Growth response, flock uniformity, organ weight, abdominal fat, carcass yield and hepatic histology of finisher broiler chicken fed toasted pigeon pea seed meal

Abstract

Three hundred (300) 21d old (Arbor-acre) broiler chicks apportioned to five (5) dietary groups of sixty (60) birds each, further replicated six (6) times were fed graded levels of toasted pigeon pea seed meal (TPSM) to assess the performance, flock uniformity, organ weights, carcass yield and hepatic histology at the finisher phase. A maize-full-fat soybean meal diet served as the control diet (I). The TPSM was incorporated to replace full-fat soybean meal at 12.5%, 25.0%, 37.5% and 50.0% in diets II, III, IV and V, respectively. Toasting improved the protein content, ether extract, fibre content, metabolizable energy and reduced the anti-nutrients except for oxalate. The final weight, total weight change, average weight gain, feed conversion ratio, eviscerated weight, breast yield and thigh yield were significantly influenced (P<0.05), especially depressed at 50% replacement, unlike the average feed intake, mortality and flock uniformity (P>0.05). The kidney and abdominal fat were also influenced (P<0.05). There were varying levels of hepatic degeneration, which increased in intensity as the level of inclusion increased. They ranged from mild sinusoidal congestion and cellular infiltration to necrosis of the cells in the liver. Up to 37.5% TPSM toasted pigeon pea seed meal replacement for soybean meal supported optimum growth, breast and thigh yield, and mild to moderate hepatic disruptions.