RESPONSE OF GROWING TURKEYS TO DIETS CONTAINING VARYING LEVELS OF TOASTED BAMBARA NUT (Voandzeia subterrenea L) WASTE

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the response of growing turkeys to diets containing varying levels of toasted bambara nut (Voandzeia subterrenea L) waste. A total of 40 ten-week- old turkeys (Meleagrisgallopavo) were randomly divided into four groups of 10 birds each. The groups were randomly assigned to four treatments of diets involving four levels (0, 10, 20 and 30%) of toasted bambara nut waste for 56 days. Each treatment was replicated two times with 5 birds per replicate. The experimental model used was a completely randomize design (CRD). In the experiment, the daily feed intake increased as the level of inclusion of the toasted bambara nut waste in the diet increased. There were significant (p<0.05) differences among treatments in the final body weight gain, total weight gain, average daily weight gain , feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and in feed cost per kg weight. Also there were significant (p<0.05) differences in body length, shank length, neck length and thigh diameter of turkeys feed toasted bambara nut waste. It could be observed and concluded that the performance of turkeys on treatment 4 (30% TBNW diet) in terms of total body weight gain, daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and feed cost per kg gain was superior to that of turkeys on the control diets.