The Effect of Raw and Heated Grass Pea (Lathyrus sativus) Seed on Growth Performance and some Blood Metabolites of Broiler Chickens

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of raw and heated grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) seed on growth performance and some blood metabolites of broiler chickens. Fourteen day old broilers (210 chickens) were randomly assigned to 7 treatments, with 3 replicates and 10 birds in each replicate. Broilers were fed the isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets containing 0, 10, 20 and 30 % of raw or heated grass pea seed. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ration (FCR), European efficiency factor (EEF) and carcass characteristics were recorded. Total plasma protein, triglyceride and cholesterol concentration of broilers were measured at 2 stages of growth (28 & 42d). The results showed that diets containing 20 and 30% raw grass pea seed, increased feed intake significantly (P<0.05) and heated at 30% level increased feed intake significantly (P<0.05). Heating the grass pea seed improved weight gain and FCR of broilers in different levels. The birds which received 20% raw or 30% heated grass pea seed had significantly greater (P<0.05) liver weight than the control group. Total plasma protein concentration was affected by treatments at 28d. At 42d, the birds which received 30% raw grass pea seed had significantly (P<0.05) lowest cholesterol concentration. Increasing the levels of raw grass pea seed, decreased cholesterol concentration. It was concluded that heating process have some beneficial effect on grass pea seed used in chicken diets.