A note on the nutritive value of roasted velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) in broiler diets

The nutritive value of roasted Mucuna pruriens var. utilis (mucuna or velve t bean) was investigated in a four-week study using 336 mixed-sex three-wee k old broiler chickens. The birds were randomly allocated to four dietary t reatments. Fifty, 100 or 150 g of mucuna beans, roasted in metal bowls over a wood-fired stove until they turned light brown was included into nutriti onally balanced diets. Control diet did not contain mucuna beans. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum. Performance criteria studied included feed intake, growth rate, feed conversion ratio, carcass parameters and mortalit y. Roasted mucuna beans at the levels of 50 and 100 g kg(-1) significantly (P <0.05) improved the growth and feed utilization of broilers. At 150 g kg(-1 ) diet, however, mucuna beans depressed weight gains and feed utilization.