Nutritional value of dietary raw bambara nut offal fortified with enzyme (Natuzyme ®) on the performance of broiler chickens
Nutritional value of dietary raw bambara nut offal fortified with enzyme (Natuzyme ) on the performance of broiler chickens were investigated. Two hundred and fourty (240), unsexed one day-old commercial broiler chicks (Marshal Strain) were randomly divided into eight groups of 30 birds each. The groups were randomly assigned to eight iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement involving four levels (0, 10, 20 and 30 %) of raw bambara nut offal and 2 enzyme levels (0 and 0.025 %). Each treatment was replicated three times with ten birds per replicate. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) among treatments in AFW, ADWG, ADFI, FCR and PER. Chickens fed 10 % BGO without ® Natuzyme had higher (P < 0.05) FBW, ADWG and ADFI than chickens fed 0, 20 and 30% BGO diets. Least (P<0.05) ADFI and better FCR was recorded on broiler chickens fed control diet and 20 % BGO with enzyme. respectively. Addition of enzyme improved (P < 0.05) AFW and ADWG at 20 and 30 % BGO level. Significantly (P<0.05) higher AFW, ADWG and ADFI revealed that inclusion level of BGO at 10 % did not pose any deleterious effects on the birds. There were significant (P < 0.05) differences among treatments in the digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein, crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE) and nitrogen-free extract (NFE). There was no interaction (P>0.05) between enzyme and BGO across the dietary treatments. Significant (P < 0.05) differences were observed in all the blood profile parameters observed across the dietary treatments except eiosinophil concentration. It was concluded that up to 30 % BGO can be included in enzyme supplemented broiler finisher diet without adverse effects on the performance, nutrients digestibility and blood profile of broiler finisher chickens