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Year: 2008 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 1 | Page No.: 42 - 49
F.O. Abeke, S.O. Ogundipe, A.A. Sekoni, I.A. Adeyinka, O.O. Oni, A. Abeke and I.I. Dafwang
Abstract
A study was conducted to determine the response of broiler starter and
finisher chicks to dietary levels of Lablab purpureus beans processed
by boiling in water for 30 min at 100 °C. For both the starter and
the finisher phases, seven isonitrogenous diets containing 23.78% crude
protein for the starter and 20.91% crude protein for the finisher were
formulated to contain lablab seed meal at 0.0, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0, 20.0,
25.0 and 30.0% levels respectively. Diet 1, in each phase had no lablab
and served as the control. Each dietary treatment for the starter and
the finisher phases was replicated three times in a completely randomized
design. There were 25 birds per replicate. Feed and water were given ad
libitum. The experiment lasted from 0 to 4 weeks for the starter phase
and from 5 to 8 weeks for the finisher phase. Results obtained for the
starter phase shows significant (p<0.05) depression in final weight,
weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency and feed-gain ratio. These parameters
decreased as the level of lablab seeds in the diets increased. However,
feed cost (/kg
feed and
/bird)
were significantly (p<0.05) reduced as the level of lablab seed meal
increased in the starter diets. The results obtained for the finisher
phase also showed a similar trend. While there were significant (p<0.05)
decreases in final weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency
as the level of lablab seed meal increased in the diets, feed cost (
/kg
feed and
/bird)
were significantly (p<0.05) lowered. Parameters measured for carcass
analysis such as live weight and weights of the breast, thigh, wing, neck,
legs and head showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease as the dietary
levels of lablab seed meal increased. The PCV, Hb and the TP status of
the blood indicated significant (p<0.05) decreases as the levels of
lablab in the diets increased. However, Lablab purpureus beans
can be included up to 5% level in broiler starter and up to 10% level
in broiler finisher diets without any adverse effect on the performance
of the birds.