Comparative evaluation of partial replacement of soybean meal with raw and oven-dried cassia tora seedmeal on the performance of broiler chickens

This study was conducted to comparatively evaluate partial replacement of soybean meal with raw and oven-dried Cassia tora seed meal (CTSM) on the performance of broiler chickens. An eight-week feeding trial involving two hundred and eighty eight (288), day-old chicks purchased from a reputable chick dealer in Uyo Metropolis was used for the study. Four experimental diets each of raw and oven-dried CTSM was formulated such that diets 1, 2, 3, and 4 contained 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% CTSM respectively. The birds were randomly assigned to the eight dietary treatments of 36 birds each. A treatment was replicated thrice, with 12 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). The parameters evaluated were body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and blood parameters. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), using SPSS version 20. The results showed that the dietary treatments significantly influenced the growth indices. Weight gain was highest at 10% inclusion of raw CTSM and also at 15% inclusion of oven-dried CTSM. Feed intake response was highest at 10% inclusion of raw CTSM and 15% inclusion of oven-dried CTSM while feed conversion ratio (FCR) was greatly improved at these inclusion levels. The inclusion of raw and oven-dried CTSM at 10% and 15% respectively did not adversely affect carcass qualities and organs. Inclusion of raw CTSM up to 15% adversely affected carcass quality and haematological parameters. Also, haematological parameters of broiler chicken were best at 10% and 15% inclusion of raw and oven-dried CTSM respectively. When all parameters were considered, performance of broiler chickens was best at 10% inclusion of raw CTSM and 15% inclusion of oven-dried CTSM. It is therefore recommended that raw CTSM can only be incorporated into the diets of broiler chickens up to 10% without any detrimental effect. But oven-dried CTSM can be incorporated up to 15% without any detrimental effect.