The effects of graded level of dehulled and cooked castor oil bean (Ricinus communis, L) meal on performance of broiler starters

Abstract

The effects of graded levels of dehulled-and-cooked castor oil bean (Ricinus communis, L) meal on the performance of broiler starters were studied. Castor oil bean seeds were dehulled-and-detoxified by cooking in two stages at 1000C for 50 minutes per cooking. Sixty 7-day old unsexed broiler starters (Anak strain) were randomly divided into four isocaloric (2.88 mcal of ME/kg) and randomized design (CRD). Each group was fed one of four isolaric (2.88 Mcal of ME/kg) and isonitrogen (24% crude protein) diets containing 0%(control), 10, 15, and 20% levels of dehulled and cooked castor oil bean meal( CBM), respectively for five weeks. There were no significant (P>0.05) differences between birds fed the control diet and those birds fed the 10% CBM diets in all the parameters measured with the exception of packed cell volume (PCV). Inclusion levels above 10% caused significant (P>0.05) caused reduction in average daily feed intake and daily weight gain. However, the reduction in feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency reatio became significant (P<0.05) only at 20% inclusion level. PCV was depressed (P<0.05) by all the iunclusion levels of CBM. Overall, the birds fed the 20% dehulled-and-cooked CBm had the worst performance. It as concluded dehulled-and-cooked CBM could be included at the levels 10 and 15% in the broiler starter diets without much adverse efffects on the performance of the broiler starters.