Effects and Economics of Processed Tallow (Detarium microcarpum, Guill and Sperr) Seed Meal Substituted with Soybean in Broiler Chickens Diet

A feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of soaked-toasted tallow seed meal (STTSM) as replacement for soybean on broiler growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass and primal cuts weights and feed cost benefits. The experimental layout was a completely randomized design with three treatments replicated three times. Three hundred and sixty one-day-old Amo broiler chicks were randomly allocated to the three dietary treatments; each treatment had one hundred and twenty (120) chicks and forty chicks per replicate were fed for 56 days. Dietary soybean was replaced by STTSM at 0, 10 and 20% on protein to protein basis. Results of the performance revealed superior (P<0.05) final weight, weight gain, total feed intake and feed conversion ratio of birds on 0% STTSM diet compared with those on STTSM based-diets. The daily weight gain and daily feed intake were not significantly (P>0.05) different among the treatment groups. The apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of dry matter, nitrogen, crude protein, crude fiber, ash, fat, Ca and P were not significantly affected across the treatments. The pre-slaughtered, percentage carcass weights and cut-parts of birds on 0% STTSM diet were significantly (P<0.05) superior compared with birds on 10 and 20% STTSM diets. The economic analysis showed that 20% STTSM diet was cheapest (P<0.05) to produce 1 kg broiler meat at ₦437.29/kg compared with those on 10% (₦458.8/kg) and 0% (₦476.33/kg) STTSM diets. It is concluded that chicks fed STTSM based-diets depressed growth performance, percentage carcass and cut parts weight but with no adverse effects on ADC. Based on similarity in ADC and lower cost of producing per Kg of feed, feed cost savings (%) and meat produced per Kg. STTSM in diet shows good prospect as an alternative cheap feed substitute for soybean meals and therefore up to 20% level of inclusion in broiler chicks diets is recommended.