Effect of Processed Vigna subterranea Seeds on Alkaline Phosphatase, Conjugated and Total Bilirubin Levels in Broiler Chickens Finishing Phase

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different processing methods of Bambara groundnut seed meal and its effects on tissue of broiler chickens. A total of eighty four day - old broiler chickens were weighed and randomly distributed into seven dietary treatments, three replicates of four birds per replicate. Each group was replaced with 40% of the processed Bambara groundnut (boiled, soaked, fermentation without decantation, fermentation with decantation, roasted and raw) respectively in place of soya bean meal. Soya bean meal based diet served as the control group, and the group treated raw Bambara groundnut meal serves as the negative control group. Liver, kidney and serum were studied by measuring the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and conjugated and total bilirubin were considered. Body Weight Gain (BWG) was calculated as performance indices. Findings from this study indicated that ALP, conjugated and total bilirubin activities showed no significant differences (P<0.05) in the serum, liver and kidney when compared with the control. The study showed that broiler chickens serum and kidney functions were not affected with the replacement of 40% of the various processed Bambara groundnut meal with soya bean meal.