ABSTRACT

A study was carried out to evaluate the response of broiler chickens fed diets containing differently processed bambara groundnut offal in a completely randomized design that lasted for 56 days. 150 day old chicks of Abor acre strain were randomly allocated to five diets designated T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄ and T_5. T₁ with 0% bambara was the control while the others had 10% each of toasted, raw, boiled/sundried, raw/enzyme respectively. Conventional protein sources for feeding poultry are scarce, expensive and competed for by man and animals. The starter phase results showed that birds fed T₅ diet had significantly highest final live weight gain (p<0.05) of 902.65g compared with other treatment groups. Protein efficiency ratio values did not differ (p>0.05) among the treatment groups_. At the finisher phase, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in all the parameters. Birds fed diet 2 and 3 (T₂ and T₃) had the best feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio. Significant difference was observed in T₂ but the differences in the back cut for T₁, T₂ and T₅ were similar (p>0.05). Organ proportions did not show statistical differences (p>0.05) except the spleen with similar values in T₁ and T₂ . All the haematological parameters at finisher phase showed significant differences (p<0.05) except the red blood cells. Lipid profile during finisher phase differed significantly (p<0.05) in total cholesterol with the highest values of 103.49mg/dl in T₄ and high density lipoprotein value of 66.55mg/dl in T₅ birds. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in all the cost/benefit parameters except cost/kg feed formulated at starter and finisher phases. It was concluded that toasted, boiled and sundried, and raw with kenzyme supplemented bambara groundnt offal diet (T₂,T₄ and T₅)  performed best and can help reduce feed cost.