ABSTRACT

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the productive and economic performance of broiler chickens fed various plant protein sources in achagrain diet. One hundred and twenty (120) seven (7) days old unisex broiler chicks were selected and placed in a completely randomized design experiment in which soybean meal (full fat), soybean cake, groundnut cake and cashew nut meal were used at 30% inclusion level each in acha-based diets. The experiment has four (4) treatments and each treatment was further sub-divided into 3 (three) replicates of ten (10) chicks. They were managed in a deep litter house and were given water and feed ad libitum. The experiment lasted seven weeks. Data on growth parameters and feed intake were collected daily and weekly. At the end of the rearing period of 7 weeks, measurements were taken for the determination of productive performance and economics of production. The results showed that the birds fed diets 3 having soyabean meal as the main plant protein source with 2700 Kcal/kg ME and protein calorie: ratio of 1:125 gave the best performance. It is also important to note that, the performance of birds fed with diet 4 (four) which had 30% cashew nut (full fat) is the poorest. The result further shows that using cashew nut as plant protein source in poultry (broiler chicken) diets is rather too expensive and production of cashew may have to increase so as to bring down the cost of production of broiler chicken. The various response criteria considered in the cost analysis showed significant difference (P<0.05). The mean total feed intake (kg), cost per kg of feed/bird (N), mean total weight (kg), and cost of production (N) showed that the cost of production increased from diet 1 (one) to diet 4 (four). In conclu’sion, soyabean, whether used as meal or full-fat confirmed its superiority over groundnut cake and cashew nut meal.