Nutritive values of some tropical (West African) legumes for poultry

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to establish the effect of increasing the dietary amounts of jackbeans, kidneybeans, limabeans, yambeans, pigeon peas and bambara groundnuts on the performance of broiler chickens. The inclusion of legumes even at 12.5% level resulted in significant decreases in weight gains and feed intakes. The amount of feed consumed (kg) per kg weight gain for broilers offered diets containing 12.5% lima beans, pigeon pea and 12.5 or 25% bambara bean or yam bean did not differ significantly from control group. Inclusion of jack bean and kidney bean at both the levels and lima bean or pigeon pea at 25% level adversely affected the efficiency of feed conversion. The weights of liver and brain were significantly (P<0.05) altered by higher levels of dietary treatments. Serum total protein and albumin levels generally decreased with 25% legume concentration in the diets but urea and creatinine levels increased Transaminase and phosphatase enzyme activities were generally elevated on higher level of legume feeding. Thus only pigeon pea and bambara nut can be recommended for inclusion in poultry rations. But vigil is needed if it is proposed to be fed over a longer period. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.