EFFECTS OF PROCESSED MUCUNA PRURIENS (VAR COCHINCHIENSIS) BEANS ON CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKEN

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the carcass characteristics of broiler chicken fed with processed Mucuna beans at 25 % and 30 % inclusionlevels. Mucuna beans (Mucuna pruriens) were processed by two methods; soaked before dehulling (SD) and dehulled before soaking (DS).Ninety six seven-week old birds comprising of 48 females and 48 males were used for the experiment. No significances (P > 0.05) were found among the live weight, bled, feather, feet, head, intestines, and carcass weights on treatment diets. However, birds fed with 30 % mucuna beans meal had significant heavier (P < 0.05) gizzard. Similarly, no significant differences were found among the weights of the primal cuttings (including bone and boneless meat) of birds. The inclusion of 25 % and 30 % mucuna beans meal had no influence on chicken flavor, colour, juiciness and tenderness of the broiler chicken. Processed mucuna beans meal can be used by farmers to substitute some percentage of fish and soybean meal without adverse effect on carcasscharacteristics, primal cuttings and eating quality of the broiler breast and thigh.