ABSTRACT

A 21- day feeding trial involving ninety (90), five week old broiler chicks was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, carcass and economics characteristics of broilerfinisher birds fed varying levels of Centrosema pubescens leafmeal (CPLM). The broiler chicks were divided into 5 groups of 18 birds each. Each group was subdivided into three replicates of 6 birds each and the birds were selected and assigned to treatments in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The birds were weighed at the beginning of the experiment and weekly thereafter. Experimental diets and water were provided ad- libitum. The chicks were fed diets containing varying levels of CPLM at 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10%. At eight weeks of age, one bird per replicate was weighed and slaughtered for carcass evaluation. The result of the experiments showed that the growth performance characteristics of broiler chicken fed diet containing Centrosema pubescens leaf meal were significantly (P>0.05) different for all the parameters evaluated except final weight and mortality. Birds fed diet 1 had significantly (P<0.05) higher total weight gain and average daily weight gain than the birds fed other diet. Diet 1 had the bestfeed conversion ratio (2.13) which was comparable (p>0.05) to diets 2, 3 and 4. The results of the experiment showed that the final weight, live weight, revenue, gross margin were not affected (P>0.05) by the treatments. Nonsignificant differences (p>0.05) were obtained in the dressed weight, live weight, cut parts and organ weight as percentage of live weight such as back-cut, thigh, spleen, abdominalfats, liver, kidney, heart, large intestine. The cost per kg weight gain was significantly (p<0.05) lower in diets 1 (N335.84) and 4 (N 339.20) compared to the other diet 5. The result of this trial suggests that Centrosema pubescens can be incorporated up to 10% dietary level replacing proportion of soyabean meal but for optimum performance, 7.5% dietary level ofinclusion is advocatedfor broilerfinishers.>