Replacement value of <i>Cassia tora</i> seed meal for maize in broiler starter diets

Abstract

The effect of dietary replacement of maize with raw cassia tora seed meal on the performance of broiler chicks was determined in a 28- day feeding trial. Raw Cassia Tora seed meal contains: carbohydrate -66-69 %, protein-14-19 %; Ether Extract 5-7 % and also contains some anti-nutritional factors (ANFs). Cassia Tora seeds were milled using a hammer mill with a sieve size of 3.36mm to produce the seed meal. The raw Cassia Tora seed meal so prepared was used to formulate broiler starter chicks diets replacing maize at 0.0 %, 25.0 %, 50. 0 %, and 75.0% dietary levels respectively using 120, day-old young Marshal broiler chicks, which were divided into four groups of thirty (30) birds and randomly assigned to the four treatment diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment group was further sub-divided into three (3) replicates of ten (10) birds. Generally, the performance of birds on replacement diets containing raw Cassia Tora seed meal were significantly (p< 0.05) lower than the control group, except for the group on 25 % replacement level that compared favorably with the control group. Dietary replacement of maize with raw Cassia Tora seed meal at all levels reduced feed cost which reflected in the feed cost savings (%) but the cost of meat in N/kg produced increased with increased levels of replacement of maize with raw Cassia Tora seed meal. The results obtained from this trial suggests that Cassia Tora seed meal could partially replace maize in broiler starter diets at 25 % level without deleterious effects.

Key words: Broiler starter, Replacement value, Raw Cassia Tora, Maize.