Performance and Digestibility of Nutrients by Broiler Finishers Fed Graded Levels of Mucuna pruriens Seed Meal

Abstract

A four week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of boiled Mucunaseed meal (BMSM) on the growth performance and the digestibility of nutrients by broiler finisher chicks. To achieve this three hundred and fifteen (315) broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five
experimental treatment diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment was replicated thrice having twenty-one (21) birds per pen. BMSM was prepared and fed in graded levels of 10.0, 20.0, 30.0, and 40.0% alongside control diet of 0.0 BMSM. Feed and water were served libitum. The parameters measured and calculated include final bodyweight, weight gain, feed intake, feed to gain ratio and feed cost per kilogram gain. Digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract, ash and nitrogen free extract were also calculated. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the final body weight, the weight gain. feed intake as well as feed to gain ratio of birds fed 0%,10% and
20% BMSM were statistically (P>0.05) similar. They were however, significantly (P0.05) higher than those from 30% and 40% levels of inclusion. Feed cost per kilogram weight gain and feed cost per bird were lower for all BMSB diets when compared to the control diet. Digestibility of nutrients was similar and better for the birds fed the control, 10.0 and 20.0% BMSM based diets than those on 30 and 40% BMSM based diets. It was concluded that inclusion of BMSM in the diets of broiler finisher chicks up to20% has beneficial effects.