PERFORMANCE, CARCASS QUALITY AND HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES OF BROILER FINISHER CHICKENS FED RAW Mucuna sloanei MEAL

Introducton Among farm animals, poultry in general and broiler in particular, produce at a faster rate and gives return more quickly than other animals. Broiler is a table bird or meat type bird; it is generally acceptable to most Nigerians. It is the quickest source of meat and its production involves the least hazardous and arduous process in relation to other livestock enterprises (Obioha, 1992). Under good management, broilers attain live-weight of about 2kg on the average within 9 weeks (Oluyemi and Roberts, 2000). According to Nworgu and Egbunike. (1999) high cost of inputs, most especially feeds and day-old chicks limit the opportunity and advantages of poultry production in Nigeria as feed utilization accounts for about 70% of total production cost. The high cost of feed is due mainly to competition between man, livestock and industries for grains and conventional sources of plant and animal proteins (Ezeagu et al., 2003). It has become imperative therefore, to turn attention to the exploitation of the under-utilized unconventional feedstuff particularly those indigenous to the tropics (Akinmutimi et al., 2006). One of the underutilized legumes that come to mind is Mucuna sloanei. Aletor et al. (1989) reported that apart from changes in nitrogen balance and biochemical parameters, nutrition or dietary manipulation exert several effects on the development of carcass traits, organs and certain muscles. Also Oluyemi and Roberts (2000) suggested that carcass assessment reveals the final live weight of broileris made up of high percentage of the edible parts or inedible offals (Intestine, shank etc). Blood circulates in the vessels of man and animal, transporting oxygen from respiratory organs (lungs) to the body cells, carrying nutrients to the tissue and excretory products through the kidneys, guts, lungs, liver and skin. It also maintains homeostasis. The various blood functions are made possible by the ABSTRACT Tolerance level of the raw Mucuna sloanei meal by broilers was determined by replacing soybean meal with raw Mucuna sloanei meal at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% using 135 Anak broiler birds in a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment. The birds were fed ad-libitum in all the experiments. Optimum tolerance level of Raw Mucuna sloanei by broiler finisher birds was 40% level of replacement of soyabean meal (or 8.12% RMS inclusion level) based on growth performance and economics of production. Raw Mucuna sloanei significantly (P<0.05) depressed nutrient utilization at all levels of replacement except for ether extract and NFE. Cut-parts values were also depressed (P<0.05) beyond 10% level of replacement. In both the starter and finisher phases, organ weights increased significantly (P<0.05) as level of RMS increased with the exception of the spleen which showed no significant difference. Hemoglobin, PCV, RBC and MCH values were within the normal range for most of the levels, whereas MCHC values were below the normal range at above 10% level of replacement and MCV values were above 20%. The total protein and albumin values were below the normal range whereas serum creatinine was within the normal range for broiler chickens. However, urea values were above the normal range at 20% and above. The values for alkaline phosphatase were above the normal range.