Utilization of Enzyme Supplemented Cowpea Testa Meal by Broiler Chickens 1: Effect on Growth Performance and Cost of Production

Aims: To evaluate the utilization of cowpea testa meal supplemented with or without enzyme maxigrain® on broiler chicken growth performance.

Study Design: Completely randomized design.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at a Commercial Poultry Farm in Yola, Nigeria between the months of October and December 2016.

Methodology: Experimental diets were compounded using Cowpea testa meal (CTM). The CTM replaced wheat offal at 0, 25, 50, 70 and 100%. 0.20 g/kg enzyme maxigrain® was supplemented at two levels (with and without). Four hundred (400) unsexed day old Anak 2000 were used, the birds were brooded for two weeks on commercial starter diet and then randomly assigned to dietary treatments of four replicates with ten birds per replicate in a 5 x 2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. Each replicate was housed in 3 × 3m deep litter pens fitted with wood shavings, feeders and drinkers.

Results: Birds fed replacement levels of CTM without enzyme supplementation showed significantly decrease (P<0.05) in average final body weight and daily weight gain as the levels of replacement in the diets, while average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, feed cost and feed cost per kg weight gain increased. Enzyme supplemented CTM showed significant (P<0.05) improvement in average daily weight gain, final body weight gain and a decrease in feed intake, feed cost and feed cost per kg weight gain over non-supplemented birds.

Conclusion: It was concluded that CTM can replace wheat offal 100% with 0.20g/kg Maxagrain® in broiler chicken diets.