Two feeding trials were conducted using isonitrogenous diets to determine the effects of processed small seeded variety of dehulledcastor seeds and castor seed cake on performance of broiler chickens. In broiler studyone , 216 day-old broiler chicks and 204 , five weeks old broiler finishers were used for the starter and finisher phase respectively. Completely randomized design (CRD) was applied in both studies . The starter phase for experiment one lasted 0 - 4 weeks while the finisher phase lasted 5 - 9 weeks . There were four treatments during each phase. Each treatment was replicated three times. The experimental diets for study one contained CS B60 at 0 % (control), 10 %, 20 % and 30 % levels for diets 1 to 4 respectively.For the second broiler study, 225 one week old broiler chicks and 135, six weeks old broiler finisherswere used for the starter and finisher phases respectively. The starter phase lasted 1 - 5 weeks while the finisher phase from lasted 6 - 9 weeks respectively. There were five treatments for the starter phase. This was reduced to three treatment for the finisher phase. The experimental diets for the starter phase contained CSC B60 at 0% (control), 10% CSC B60 with 0.25% L-Lysine and 0.25% DL-Methionine supplementations (diet 2), 10% CSC B60 with 0.5% L-Lysine and 0.5% DL-Methionine supplementations (diet 3), 20%CSC B60 with 0.25% L-Lysine and 0.25% DL-Methionine supplementations (diet 4), and 20% CSC B60 with 0.5% L-Lysine and 0.5%DL-Methionine supplementations (diet 5). The diets for the finisher phase contained CSC B60 at 0% (control), 10% CSC B60 with 0.33% L-Lysine and 0.25% DL-Methionine supplementations (diet 2), 10% CSC B60 with 0.66% L-Lysine and 0.5%DL-Methionine supplementations (diet 3). Aminoacid supplementations therefore involved adding to the supplemented diets twice the amount of lysine and Dl- methionine contained in the lower vii supplemented 10% or 20% CSC B60 diets . Each treatments were replicated three times during both starter and finisher phases. Chemical analyses of the castor seeds showed increased crude protein value, decreased crude fiber and ether extract values as the duration of cooking increased. Anti-nutritional factor contents showed decreased phytate, haemagglutinin, tannins and oxalate contents of CSC B60 compared to the unprocessed raw castor cake (RCSC) (P< 0.O5 ) . The results for broiler study 1 showed final weight, Total weight gain and Feedintake of broiler birds decreased steadily and Feed to gain ratio increased as the level of CS B60 increased in the diets. Dressing percentage decreased with increasing CS B60 levels.Apparent Crude fibredigestibilities for birdsdecreasedasdietary levels ofCS B60increased. No significant differences were observed for PCV, Hb and TP across treatments (P >0.05 ) . The results for broiler study 2 showed no significant effects of supplementing with extra 0.25% amino acids supplementations above the normal 0.25% supplementations on the growth and feed utilization of the birds fed CSC B60 containing diets. During the starter phase, most of the birds fed 20 % CSC B60 diets with or without extra amino acids supplementations died. For this reason , the two treatments containing 20% CSC B60 were removed from the finisher phase of the experiment. Dressing percentage decreased for the 10%CSC B60 diet with or without extra 0.25% amino acids supplementations. The same trend was observed for breast (%), back (%), thigh (%) and neck (%). No significant differences were observed in the PCV, Hb concentrations and for blood TP values acrosstreatments (P >0.05 ) . It was concluded that diets containing CS B60 or CSC B60with 0.5%L-Lysine and DL-methionine supplementations for the starterand 0.66% L-Lysine and 0.5%DL- methionine were not suitable as feed ingredients in broiler starter or finisher diets.
