Effect of graded levels of differently processed Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seed meal on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens

The study was conducted to determine the effect of graded levels of differently processed Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seed meal on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. One hundred and fifty (150), 28-day old birds were randomly allotted to 5 dietary treatments of 3 replicates of thirty birds each. Each replicate had 10 birds. The treatments were: T1 - control diet with 0% inclusion level of Roselle SeedMeal (RSM) while the four other diets had 50% of raw (T2: rRSM), soaked (T3: sRSM), boiled (T4: bRSM) and fermented (T5: fRSM) Roselle SeedMeal in a complete randomized design. At the end of the 28thday of the feeding (week 8), parameters measured were on performance and carcass characteristics. The data collected were analyzed using ANOVA of SAS with the means, where significant, were separated using the Duncan's Multiple Range Test. Final weight (FW) and weight gain (WG) were highest in birds on T5. Birds on T5 had the least feed conversion ratio (FCR) value (2.62). Feed intake and percent mortality did not differ significantly among birds on the different dietary treatments. Birds on T5 had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values for live weight (LW), thigh weight (TW) and neck weight (NW). Percentage eviscerated weight, breast weight, drumstick weight, shank weight, wing weight and back weight did not differ significantly among the birds on the different treatments. The gizzard (G), liver (L) and spleen (S) had the highest values in birds on T3 (G: 2.53%), T1 (L: 2.34%), T5 (S: 0.18) being significantly (p<0.05) different fromT5 (G: 2.04%and L: 1.87%), T2 (S: 0.08%), T3 (S: 0.08%) and T4 (S: 0.09%) respectively. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences observed among the treatments for percentage heart weight. It can be concluded that processing methods enhanced the utilization of Roselle seed meal with the best being the fermentation method as revealed by its feed conversion ratio, live weight and some carcass parameters when Roselle SeedMeal was substituted for 50% of soybean meal in the broiler finisher diets