Nutritional Evaluation of Digitaria iburua (Black Acha) grains as feed resource in the diet of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Feeding trial was carried out to investigate the nutritional value of black acha (Digitaria iburua) grains as feed resource using 240 day old Ross-360 broiler chicks. Four dietary treatments of sixty birds per treatment were randomly allotted to diets composed of unpolished whole black acha (UWBA), polished whole black acha (PWBA), unpolished milled black acha (UMBA) and polished milled black acha (PMBA) grains. At the end of eight weeks, feacal samples and tissues from some organs were collected and analyzed for nutrient digestibility and histopathology parameters respectively. Chemical analysis was also carried out for the different forms of black acha grains. Carcass characteristics were determined. Birds fed PMBA grains had best feed intake, weight gain, FCR. The economics of production showed no significant (P>0.05) difference across the treatments. Nutrient digestibility of birds fed PMBA diet showed significant (P<0.05) difference for all the digestibility parameters. The duodenum, gizzard and liver showed normal histological appearance. The dressed weight showed significant (P<0.05) difference with birds fed PMBA diet weighing more than the other treatments. It could be concluded that PMBA diet can be used in the diets of broiler chickens without adverse effect on performance and health status of the birds.

Keywords: Digitaria iburua, black acha, broiler, performance, digestibility, histology, carcass characteristics.