DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2019.v06i08.004

Pages: 193-198

Growth response and haematological indices of broiler birds of 28 week of age fed raw Hura crepitans seed meal (HSM) as partial replacement for maize and soybean was examined. Three hundred (300) broiler birds were assigned to five dietary treatments (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) in a completely randomized designed of 60 birds per treatment, replicated thrice with each replicate having 20 birds. The control diet had 0% Hura crepitans meal while T2, T3, T4 and T5 had 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% HSM. The raw seed meal was moderate in protein (24.80%) and crude fibre (11.82%) but very high in ether extract (39.45%). The seed was also moderate in trypsin inhibitor (0.92mg/g), Tannin (0.51mg/g), Cyanide (0.23mg/g) and saponin (0.33mg/g). The HSM produced statistically significant (p<0.05) depression in feed intake, final live weight, average weight gain, feed conversion ratio and protein efficacy from inclusion level above10% HSM, and tended to be depressed (P<0.05) more as the inclusion levels of Hura crepitans meal increased in the diets with the least values recorded for birds on treatment diet 5(20%) Hura crepitans meal. The abdominal fat deposit inceased significantly (P<0.05) as the level of Hura crepitans meal increases in the diets. The nutrient retension showed significant (P<0.05) effect only on fibre, ether extract and protein retention among other nutrient retention parameters. Both the fibre and protein retention were significantly depressed only at 15% and 20% TSM. The organs showed no significant differences except for the liver that shrinks at the 15% and 20% inclusion levels of HSM. The haematological indices also showed significant differences, with notable reduction in Red Blood Cells (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV) and hemoglobin (Hb) but only at the 20% HSM inclusion level. It was concluded that not more than 10% raw Hura crepitans could replace parts of maize and soybean meal in broiler diets without any adverse effect on growth performance and only at 20% will