Growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters of broiler chickens fed differently processed sickle pod (Senna obtusifolia) seed meal in a Sahelian environment

A feeding trial was conducted using one hundred and eighty (180) day-old broiler chicks for eight (8) weeks to investigate growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters of broiler chickens fed 20% level of differently processed Senna obtusifolia seed meal (SOSM) as a replacement for full fat soya bean. The chicks were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments with 30 birds per treatmentand each treatment was replicated three times with 10 birds per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The diets were designated as T1 (control) 0% Senna obtusifolia seed meal (SOSM), T2 (boiled Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (BSOSM), T3 (soaked and boiled Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (SBSOM), T4 (toasted Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (TSOSM), T5 (Sprouted Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (SPSOSM) and T6 (fermented Senna obtusifolia seed meal) (FSOSM). Results of the growth performance indicated that there were significant (P<0.05) variations among treatment groups. Chickens fed FSOSM (T6) recorded superior final live weight, overall weight gain, daily feed intake and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) compared to T1 (control) followed by T2 (BSOSM). Carcass characteristics and organs weight also showed significant (P<0.05) differences among treatment groups. Results of haematological parameters and serum biochemical indices showed no significant (P>0.05) differences among treatments. Results obtained in this study showed that 20% of soya bean can be replaced with fermented or boiled Senna obtusifolia seed meal in broiler chickens diets without adverse effects on performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters as source of protein.Keywords: Senna obtusifolia seed, broiler chickens, performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameter

Laying performance and cost-benefits of feeding brown laying hens with raw or processed tropical sickle pod (Senna obtusifolia) seed meal based-diets

Abstract. . A feeding trial was conducted for 16 weeks to evaluate the effects and cost-benefits of feeding raw or processed Senna obtusifolia (S. obtusifolia) seed meal based-diets on the laying performance of ISA brown laying hens. Six experimental diets were compounded to contain 0% S. obtusifolia seed meal (T1) and 20% each of the raw, boiled, soaked, sprouted and fermented S. obtusifolia seed meals designated as T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively. One hundred and eighty (180) ISA brown laying hens aged 36 weeks were housed in battery cages (5 birds/0.95m2) and assigned to the six (6) dietary treatments in groups of thirty (30) birds in a completely randomized design. Each replicate cage contains 10 laying hens. Data were collected on feed intake, hen-day egg production (HDEP), hen-house egg production (HHEP), egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion ratio per egg mass, feed cost per kilogram, feed cost per egg mass and mortality. The results indicated that the group of laying hens fed raw S. obtusifolia seed meal based diet recorded the lowest HDEP (52.42%), egg weight (53.08g) and egg mass (2782.45g). Among the hens fed the processed S. obtusifolia seed meal based diets, the laying hens fed the fermented S. obtusifolia seed meal based diet indicated significantly (p<0.05) better HDEP (64.05%), egg weight (58.45g) and egg mass (3743.72g). On economic grounds, the use of raw S. obtusifolia is not cost effective because feed cost per kilogram egg was relatively high (N317.47 or $0.82) in the group of laying hens fed raw S. obtusifolia seed meal based diet. However, the processed S. obtusifolia seed meal based diets showed some economic advantage. In conclusion, 20% of fermented S. obtusifolia seed meal can be incorporated in the diets of laying hens with little or no depreciation in laying performance and economic-benefits