Effect of Dietary Decorticated Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) Seed on Broiler Chicks Performance

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value of decorticated pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) seeds as plant protein source and to substitute the super concentrate for broiler chicks. 160 unsexed broiler chicks (Ross) were used. Five dietary treatments containing 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% decorticated C.cajan seed were formulated to meet the nutrients requirements as outlined by National Research Council (1994). The diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous.The layout of the experiment was Completely Randomize Design (CRD). Each treatment was replicated four times, with 8 birds / replicate. The study lasted for six weeks. Parameters measured were feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), total body weight, hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, total serum protein, serum triglycerides and serum cholesterol. Results revealed that dietary inclusion of decorticated C.cajan seeds had significantly (P<0.01) decreased feed intake, live body weight, weight gain, hot carcass weight and total serum protein. Moreover, the treatments had significantly affected (P<0.05) the dressing percentage and total serum triglyceride of the birds. However, the dietary treatments had no significant effect (P>0.05) on overall feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the chicks and total serum cholesterol.