Effect of crude buck testicular extract on performance characteristics and testicular weights of cockerels

Abstract

In view of the need to ensure continuous supply of animal protein for human consumption, cockerel production has been receiving encouragement of recent and any move to improve their growth
rate to meet the production target is highly welcomed. Gonadal hormones are known to be growth
enhancer in livestock production, but the use of synthetic products is on the decline globally, hence the
need to exploit natural products with hormonal effect. An experiment was carried out to investigate
the effect of crude buck testicular extract (CBTE), on some performance characteristics of cockerels.
Two hundred and seventy (270) 10 weeks old Harco cockerels were randomly allotted to three (3)
groups and replicated thrice, each with thirty birds. The first group (Cx1
) served as control with no
exogenous hormone, (Cx2
) was the group injected with crude testicular buck extract, while (Cx3
) was
the group injected with synthetic male gonadal hormone (testosterone propionate). The experiment
lasted for seven (7) weeks during which data were collected on daily feed intake, total body weight
gain, while FCR and feed efficiency were calculated. At 7th week of trial, six (6) birds were selected
from each treatment group and slaughtered to access the testicles. Data collected were subjected to
one-way analysis of variance. The results revealed that birds on Cx2
 and Cx3 consumed more feed,
improved weight gain significantly (p < 0.05) than Cx1 birds, and with better FCR and feed efficiency
(p < 0.05). Cx2 birds had the highest value for testis weight in relative to body weight to as compared
to other treatments. No mortality was recorded during the experiment. CBTE can therefore be used to
enhance the growth rate of cockerels without negative effect on the health.