The effect of replacing full-fat soybeans with urea fermented sorghum brewers’ grain in broiler starter diets

Abstract

A total of one hundred and fifty (150) 4-day-old unsexed broiler chickens averaging 55.68±3.41 grams were used to determine the effect of replacing (w/w) full-fat soybeans with urea fermented sorghum brewers’ grain (UFSBG). These were randomly allocated into 5 equal groups of 30 birds in each treatment replicated 3 times with each replicate having 10 birds. Five (5) diets designated I, II, III, IV and V were formulated such that the UFSBG was used to replace full-fat soybeans at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% respectively. The results showed that feed intake was not significantly (p>0.05) influenced when UFSBG replaced full-fat soybeans. Weight gain and efficiency of feed utilization significantly (p<0.05) depressed beyond 50% level of replacement. On the basis of the results obtained, it may be recommended that urea fermented sorghum brewers’ grain could replace 50% full-fat soybeans in the diets of broiler starter chickens without any adverse effect on performance characteristics.

Key words: Full-fat soybeans, urea, brewers’ spent grain, broiler, starter diets