ABSTRACT

A trial was conducted to test the effect of bambara groundnut (Voandzeia subterrenea) waste meal (BGWM) and its levels of inclusion on one hundred and fifty broiler chicks from starter to finisher phases. The birds were fed with formulated diets containing raw and toasted BGWM at 0. % 5 1 O 15 and 20% inclusion levels. The aim was to detennine the nutritive value, level of optimal dietary inclusion, content of metabolisable energy and protein, influence on growth response and carcass characteristics and economics of production . The experiment was arranged in a 2 x 5 factorial form replicated three times. Diets were fonnulated. to satisfy the requirements of chickens, thus 230g/kg CP . and 12.2MJ//kg ME for the starter phase and 190g/kg CP and 13.0MJ/kg ME for the finisher phase and birds were fed ad-libitum throughout the rearing period of 56 days. Proximate analysis of the test feedstuffs showed higher value of crude protein and ether extracts for raw BGWM than the toasted BGWM .while content gf other materials were not different among two forms. The raw or toasted did not affect growth parameters at the starter phase except mean final weight and daily weight gain, but all growth parameters at the finisher phase were improved by toasted BGWM. Value of metabolisable energy was not affected by dietary BGWM except protein . Carcass parameters of birds fed toasted BGWM improved 'significantly (P<0.05) .Performance of birds decreased with-increasing level of inclusion of BGWM for many of the parameters assessed. However, good results were obtained in levels 5, 10 and in some cases 15%. Th b rfi Ce was observed when toasted BGWM was fed at 5% level,' while e est per torman Vlll inclusion of raw BGWM at 5% level reduced cost of feed as well as increased revenue and gross margin. Above results therefore, indicated that BGWM should be used in its toasted fonn to reduce anti-nutritional content an0 d also in raw form for better g. ross margin . Inclusion level should not exceed 15% for toasted and 10% for the raw form in broiler ration for optimum performance.