ABSTRACT

A 21-day feeding trial involving ninety (90) five week old broiler chicks were used to evaluate the carcass and organ characteristics of broilers fed diets containing raw and variously processed bambara groundnut offal (BGO). The diets were divided into five dietary treatment groups of 18 birds per treatment with 6 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. The birds were fed diets containing varying levels of raw and variously processed bambara offal meal. Diet T1(control) contained 0% BGO, diet (T2) contained 30% raw BGO, diet (T3) contained 30% toasted BGO, diet (T4) contained 30% soaked/oven dried BGO, while diet (T5) contained 30% soaked/toasted BGO. The birds were weighed at the beginning of the experiment and weekly thereafter. Experimental diets and water were offered ad-libitum. At 8 weeks of age, two birds per replicate were weighed and slaughtered for carcass and organ evaluation. The parameters such as carcass and organ characteristics were assessed at the end of the experiment. The result of the experiment showed that the raw and processed bambara groundnut offal (BGO) contained moderate crude protein level of 19.27 to 19.38%, low crude fiber level of 3.7 to 4.2%, Ether extract level of 5.47 to 5.70%, Ash content of 5.0 to 5.24%, and moisture content of 9.95 to 10.85%. Processing was effective in reducing the level of trypsin inhibitors, tannin, cynide and phytate, with soaking and heat treatment methods being the most efficient. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in live weight, dressed weight, dressing percentage, kidney, liver, drumstick, breast cut, back cut, neck, thigh cut, and shank length. The birds fed diets T1(2361.67g), T3 (2366.67g) and T4(2341.67g) had higher similar (p>0.05) live weights at slaughter but differed significantly (J)<O.05) from the birds fed diets T2(2208.33g) and T5 (2216.67g). Dressed weight of birds fed diets T1(1732.73g) and T5(1719.56g) are similar (p>O.05) and greater than others, followed by that of diets T3 (1683.85g) and T4 (1603.67g) which were significantly similar (p>0.05) while the least were birds on diets T2(1551 .84g). Dressing percentage followed the same trend as dressed weight where birds fed diets T1(73.29%), and T5(77.62%) had similar dressing percentage and greater than others, followed by T3 (71.09%), T2(70.54%), and T4(69.53%) which were significantly similar (p>0.05). The carcass cut parts and internal organs showed that there was no significant (p>O.05) differences among the birds fed the control diet (0% BOO) and BOO diets in spleen, gizzard, wings, and head. The results of this trial suggest that bambara groundnut offal meals containing 30% soaked and toasted bambara groundnut offal meal optimally influenced carcass characteristics, and could be incorporated in broiler finisher rations without adversely affecting organ and carcass characteristics of finisher broilers.