Lewu M.N., Yakubu T.M., Adebola P.O., Afolayan A.J.
Department of Botany, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa; Phytomedicine, Toxicology, Reproductive and Developmental Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; Plant Breeding Division
Lewu, M.N., Department of Botany, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa; Yakubu, T.M., Phytomedicine, Toxicology, Reproductive and Developmental Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; Adebola, P.O., Plant Breeding Division, ARC-Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Pretoria, South Africa; Afolayan, A.J., Department of Botany, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa
The growth performance of weanling albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) maintained on different accessions (offspring of a variety that was planted/collected at a specific location and time but differing in certain morphologic characteristics) of cooked Colocasia esculenta (cocoyam)-based diets (UFCe1-UFCe7) for 28 days was investigated. Proximate analysis of the formulated diets revealed that UFCe3, UFCe4, UFCe5, UFCe6, and UFCe7 had significantly (P<.05) higher moisture contents than the corn starch-based diet (control). All the accession-based diets of C. esculenta had higher ash contents. Similarly, all the accessions of the C. esculenta-based diet had lower crude lipid content, whereas UFCe3-UFCe7 had significantly lower protein content. Although the crude fiber content was significantly higher in UFCe2, UFCe4, and UFCe5, only UFCe3 had significantly higher carbohydrate content among all the accessions of C. esculenta-based diets. UFCe1, UFCe2, UFCe4, UFCe5, and UFCe6 increased the average weekly water intake, feed consumption, total body weight, liver-body weight ratio, and kidney-body weight ratio of the animals; UFCe3 and UFCe7 decreased these measures. Overall, UFCe1, UFCe2, UFCe4, UFCe5, and UFCe6 are recommended as diets with promise to enhance growth performance in the animals. © Copyright 2011, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
starch; animal experiment; animal food; article; ash; body growth; body weight; Colocasia; Colocasia esculenta; controlled study; cooking; dietary fiber; dietary intake; female; fluid intake; food composition; kidney mass; lipid composition; liver weight; male; moisture; nonhuman; priority journal; protein content; rat; weaning; Animal Feed; Animals; Colocasia; Drinking; Energy Intake; Female; Hot Temperature; Kidney; Liver; Male; Organ Size; Plant Tubers; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; South Africa; Species Specificity; Water; Weaning; Weight Gain; Animalia; Colocasia esculenta; Rattus norvegicus; Zea mays