The study was conducted to determine the effect of graded levels of differently processed Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seed meal on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. One hundred and fifty (150), 28-day old birds were randomly allotted to 5 dietary treatments of 3 replicates of thirty birds each. Each replicate had 10 birds. The treatments were: T1 - control diet with 0% inclusion level of Roselle Seed Meal (RSM) while the four other diets had 50% of raw (T2: rRSM), soaked (T3: sRSM), boiled (T4: bRSM) and  fermented (T5: fRSM) Roselle Seed Meal in a complete randomized design. At the end of the 28thday of the feeding (week 8), parameters measured were on performance and carcass characteristics. The data collected were analyzed using ANOVA of SAS with the means, where significant, were separated using the Duncan's Multiple Range Test. Final weight (FW) and weight gain (WG) were highest in birds on T5. Birds on T5 had the least feed conversion ratio (FCR) value (2.62). Feed intake and percent mortality did not differ significantly among birds on the different dietary treatments. Birds on T5 had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values for live weight (LW), thigh weight (TW) and neck weight (NW). Percentage eviscerated weight, breast weight, drumstick weight, shank weight, wing weight and back weight did not differ significantly among the birds on the different treatments. The gizzard (G), liver (L) and spleen (S) had the highest values in birds on T3 (G: 2.53%), T1 (L: 2.34%), T5 (S: 0.18) being significantly (p<0.05) different from T 5 (G: 2.04% and L: 1.87%), T2 (S: 0.08%), T3 (S: 0.08%) and T4 (S: 0.09%) respectively. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences observed among the treatments for percentage heart weight. It can be concluded that processing methods enhanced the utilization of Roselle seed meal with the best being the fermentation method as revealed by its feed conversion ratio, live weight and some carcass parameters when Roselle Seed Meal was substituted for 50% of soybean meal in the broiler finisher diets.                

Means of reducing the rising cost of feed resources in livestock production is a concern in the poultry industry in Nigeria.The study was carried out to investigate the effect of graded level of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seed meal on performance traits, physical and sensory quality of broiler chicken meat. One hundred and twenty birds at day 28 were used and thirty birds were randomly allotted into respective four dietary treatments [T1 - control diet with 0% inclusion level of raw roselle seed meal (RSM) while T2, T3 and T4 had 25%, 50% and 75% inclusion level of RSM respectively] in a complete randomized design. Each treatment had three replicates with ten birds per replicate. At the end of the 28-day feeding trial being 8 weeks, 24 birds (2-birds/replicate) were slaughtered for physical and sensory meat quality characteristics: colour, appearance, flavor, texture, taste and overall acceptability. Result showed there was not significant (P>0.05) difference for final weight, weight gain and feed intake among T1, T2 and T3 but T4 had significant (P<0.05) least values in final weight (1.58kg) weight gain (1.05kg) and feed intake (3.52kg) among the treatments. The FCR was not significantly different for T1 (3.32) and T4 (3.36) while both T1 and T4 differed significantly from T2 (3.13) and T3 (3.11). There were not significant (p>0.05) differences in the carcass traits that were measured across the treatments. The cooking loss from the thigh meat in T2 (27.55%) was significantly lower in comparison to treatments T3 (36.60%) and T4 (35.62%) but was not significantly different from T1 (30.48%). The cooking loss from breast and drumstick meat showed insignificant (P<0.05) difference among the treatments. The texture of the meat had least scored value in T1 (4.93) which was significantly different from T1 (6.33) but not significantly different from T2 (5.13) and T4 (6.07). The overall acceptability of the meat from the treatments was highest in T1 (7.03) with no significantly different from T3 (6.33) and T4 (6.67) but was significantly different from T2 (5.6). It can be concluded that raw roselle seed meal can be used as a substitute for full fat soybean for use in finisher broiler diets up to 50% inclusion level without adverse effect on the performance traits and some meat quality attributes of chicken.