ABSTRACT

In a 5 week feeding trial. cashe nut meal was tested as a dietary ingredients in broiler ration. Soya bean meal as substituted fr cashew nut meal at 0° o, 2S°SO% 75% and 100% and the diets were rcspectivclv designated as diets 1. 2. 3, 4 and 5 in a completely randomized dcsirn 1)uring the tudv parameters such as perlormancc characteristics. nutrient utilization, carcass characteristics. organ weights and the economics of' production were investigated The feed-to-gain ratio was significantly (P<0.05) influenced while other parameters were nut I.)et 3 gave the best value (2.24). followed closely by diets 4 (2.25) and 2 (2 2) respectively Numerically, birds fed diet 3 (54 OOg) gave the highest mean daily weight gain, followed by diets 4 (53 59g) and 2 (52.75g) respectively. Diets 1 and 5 gave the poorest mean daily weight gain aiid feed-to-gain ratio. The apparent nutrient utilization table shows that only the ether extract was significantly (P<O.05) improved among the parameters considered. Potassium and sodium utilization significantly (P<0 05) improved as the cashew nut inclusion level increased from 0 to I 00% (Diets I to 5) The results on carcass characteristics showed that the dressed weight was nuimrically improved as the dietary inclusion of cashew nut meal increased from 0% to 75% The highest value (1866.7g) was obtained from birds fed diet 3 while those led diet 5 gave the least value (1606.7g) The birds fed the various treatments had their kidney depressed as the cashew nut inclusion increased from 25% to 100%. The economics of production revealed that the cost/kg diet (N) decreased as the dietary inclusion of the test ingredient increased from 0 to 100%. At the end of the trial, the highest marginal revenue was obtained from birds fed diet 4 (N 418 86). This was closely followed by birds fed diets 3, 5, 2 and I respectively. Cashew nut meal is not deleterious to broiler production rather it enhanced performance of the birds, carcass quality. eflicient nutrient utilization and above all economically advantageous. It is therefore recommended as a substitute for the expensive conventional plant protein.

TA BLE OF CONTENT

Title page

Certification ii

Dedicatiun iii

Acknowledcement iv

Abstract - v

Table of contents vi

List of tables vii

CHAP [ER ONE

Introduction

ChAPTER T\VO

2.0 (LITERATURE REVIEW)

2.0. Background history of soya beans (Glycine max) 3

2.10. Nutritive potential of soya bean meal in broiler diets 4

2.20. Effects of soya bean meal inclusion in broiler dics 4

2.21. Performance of broiler chickens fed dietary soya bean meal

2.22. Nutritive utilization of broiler chicken fed soya bean meal 5

2.23 Economics of producing broiler chicken using dietary soya bean me 6

2.30 Cashewnut tree 6

2.31. Origin and distribution 6

2.32. Nutritive potential of cashew nut/kernel meal 10

2.33. Eflcts of cashew nut meal or by-product inclusion in poultry diets 11

2.34. Effects of cashew nut meal on nutrient utilization 12

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 (MATERIALS ANI) ME1IlOD)

3.1. Experimental site 12

32. Experimental diets 12

3.3. Experimental birds 14

3.4. Management of birds 14

3.5. Data collection 15

3.6. Nutrient retention trial 15

3.7. Carcass yield 16

3.8. Economic analysis 16

3.9. Chemical analysis 17

3.9b. Statistical analysis 17

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 (RESULTS ANt) DISCUSSION)

4. 1. Proximate composition of cashewnut (kernel) meal

4.2. Mineral composition of cashewnut meal 18

4.3. The experimental diets 22

4.4. Performance characteristics of broiler chicken fed varying levels of cashewnut

meal 24

4.5. Carcass characteristics of broiler chicken fed varying cashew\nut ieal lcvels---28

4.6!. Nutrient utilization of the varying dietary treatments fed broiler chicken 39

4.62. Mineral utilization of broiler chicken fed varying levels of cashewnut meal as

substitute to soya bean meal -

4.7 The economics of cashewnut meal as a substitute for soya bean

meal in the broiler chicken 44.

5.0 CHAPTER FIVE

(RECOMMENDATION/CONCLUSION) 46