Nutritive value of detoxified jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) seed for young chicks

T Experiments were planned to extract the toxic alkaloids from jack bean seed (JBS) and to evaluate the nutrional value of detoxified seed for chicks. JBS was soaked in kitchen soda (10g/l) solution in the ratio of 1:3 (w/v) for 20, 40 and 60 hr at 80° ′5°C respectively. The raw and treated JBS was incorporated at 20% level in experiment 1, however, in experiment 2 only 40 hr treated JBS was incorporated at 20, 30 and 40% levels in isonitrogenous mash and checked against control in a feeding-cum-growth trial on 14-day-old Vencob broiler chicks, fhe soaking of JBS in kitchen soda solution had significant effect on the reduction of L-canavanine to the level of 75-82%. However,beyond 40 hr soaking had no further reduction of L-canavanine. The inclusion of 40 hr treated and decorticated JBS at 20% level improved the nutritional quality of mash which resulted in 134.7% increase in growth rate and also increased nutrient retention as compared to raw JBS diet in chicken. However, beyond 20% level, inclusion of 40 hr soaked JBS significantly (P<0.05) reduced growth rate, FCR and nutrient retention. Soaking of raw JBS even for 20 hr showed serum GOT and GPT levels within normal physiological values. Thus, 40 hr treated and decorticated JBS can be safely incorporated up to 20% level in broiler chicken ration without any adverse effect on the physiology of the bird.