The Effects of Duration of Cooking Pigeon Pea (Cajanus Cajan) Seeds on the Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Broiler Chicks

Two hundred and seventy (270) one week old broiler chicks of Aboricae breeds were fed diets containing pigeon pea seeds boiled for 0, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes on a control diet containing full-fat soy bean. Birds were randomly assigned to pens and treatments in a completely randomised design trial. There were 3 replications of the 6 treatments and 15 birds per pen. 23% crude protein (CP) diets were fed during the starter phase and 20% CP diet during the finisher phase. Feed and water were supplied ad-libitum throughout the 8-week trial period. At the end of the feeding trial, 2 birds were selected from each oen and slaughtered for carcass evaluation. During the starter and finisher phases, feed intake of birds were similar across treatments. The final weight gain of birds fed the control diet were significantly better than those of birds fed the raw or boiled pigeon pea during the 2 phases. Birds fed pigeon pea seeds boiled for 30, 40, 50 or 60 minutes had better (P<0.05) gain and final weights compared to those fed raw pigeon pea. Slaughter weights of birds fed the control diet and diets with pigeon pea boiled for 30, 40, 50 or 60 minutes were similar and significantly (P<0.05) better than those of birds fed raw pigeon pea diet.