This study evaluated the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens fed diets with varying substitution levels of fishmeal (FM) 0, 250, 500, 750, and 1000 g/kg DM with Napier grass protein (NGP). Treatment diets included T0 (control diet), T250, T500, T750, and T1000 to represent the different substitution levels. After the starter phase, birds were finished on a conventional fishmeal-based diet for 14 days. Feed intake, weight gain, and hot carcass decreased (P < 0.01) at a decreasing rate with increasing substitution in starter diets. Feed intake, weight gain, and hot carcass were highest (P < 0.01) in T0 birds, followed by T250 birds. Feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein, and energy utilization efficiencies were highest (P < 0.01) in T0 birds followed by T250 birds and lowest for T1000 birds. Ileal CP digestibility (862.3 g/kg DM) was highest for T0 birds but comparable (P > 0.05) to T500 birds (716.4 g/kg DM). Similarly, ME digestibility was highest in T0 birds (819.5 g/kg DM) although comparable (P > 0.05) to T250 birds and T500 birds. In contrast, T250 and T500 birds showed higher (P < 0.05) crude fiber digestibility (645 g/kg DM) than T0 birds (402 g/kg DM). Hot carcass weight decreased (P < 0.01) with FM substitution with the heaviest carcasses recorded for T0 birds. As percentage of the hot carcass, weight of breast and thigh reduced (P < 0.05) with increasing substitution of FM. Percentage weights of empty gizzard, caeca, and pancreas for T1000 birds were higher (P < 0.05) and double compared with T0 birds. In the finisher phase, there was no difference (P > 0.05) in weight gains of T0 and T250 birds, although T250 birds had numerically higher weight gain compared with T0 birds. However, percentage change in weight gain in the finisher phase was influenced (P < 0.05) by MFP substitution level in the starter phase. In the finisher phase, T1000 birds had the highest percentage change in weight gain (71.6%) compared to 40.7% for T0 birds. Nonetheless, regression analysis of FCR data in the starter phase showed that optimal FCR is attained at 150 g/kg NGP substitution in broiler diets. These results suggest that NGP is of low biological value in broiler diets, probably due to its high fiber content and deficiency in methionine and lysine, which are limiting essential amino acids in broiler diets.

Millets represent a diverse group of cereal crops of significance to sub-Saharan Africa and globally. However, they remain a set of crops with limited attention and priority paid to them with paucity of information on their genetic diversity and sustainable use. Existing knowledge on millets with respect to cultivation, health, and nutritional benefits, and contribution to sustainable environmental management, and use is mainly attributed to traditional indigenous knowledge held by rural folks in different regions of the continent. The emergence of other cereal staples, however, led to millets losing their place as an important crop limiting their use to a “famine” crop with production occurring on smallholdings among the marginalized poor. This threatens interest, patronage, conservation and use to sustainably and fully exploit the potential of millets for the benefit of society. Intertwined with tradition and culture, millets in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere nonetheless hold great promise to contribute to food security, revitalize and diversify diets, improve farmer livelihoods, resilience, and adaptation to climate change. This chapter discusses the importance of millets, challenges to production, contribution to nutrition and health, traditional knowledge and products, novel and non-traditional products, contribution to resilience and climate change, and diversity of available genetic resources.