EFFECTS OF PROCESSING METHODS OF AFRICAN LOCUST BEAN SEED MEAL ON NUTRIENT COMPOSITION AND UTILIZATION BY BROILER CHICKENS

📄 Project Abstract

A laboratory study and four feeding trials were conducted to determine the effects of dietary inclusions of differently processed African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) seeds (ALBS) on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. Four processing methods for ALBS were evaluated using laboratory study and feeding trials as follows; (i) Cooking for 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours, (ii) Soaking for 1, 2, and 3 days; (iii) Soaking for 1 day and fermenting for 3 days and (iv) Toasting. Chemical analyses of the raw and four differently processed ALBS were carried out to determine their proximate compositions, anti-nutritional factors, amino acid profiles and mineral contents. Three of the four ALBS processing methods applied were later selected and used for three broilers feeding trials as follows; Cooking for 4 hours, Soaking 1day followed by fermentation for 3 days and Toasting. Two hundred and twenty five day-old broiler chicks (Marshall Strain) were used. Birds were fed processed ...