Nutritional varietions among different varieties of valvet beans (Mucuna Pruriens) when evaluated as potential protein supplements in broiler rations

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate nutritional differences among four different varieties of velvet beans (mucuna pruriens) i.e. yellow, speckled, cream white and black. 300g of each variety was ground to pass through a 2mm sieve and processed by socking in 0.2% sodium carbonate for 24 hrs, then autoclaved at 120°C for 30 minutes to inactivate anti- nutritional factors. The varieties samples were evaluated for nutrient composition in triplicate using AOAC (1998). Proximate analysis results for were as follows; dry matter ranged from 92.9% in yellow variety to 93.3% in black variety and these results showed no significant difference (P < 0.05). The results for other parameters showed significant differences (P < 0.05) and ranges were as follows; on CP the range was 21.77% in black to 29.08% in cream variety. On CF the range was from 8.61% in cream to 10.99%) in black, Ash ranged from 2.77% in black to 3.21% in speckled and cream, EE ranged from 2.64% in cream to 4.00% in black, NFE ranged from 48.71% in cream to 53.09% in black variety and Metabolizable energy range was from 3.73kcal in black to 3.87 kcal in cream variety. The results for calcium ranged from 0.93% in cream to 1.32% in speckled while phosphorus ranged from and 0.08% in speckled to 0.6% yellow. Calcium results did not show significance difference (P > 0.05) among treatments. Diets were then formulated by substituting soya at 20%) at equal levels and a control diet containing soybean only was included, these were fed to Winstar rats for a period of 14days to determine DM and CP digestibility, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and change in weight. The results for DM apparent digestibility ranged from 83.0% yellow to 87.0% control diet, while CP apparent digestibility ranged from74.0% in to 80.0% in control diet. The results showed no significant difference between diet containing speckled variety and the control diet. The average feed intake ranged from 14.28g in control diet to 18.50g in speckled diet per day, these resuhs showed no significant difference (P < 0.05) between diet containing speckled and control diet. The mean change in weights ranged from 9.67g in diet containing speckled to 14.50g in speckled diet. These resuhs showed no significant difference between speckled diet and the control diet. Apparent Feed conversion ratio (FCR) also ranged from 1.04 in control to 1.74 in black, the results showed no significant difference between speckled diet and control diet. This study demonstrates that the diet containing speckled variety had high apparent digestibility percentage in DM and CP, great increase in weight compared to soya diet and other diets containing other varieties of mucuna pruriens. Therefore, I recommend the speckled variety to be used in feed rations.