The effects of dietary inclusion of narbon beans (Vicia narbonensis) on the growth of broiler chickens

Abstract

The narbon bean (Vicia narbonensis) is a grain legume which shows agronomic potential in southern Australia. In the present study narbon beans (50 and 100 g kg-1) were compared with lupins (Lupinus augustifolius) and field peas (Pisum sativum) (100 g kg-1), in starter diets for broiler chickens. There were two control diets one which contained soybean meal (1 10 g kg-1) and a second which contained meat and bone meal (65 g kg-1) as the major protein supplement. The diets were fed from 1 to 2 1 days, each to 48 male chickens. There were no significant effects (P< 0.05) of dietary inclusion of narbon beans at either 50 or 100 g kg-1on feed intake, liveweight, liveweight gain or feed conversion ratio of broiler chickens when compared with the other protein sources.