Replacement Value of Cooked Sandbox Seed Mealfor Soybean Meal in Broiler Starter Diet

Abstract

A 21-day feeding trial was conducted to determine the replacement value of cooked sandbox (Hura crepitans) seed meal for soybean meal in Broiler starter diet. Four experimental Broiler starter diets were formulated, such that the diets contained cooked sandbox seed meal at 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% dietary levels. One hundred and eighty (180) birds were selected and divided into four groups of 45 each and randomly assigned to the four treatment diets in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each treatment group was further subdivided into three replicates of 15 birds each and housed in a compartment measuring 8 × 10 meters. Water and feed were supplied ad-libitum. Data were collected on feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in feed intake and body weight gain among the treatment groups but there was no significant difference among the treatment groups in feed conversion ratio. The group 15% cooked dietary level recorded the highest feed intake (61.34g) while the group on 0% dietary level recorded the least feed intake (48.54g). The group on 15% cooked sandbox seed meal recorded the highest body weight gain of 17.80 while the group on 0% recorded the least body weight gain 16.79 g. The result of this study suggested that cooked sandbox (Hura crepitans) seed meal could enhance the performance of broiler starter at 5%, 10% and 15% cooked dietary levels.