ABSTRACT

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of direct-fed-microbe (Aspergilhis oiyzae treated bambara groundnut waste) as feed for broiler birds. One hundred ançl eighty broiler birds were used in the study which were randomly divided into three treatments with three replicates in each treatment. Each replicate had twenty broiler birds. The birds in each replicate were fed ad-libiturn and clean water with multivitamin and antibiotics given. They were also routinely vaccinated. They were weighed at the beginning of the study and at weekly interval for 8 weeks, The levels of fermented bambara groundnut waste inclusion were T1= 0%, T2 = 5% and T3= 10%. In the parameters measured, the result on daily weight gain was highest in treatment 2 (29.30g) (P>0.05), and the highest feed intake was also observed in treatment 2 (86.60g), the best feed conversion ratio of (3.00) was noted also in treatment 2 (P>0.05). Based on the economic analysis studied, the cost of production was generally high in treatment 2 (N 646.40), followed by treatment 1 (N 592.20) and treatment 3 (N554.10) was lowest. The highest gross margin was observed in treatment 2 (N 338.20) followed by treatment 1 (N186.00) while the poorest was noted in treatment 3 (N 102.80). The results of this study have shown that bambara groundnut waste could be treated with Aspergillus oryzae for the production of broiler's feed for better performance and good economic returns. Therefore, it is recommended that where'Bambara groundnut wastes are found and are cheap, they should be used to produce direct-fed-microbe for the production of broiler feed. It is also recommended that 5% direct fed-mircobe (Aspergillus oryzae fermented bambara groundnut waste) should be included in the broilers diet for better performance and good economic returns.