EFFECTS OF DIETARY INCLUSION OF LOCUST BEAN PULP (Parkia biglobosa) ON PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS AT FINISHER PHASE

Abstract

ABSTRACT A three week feeding trial was conducted using 150 four (4) week old Arbor acre strain of broiler chickens to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of locust bean pulp (LBP) on the performance characteristics and carcass weight of broilers at finisher phase. The birds were randomly allotted to three treatment groups of graded levels of locust bean pulp (0, 5, and 10%), each replicated five times in a completely randomized design CRD. Total feed intake, final body weight, body weight gain, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio and mortality were determined. At the end of the experiment two birds were randomly picked from each replicate, fasted and killed and their carcass weights were analyzed. Results showed total feed intake of broilers fed 5 and 10% LBP were higher (P<0.05) and was lower in 0% LBP. The birds fed 0% LBP had higher final body weight and better feed conversion ratio. The FCR of the birds fed 0 and 10% LBP did not differ significantly (p>0.05) between each other. While no significance differences (P<0.05) were observed in mortality. On carcass analysis, no significant (P>0.05) differences between treatments in terms of live weight, killed weight, plucked weight, dressed weight. Likewise the primal cuts such as breast, back, thighs, drumstick, wings and neck weights showed no significant (P>0.05) differences between the treatments. Similarly significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in liver, spleen, and legs while all the other organs such as gizzard, crop, lungs, intestines, head, heart weights did not show any significant difference (P>0.05) when their means were statistically compared. Hence, the study showed that up to 10% of Parkia biglobosa fruit pulp can be used in the diets of broiler finisher phase without compromising performance.