T H E E F F E C T O F F E E D I N G C O W P EA
(Vigna ungialata) ON B R O I L E R C H I C KS
P E R F O R M A N C E AND S O ME
C A R C A S S Q U A L I T Y M E A S U R E M E N TS
(With 4 Tables)
By
B.H. EL JACK; I.M. T. FADLALLA and M.T. IBRAHIM
(Received at 12/10/2009)
SUMMARY
The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding graded levels (zero, 10, 20 and 30%) of cowpea on broiler chick's performance, dressing percentage and carcass cuts relative weight. A total of 160 unsexed broiler chicks (Hubbard) were randomly distributed into four dietary treatments and each treatment contained four replicates (10 birds/replicate). Feeding graded levels of cowpea resulted in no significant differences in total and weekly feed intake (g/bird), but it tended to be higher for birds fed the control diet (zero level). Total and weekly weight gain (g/bird) and feed conversion ratio of six weeks old
broiler chicks were significantly (PO.05) improved for birds fed all levels of coepea compared to the control diet. Dressing percentage was significantly (P<0.05) improved by inclusion of cowpea, while carcass cuts relative weights showed a significant (PO.05) improvement in the relative weight of breast and thigh of carcasses of birds kept on 30% cowpea compared to the other dietary treatments.