Dietary Effect of Raw and Treated Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) on the Performance of Poultry: A review

Abstract

Jackbean (Canavalia ensiformis) is a relatively good source of protein and apparent metabolizable energy (AME) for young chicks. The use of untreated Canavalia ensiformis seed as a feedstuff for poultry is restricted due to the presence of antinutritional factors, as is the case with the other tropical legumes. The antinutritional constituents of Canavalia ensiformis have been reported to include trypsin inhibitors and concanavalin A which are heat-labile and canavanine and canaline which are hydrosoluble. Canavalia ensiformis seeds can be used as an animal feed ingredient, since they are a good source of starch and protein. However, in order to be use as animal feed ingredient, Canavalia ensiformis seeds would have to be thermally processed. Heat processing is universally accepted as and effective means of inactivating most, if not all of the heat-labile toxic constituents of legume grains. Canavalia ensiformis is a starch storing seed and on the basis of the apparent nutrient content, it should be an extremely useful ingredient in animal feeds. Research has showed that dietary inclusion of detoxified jackbean seed between 20-30% in ration is capable of supporting growth in poultry ration without adverse effects on performance and physiological parameters of poultry animals.