultry feeds.
- To identify the bacterial types
- To determine the microbial load of poultry feed.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Poultry feed is known to contain salmonella, and other
microorganisms are also implicated in poultry feeds, (Klinger and
Ladidot, 1993). It is therefore pertinent to carry out microbiological
examination of commercially prepared poultry feeds to ascertain their
safety to livestock.
HYPOTHESIS
HO:- Poultry feeds are associated with bacterial contaminants
H1:- Poultry feeds are not associated with bacterial contaminants
HII:- Poultry feeds do not have enough bacterial contaminants to cause infection in poultry
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This work is limited to bacteria contaminants associated with poultry feeds from three different companies.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
As the end of the project work, the results will be a guide to the
microbiological safety or otherwise of the commercially prepared poultry
feeds.