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Effect of Supplementing Fungi Degraded Cowpea Seedhull in Broiler Diets

University of Ibadan, Department of Animal Science, Nigeria

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to determine the response of broiler birds to different levels of fungi (A. niger) degraded cowpea seedhull. The cost benefit of including the biodegraded seedhull in the diets of broilers was also investigated. One hundred and twenty day-old broiler chicks were assigned in a completely randomised design to 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% inclusion of degraded seedhull in the diets. Birds on dietary treatment B (5% inclusion) had the highest body weight (r = 0.47) of 2125.00 g/bird/week, followed by birds fed treatment E (20% inclusion) (2025.00 g/bird/week) while those fed treatment A (control diet) gave least (1965.00 g/bird/week). The weekly weight gain (r = 0.60) showed that birds on diets B and C gained slightly similar weights of 392.50 and 380.00 g/bird respectively, while the highest feed consumption was observed with birds fed diet E (809.33 g/bird/week). An improvement in the Total Protein (TP) of finisher birds over the starters was observed in the entire dietary group. The highest cholesterol value was observed in birds fed diet B (88.93mg/100ml) while the least was observed with birds fed diet E (73.59 mg/100 ml) at the starter phase. Although no significant differences were observed in the weights of kidney, liver, spleen and abdominal fat of birds in all the dietary treatments, the weight of the lungs of birds on the control diet (0.69%) was higher than in birds fed supplemented diets. Cost benefit of 26.85% was realised when broiler birds were fed treatment E (20% inclusion of A. niger degraded cowpea seedhull) as compared to 20.26% and 20.73% obtained in feeding treatments D and C respectively. No histopathological lesion was observed in the selected organs as a result of feeding fungi degraded seedhull to broilers.

Keywords: Aspergillus niger, biodegradation, cowpea seedhull

Contact Address: Anthony Ologhobo, University of Ibadan, Department of Animal Science, 29 Amina Way University of Ibadan, - Ibadan, Nigeria, e-mail: tonyologhoboyahoo.com