PEHBFORIWANCE OF GROWING BROILER CHBCKENS FED TOASTED AND UNTOASTED MELON (Colocythis citmllis) SEED MEAL

Abstract

Seven isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets but differing in other essential nutrients nesulting from the replacement of maize and other protein sources with toasted or untoasted melon seed meal (TMSM or UTMSM) were fed to 420 commercial broilers from four weeks of age. The TMSM or UTMSM provided 33.33,50 or 66.66 ⁰/o of the total protein of the diets. Results showed that feed intake of birds reduced (P < 0.05) as the inclusion of TMSM or UTMSM increased. Body weight gain and feed:gain ratio were also depressed (P < 0.05) in the rnelon seed meal diets. Physical limitations such as fibre. palatability or oesophagus irritation were suggested to be the cause of the depressed feed intake. Performance of birds in the UTMSM was comparably better than that of TMSM. The use of melon seed meal as a major protein source in broiler diets is not recommended.