ABSTRACT

 Eighty-four Anak broilers were used to study the effect of quantitative replacement of toasted soybean meal (SBM) with toasted African yam bean meal in broiler starter and finisher diets. The experimental design was a completely randomized design (CRD). There were four treatments each replicated three times with seven broilers per replicate. The inclusion level of African yam bean meal in starter diets (Experiment I) were 0,25,50, and 75% in diets 1,2,3 and 4, respectively. In experiment two (finisher phase), the inclusion levels were also as the starter phase. The parameters measured in both experiments were final live weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Results showed that starter broilers fed treatment 4 diet had significantly (P<0.05) lower final live weight (592g) than those fed treatments 3 (631.66g), 2 (656g) and I (670g) diets. Daily weight gain followed the same trend with the final live weight. The feed intake of treatments 4 (1241.66g) and 3 (1235g) diets were significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of treatments 1 (1222.66g) and 2 (1225.33g) diets. Starter broilers fed treatment 4 (2.10) diet had significantly (P<0.05) higher feed conversion ratio than those fed treatment 3, (1.95) which was in tum significantly (P<0.05) higher in feed conversion ratio of broilers fed treatments 2 (1.87) and 1 (1.28) diets. In all parameters measured, there was no significant different (P>0.05) between starter broilers fed tt:eatment I and treatment 2 diets. In the finisher phase, broilers fed treatment 4 diets were significantly (P<0.05) lower in final live weight and daily weight gain than those fed treatment 2 diet. The feed intake of the control (Treatment I) diet were significantly (P<0.05) lower than the rest. From the result, one can conclude that for both starter and finisher phase, treatment 2 diet (25% of A YB) compared favourably with the control diets, and is hereby recommended as adequate for the quantitative replacement of soya bean in broiler starter and finisher diets.