IJASD
Irradiation Deactivation Of Anti-Nutritional Factors In Moringa Oleifera Seeds For Meat Chicken
Phytochemical composition and deactivation of anti-nutritional factors in Moringa oleifera seeds (MOS) to replace soybeans in diet for chicks were investigated. 5-experimental diets were formulated and fed to 180 -Arbor Acre broiler chicks at hatch over a feeding trial lasting 56-days. Each dietary treatment contained 3-replicates of 36-chicks. The diets were made of a control diet1 (free of MOS), a negative control diet 2 containing 5% MOS and 3 other diets 3, 4 and 5 containing 5% gamma-irradiated Moringa oleifera Seed Meal (GIMOSM) at graded doses of 10, 30 and 50kGy respectively. The experiment followed a one -way classification design. Chemical analysis of the raw seed gave valuable amounts of nutrients as well as anti-nutrients which presence could elicit health hazards when consumed in diet in certain amount. Results on performance traits, nutrient digestibility (crude protein, fat and fibre) gave poor results in the negative/raw MOS control diet (p < 0.05) compared to the control and GIMOSM diets. GIMOSM diets improved (p < 0.05) haematological (PCV, RBC, HB) and biochemical (urea, AST, ALT, ALP) parameters measured in broiler nutrition. Findings of this study showed that the detrimental effect induce by the anti-nutrients present in the raw MOS on the measured biological parameters were reversed to good by g-irradiation treatment. It is suggested that MOS meal be treated at 10kGy level to safely detoxify its anti-nutritional and/or toxic factors for optimum use in poultry nutrition.