THE USE OF CHICKPEAS (CICER ARIETINUM) IN POULTRY DIETS: A REVIEW

Chickpeas can be used as a high energy and protein feed in poultry diets to support growth and egg production. In common with other grain legumes, chickpeas can also contain anti-nutritional factors such as trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors that can impair the utilization of the nutrients by poultry. Heat treatment is an effective method to increase the amount of protein available for intestinal digestibility. This review evaluates chickpeas in regard to their nutrient composition, anti-nutritional factors content, and their impact on poultry performance. The possible reasons and implications of these results are discussed