general and Nigerians specifically, is a reflection of the
deteriorating state of the Nigerian livestock industry,
which has continued to show a discouragingly slow rate
of growth. A realistic step towards enhancing animal
protein supply and intake in Nigeria is the development
and expansion of the poultry industry. FMAWRRD (1988)
had earlier reported that the poultry sub-sector has the
greatest potential to bridge not only the supply – demand
gap but also the supply-requirement gaps for animal
protein in the country. Despite the privileged role
accorded to poultry industry, its future development
depends to a large extent on the supply of appropriate,
safe and cost effective feeds.
The sources of protein for poultry feed are expensive and
they constitute about 30-35% of their diet. The over
dependence on the use of soyabean and groundnut
cake as major sources of protein in poultry feed has led
to both society and competition with man for these
ingredients and consequently high-cost of poultry feeds
(Abubakar et al., 2004; Agbede and Aletor, 2004). This
situation is not only unhealthy for the industry; it is also
a challenge to animal nutritionists. This limitation
imposed by scarcity and competition with human
consumption have forced animal nutritionists to exploit
alternative protein feed ingredients that are locally
available, relatively cheaper and can meet the nutrient