FEEDING VALUE OF CASHEWNUT TESTA FOR BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the response of broiler chickens to diets containing cashewnut testa (CNT). Two hundred and four (204) day-old unsexed Arboracre broiler chicks were randomly allotted to four dietary treatment consisting of three replicates of seventeen chicks each. The treatments consists of a control and three other diets with CNT included at 5, 10, and 15% as a substitute for wheat offal in the control diet. Cashewnut testa had 1.5, 20.0, 54.0, 17.0, 2.0, and 94.5% crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), nitrogen free extract (NFE), ether extract (EE), ash and dry matter (DM), respectively. Weight gain was highest (P < 0.05) in birds fed 5% CNT diet (35.24g) while the lowest and feed: gain ratio values. The CP retention and digestible EE, CF, NFE, ash, DM and total digestible nutrient were not significantly (P <0.05) affected by CNT in the diets. The serum metabolites were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the levels of CNT in the diets. Total serum protein increased (P < 0.05) with increasing level of CNT in the diets. Among the carcass parameters measured, breast, neck and back weight were highest (P < 0.05) for 5%CNT diet while abdominal fat, small intestine and large intestine weight increased (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of CNT in the diets. No significant effect (P > 0.05) in juiciness, flavor intensity, tenderness and off flavor was recorded among the meat samples from the broiler fed the diets. Meat lipid and ash increased (P < 0.05) in the CNT diets. Cost of feed per kg decreased while cost of feed per kg live weight gain increased (P < 0.05) with increasing level of CNT in the diets. It was concluded that 5% CNT could replace wheat offal in broiler diets.