Amaefule et al., 2005. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., 17 (5)

One hundred and eighty day-old Lohmann brown pullet chicks were used to evaluate the effect of replacing soybean meal and maize with Bambarra groundnut offal (BGO) in pullet chick diets. The experiments were in a completely randomized design (CRD) with six treatments, each replicated three times, with nine pullets per replicate. The inclusion levels of BGO in the diets were 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%. Parameters measured were daily weight gain, final live weight at 8th weeks, daily feed and protein intake, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, mortality and feed cost. The result showed that the performance of chicks fed diet containing 5% BGO did not differ significantly (P>0.05) from that of the control. Pullets fed 10, 15, 20 and 25% BGO diets showed no significant differences (P>0.05) in their daily weight gain and final live weight. Pullets fed 20% BGO diet had significantly lower feed intake than others. The inclusion of Bambara groundnut offal in the diets significantly (P<0.05) reduced the cost per kg of feed. The conclusion was that the BGO could be a valuable feedstuff in pullet chick diets which could be included up to 5% of the pullet diet.