Replacement Value of Soybean Meal and Maize with Raw or Boiled Pigeon Pea Seed Meal in Exotic Pullet Diets

Abstract

A study to determine the replacement value of raw or boiled pigeon pea seed meal (PSM) for soybean meal and maize in the diets of exotic pullets (1-56 d) was conducted with 324 pullet chicks. The experimental design was 2 x 5 factorial in a completely randomized design (CRD). The factors were form (raw and boiled) and inclusion level (0, 15, 20, 25 and 30%) of PSM in the diets. Each treatment was replicated three times with 12 pullet chicks per replicate. Measurements were live weight at 8^th week, weight gain, feed and protein intakes, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Results showed that raw or boiled PSM included as 15, 20, 25 and 30% of the diet replaced 20.16, 26.87, 33.60 and 40.30% maize, respectively and correspondingly 25.92, 34.59, 43.21 and 51.89% soybean meal, respectively. Pullets fed raw PSM diet had significantly (P<0.05) higher feed intake (32.26 g), FCR (5.11), daily protein intake and significantly (P<0.05) lower PER (1.10) and cost per kg of diet (₦58.78) than pullets fed boiled PSM diet. Diet of 25% PSM significantly (P<0.05) lowered daily weight gain more than 0, 15 and 20% PSM diets did. Cost per kg diet also significantly (P<0.05) decreased with increasing levels of PSM in the diets. The conclusion was that raw or boiled PSM could be included up to 30% in pullet chicks’ diets, replacing 40.30% maize and 51.89% soybean meal.

Keywords: Exotic pullets; maize; pigeon pea seed meal; replacement; soybean meal.