211
5 Conclusion
Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that the local variety of pearl
millet grown in Malawi can successfully replace maize in broiler diets at inclusion
levels of up to 20% of the diet without compromising growth performance, carcass
weights, dressing percentage, and feed conversion ratio. However, issues of costs
should be taken into consideration when using pearl millet as an energy feed ingredient. Considering that Malawi’s supply of maize is not reliable due to the changing
weather patterns and competition with humans, pearl millet, which is less popular
as human food and is more drought tolerant, offers an alternative energy feed ingredient for commercial feed compounders and provides a value addition pathway for
farmers. Further studies are recommended to validate the results of this study, compare different varieties of millet used and available in Malawi and processing methods, and assess levels of anti-nutritional factors in different millet types.
Acknowledgments This study was supported through the “Towards ‘Feed’ Security and Climate
Smart Feed Ingredients: Assessment of sorghum and millet as replacement for maize in poultry
diets” Project with funding from the Directorate of Research and Outreach at Lilongwe University
of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) for which we are very grateful. The support of
Ms. Thokozani Holla in data collection is also gratefully acknowledged.
References
AOAC (Association of official Analytical Chemists) (2012) In: 19th (ed) Official methods of analysis of AOAC international. AOAC, Washington, DC
Batonon-Alavo DI, Faruk MU, Lescoat P, Weber GM, Bastianelli D (2015) Inclusion of sorghum,
millet and cottonseed meal in broiler diets: a meta-analysis of effects on performance. Animal
9(7):1120–1130
Baurhoo N, Baurhoo B, Mustafa AF, Zhao X (2011a) Comparison of corn-based and Canadian
pearl millet based diets on performance, digestibility, villus morphology, and digestive microbial populations in broiler chickens. Poult Sci 90(3):579–586
Baurhoo N, Baurhoo B, Zhao X (2011b) Effects of exogenous enzymes in corn-based and Canadian
pearl millet-based diets with reduced soybean meal on growth performance, intestinal nutrient digestibility, villus development, and selected microbial populations in broiler chickens. J
Anim Sci 89(12):4100–4108
Choct M (2006) Enzymes for feed industry: past, present and future. Worlds Poult Sci J 62:5–15
Davis AJ, Dale NM, Ferreira FJ (2003) Pearl millet as an alternative feed ingredient in broiler
diets. J Appl Poult Res 12(2):137–144
FAO (2018) World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Pocketbook 2018. Rome. 254 pp. Licence:
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.INGO available at http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/CA1796EN.
Accessed 20 June 2019
FEWS NET (2017) Malawi Food Security Outlook. https://fews.net/sites/default/files/documents/
reports/MW_FSO_2017_06.pdf. Accessed Sept 2018
Hidalgo MA, Davis AJ, Dale NM, Dozier WA III (2004) Use of whole pearl millet in broiler diets.
J Appl Poult Res 13(2):229–234
Ibitoye EB, Olorede BR, Jimoh AA, Abubakar H (2012) Comparative performance and organ relative weight of broiler chicken fed three sources of energy diet. J Anim Prod Adv 2(5):233–238
In Search of Climate-Smart Feeds: The Potential of Pearl Millet
5 Conclusion
Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that the local variety of pearl
millet grown in Malawi can successfully replace maize in broiler diets at inclusion
levels of up to 20% of the diet without compromising growth performance, carcass
weights, dressing percentage, and feed conversion ratio. However, issues of costs
should be taken into consideration when using pearl millet as an energy feed ingredient. Considering that Malawi’s supply of maize is not reliable due to the changing
weather patterns and competition with humans, pearl millet, which is less popular
as human food and is more drought tolerant, offers an alternative energy feed ingredient for commercial feed compounders and provides a value addition pathway for
farmers. Further studies are recommended to validate the results of this study, compare different varieties of millet used and available in Malawi and processing methods, and assess levels of anti-nutritional factors in different millet types.
Acknowledgments This study was supported through the “Towards ‘Feed’ Security and Climate
Smart Feed Ingredients: Assessment of sorghum and millet as replacement for maize in poultry
diets” Project with funding from the Directorate of Research and Outreach at Lilongwe University
of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) for which we are very grateful. The support of
Ms. Thokozani Holla in data collection is also gratefully acknowledged.
References
AOAC (Association of official Analytical Chemists) (2012) In: 19th (ed) Official methods of analysis of AOAC international. AOAC, Washington, DC
Batonon-Alavo DI, Faruk MU, Lescoat P, Weber GM, Bastianelli D (2015) Inclusion of sorghum,
millet and cottonseed meal in broiler diets: a meta-analysis of effects on performance. Animal
9(7):1120–1130
Baurhoo N, Baurhoo B, Mustafa AF, Zhao X (2011a) Comparison of corn-based and Canadian
pearl millet based diets on performance, digestibility, villus morphology, and digestive microbial populations in broiler chickens. Poult Sci 90(3):579–586
Baurhoo N, Baurhoo B, Zhao X (2011b) Effects of exogenous enzymes in corn-based and Canadian
pearl millet-based diets with reduced soybean meal on growth performance, intestinal nutrient digestibility, villus development, and selected microbial populations in broiler chickens. J
Anim Sci 89(12):4100–4108
Choct M (2006) Enzymes for feed industry: past, present and future. Worlds Poult Sci J 62:5–15
Davis AJ, Dale NM, Ferreira FJ (2003) Pearl millet as an alternative feed ingredient in broiler
diets. J Appl Poult Res 12(2):137–144
FAO (2018) World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Pocketbook 2018. Rome. 254 pp. Licence:
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.INGO available at http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/CA1796EN.
Accessed 20 June 2019
FEWS NET (2017) Malawi Food Security Outlook. https://fews.net/sites/default/files/documents/
reports/MW_FSO_2017_06.pdf. Accessed Sept 2018
Hidalgo MA, Davis AJ, Dale NM, Dozier WA III (2004) Use of whole pearl millet in broiler diets.
J Appl Poult Res 13(2):229–234
Ibitoye EB, Olorede BR, Jimoh AA, Abubakar H (2012) Comparative performance and organ relative weight of broiler chicken fed three sources of energy diet. J Anim Prod Adv 2(5):233–238
In Search of Climate-Smart Feeds: The Potential of Pearl Millet