Effects of Faidherbia Albida (Del.) Chev. Torrefied Pods on the Zootechnical Performances of Laying Chickens

Abstract

Introduction: The cost of poultry feed directly impacts production yield. The search for feed formulations based on less expensive products is, therefore, an alternative to improve the profits of producers. This study was conducted in Maradi at the Regional Center for Agronomic Research of the National Institute of Agronomic Research of Niger to assess the effect of roasted Faidherbia albida pods on the zootechnical performance of Isa Brown laying chickens. Materials and methods: A total of 200 Isa Brown laying chickens, aged 21 weeks, were randomly assigned to four feeding groups with five replicates each. The chickens were housed in a 5 m × 10 m building, with 10 chickens per replicate in blocks of 1.71 m². The building featured ventilation, natural lighting, and bedding made from peanut shells. Apart from the control feed (F0), the experimental feeds contained 5% (F5), 10% (F10), and 15% (F15) crushed pods of Faidherbia albida roasted at 110°C. Millet and wheat bran were the main energy sources, while fishmeal and groundnut cake provided protein. Water was provided ad libitum to all chickens. The feed was distributed over 2 months. Results: The results showed that feed ingestion increased significantly with F10 compared to the control, while consumption remained comparable among the control, F15, and F5 groups. The incorporation of roasted Faidherbia albida pods led to a significant decrease in the feed conversion ratio, with a significant difference among the treatments. The best feed conversion ratio was obtained with the F5 ration, followed by the F0 control. Conclusion: The inclusion of Faidherbia albida in the diet of chickens is beneficial for egg production. The optimal incorporation rate for roasted pods of Faidherbia albida was determined to be 10%.