Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) pods, shells and offals

Offal

Bambara groundnut offal is a valuable feedstuff for poultry when used at low rates (Amaefule et al., 2005). However it can lower performance even at 10% of the ration (Ani et al., 2012).

The recommended dietary inclusion rates are:

• 5% raw offal for pullet chicks (Amaefule et al., 2005);
• up to 45% heat treated offal for broilers (Asaniyan et al., 2008);
• 20% raw offal for broilers, if supplemented with lysine and methionine (Ukpabi et al., 2008). Up to 45% raw offal in broilers has been reported (Agwu, 1992 cited by Asaniyan et al., 2008). However enzyme supplementation could not compensate performance loss due to 10% or above raw offal in the diet (Ani et al., 2012).

There have been attempts to use mixtures of bambara groundnut offal with cassava root meal as maize replacer in poultry rations. In most experiments, animal performances were lower when maize was replaced, however, feed costs were reduced and bambara groundnut offal could be considered a potential maize replacer. For example, a mixture of bambara groundnut, cassava root meal and yam peel could be used in broilers diet. Bambara groundnut offal could represent 25% of the diet (Anyanwu et al., 2006). In layer hens, mixtures of cassava root meal and bambara groundnut offal in variable proportions (1:2; 1:1; 2:1) were used to completely replace maize. However, all mixtures had depressive effects on layer performance (Anyanwu et al., 2008).