Quantitative replacement of soybean meal with toasted African yam bean (<i>Sphenostylis stenocarpa</i>) meal in broiler starter diets

Abstract

Eighty-four Anak broilers were used to study the effect of quantitative replacement of toasted soybean meal (TSBM) with toasted African yam bean (TAYB) meal in broiler starter diet. The experimental design was completely randomized design (CRD). There were four treatments each replicated three times with seven broilers per replicate. The inclusion levels of toasted African yam bean meal in diets were 0, 25, 50 and 75% in treatments I, II, III, and IV respectively. The parameters measured were final live weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and cost/kg feed. Results showed that the starter broilers fed treatment IV diet had significantly (P<0.05) lower final live weight (592g) than those fed treatments III (631.66g), II (656g) and I (670g) diets. Daily weight gain followed the same trend as in final live weight. The feed intake of treatments IV (1241.66g) and III (1235.00g) diets were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of treatments I (1222.66g) and II (1225.33g) diets. Starter broilers fed treatment IV diet had significantly (P<0.05) higher feed conversion ratio (2.10) than those fed treatment III having (1.95) which was also significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of treatments II (1.87) and I (1.28). Finally, parameters evaluated showed no significant different (P>0.05) between starter broilers fed treatment I and treatment II. From the result, one can conclude that 25% AYB (treatment II) compared favourably with the control diets 0% AYB in starter broiler diets and is hereby recommended as optimal for quantitative replacement of soybean in broiler starter diet.

Key words: Broiler Starter diet, African Yam Bean, Soyabean replacement