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.