<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Due to its valuable nutritional qualities and unique capacity to withstand heat and drought, the cowpea (CWP; <italic>Vigna unguiculata</italic> (L.) Walp) is an important legume crop that is grown extensively throughout the globe and in increasing quantities also in semi-arid areas in Romania. Moreover, a drought-tolerant crop like CWP can provide several benefits to poultry in regions affected by water scarcity or drought conditions. Compared to other legumes, such as peas or soybeans, CWP has been the least researched and are the least used in poultry nutrition. The seed’s mean protein content is 25.5%, which is comparable to soybeans, winged beans, and gram. In addition, carbohydrates, fibers, minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals are abundant in CWP seeds. The amino acid composition is characterized by a balanced profile, making it a valuable source of essential and non-essential amino acids. Additionally, CWP seeds are very rich in nutraceuticals like polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The major PUFAs were linoleic (20.8–40.3%) and linolenic acids (9.6–32.1%). It also contains anti-nutritional factors like enzyme inhibitors that reduce nutrient absorption. However, various processing methods are employed to diminish or eliminate the negative effects of anti-nutritional components. CWP in their raw unprocessed form can be used as replacement for soybean meal in poultry diets, at inclusion levels up to 200 g/kg. However, the optimal inclusion rate of CWP in poultry feed will depend on different factors such as age and the processing method used.</p>
</abstract>

Due to its valuable nutritional qualities and unique capacity to withstand heat and drought, the cowpea (CWP; Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is an important legume crop that is grown extensively throughout the globe and in increasing quantities also in semi-arid areas in Romania. Moreover, a drought-tolerant crop like CWP can provide several benefits to poultry in regions affected by water scarcity or drought conditions. Compared to other legumes, such as peas or soybeans, CWP has been the least researched and are the least used in poultry nutrition. The seed’s mean protein content is 25.5%, which is comparable to soybeans, winged beans, and gram. In addition, carbohydrates, fibers, minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals are abundant in CWP seeds. The amino acid composition is characterized by a balanced profile, making it a valuable source of essential and non-essential amino acids. Additionally, CWP seeds are very rich in nutraceuticals like polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The major PUFAs were linoleic (20.8–40.3%) and linolenic acids (9.6–32.1%). It also contains anti-nutritional factors like enzyme inhibitors that reduce nutrient absorption. However, various processing methods are employed to diminish or eliminate the negative effects of anti-nutritional components. CWP in their raw unprocessed form can be used as replacement for soybean meal in poultry diets, at inclusion levels up to 200 g/kg. However, the optimal inclusion rate of CWP in poultry feed will depend on different factors such as age and the processing method used.

The use of cowpeas (<italic>Vigna unguiculata</italic> [L] Walp) in poultry diets: A review

Laboratory of Animal Nutrition & Biotechnology

University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest

Archiva Zootechnica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The use of cowpeas ( [L] Walp) in poultry diets: A review

Due to its valuable nutritional qualities and unique capacity to withstand heat and drought, the cowpea (CWP; Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is an important...

The use of cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata [L] Walp) in poultry diets: A review

Published Online: Jun 24, 2024

Page range: 23 - 47

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/azibna-2024-0002

Keywords
cowpea, nutrients, anti-nutritional factors, poultry nutrition

© 2024 Mădălin Manole et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The use of cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata [L] Walp) in poultry diets: A review

Published Online: Jun 24, 2024

Page range: 23 - 47

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/azibna-2024-0002

Keywordscowpea, nutrients, anti-nutritional factors, poultry nutrition

© 2024 Mădălin Manole et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
cowpea, nutrients, anti-nutritional factors, poultry nutrition