Growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters of broiler chickens fed differently processed sickle pod (<i>Senna obtusifolia</i>) seed meal in a Sahelian environment

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted using one hundred and eighty (180) day-old broiler chicks for eight (8) weeks to investigate growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters of broiler chickens fed 20% level of differently processed Senna obtusifolia seed meal (SOSM) as a replacement for full fat soya bean. The chicks were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments with 30 birds per treatmentand each treatment was replicated three times with 10 birds per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The diets were designated as T1 (control) 0% Senna obtusifolia seed meal (SOSM), T2 (boiled Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (BSOSM), T3 (soaked and boiled Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (SBSOM), T4 (toasted Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (TSOSM), T5 (Sprouted Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (SPSOSM) and T6 (fermented Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (FSOSM). Results of the growth performance indicated that there were significant (P<0.05) variations among treatment groups. Chickens fed FSOSM (T6) recorded superior final live weight, overall weight gain, daily feed intake and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) compared to T1 (control) followed by T2 (BSOSM). Carcass characteristics and organs weight also showed significant (P<0.05) differences among treatment groups. Results of haematological parameters and serum biochemical indices showed no significant (P>0.05) differences among treatments. Results obtained in this study showed that 20% of soya bean can be replaced with fermented or boiled Senna obtusifolia seed meal in broiler chickens diets without adverse effects on performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters as source of protein.

Keywords: Senna obtusifolia seed, broiler chickens, performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters