Effect of Roasted Pigeon Pea Seed Meal Diets on Broiler Growth and Meat Quality

Abstract

This study evaluated roasted pigeon pea seed meal (RPPSM) as an alternative plant protein source in broiler diets in response to rising costs of conventional protein ingredients such as soybean meal and fish meal. Grounded in the concept of feed resource substitution and guided by principles of growth performance evaluation, sensory analysis, and cost efficiency, the experiment used 120 day-old Magnolia broiler chicks allotted to four dietary treatments (0, 10, 15, and 20% RPPSM) in a Completely Randomized Design with three replications of ten birds each. Sensory evaluation of cooked breast meat, conducted with 50 trained panelists using a seven-point Hedonic scale, followed a Randomized Complete Block Design. Results showed that 20% RPPSM promoted significantly higher body weight, weight gain, growth rate, and better feed conversion ratio and feed conversion efficiency during the first week, but these advantages were not sustained, and from the second to the sixth week growth performance, feed intake, final live weight, and overall feed efficiency did not differ significantly among treatments. Dressing percentage with and without giblets, liver weight, and all sensory attributes appearance, taste, flavor and aroma, tenderness, juiciness, and general acceptability were statistically similar across all diets, indicating that RPPSM up to 20% did not impair carcass yield or meat quality. Pancreas weight was higher in birds fed the control, 15%, and 20% RPPSM diets than in those fed 10% RPPSM, reflecting variable responses to trypsin inhibitor activity, while liver weights remained normal and comparable. Economic analysis showed that return above feed cost was highest in the control group and lower in RPPSM diets because of the high price of pigeon pea seed, despite acceptable biological performance. Overall, the study concludes that RPPSM can be included in broiler diets up to 20% without adverse effects on growth or meat quality, but its economic use depends on improving local supply and reducing ingredient cost. The findings align with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action) by exploring a locally available legume as an alternative protein source, reducing dependence on imported feedstuffs, and supporting more resilient, resource-efficient poultry production. In this context, the study contributes to economic and environmental sustainability by highlighting both the technical feasibility and cost constraints of integrating pigeon pea into smallholder-oriented broiler systems.