Performance of broiler chicken fed on diets containing different levels of processed castor bean meal

Castor (Ricinus communis) bean meal (CBM) was processed with either lime (4% w/w) or with salt (2% w/w) and termed as lime treated castor bean meal (LCBM) and salt treated castor bean meal (SCBM). Test diets were prepared by incorporating each of LCBM and SCBM at 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 per cent replacing maize and soybean meal (SBM) of control diet. Each of the thirteen diets prepared for starter (0–14 days), grower (15–28 days) and finisher phases (29–42 days) was offered to duplicate groups of 14 day-old straight run commercial broiler chicks. The results revealed a significant (P<0.05) difference among different treatments in body weight gain (BWG) during starter and grower phases and cumulatively, feed consumption (FC) during starter and grower phases and feed conversion ratio (FCR) during starter phase and cumulatively. In general, the performance of the broilers was poor at higher levels of processed CBM. Further, the BWG and FCR were significantly (P<0.05) better in broilers fed diets containing LCBM compared to SCBM. The net returns, performance and economic scores of the birds fed test diets were non-significant (P>0.05) among different groups. It was concluded that the processed CBM with either 4% lime or 2% salt solutions in water (w/w)) can be safely incorporated in broiler diets up to 10 per cent without affecting the birds’ performance and lime treatment was much more effective in detoxifying ricin content of CBM compared to salt.