Growth, Carcass and Internal Organ Characteristics of Finisher Broiler Chickens Fed Processed Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Seed Meal Diets

Abstract

A 28 - day feeding trial was conducted using 165 unsexed, five weeks old broiler (Hubbard) chickens to determine the nutritional potentials of variously processed roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seeds in broiler finisher diets. Five diets were fed to the chicks in groups of 33 chickens per diet, subdivided into 3 replicates of 11 birds each in a completely randomized design. The diets consisted of a control which contained no roselle seed, and four other diets, in which 50% of the full-fat soybean was replaced with unprocessed, soaked, sprouted, and boiled roselle seed meals. The superiority of soybeans and boiled roselle seeds was restricted to feed conversion and efficiency of feed utilization. There were no differences between treatments with respect to meat yield, meat distribution among carcass cuts, or the proportional weights of the major visceral organs, except that unprocessed roselle seeds resulted in heavier gizzard and pancreas, which is attributable to stress on the pancreas to produce more enzymes to compensate for enzyme inactivation by anti-nutrients present in the unprocessed seeds. It was concluded that at 50% replacement level, soaked, sprouted and boiled roselle seed meals were as suitable as soybeans for use in finisher broiler diets without detriment to optimum growth.

Keywords: Finisher broilers, processed roselle seeds, growth, carcass, internal organs.