203
is not the major staple food crop in Malawi, apart from few areas such as the Lower
Shire Valley. As such, it does not prompt competition between poultry and humans,
who largely depend on and prefer maize to millet as an energy source food. Other
uses of millet include brewing beverages such as sweet beer. Despite its availability
in Malawi, millet is not used as an energy feed source when formulating and compounding poultry diets for the Malawi poultry industry. Globally, it has been
reported that apart from Asia, very little of millet is used as feed, especially in Africa
(Léder 2004).
In terms of agronomy, pearl millet grows well in areas characterized by low rainfall, and it is known for having the highest yield potential of all available types of
millets under drought and heat stress conditions. In general, millets can grow in
areas with seasonal rainfall of as little as 300 mm or less, while the minimum water
requirement for maize is 500–600 mm (ibid.) in areas with erratic rains (Baurhoo
et al. 2011a, b). In addition to being more drought and disease resistant than maize,
pearl millet also grows well in soil that is acidic and low in natural fertility (Saleh
et al. 2013; Léder 2004; Davis et al. 2003). Rao et al. (2004) reported that pearl millet could totally replace yellow maize in broiler diets without compromising performance. Under circumstances of low maize supply such as during droughts, the
implication is that pearl millet could reduce dependency of broiler producers and
feed compounders on the use of maize as an energy feed ingredient in broiler diets.
These attributes make millet a potential “climate-smart” feed ingredient that requires
further exploration.
In general, millet has a superior nutritional quality to maize grain. For example,
Davis et al. (2003) reported that millet had a comparable true metabolizable energy
(TME) value (3300–3448 kcal/kg) and a higher protein content (12–14%) than
maize. The protein, essential amino acid, linoleic acid, and oil content of millet are
also higher in millet than maize. Léder (2004) reported that pearl millet had a lysine
content which was 21% greater than that of maize and 36% greater than sorghum.
Inclusion of millet to up to 50% in broiler diets has been shown to result in growth
performance and carcass yield of broilers that were equal or better than the broilers
that were fed typical maize–soybean diets (ibid.). However, others have reported
that lower inclusion levels of 5% and 10% whole millet in broiler diets gave similar
results on performance and carcass yields of broilers compared to those fed maizesoybean- based diets (Batonon-Alavo et al. 2015; Hidalgo et al. 2004). Other studies
(Ibitoye et al. 2012) have reported that the relative growth performance of broilers
fed a pearl millet-based diet was higher than that of broilers fed a maize-based diet.
However, despite its potential use as a feed ingredient, millet should be used with
some caution as it contains anti-nutritional factors such as tannins, phytic acid, and
polyphenols which may limit energy utilization. The content of these anti- nutritional
factors is lower compared to other cereal grains (Choct 2006). In addition, the concentration of anti-nutritional factors in pearl millet also depends on the variety or
type of millet used due to genetic and agronomic factors.
In the preceding sections, it has been shown that pearl millet can be a potential
replacement for maize as an energy feed ingredient in broiler diets. However, in
Malawi, there is no information regarding the use of millet as an energy feed ingreIn Search of Climate-Smart Feeds: The Potential of Pearl Millet
is not the major staple food crop in Malawi, apart from few areas such as the Lower
Shire Valley. As such, it does not prompt competition between poultry and humans,
who largely depend on and prefer maize to millet as an energy source food. Other
uses of millet include brewing beverages such as sweet beer. Despite its availability
in Malawi, millet is not used as an energy feed source when formulating and compounding poultry diets for the Malawi poultry industry. Globally, it has been
reported that apart from Asia, very little of millet is used as feed, especially in Africa
(Léder 2004).
In terms of agronomy, pearl millet grows well in areas characterized by low rainfall, and it is known for having the highest yield potential of all available types of
millets under drought and heat stress conditions. In general, millets can grow in
areas with seasonal rainfall of as little as 300 mm or less, while the minimum water
requirement for maize is 500–600 mm (ibid.) in areas with erratic rains (Baurhoo
et al. 2011a, b). In addition to being more drought and disease resistant than maize,
pearl millet also grows well in soil that is acidic and low in natural fertility (Saleh
et al. 2013; Léder 2004; Davis et al. 2003). Rao et al. (2004) reported that pearl millet could totally replace yellow maize in broiler diets without compromising performance. Under circumstances of low maize supply such as during droughts, the
implication is that pearl millet could reduce dependency of broiler producers and
feed compounders on the use of maize as an energy feed ingredient in broiler diets.
These attributes make millet a potential “climate-smart” feed ingredient that requires
further exploration.
In general, millet has a superior nutritional quality to maize grain. For example,
Davis et al. (2003) reported that millet had a comparable true metabolizable energy
(TME) value (3300–3448 kcal/kg) and a higher protein content (12–14%) than
maize. The protein, essential amino acid, linoleic acid, and oil content of millet are
also higher in millet than maize. Léder (2004) reported that pearl millet had a lysine
content which was 21% greater than that of maize and 36% greater than sorghum.
Inclusion of millet to up to 50% in broiler diets has been shown to result in growth
performance and carcass yield of broilers that were equal or better than the broilers
that were fed typical maize–soybean diets (ibid.). However, others have reported
that lower inclusion levels of 5% and 10% whole millet in broiler diets gave similar
results on performance and carcass yields of broilers compared to those fed maizesoybean- based diets (Batonon-Alavo et al. 2015; Hidalgo et al. 2004). Other studies
(Ibitoye et al. 2012) have reported that the relative growth performance of broilers
fed a pearl millet-based diet was higher than that of broilers fed a maize-based diet.
However, despite its potential use as a feed ingredient, millet should be used with
some caution as it contains anti-nutritional factors such as tannins, phytic acid, and
polyphenols which may limit energy utilization. The content of these anti- nutritional
factors is lower compared to other cereal grains (Choct 2006). In addition, the concentration of anti-nutritional factors in pearl millet also depends on the variety or
type of millet used due to genetic and agronomic factors.
In the preceding sections, it has been shown that pearl millet can be a potential
replacement for maize as an energy feed ingredient in broiler diets. However, in
Malawi, there is no information regarding the use of millet as an energy feed ingreIn Search of Climate-Smart Feeds: The Potential of Pearl Millet