EFFECTS OF REPLACING WHEAT OFFAL WITH COWPEA TESTA ON THE PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

The effects of replacing wheat offal with cowpea testa was investigated using one hundred and fifty one weekold broiler chickens for a period of 9 weeks. The chickens were randomly divided into 5 dietary treatments in groups of 30 chickens and replicated 3 times with 10 chickens per replicate in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Broiler starter and finisher diets were compounded and cowpea testa was used to replace wheat offal at graded levels of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Results obtained indicated no significant (P>0.05) difference in all the parameters. The economic analysis revealed that the feed cost (N/kg) decreased with increasing levels of cowpea testa in the diets while, no significant (P>0.05) difference was recorded on the feed cost per weight gain (N/kg gain). However, there was a corresponding improvement in savings in theoverall cost of production at 25% cowpea testa diet. Cowpea testa could therefore replace wheat offal at 25% of the wheat offal in broiler diets and thus recommended in areas where the cost of wheat offal is high and supply inadequate